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Full week work experience with XMA for 68 Computing learners

Leicester College serves over 20,000 learners and in 2016 was rated fifth nationally for college student satisfaction in the National Student Survey.  In 2017, Leicester College approached XMA to lead a major work-experience programme for 68 learners of Computing.

The College wished to give Diploma learners a taste of a career in the IT (Information Technology) industry with a major player. XMA was the perfect partner for this as they specialise in IT, support, and services to schools, colleges and universities.

“In the past, the College struggled to find employers to place such large numbers of learners and quality had been a challenge. For many, this is their first experience of business life, so quality is important, meaning that their experience needs to lead to an understanding of what the business does, what makes it successful, who their customers are and their needs, career opportunities and routes in and progression.”

Sue Bassi, Work Placement & Progression
Co-ordinator at Leicester College

The College first collaborated with Industrial Cadets to help them find the best employer partner that could provide a proven structure for a full week of learning and activity.

Industrial Cadets’, Christina Bond, recommended XMA. XMA supports many communities and education outreach projects including sponsoring poets, children’s authors, scientists and even astronauts to work with schools and colleges to inspire and engage learners in different routes to success in IT and employment.

“XMA’s enthusiasm and commitment enabled us to create a great, bespoke programme to captivate the learners in a largely project-based format, so the learners could use their creative talents, experience and understanding of ICT use in school and college life.”

Christina Bond, Industrial Cadets

To make the learners’ time as engaging and creative as possible, the week began with setting a project for the learners to pursue in 11 groups. Each group had the task of developing a concept for a ‘Classroom of the Future’.

They needed to consider the best use of IT, space and resources to help learners and teachers get the best from primary or secondary education.

Learners were to consider a hypothetical customer, who would want the best for their learners.  Innovation was to be valued, as were considerations for access and inclusion for learners with special educational needs. Their environment was constructed with consideration for the wider environment including carbon conservation and sustainability of the learning environment

The week culminated in a Dragons’ Den style presentation, whereby each student group would ‘sell’ the Panel their classroom concept. All of the project concepts were outstanding, with the learners displaying considerable confidence and demonstrating their grasp of the brief, alongside innovations they had discussed within their teams. Judging became a tough task!

The top two groups both sold the Panel on their ideas and their individual and group credibility. As winners of the XMA Classroom of the Future Project, the groups were invited refine their ideas at XMA’s Nottingham office and present to an industry audience, including Ian Wedgewood of market-leading education audio-visual specialists Promethean.

Reducing outside of school hours

It’s now not an unfamiliar sight to see a teacher lugging boxes of books and folders between classrooms and then home again in the evening. Research from the Department for Education’s ‘Teachers Workload Survey’ has revealed that on average teachers are spending over 18 hours working outside of school hours each week.

The reality of bigger class sizes means that the workload for teachers is on the increase. As the pile of 25 text books grows to over 30 – not to mention the added time needed to plan lessons to keep larger classes engaged; the teaching targets begin to appear increasingly less achievable.

Amongst many professions balancing work and home life can be a particular struggle, but no more so than for teachers. In order to help reduce the time, outside of school hours, that teaching staff are spending on marking each week, we’ve compiled some top tips for turning the marking mountain into a molehill.

