Discovery Education’s Augmented Reality App Wins Bett Award
Discovery Education—the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art digital platform supports learning wherever it takes place – was last night announced as a winner at the 2023 Bett Awards. Sandbox AR – Discovery Education’s cutting-edge augmented reality app launched at last year’s Bett – was awarded first prize in the Hardware, AV, AR/AV, Robotics and Digital Device category. The Bett Awards celebrate the inspiring creativity and innovation that can be found throughout technology for education. Recognised by many as the most important awards in the industry, BETT winners are seen to be at the forefront of edtech provision to schools. Discovery Education’s Sandbox AR app empowers students and teachers to create, share, and even inhabit virtual environments. Within Sandbox AR, users can create virtual worlds and populate them with some of the hundreds of unique objects from history, the built world, science and nature, and more. Sandbox AR also gives students new ways to express themselves and demonstrate their learning through a feature that lets learners take photos or record a video walkthrough with their own voice over. Sandbox AR even offers a mode that allows users to scale up and inhabit their own life size virtual environments. For those new to AR, Sandbox AR includes many pre-built sandboxes exploring diverse subjects such as ancient Egypt, space exploration, Mayan civilization, road construction, and more, with additional sandboxes coming soon. Discovery Education is also making available several free, pre-built lessons educators can use with the app to familiarize themselves with integrating AR into classroom instruction. Sandbox AR is available for download here. The development of Sandbox AR was led by Discovery Education’s UK-based Immersive Learning team who have been pioneers in creating Virtual and Augmented Reality experiences for schools for over 30 years. Sandbox AR received its world premiere at the BETT Show last year, where it was launched on the Main Stage with London-based educator Simon Pile sharing how he has used the app in his school. “We’re delighted to be presented with a prestigious BETT award, one of the highest accolades in the industry”, said Howard Lewis, Managing Director, UK and International, at Discovery Education. “Since its inception, Discovery Education has been an early mover in bringing innovative technologies—such as streaming video and digital textbooks—into the classroom. We’re excited to put the power of augmented reality into the hands of educators with the Sandbox AR app!” Find out more about the Bett 2023 Awards at www.bettawards.com . Explore Discovery Education’s award-winning digital learning services at www.discoveryeducation.co.uk.
The winners of the Bett Awards 2023 have been revealed
Held in association with BESA, the ceremony took place at The Brewery, London on 29 March 2023, rewarding 25 inspiring companies and recognising an additional highly commendable product. Among this year’s finalists were a range of innovative solution providers transforming experiences for students worldwide. From flexible learning platforms to interactive resources, these awards are the most effective way to recognise excellence in EdTech. As technology revolutionises the industry and the world becomes increasingly interconnected, offering learners the ability to inspire curiosity is evermore important. Knowledge AI – KAIT, was awarded in the Class Aid or Educator Support category for their innovative AI-driven platform that helps educators to understand exam data better. And, Lyfta, a platform that transports students and teachers to immersive 360° spaces across the globe, won the Transformational Impact award. Having amassed over 20 years of experience in education, this year’s Company of the Year (less than £3m) award went to CreativeHUT, which develops programs & activities by educators that focus on building confidence in STEAM and developing 21st-century skills. Other winners were focused on accessibility and assistive technology tools to identify language difficulties or stimulate student’s senses for a better learning experience. OxEd and Assessment – LanguageScreen won the Early Years Digital Product or Service award and Inclusive Technology – Inclusive Stories won the SEND Resources, Products & Services award. By setting a precedent for inclusive, innovative technologies such as these, a world of opportunity is opened for students to become more independent learners, problem solvers and innovators. BESA acted as the chair of judges, overseeing the impartiality and fairness of the robust, two-stage judging process by a panel of 30 experienced educational professionals. Louisa Hunter, Bett Director, said: “As technology continues to change the way we learn and teach, it is inspiring to see these trailblazers pave the way with EdTech solutions that are making a difference in schools and universities. The Bett Awards 2023 go beyond acknowledging the excellence of these technological advancements and also highlight their crucial role in upskilling educators and learners. The Bett Awards recognises the way that these innovative solutions and platforms are opening up a world of opportunity for the next