Lessons embrace the digital dimension
Technology is transforming the way we learn. checks out what is going on in the classrooms of Scotland’s independent schools
Technology has the power to transform the way we learn. Reading the news on Twitter and submitting homework online is becoming the norm and classrooms have come a long way since the days of blackboards and jotters.
Increasingly, pupils are packing a ipad into their school bag alongside their books and there are virtual learning environments or “VLES” which act as an interactive platform for pupils, teachers and parents too, who are able to keep an eye on their child’s academic progress over the internet.
There are systems tailored to different curricula, including Managebac for students preparing for the International Baccalaureate and the My Study Plan app for SQA exam candidates, while Moodle is one of the better known platforms for publishing learning resources online.
As technology continues to infiltrate our lives, fast-tracking banking services and streamlining shopping, there is a balance to be struck between embracing apps and devices and sticking to tried and trusted methods.
“This term we will be formally introducing a ‘BYOD’ (bring your own device) scheme,” explains Dr Graham Hawley, headmaster at Loretto in Musselburgh, where the IT infrastructure has just been upgraded.
“We will be putting a great emphasis on the delivery of digital content in our classrooms.
“I would emphasise that whilst I think it is hugely important in the 21st century, equally I do not believe that other, more traditional methods are redundant.
“It is the world in which our teenagers are growing up in and they communicate and work digitally, so it is entirely appropriate that we maximise what we can deliver with those sorts of platforms.
“There is a lot of really brilliant educational content that is available and I am keen to ensure that all children have access to that.”
The Compass School in Haddington, East Lothian, was one of the first independent schools in Scotland to be recognised for its use of IT in the classroom.
In November last year, the Compass School became the first school in Scotland to be awarded “champion” status through iteach in recognition of its work with digital technology in learning and teach, and in February it gained national “digital school” status.
At St George’s School for Girls in Edinburgh, teaching staff have taken technology one step further, investing in virtual reality headsets to bring lessons to life.
“For me, IT is to enhance learning; it shouldn’t be taking over and dominating,” says headmistress Alex Hems.
“Something very exciting that we have invested in this year is some virtual reality equipment.
“The girls can see how blood vessels work, they can see inside a body. The juniors were living history by being archers in the battlements of a castle.
“The groups who have been