1. Review the time within your working day
   Ever get to the end of a school day and wonder where on earth the time has gone? Perhaps it’s time to start tracking and scrutinising your work days.One of the best ways to do this is to create a work-time diary. This will act as a summary of the tasks or jobs that filled your day – whether that’s an extra 10 minutes spent at the photocopier due to faulty devices, your computer just rebooting for updates or having to keep students back after class – it all adds up.Create a spreadsheet or table and include all of the tasks that you covered within school hours, as well as any work related jobs you pick up out of hours. By doing this you’re able to keep track of any tasks that are taking up too much time throughout your day, and find the areas that are taking up too much of your valuable time and troubleshoot how your time could be better spent.
2. Encourage peer-to-peer assessment
   Peer assessment is becoming more and more popular with the education sector. Not only does this method alleviate the amount of marking you’ll be taking home, it also helps students build their confidence, analytical skills and encourages engagement throughout lessons.In order to approach peer assessment in the right way, you’ll need to share your own techniques with the class as well as give them an assessment criteria to judge the work against. Ask them to try and give constructive criticism to their peers and/or assign designated ‘study-buddies’. The feedback can then either be shared back within small groups or with the wider class as a whole.
3. Listen to music
   When sitting down at home and preparing yourself for an evening of marking, it’s important that you remove any distractions. The less time spent on distractions, the quicker you will get through the pile of papers sitting in front of you.
   In fact research shows that listening to music when working is proven to increase the standard of your work and make you work faster!While the nature and style of the music can cause specific responses in the brain, some studies suggest that it really is down to personal preference. Want some inspiration? Check out this article from The Telegraph.
4. Optimise your surroundings
   Although marking from home may be inevitable, it doesn’t have to be an drawn out chore. Research into the productivity of working from home has revealed that by setting aside a separate work space in your home, you will help gain a better work-life-balance.With this said, why not have a designated and removed area in your home for marking. This could be a specific chair or even an entire room. This space should be set away from any distractions and be treated as if you would your own desk at school. Having a nominated ‘work area’ helps to separate the ever-competing worlds work and home and prevent the blurring of the two; allowing you to complete your marking quicker, in order to get back to enjoying your free time.
5. Use the right equipment
   When marking digitally, there’s nothing worse than slow technology slowing down the process. Faulty equipment can not only end up with your spending unnecessary extra hours at home attempting to mark, but also will increase frustration leading to you becoming more hostile towards the task.Research by BESA, together with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has revealed that 80% of teachers now say they need better access to IT to improve learning.Statistics like this therefore suggest that technology is an important and contributory factor in the job satisfaction and morale of teachers. If schools and other education establishments are smart, investment in IT doesn’t need to cost the big bucks and can actually start to deliver a return on investment.

Sustainability in ICT

XMA coordinated the running of a community competition that focused on eWell-Being in the sustainable use of ICT. . We tasked community teams with investigating and demonstrating available energy and cost savings for their buildings and IT infrastructures, with them presenting their finding to the University and XMA senior teams for judging.

XMA ran a similar event in Djanogly City Academy, Nottingham, where collectively the students demonstrated a number of ideas that would yield a return on investment within 18 months, many of these were implemented; such as low energy bulb swaps, automatic shutdown of various energy consuming devices and promoting best practice with users. This project would contribute to both the Community Engagement and Sustainability areas of the University Social Impact Strategy.

As an ISO14001 accredited supplier XMA can also raise awareness of this standard with both the student cohort and across the local community. Our Environmental and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policies mandate adherence to UK and international CSR legislation, including the minimum ethical sourcing standards. These policies also encompass compliance with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) “Declaration of Fundamental Principals and Rights of Work”.

Reflect and review year-on-year

Universities are under increasing pressures year-on-year to reduce their expenditure. With cuts to government funding and university applications decreasing by 6%, its’s now more important than ever that Universities reflect on their spending habits, and review areas in which costs can be saved.

However, how do Higher Education establishments ensure that cutting costs doesn’t result in lower quality education? How can Universities leverage technology in a way that bring long-term benefits?

1. Online Education and Hybrid Learning

There are multiple costs involved with hosting lectures. A single 1 hour lecture incurs costs such as electrical and heating costs, powering student laptops through the network, and costs to the lecturer. Each student will attend an average of 14 hours of lectures per week – equating to 56 hours per month. By reducing this down to 12 hours per work, Universities can save the costs of powering 96 hours’ worth of lectures per year.

Through various apps such as Teachable, Skillshare and Learnworlds, students can virtually attend their lectures online, and access the teaching material as and whenever they need.

2. Streamline your business processes

Administration is one of the highest costs to any organisation, yet one with an effective alternative. If people are used to process forms and information repetitively, consider doing this electronically where it requires little to no human intervention.

3. Leverage technology

We are living through an ongoing digital revolution. Students expect their education to deliver a digital experience in line with the one they have in their leisure. It is important to ensure that Universities explore all options for the best possible deal on technical solutions. Read thoroughly through each bid Universities receive in response to their tender.

Additionally, seeking out the best warranty and service deals will save any University money should devices or a network go wrong.

4. Go paperless!

Going paperless doesn’t just save costs, it helps to save and neuter the environment. Universities are being encouraged to “embrace the digital reality which we ourselves are responsible for leading at the University.”

University students may pay for their printing, but consider all of the other associated costs: services, delivery, and mailing, storage, processing, disposing, and recycling. Copier and printer supplies alone amount to a huge expenditure.

By going paperless, and avoiding printing where possible, your University could save up to £25,000 per annum. Digital communications, such as emails and online portals, will reduce overall costs of printed communications and help to save the environment.