generation – for them to become problem solvers, critical thinkers, and lifelong learners.” For a list of all Bett Awards 2023 winners, please see below: Category Winner Collaboration with a School / Schools CREATE Education #InspiringLancashire Innovator of the Year White Light – University of Portsmouth Transformational Impact Lift Education Educational Resource for Parents or Home Learning Mussila – Mussila Family Solution Wellbeing, Digital Wellness & Safeguarding Resources Lightspeed Systems – Lightspeed Alert Company of the Year (less than £3m) CreativeHUT Company of the Year (£3m to £12m) Arbor Education Company of the Year (more than £12m) IRIS Education Early Years Digital Product or Service OxEd and Assessment – LanguageScreen Primary – Free Digital Content, App or Open Educational Resource Oddizzi – 2041 School – Champions of Antarctica Primary – Digital Learning Product – Language & Literacy Crick Software – Clicker Primary – Digital Learning Product – Numeracy & Maths BBC Education – BBC Bitesize Reception Maths Primary – Digital Learning Product – Broad Curriculum (other) Charanga Musical School – Featuring YuStudio, an Accessible DAW for Schools Secondary – Digital Learning Product Collins – Adapt Secondary – Free Digital Content, App or Open Educational Resource PG Online ClearRevise / Ludenso Higher Education – Digital Learning Product ThingLink SEND Resources, Products & Services Inclusive Technology – Inclusive Stories The Education Show (non-EdTech) Award for School Resources & Equipment for Teaching and Learning Picture News Hardware, AV, VR/AR, Robotics or Digital Device Discovery Education – Discovery Education Sandbox AR Class Aid or Educator Support Knowledge AI – KAIT Technical or IT Support Service Joskos Solutions Assessment, Planning & Progress Monitoring Educate International Digital Educational Resource Fiction Express Education – Fiction Express Leadership and Management Solutions iAM Compliant Outstanding Achievement Award Nigel Canin, Founder, 2Simple Highly Commended Primary – Digital Learning Product – Numeracy & Maths SchoolOnline Classroom
Could An Educational Game Help Close The Engineering Skills Gap?
We need engineers Engineers will be vital for our society as we meet the challenges of the climate crisis and work towards our net zero goals. Their knowledge, creativity and problem-solving skills are needed to develop new technologies and combat climate change. However, not enough young people are entering the profession to meet current, let alone future, demand for core engineering skill. A recent report from EngineeringUK found that there is still a significant gender gap at all levels of the education pipeline. 150,000 more girls need to study A Level maths or physics to equal the number of male undergraduates studying engineering and technology degrees. The number of young people beginning engineering apprenticeships is declining as well. The amount of young people beginning such apprenticeships is 9% lower than in 2014/2015. EngineeringUK estimates that society will need 124,000 engineers and technicians every year to meet current and future demand. While this is a complex problem, the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) believes that an engagement programme for 16–18-year-old students called the ICE CityZen Award may be part of the answer. The CityZen effect Now in its second year, the ICE CityZen Award is already having a measurable impact on the students who participate. Of the 540 students who took part last year, one third said they were interested in civil engineering as a potential course or future career at the beginning of the competition. By the end of the experience, nearly 80% of students who took part in CityZen said they would consider civil engineering as a career. The competition’s reach has nearly doubled (45%) since it launched, with 982 students taking part in 2022, bringing the total number of student competitors who have taken part to 1,522. When asked what they enjoyed most about the competition students from the Gold Award winning team of Hillhead High School in Glasgow said: “We’re very grateful to take part in this amazing competition and have our suggestion for the wonderful city of Glasgow listened to by the civil engineering industry. “We really enjoyed the weekly challenges and had so much fun filming our project. – we hope our hard work and effort can make a truly positive impact and that this will open up opportunities for us and others in the future. “We would like to say a special thanks to our ICE STEM Ambassador Mhairi Porteous from Fairhurst who mentored us through the process.” Other students who participated echoed the themes of wanting to help their communities and make a difference. “I really enjoyed researching projects that would aid my community as I felt like I was making a big difference in the world.” (A Year 12 student) “Working collaboratively as a team to research, think of ideas and design the project. Also making the video and talking to the bursar about potential sites. I also loved how the project came together.” (A Year 12 student) Seán Harris, director of membership, the ICE said: “Although enrolment in civil engineering courses remains strong, the ICE still has an important role to play in allowing