There is always debate in education and, as everyone went to school, everyone has a view. We have recently seen a substantial overhaul of the examination systems – which have been accused of being too lenient and not traditionally demanding enough – but at the same time there is a great opening of possibilities for teaching and learning with the use of innovative resources.
These two aspects of education seem to be set against each other, but there is a way through – partly because there simply has to be, and partly because there is great talent in the teaching profession, as well as great enthusiasm in young people to learn. At least, there is when information is presented in an interesting, relevant and inspiring way. Combining the traditional with the innovative is a challenge for all teachers, but the possibilities have never been so plentiful.
For example, classes at the Stephen Perse Foundation have recently received a gift from one of their Biology teachers which does just that, in the form of 12 iBooks Textbooks for their IGCSE Biology syllabus, written from the school’s Biology department with their own classes in mind. Writer Alex van Dijk, one of the school’s Biology teachers, now doubles as an international iBooks Textbooks author, and has already seen over 10,000 downloads of his IGCSE course in the first month. All the Textbooks are fully multimedia and multi- touch, meaning that students can interact with the pages, triggering animations and video and discovering more depth and detail.
What is perhaps most surprising is that all these resources are free and available across the globe, because we want to be part of a world that shares teaching resources and improves education.
This is just one example of the marriage of traditional subject content and rigorous examination preparation with an innovative resource, which can be used by every one of the school’s students.
There are plenty of other examples at the Foundation which show how innovations can bring learning to life. Recently, the school’s Director of Sixth Form was asked if he would like to coordinate a link-up between some of his students and children who have been made refugees from the Syrian conflict. Online links have now made this a reality, with students Skyping directly. A world of issues that might seem distant and academic has become real and engaging with a little help from technology.
Who knows what is round the corner in terms of possibilities? Even as I write this, my own Year 9 Geography class has been looking at a map of Facebook connectivity as it was in 2010 and comparing it with a similar map from 2014, made near to the ten-year anniversary of the founding of this social media giant. Such change in such a short period, but Stephen Perse Foundation students are receiving a strong grounding in how to manage this new world, and that is important in an approach that promotes flexibility and life-long learning.
When people see children learning in different ways, they may sometimes be sceptical as to whether high-quality results can still be produced in traditional examinations. We’re not finding that this is an issue. Students appreciate the support that the digital resources can give to their learning when it comes to revision, and are remembering their lessons more clearly because the activities are more engaging. In the end, we should never underestimate the capabilities of children and their willingness to adapt and learn. Children pick up iPads and pens with equal enthusiasm. It’s all about choosing the right tools for the job, and if those tools are a piece of paper, a pencil and some glue, then so be it!
