BETT Conference 2015 (One teacher’s perspective)

The communication between teacher and student is such a critical factor in the learning process that teachers will grasp at any development that will expedite the process more clearly and efficiently in helping students to learn. Hence the importance and ease with which Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Digital Media (DM) are used and integrated into almost every technology, industry sector and job.  Subsequently the education sector is responding by setting up e-Learning teams tasked with the integration of ICT/ DM into a school in a meaningful way, that enables students to learn. Of course this is easier said than done and the integration of ICT/DM into a school is no easy task and it was with this in mind that two teachers from Davis College set off in January 2015 to attend the world’s leading technology and learning event that has become the annual Bett Conference in London.

Prior to our visit the usual due-diligence was carried out in terms of planning and research but even then it was so easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer size of the event. The number of stalls 779, the number of speakers, what I can only describe as the lure of all the shiny things on display, seminars and the colossal, yes colossal size of the ExCel building was hard to comprehend for the first time. It wasn’t until the afternoon that we were in a position to re-evaluate and revert to our prior plan where we identified stalls that may be of interest. 

To start with, we looked at learning platforms and mobile devices such as iPads and Chrome Books, laptops, apps for education, storage solutions and appropriate infrastructure to make this possible. What was of particular interest was subject specific educational software or learning platforms that could be integrated into our teachers planning and pedagogy. Oddly enough these were not as plentiful as management platforms and the plethora of interactive whiteboards, 3D printers, holographic projectors and televisions. What did catch our attention was gamification or rather the application of game elements to leverage student’s motivation to improve the learning experience. Gamification is certainly not new and has been used cleverly by many different types of industry and is now transgressing across the educational sector 

Prior to my visit to Bett I would have argued that there was no need to go to London because I always kept myself informed about all the appropriate developments taking place within the Ed-tech sector. On reflection Bett 2015 was extremely valuable and invigorating. I would have never have got the opportunity to hear so many inspiring speakers and teachers talk and share their experience of how Ed-tech is integrated and used within the classroom and throughout the educational sector. This alone, outside of ever viewing the 779 stalls was enlightening, inspiring and extremely worthwhile.

On reflection it would have been so easy to have come backed and talked about holographic projectors or the 3D classroom, the interactive whiteboards, the 3D printers and all the other shiny things that were at Bett and become totally transfixed by the Ed-tech on display. My experience from all the various facets of Bett is that Ed-tech has very possibly moved beyond all the false promises and expensive lessons that Ed-tech was supposed to offer and finally reached a stage where conversation has moved to the application and integration of Ed-tech and specifically how to realise educational objectives.