young people to see that a career in engineering is within their grasp – we need more young people to bring their ideas and passion to the wider industry. “We established the ICE CityZen Award as a virtual alternative to work experience, and it is fantastic to see participants’ interest in the industry growing as a result of their involvement.” CityZen participants are the future of civil engineering The ICE CityZen Award is a two-part competition aimed at 16- to 18-year-olds in full time education. Part one is a digital game in which student tackle real-life inspired civil engineering challenges. They then apply the lessons they’ve learned in part two and create a video submission to pitch an idea to improve their local community. The winners of this year’s ICE CityZen Award have responded directly to infrastructure problems in the headlines, namely improving public transport and tackling the high cost of energy bills. Hillhead High School in Glasgow won the Gold Award with their plan to improve connectivity between central Glasgow and the city suburbs with a tram line. Their proposed route would connect Glasgow Central Station, various entertainment hot spots, the Queen Elizabeth hospitals and Barehead Shopping centre. Silver Award winners from Mayfield School in East Sussex suggested a geothermal heating solution for their village, which would help lower heating bills for residents and local businesses in the long term. The team was inspired to tackle the cost of energy because a beloved local café had to shut its doors after nine years due to rising costs. Bronze Award winners from Norwich School in Norwich, also tackled public transport woes in their proposal to introduce trolleybuses to the city, which they believe will help address traffic congestion and environmental concerns from diesel pollution. Seán Harris said: “It was amazing to review these submissions from young people all over the UK. The judges were impressed not only by the students’ creativity, but also by how well their proposals responded to the challenges faced by their communities.” “This is how civil engineers think and address problems. If this is the future of the civil engineering profession, we’re in good hands. Congratulations to all the winners and to every student that took part in the ICE CityZen Award this year. We look forward to seeing what you accomplish in the future.”
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Stormflame has been online since 2001, selling quality fingerguards & safety products. Shop for a wide selection of door finger guards & safety products ideal for schools, nurseries & other properties. Stormflame sell a full range of finger guards plus some safety products often bought together by schools, hospitals and nurseries. To order, and subject to volumes, we can supply infection control versions or provide RAL colour matching of some guard models. For lower risk and lower traffic doors we have budget priced finger guards through to heavier duty models. We have finger guards designed for automated doors – including a frameless glass door finger guard and a washable, ruggedised one for sterile environments also suitable for external use. We also offer two different all-alloy construction finger protectors. We also stock rear hinge guards to cover the smaller gap at the rear of the door. Fingerkeeper Commercial Front Stop finger trapping accidents by totally covering the gap that is created on the hinge side of a door, in the open position. Ideal for use in Schools, Day Care Centres, Nurseries, hospitals, or any internal doors that create risk to the Public. The device is fully recyclable at end of life and available in a range of colours. Fingerkeeper Industrial TPV A heavy-duty finger-pinch protection device (anti-finger-trapping hinge guard). Manufactured from a TPV material fitted in an Anodised Aluminium carrier, that is supplied with self-drilling screws and 2 x push-in screw concealing strips to match. The device is designed for demanding commercial & industrial environments. For use with interior or exterior timber or metal doors and also suitable for automatic doors. Finger Defender RP (Roller Type Finger Guard) A high quality finger guard with resilient blind. When the door opens the roller blind extends to prevent fingers entering the cavity formed between the edge of the door and door frame. A hard wearing synthetic fibre fabric which is mountable, removable, washable and also fire retardant B1 treated. Fingerkeeper Protect Rear Prevent finger trapping accidents by totally covering the gap that is created on the rear hinge side of a door when it is in the open position. This device can be fitted to most types of doors including wood, metal and uPVC. Used in conjunction with FingerKeeper Commercial Front, which covers the front hinges, the risk of finger trapping accidents on the hinge edge of the door is eliminated. Available in different colours to match existing décor. Shop for all of our Front and Rear finger guards: https://shop.stormflame.com/finger-guards-for-doors-2-c.asp Shop for all our safety products: https://shop.stormflame.com/safety-products-96-c.asp Download our fingerguard and safety brochure: https://www.stormflame.com/FingerGuards-and-Safety-Products-brochure-Stormflame.pdf Visit the Stormflame Shop or alternatively get in touch with us: Shop Online: shop.stormflame.com | Email: sales@stormflame.com | Telephone: 01329 841416