Empower your staff

Earlier this year, the Department for Education published eye-opening statistics from their ‘Teacher Workload Survey’, showing that teachers are spending over 54 hours working both in and out of the classroom per week.

With class sizes set to continue increasing, the workload for teaching staff is expected to follow suit, and this has subsequently led to the education sector within the UK taking a huge hit over the past few years. Furthermore research from The Guardian reveals that a whopping 79% of schools are struggling to recruit or retain teachers.

With central government continuing to make funding cuts, schools need to start seeking alternative methods to empower their staff.

Edtech in the classroom

Technology is increasingly playing more and more of a pivotal role within the classroom. In fact, a recent report conducted by The British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA) has predicted that by 2018, 58% of teaching time in UK State schools will be supported with ICT equipment.

But, although research has shown the monopoly of technology within the classroom, 80% of our teachers have said that they need better access to IT in order to improve the quality of learning.

What role does technology play in saving our teachers?

There are a number of ways technology can help keep our teachers happy and reduce the amount of time they’re having to spend on simple tasks that quickly become arduous when not equipped sufficiently.

As an overview, in and out of the classroom, well-suited classroom tech can help teachers with:

• Lesson planning – reducing time through the use of collaboration tools and faster technology
• Working from home – new and more portable devices allow teachers to easily transition from the classroom to the comfort of their own homes
• In-class teaching – Slow and malfunctioning computers can drastically eat into lesson time. With the introduction of faster devices you can say goodbye to slow start-up speeds, and welcome the onset of more productive lessons.

Discover the smart way to invest in IT and empower your teaching staff

Schools, colleges and universities need to become smarter with the technology they’re investing in, not only due to budget cuts but to also maximise productivity and therefore job satisfaction amongst their teaching staff.

Smooth transition next year for students

For teachers August is a time of reflection on the year gone by, and excitement and planning for the year ahead. For students, particularly those that have worked hard to sit end of year SATs or exams, it is a chance to unwind, let off steam and put the last school year behind them whilst enjoying the summer break.

The transitional period between leaving one year group and entering the next can often be a precarious move for any student, and none more so than for a child graduating from primary education and about to navigate themselves through the unfamiliar territory of secondary.

In this blog, we take a look into how teaching staff can help to make this crucial transition as smooth as possible, whilst ensuring a student’s education doesn’t suffer along the way.

Common transition difficulties

The advancement to secondary school means a number of major changes for all children and the settling in period can take anything from a couple of weeks to a number of months.

Analysis of data collected within the Department for Children, Schools and Families report showed that the main causes of a poor transition between academic years are:

• Experiences of bullying;
• Worrying about their ability to do work;
• Having new and unfamiliar teachers;
• Worrying about not making new friends.

The academic dip

It is these variables, amongst others, that all act as contributing factors to the well-known and on-going problem of the slip in standards amongst transitioning pupils.

Research featured in the report has revealed a post-transition academic dip for students – and this could be down, in part, to teachers underestimating the ability of new year 7 pupils.

In turn, the report brings to light the concern that teaching staff and the curriculum may not be challenging the pupils sufficiently, and poses questions about the communication and relationships existing between schools and the impact this has on navigating successful transitions.

Evidence suggests that there is a need to pay particular attention to the social, emotional and pedagogical needs of pupils if a transition is to be successful.

How can teachers help pupils transition and avoid the academic dip? Assist children in developing new friendships

One of the main problems that arose throughout the research was that children are increasingly anxious about leaving old friendships behind and building new ones. This can have a large and often rather detrimental impact on a student’s confidence. To counteract this, it is important for teachers to introduce students to extracurricular activities and encourage group work to ensure that they are able to integrate with other children who have similar interests.

Identify the pupils who need extra support

All teaching staff have a responsibility to ensure each and every one of their students are adequately prepared for their next academic step. Even the most confident of students may struggle with these transitions, so it is vital to take the time to identify the pupils that might need extra support and guidance.

Ensure children are part of the process

Ensuring that pupils are an active part of the transition process, instead of passive observers is also vital. If students feel empowered throughout the process, are encouraged to communicate about their feelings and feel like they have an element of control over what is happening, their confidence is less likely to be bruised and their transition more likely to be a successful one.

Be prepared in the classroom

Don’t let a lack of preparation in the classroom deter any students. Forgotten passwords and logins can often hinder progress and stand in the way of a pupil being able to get on with the task in hand. Ensure these details are all collated and ready to go, alongside as a record or portfolio of work for each student.

