An industry report on the future of technology within education has called for a central website to drive more collaboration and increased use of the cloud.
The group involved in writing the report included Samsung, European Electronique and The Education Foundation (A UK independent education think tank).
The report was put together in response to a request from the UK Department for Education to identify emerging solutions to the barriers facing schools and other learning organisations in using technology to improve learning outcomes.
The report, titled ‘Technology in Education: A System View’, is written by James Penny, solutions director at European Electronique and Ian Fordham and Ty Goddard, Co-founders of The Education Foundation, with the contribution of educators, industry leaders and academics.
The report has found that:
• Technology must be more strategically linked to achievement and learning in all schools
• Collaboration should drive knowledge and advice sharing on a central website accessible for all teachers
• Universal high quality access to broadband in all schools would deliver significant benefits
• Schools should adopt cloud-based technology with choice of devices based on flexibility and total cost of ownership to make considerable savings
• The use of technology to improve achievement must be recognised more prominently and systematically in inspection
• The need to create an accountability frameworks with clear guidance best practice
Solutions director, James Penny said: "No learning organisation should have out of date technology. Technology should be focused on improving the learning and outcomes of all learners so that digital technology supports teachers and bring about positive change in the lives of young people."
Ian Fordham and Ty Goddard, co-founders of the Education Foundation said, "Too often technology reports focus on 'scenarios for the future' that cannot be predicted and
therefore leave school and education leaders, governors and budget holders difficult decisions such as - how to deal with the present day reality, what do we spend our money on and how do we get appropriate technology into our classrooms that teachers can use to support their learning."