World’s Most Fun Word-Building Competition For School Kids Is Back Now With Up To £100,000 In Prizes
LiteracyPlanet today announced the return of its biggest and most thrilling free online word-building challenge for kids that promises to be the talk of the classroom – Word Mania! Pitching school against school, the competition provides a platform for children to showcase their creativity and initiative while building literacy skills. Open to school children in Years 1 to 9 from all over the world, LiteracyPlanet has announced an increase in the prizes by an extra £20,000 this year. This means that British students now have the chance to win a share of the major prize pool for their school valued at up to £100,000. In the competition, participants have three minutes to create as many words as they can from a board of 15 randomly generated letter tiles. By dragging and rearranging letter tiles into the word panel, Word Mania players build, extend and rebuild words. Tom Richardson, CEO, LiteracyPlanet, says every year customers eagerly anticipate the start of Word Mania. He said: “It’s a fantastic way to get kids excited and engaged in their literacy learning, as well as boosting their vocabulary and spelling skills, especially in the lead up to SATs. “The motivating factors of competing against their peers and other schools, the goal of achieving the highest score in their school, and the incentive of prizes all contribute to the game’s appeal. “It promises to be an exciting event, connecting schools across the globe. We can’t wait to see the creative and imaginative words that the children come up with.” Word Mania has been shown to improve students’ word-building skills, and their knowledge of phonemes, morphemes, affixes and plurals, as well as spelling and word recognition by an average of 36% over the course of the competition. “It is certainly impressive and worthwhile that an activity that is fun for students can also lead to improved literacy rates,” he added. “It is important to remember that when students are engaged and motivated, they are more likely to invest time and effort into learning, which can lead to better outcomes. So, it’s great that an enjoyable activity like Word Mania can also contribute to a positive educational outcome like improved literacy rates.” The 2023 Word Mania Warm-up Round runs from 6 March – 23 April, so students can get practicing and used to racing against the clock while they are creating their words. The Final Round, where the scores count, is on for only four days from 2 May – 5 May. As a final bonus for school budgets, schools participating in Word Mania will be able to unlock complete access to LiteracyPlanet for free, so they can try thousands of fun interactive and engaging curriculum-aligned exercises. Teachers can register their school online for free by visiting: https://www.literacyplanet.com/discover/wm-2023/
Just one week to go until Bett 2023
This month, one of the biggest events in the education calendar, Bett 2023, will kick off at the ExCel exhibition centre in London. Bett will take place from 29 to 31 March, showcasing the world’s best education technology. Every year thousands of visitors come together to discover new ways for technology to enhance their teaching, build capacity and prepare their students for the future. Policy and governance are also on the agenda, with experts from across the globe sharing the latest research and insights. With computer programming among the most sought-after skills in the economy, educators interested in making coding fun and accessible should visit Scirra at Stand SH80. Their game design software Construct 3 is an industry-grade tool for building 2 and 2.5D games using Javascript. However, its mixture of block- and -text-based programming has made it a first choice among schools: an accessible entry point for students that can support their development to more advanced levels. This year Scirra will also be launching Construct Animate, new software that lets users create animations, export GIFs and videos. Filling the hole left by the loss of Flash, Construct Animate lets students create cartoons, explainer videos, cutscenes or gifs, making an exciting addition to any class. Both programmes are browser-based and easily run on Chromebooks, a bonus for the budget-conscious school. The makers of DrumFIT, an international health and wellbeing company that has been working with teachers and students since 2006, will launch a new platform, Hey Kanga, at Bett Stand SE75. In an era when 75 per cent of children don’t get enough physical activity, the platform helps educators close the gap between physical fitness and academic success with infectiously fun, plug-and-play videos. Hey Kanga aims to turn any teacher into an active learning expert who can set the stage for better feelings, better focus, and better academic performance. When kids get the activity they need, educators spend less time handling behaviour and more time teaching. Visit their stand to experience their videos and platform first-hand. Bett visitors can also explore CYPHER LEARNING’s Intelligent Learning