Build good relationships between schools

The most important step to safeguard students during their transition between schools is to ensure a strong relationship between schools and a solid process for data-management. Sharing accurate data is the key to a good transition as it will support teachers to do their job well.

Teachers can share information with students and help to set expectations about the next academic year early – this could include an introduction to their new classroom, teacher and peers, distribution of booklets or talks at the school, and will help to support the student, and in turn avoid the academic dip.

Are you looking to go greener with your IT efforts?

Whilst universities have been at the forefront of understanding the challenges of sustainability, Higher Education remains one of the UK’s largest non-commercial consumers of energy, therefore concerns about sustainability need to be addressed.

An increasing number of universities are focusing on carbon emissions and footprint and putting this as a main priority, with targets to reduce emissions set by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE).

The HEFCE is committed to reducing carbon emission levels by 43% (against a 2005 baseline) by 2020 and requires all the higher education institutions (HEIs) it funds, to have a carbon management plan that contains carbon reduction targets, meaning it’s paramount to monitor performance to create a sustainable campus.

To help the sector reduce their carbon emissions, HEFCE are providing:

• Recoverable grants through the Revolving Green Fund (RGF) for projects that reduce institutions’ emissions
• Good practice guidance on producing carbon reduction strategies, targets and associated carbon management plans
• A report to estimate carbon dioxide emission baselines for each HEI that they fund.

However, many institutions have also adopted the SMART strategy when setting targets:

1. Specific – each target should address one issue
2. Measurable – targets should be expressed as a quantity
3. Achievable – targets should be reasonable for everyone involved
4. Realistic – targets should be challenging but practical, they can be reviewed once accomplished
5. Time-bound – target must have a deadline

Although, there are no financial penalties for failing to meet the 2020 targets, institutions are required to publicly report their progress towards carbon reduction targets – which is hoped will encourage them. It’s also predicted that a university’s record on sustainability will become increasingly important for students deciding where to study.

What is conclusive, is that sustainability must become deeply embedded in an institution’s policies and practices, the easiest way to make a difference and become more sustainable is through innovative and pioneering new technologies.

XMA sit on a number of frameworks that can help you meet your needs. Our team of tech specialists can find opportunities for you to save time and money in your efforts to provide cleaner, greener technology in your institution.

Did you know there are over 11 million people with a limiting long-term illness, impairment or disability in the UK? The Office for Disability Issues, state that someone with a disability is half as likely as someone without to hold a degree qualification. It is the duty of universities to ensure that students have access to the right learning tools for successful education.

But can technology be the answer?

There are an array of assistive technologies to aid students with special-needs, in offering them support, independence and confidence in the learning environment. Universities must now outline how they can support special needs students in a Disability Statement, offering all students an equal opportunity to learn and accomplish qualifications. Universities can make some simple changes to existing campus devices and discover an array of accessibility tools that will help aid learning for students with limitations.

E-textbooks

Following a study by the Higher Education Academy in the UK, it was indicated that resources are a common issue affecting the happiness of disabled students. E-textbooks offer the ability to scale text to your needs or to make use of text-to-speech software. It also allows you to hold an unlimited number of textbooks all on one device – so no more struggling to juggle lots of heavy books that also cost a fortune to buy!

Online resources

Similar to E-books, students can now access all types of digital learning materials online, including whitepapers, journals, blogs and more. Content sharing has become increasingly popular with the development of the cloud, using solutions such as Google Drive and Microsoft SharePoint. Students and teachers can share notes, presentations and other documents in one central place for anyone to access (anywhere and at any time), offering a totally accessible world of knowledge to all students.

Keyboards

University IT departments can now arrange to have their devices and desktops set up with Keyboard shortcuts for easy access to apps. This saves time and offers ease to students with disabilities.

A standard keyboard has over 100 keys, which can appear confusing and intimidating to some students. Universities can purchase special built keyboards for assistive learning, with features that include larger keys with audible click, bigger gaps between keys or coloured keys to distinguish between vowels, consonants and numbers.

Touchscreens

Some students with learning difficulties may find it hard to relate the movement of their hand on the mouse to the movement of the cursor on the screen. Therefore, it is advisable that educational institutions keep stock of touchscreen devices for students who may struggle using the standard mouse. Other mouse alternatives are also available if touchscreens are not an option.

