June 21st 2018 “the Chief Inspector of Ofsted, Amanda Spielman supported schools who ban mobile phones.” The Headmaster of Eton “endorsed confiscating mobile phones.”
From an article on the Blog Safeguarding Essentials
The LSE study states “Our research shows that not only does pupil achievement improve as a result of a ban, but also that low achieving and low income pupils gain the most.”
We all know that digital devices are ubiquitous not only in developed countries. Mobile are often a life line to farmers and fishing communities who need to get the best price for their goods. We also know that many adults in “developed” countries use their digital devices to:
In the latest Children and Parents: Media Use and Attitudes Report from Ofcom, findings suggest that almost a quarter of 8-11s and three-quarters of 12-15s have a social media profile. Their findings also concluded that one in eight 12-15s with a social media profile say there is pressure to look popular all of the time.
The popularity of social media combined with these risks and added to all the other stresses of growing up, it’s easy to understand how almost 1 in 4 children and young people show some evidence of mental ill health (including anxiety and depression), as reported by Young Minds.
(Safeguarding Essentials)
In schools though
“Digital learning is replacing traditional educational methods more and more each day. With how rapidly classrooms are changing, it is best to forget methods you may remember from when you were in school and start thinking about newer teaching and learning techniques based on digital learning tools and technologies. The inclusion of digital learning in the classrooms can vary from simply using tablets instead of paper to using elaborate software programs and equipment as opposed to the simple pen.”
Read this article for more information
The annual Bett Show is the biggest British educational training and technology show and will be held at the Excel in London this year. This immense exhibition brings together 850 leading companies and 103 new edtech start ups from all over the world. It is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate, seek knowledge and find inspiration about how innovation is changing the face of current education.
The mission of this event is to portray cohesion within the education sector and also teach one another about the modern technologies that are surfacing to give children and educators a new experience of learning, that enables them to fulfil their potential in their everyday work.
There will be talks held over the course of three days by various speakers. These will give you an insight into various companies and their technologies, to inspirational educational talks on how we as a society of education are shaping the future for upcoming generations. There will also be stands for each company, where you can get interactive with different technologies and learn more about the products that are available to enhance everyday learning experiences. More information about the show can be found here.
You can find Tyncan learning at stand A440 in partnership with Robotix. Come along and discover the TACO playbits, TACO robobricks, and PHIRO code. These are new technologies that encourage children from the ages of 3 to use technology as a source of fun, educational learning. More information about these can be found at the following website: Robotix
The World Oceans Day Youth Advisory Council is expanding for 2018 by adding 10 new young ocean leaders from around the world! Applications are due by 1 December 2017.
The World Oceans Day Youth Advisory Council helps to expand the reach and impact of World Oceans Day, on 8 June, and year-round. Council members are instrumental in helping shape the development of World Oceans Day as it grows, providing new and unique perspectives, ideas, and recommendations. Find out more
To apply you must be between the ages of 16 and 22, able to make at least a two-year commitment, including approximately 5-10 hours per month to Council activities and have a passion for the ocean! Apply now
Our range of Labdisc dataloggers are the ideal devices for bringing practical experimenting into the classroom. Contact us for more information. info@tyncan.com
The Gatsby Foundation published the Good Practical Science Report by Sir John Holman which aims to transform the delivery of practical science education, helping secondary schools “achieve world class science education”. The report provides a framework for good practical science through a series of ten benchmarks, drawing on the need for adequate funding, a strong supply of expert science teachers and a curriculum, assessment and accountability system that encourages good teaching. The report concedes that the benchmarks are demanding and that “most schools are falling short of achieving world-class practical science measured in this way”.
The report includes wide-ranging recommendations for school leaders and for the wider education system. The recommendations for school governors and trustees include:
For further guidance on the types of challenging questions that governors might ask senior leaders on the quality and provision of science education at your school, click here
Today, the White House announced a $200 million per year commitment to computer science education in America’s schools. Unlike similar proposals in previous years, today’s action delivers funding to schools, immediately. Besides expanding access to computer science in schools that previously didn’t teach it, the funds promise to increase participation by women and underrepresented minorities.
This funding will jumpstart efforts to ensure every student in every U.S. school has the opportunity to learn computer science as part of a well-rounded education. For advocates of increased access and diversity in CS, this is the culmination of years of momentum that began in classrooms, spread to entire school districts, and won the support of business leaders and elected officials globally.
At a time when computing careers are the best-paying, fastest-growing, and largest sector of new wages, impacting every industry in every state, it is no longer acceptable for our schools to limit access to this foundational subject. Our children deserve a level playing field — the opportunity to learn computer science shouldn’t be limited by the color of a student’s skin or the neighborhood she lives in.
The UK, Japan, Ireland, and a dozen other countries have announced plans to add computer science to their school curriculum, and so have many individual states in the U.S.
And today, America leads in computer science, thanks to countless supporters of this cause, starting with you: parents, students, and teachers, as well as partner organizations and corporations. Whether you signed a petition on Code.org or used our courses in your classroom, you’ve helped build a grassroots movement that is changing education, globally.
Uniting for children, in divided times
The division in our country hurts us all. Amidst the politics, students represent our hope. We all want opportunity for our children, and there’s no better way to offer them opportunity than to prepare them for the careers of the future.
This movement has supporters across the political spectrum, whether in urban, suburban, or rural communities. We may be divided by our politics, but we’re united by our dedication to our children.
Code.org has never endorsed any candidate, politician, or political party. We’ve worked closely with presidents and governors from both parties, and with international prime ministers, to advocate for opportunity. Like many others, we’re appalled by the divisiveness in today’s politics, at a time when we need collaborative solutions to the world’s problems. Given our education focus, we’re dismayed by proposed cuts to education budgets. And given our mission and focus on diversity, we unequivocally denounce the tone of racism that has entered the political sphere.
Today we have a chance to set aside politics and come together, to support opportunity for all our children, and to build the future.
This is still the beginning
For those of us who have spent years working to spread computer science, today’s announcement marks a new beginning — it’s a new opportunity for every school to expand its computer science offerings. This work is only just beginning, and the job won’t be done until every school steps up to teach high-quality computer science.
To the 600,000 Code.org teachers who have helped make computer science the fastest-spreading subject in modern education, I want to thank you for your passion.
And I encourage every educator to consider joining the computer science movement. Your students are our future. Whether you teach your students to add and subtract, to read and write, or to code, yours is the most important job in the world.
Today marks a special moment for every parent, student, teacher, or partner organization who believes in our mission, that every student in every school deserves the opportunity to learn computer science.
To all of you who have supported Code.org, today’s announcement is about something bigger than any politician or political agenda: it’s about our children and their future, and it’s about you, and the strength of our global movement for students. I hope you’ll share today’s great news.
Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.
Hadi Partovi
Code.org