Platform (ILP) at Stand SJ71. The platform incorporates intelligent functionalities to deliver a future-facing e-learning experience for schools and universities. With the ILP, the focus is on engaging learners and empowering them to achieve their full potential. The platform uses automated recommendations, goal tracking, analytics, and gamification to help teachers create a fun and personalised journey for students, based on their unique competencies and goals. Teachers can easily set and assign unique tasks for students based on their skill level, goals, and career aspirations, to help boost confidence and mastery of subjects. For classroom management edtech, visit NetSupport at Stand SE51 to see its classroom.cloud platform in action. Its wide range of functions, including screen monitoring, messaging, online safety mechanisms, gamification and power management features, can help educators create a more engaging and efficient learning experience. All this is available in an intuitive interface that is simple for even tech-hesitant teachers to use. NetSupport Radio is also the official broadcaster of Bett 2023, so visitors to the stand can participate in informative discussions on a wide range of education issues. Bett is completely free for visitors, but registering ahead of time allows you to skip the queue. To book your free delegate pass, visit https://uk.bettshow.com/
LEO Academy Trust chosen as finalist in MAT Excellence Awards
London and Surrey based LEO Academy Trust has been chosen as a finalist in the MAT Excellence Awards’ Digital Innovation category, in recognition of its pioneering approach to technology-backed teaching and learning. The Trust, which serves over 4,500 children across nine primary schools in the London Borough of Sutton and Surrey, is committed to providing high-quality learning, excellence and opportunity for all children. With this vision in mind, the Trust set about to deliver a digital strategy that supports pupils to develop future-facing skills and achieve their full potential. The MAT Excellence Award Digital Innovation Award celebrates the value of technology in empowering teachers and transforming pupil outcomes. One of the key facets of the Trust’s strategy is its commitment to closing the digital divide and making technology accessible for all. This includes its 1:1 Google Chromebook Programme – funded completely by the Trust – which provides every single pupil with a personal Chromebook to support both at-home and in-class learning. Thanks to LEO’s approach, 100 per cent of pupils across the Trust now have reliable internet access. Another important element of LEO’s approach is its use of assistive technology, to ensure learners with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) can fully participate in lessons. This connects to the heart of LEO Academy Trust’s values that high quality learning and opportunities are provided for every single pupil. The Trust has also been supporting other schools up and down the country with their digital transformation journey. As a Google Reference School, LEO provides best practice, training and resources to teachers beyond their community, and also works closely with London Grid for Learning to share its best practice and help schools embed technology into different curriculum areas. Most recently, LEO has been using technology to enhance accessibility in its English and Maths lessons through its partnership with London Grid for Learning. This includes developing the Reading Zone Live platform which uses videos and author interview clips to bring books to life for children, supporting their reading and writing development. This approach to assistive technology is empowering all LEO children to be successful and independent learners, with staff now sharing their knowledge and expertise to peers across the sector. The Trust also invests in Google coaching and professional development courses to boost teachers’ confidence and equip them with the skills to make the most of technology in their teaching practice. LEO Academy Trust’s transformative approach to digital learning has opened up a world of information and opportunities for developing technical skills, which will be life-changing for pupils and staff. As a result, pupils are stimulated and challenged to think outside the box and recognise technology as a tool for learning, rather than just a source of entertainment. Phillip Hedger, CEO for LEO Academy Trust, said: “I am thrilled that LEO Academy Trust is a finalist for a MAT Excellence Award for Digital Innovation. This is a testament to the incredible work that has been done across the Trust to transform digital learning and unlock the potential of every single pupil and colleague. “Our pupils have been enthusiastically getting involved in digital learning since we began to implement the strategy and their confidence has grown tremendously, emphasising the value in improving technological learning. “I want to say a huge thank you to all of the staff across our Trust who have worked exceptionally hard to implement the digital strategy and have been the driving force behind the innovation. It is because of their hard work that we can provide the highest quality education provision and improve outcomes of all our pupils.”
