EDUCATION
BETT-ing on the Future As the year kicked off, the British Education Training and Technology show gave us an opportunity to ask some key players some key questions.
Q What were the key themes coming out of BETT? Martin McDermott, Business Development and Education Specialist, TP-Link UK “Technology tackling inequalities within schools was one of the key themes at this year’s Bett Show, with a focus on special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and neurodiversity. Specifically, there was much discussion around what the education sector can do to better support individuals to maximise learning outcomes and how they can create increasingly supportive and safe environments.” Matt Waring, Education Channel Manager, Logitech “With students spending more and more time using digital devices in and out of school, ergonomics and student well-being are paramount in the tech-driven classrooms of today. This was a big theme at BETT. “Indeed, 74% of educators say that students’ level of physical comfort while using educational technology impacts their level of engagement. For example, students can use an external mouse and keyboard for a more comfortable and adapted learning environment. “At the same time, younger students who are still developing fine motor skills can be slow and make more errors with a laptop trackpad alone, so using a mouse can address this while also providing ergonomic benefits. Headsets also improve ergonomics by reducing the habit of leaning forward to built-in laptop speakers or microphones, which can put a strain on students’ necks and backs, encouraging long- lasting comfort and productivity.”
“Budgets are under pressure, but schools still recognise the need to invest in EdTech, both hardware and software. So, the attention is turning to what value can be realised beyond an initial hardware investment and how software can ensure that they get the most out of their technology. Schools are looking to reduce their carbon footprint and source EdTech solutions that perform in the
long term with minimal maintenance. “Having introduced the new Explain
Everything Whiteboard app at Bett, we were overwhelmed with positive feedback. Now supplied pre-loaded on our ActivPanel 9 models, the Explain Everything Whiteboard app gives teachers an even richer range of features which is adding greater value to their ActivPanel 9 investments. “We found a lot of interest in product warranties, training provision and commitment to investing in product development in the long term. As a business that’s been developing EdTech for more than 25 years, we’re in a unique position to demonstrate how we’ve evolved our solutions to meet the needs of schools.” Petia Maximova, Head of Higher Education Sales EMEA, Canva “What I saw from BETT is that there is no debate about the use of AI in the classroom anymore. We need to empower students to help them learn how to use AI in schools because it’s a fundamental technology. Last year, there was an enormous debate around AI in schools, this year it’s clear the answer is ‘yes.’ Schools want to be able to provide training around AI, but also a lot of universities or schools want to use AI for their operational processes as well, such as enrollment. So there’s a lot they can automate there.”
Martin McDermott
tp-link.com
74% of educators say that students’ level of physical comfort while using educational technology impacts their level of engagement.
Simon Port, Head of UKI Market, Promethean – a brand of Mynd.ai
“For anyone who walked around the show, AI, virtual reality, and gaming all had a prominent presence. Speaking to school leaders, IT managers and teachers who visited the Promethean stand, the leading themes were value for money, security, and sustainability.
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