Accessibility features

Different features are available for different types of disabilities. For example, those with a vision impairment can benefit from increasing the colour contrast of text and images or braille narration. Alternatively, those with a hearing loss can take advantage of visual alternatives to sounds such as Skype translator, visual notifications and for longer or mono audio for those with partial deafness. Setting up in-house devices with these features or offering training to students to set features up on their personal devices will hugely benefit in aiding their learning.

Dominated by technology

Technology is probably the most powerful tool that surrounds us today. With the worldwide reach of the Internet, a new age of ‘anytime anywhere’ education has begun.

Universities and Schools alike must prepare the next generation for a world ultimately dominated by technology. The possibilities technology can provide education are limitless. Information is now within the palm of our hands and accessible within seconds. Whether a student needs to revisit key moments in history, or read up on scientific research that could change lives forever, it is now at the click of a button. No longer than 10 short years ago, the main source of research was through books. Literature was our only path to discovery.

The classroom community now goes much further than just the physical classroom – students can work collaboratively no matter where they are in the world, handing in assignment can now be done at the click of a button, and lecturers can provide personal feedback in an instant message. The functionality of an iPad alone allows the user to carry education assets with them wherever they go. There are now thousands of downloadable Apps, which can support teachers and students in everything they need, be it revision or lesson planning.

Keeping up with technology in education does not have to be expensive. Visit theEDUstore where you will receive exclusive savings on all Apple product! Register with your .ac.uk or .sch.uk email address today.

Visit: www.theEDUstore.co.uk

Enhance, learn and inspire in the classroom

As every academic year passes, new technology seeps into the classroom. These devices are predominantly upgrades of the existing i.e. handheld tablets and smart whiteboards, but it isn’t often that a revolutionary piece of technology is introduced into the classroom that has the power to make huge waves in both the way we teach, and the way we learn.

One of the more innovative pieces of technology appearing throughout the education sector in the UK over the last couple of years is the 3D printer. Used globally by manufacturers in many industries, the 3D printing technology can be used to enhance classroom based learning and inspire the inventors and creators of tomorrow.

The adoption of 3D printing across schools has been slower than originally expected, due to the perceived expense of purchasing and integrating the technology. But in a bid to infiltrate classrooms and re-engage students, the cost of 3D printers has reduced, and training has become more accessible.

In this blog, we look at 5 reasons why 3D printing technology can have a beneficial impact on the classroom.

1. Prepare students for the future of technology
   From building cars to creating prosthetic limbs, 3D printers are becoming more and more popular in a huge range of industries.  In fact, last year 67% of UK manufacturers were using the technology in some way or another.

By giving students an opportunity to become familiar with the technology that is set to play a huge role in the future manufacturing industry, teachers are able to equip them with the skills they’ll need for a smoother transition into the working world.

1. Increase student engagement within lessons
   In a report from The Department for Education (DfE) on the use of 3D printers in the curriculum, it was shown that teachers saw a huge rise in engagement in lessons when printers were used within lessons.

The study showed that even pupils with poor concentration were seen to produce tangible results and felt confident to explore more complex designs and ideas throughout the session.
By stepping away from traditional methods of teaching, lessons will be given a ‘wow’ factor, making students more excited to come to school and re-engage them in the learning process.

1. Give students a better understanding of subjects
   3D technology allows students to do much more than draw with pen and paper. Investigating volume and areas of spheres? Have your students create and learn. Teaching about how wind turbines are manufactured? You can show your students the process right before their eyes.

Giving your students the opportunity to become more hands-on with their learning to help them gain a better grasp of complex subjects and inspire a new way of thinking about subjects that might have otherwise assumed to be predominantly textbook based.

1. Encourage collaboration between peers and departments
   Within the DfE’s report on 3D printing, it was highlighted that one of the key successes from introducing 3D technology into schools was how it not only encouraged students to work together on projects, but it also brought different subjects together.

During the study, teachers and technicians from both design technology and physics were able to work together closely to create a model of scattered alpha particles of gold leaf foil. This exercise meant that students and teachers were able to bridge the gap between STEM subjects and gain a better understanding of how skills can overlap.

1. Inspire students to engage in STEM subjects
   Although the number of students choosing to take an interest in STEM subjects is rising, experts are still concerned that the rise won’t necessarily mean students will go on to having careers in those fields.

Introducing students to the technology used within the working world of STEM will give you the opportunity to inspire them to go on and succeed in gaining great opportunities when students go on to graduate and kickstart their career.