Embedding a culture of mental health and wellbeing into primary schools
Countless studies are telling us that anxiety in children has significantly increased since the pandemic. A survey of children aged 6-11 by The Happy Confident Company found 43% of children worry about the future and 39% say this distracts them from everyday life and fun. In response to these troubling figures, schools are rightly prioritising mental health and wellbeing, but with limited guidance. Therefore, it’s challenging to know where to begin. One school rising to the challenge is Cunningham Hill School (CHS) in Hertfordshire, which supports pupil’s mental health and wellbeing with a practical and cost-effective whole school programme developed by The Happy Confident Company. Based on the latest research and developed with psychologists, educators and mental health experts, the FEELIT programme develops a common understanding of feelings, behaviours and impacts among students. Crucially, the programme requires no changes to the curriculum as it is based on ten-minute sessions each day. Ground-breaking research shows that just ten minutes of wellbeing and mindfulness a day can be transformative, leading to children feeling better, behaving better and consequently reducing the burden and stress on teaching staff. Cat Shennan, Assistant Head and Mental Health and Wellbeing Lead at Cunningham Hill advises that before embarking on a programme of any type, it’s important first to identify the key people involved in taking responsibility for the programme, and define clear and consistent ways children can share thoughts and feelings throughout the day and across the school. KEY ACTIONS THAT WERE TAKEN TO IMPLEMENT THE WHOLE SCHOOL WELLBEING PROGRAMME: It’s proven that emotional literacy has a huge impact upon children’s confidence in understanding and sharing their feelings. Schools Inherently need a consistent approach that helps pupils feel encouraged and safe to share their feelings. There are plenty of available resources, or schools can develop their own. However, a long term, whole school approach will see children reaping the benefits quickly. CHS used the Happy Confident Company’s FEELITR programme to introduce children gradually to new feelings across each school year through engaging activities with direct links to the academic curriculum. The programme helped develop a common language across the school, while strengthening the school’s wellbeing strategy. Both registration periods during the school day at CHS provide a safe space for the class to connect, reconnect, reflect and, if needed, decompress. Using this time to instil mental health or wellbeing check-ins has been the quickest way to roll out positive change across the whole school. Registration periods: Daily Check-In Arriving at school each day provides an opportunity to reset, and prepare for the day ahead. By providing a feelings check-in at registration, teachers can Identify issues that may need addressing. Check-ins can be done in many ways, from a discreet thumbs up or thumbs down from pupils on entry or roll call, to a more organised daily plotting of their feelings on a feelings mapper. Some teachers have also trialled a second check-in at afternoon registration, which has helped CHS teaching staff to take an umbrella view of the children’s feelings and identify and address any changes or issues that may have arisen across the day. Reflection and Decompression Having tested the benefits of daily journaling for two terms, CHS is in the process of rolling out journaling for Years 3-6. CHS recognised huge improvements in both behaviour and communication from pupils who were using the journal in the trial, as they began to better self-regulate, process and express their emotions. Not only do the pupils benefit, but the teachers are quicker to identify those pupils experiencing challenges, even though they might not have expressed them. This enables earlier intervention when needed. In these journaling periods, CHS is now planning to introduce the Happy Confident Me video programme – presented by Emma Willis – to teach Years 4 to 6 the 10 essential character building skills that children need to thrive, such as resilience, growth mindset, interoception and compassion. Whether building, adopting, or buying a programme to deliver a mental health and wellbeing strategy, it’s essential to consider how the programme links into the existing curriculum. A good programme will wrap into core subjects with ease. CHS has seen this working brilliantly with the FEELIT programme, which adds huge value to the overall philosophy of the school. Mental health and wellbeing can be perfectly integrated into PHSE, English, History, Art and Drama by using emotional literacy to grow skills in both empathy and compassion, creating a safer, more open culture. Exploring characters in history or current affairs; assessing the conveyance of mood and emotions in abstract art; helping children develop their written skills – these all foster a much richer education, with wellbeing at its heart. School Assemblies Whether whole-school, year groups, phases or key stages, assemblies offer an excellent opportunity to embed whole-school ideas, messages and language and create an open and compassionate community. Commencing with a monthly assembly to talk about the different aspects of Mental Health, CHS used these assemblies to focus on specific issues. The topics and themes were further developed across the month, with resources, activities and curricular discussions around specific themes. Banks of activities for each theme were sent out as home learning during lockdown – creating a stronger nexus between school, child and home. This initiative was so successful that the school now holds fortnightly assemblies exploring emotional literacy, a life skill or a problem, which may be encountered in day-to-day life. The playground can be both an enjoyable experience and a place of conflict, where problems can arise. A mentor or buddy system is a great initiative that can make all the difference. The new child mentor scheme at CHS has proven to be an effective way to encourage children to discuss and take responsibility for their own feelings and behaviour. Mentoring With a separated area in the playground, ‘trained’ Year 6 children support others through play with a range of toys including LEGO and sensory games. These child mentors are supported by the
As our lives become increasingly digital, educating young people about internet safety is vital
Young people are growing up with a wealth of technology and information at their fingertips. This information would have been unthinkable 20, or even 10, years ago. These advancements have provided many benefits, and today’s younger generation can access all the educational content, e-books, and access to video calls that they could ever desire, in a matter of seconds. However, this accessibility comes with a significant threat. Young people are exposed to the darker side of the internet, including disinformation, explicit content, and the ever-present threat of cyberbullying. Over half of 12-15-year-olds have had a negative online experience, and on average, children and young people now spend more time on the internet each week than they do in school, spending around 35 hours online – almost mirroring the length of hours required in a full-time job. The time children and young people have been spending online has been increasing over the last decade, and it is likely it will keep rising. Therefore, it is more important than ever that they are armed with knowledge about how to stay safe online. EVERFI from Blackbaud, a digital education innovator, is on a mission to help teachers tackle these complex issues with Ignition, a completely free and interactive course for secondary school students. Ignition is mapped to the national curriculum and teaches students how to navigate the digital world safely and confidently, as well as how to evaluate the accuracy and perspectives of online content. Despite the wealth of information now available on the internet, not everything online is reliable. Ofcom found that three in 10 8-15-year-olds think that if a website is listed by a search engine, it can be trusted, and only 11 per cent of young people could identify a genuine social media post. Statistics like this are worrying and demonstrate why courses like Ignition are so important. It is not enough to just warn children and young people about the unsuitable content they might find online. Ignition is aimed at 11-14-year-olds, which is an ideal time to ensure young people form healthy and safe online habits. The detrimental effects of high levels of social media use are especially pronounced at ages 14-15 for boys, and 11-13 for girls. 11-14 is also the age at which cyberbullying peaks and, regrettably, England has the highest level of cyberbullying in secondary schools compared to other countries. Matt Evans, a teacher from Shaftesbury High School, said: “I was looking for a resource that tackled the topic of digital well-being and online safety and came across Ignition. It’s ideal. It’s structured with lesson plans and explanations that are teacher-friendly and easy to use. Teaching our students about online safety is absolutely critical, as many of them are vulnerable.” David Wright, UK Safer Internet Centre director and South West Grid for Learning (SWGfL) CEO, said: “The online world has changed immensely over the last decade, and we must make sure to protect children online and create a better internet together. This year’s Safer Internet Day was all about listening to what young people want from a safer internet. This global celebration brought together thousands of organisations and schools to work towards making better online experiences for everyone. “Supporting digital development and online safety in young people has rapidly become one of the most valuable forms of education in recent years. Research from ProjectEVOLVE has shown that there is a need to connect online safety issues to broader topics that young people can relate to within their own lives.” The UK Safer Internet Centre is a leading global partnership of three charities (Childnet, Internet Watch Foundation and SWGfL), that aim to make the internet a great and safe place for everyone. As time progresses, the use of technology will continue to play a large and increasing role in our lives – especially the way young people learn. And with mental health issues amongst children and young people at a record high, and the clear links between mental health, social media usage and cyberbullying, ensuring young people understand how to use the internet safely has never been so important. EVERFI’s Ignition course helps teachers tackle this challenging topic in a way which will keep their class engaged, while arming them with the knowledge they need to navigate the digital world and utilise its wide-ranging benefits safely. It is not only completely free to use, but also a time-saver for teachers; doing all the hard work for you with built-in assessments and comprehensive impact reports that show how much pupils have learnt and understood. We shouldn’t expect the progress of technology to slow down. We should, however, be trying to keep up and educate young people of the importance of internet safety. If you’d like to learn more about how EVERFI’s free Ignition course can help your students, visit https://everfiteachers.co.uk/our-resources/ignition/, where you can also find a range of other amazing and completely free courses to upskill your class