How will devices enhance learning and equip learners with future-ready skills?

We want to give our pupils the life skills and understanding to be ahead of others in terms of employability and optimum working practices and recognise that technology does play an important role in this.

Our aim, guided by our Values, is for pupils at ESMS to leave the Schools confident that they can safely navigate the wider world in which they live and will work. Universities and businesses are expecting students and employees to be digitally literate and have a high awareness of their personal digital footprint. To that end the Schools' Development Plan for next session will be based on 21st Century Learning Design, ensuring that the effective use of technology is seamlessly embedded into learning and teaching to increase accessibility, engagement and meaningful learning for our staff and pupils.  

According to Microsoft, “Within the next two decades, 90% of jobs will require some level of digital proficiency.” Creating strong digital working habits will support our pupils in their future professional journeys.

Some of the sought-after skills professionals will need include:

• Critical thinking
• Communication
• Collaboration
• Creativity
• Prioritising and managing focus and attention
  
• Showing flexibility and agility across different platforms
  
• Understanding data security and privacy

Does having devices mean we will have fewer textbooks or paper resources?

Nationally more and more teachers are reducing their usage of textbooks and are using online resources instead. Personal devices offer more flexibility for combining digital resources, including subscription resources, online materials from the web and electronic versions of textbooks. In addition, it means that departments can reduce the use of paper and exercise books in favour of digital work where it is best suited.

There are huge benefits to flexibility and organisation for pupils here, as well as a positive impact on our environmental footprint. Work that is completed on paper can be captured and stored electronically alongside digital learning. No learning is lost, everything is synced and backed up to the cloud.

How important is touch typing?

Improving pupils’ typing speed will become a more significant priority as they move through the Schools. Like all skills, the sooner good practice and automaticity are established the better focus can be spent on the content of learning.

We already teach touch-typing skills in weekly Digital Learning lessons in the Junior School, using a nationally recognised program called KAZ Typing. This is designed to include a neuro-diverse approach for all learning styles and encourages audio, visual and kinaesthetic engagement.

Nonetheless, we are also keen to highlight that the accompanying device pen is a powerful inking tool and pupils can also handwrite on the device very effectively. Again, the combination of both methods will be encouraged to consolidate necessary skills.

How has the issue of screen time been considered?

There is plenty of research which suggests that screen time for pupils should be minimised rather than maximised and ESMS' approach supports this for wellbeing and mental health, as well as deep-seated pedagogical reasons. Currently, the time spent in front of screens is less targeted and more concentrated. Technology is often booked in one hour slots and the pupils use it for the majority of a lesson. Moving forward, pupils are more likely to use their device in support of their learning in many more lessons but for a much reduced period of time.

In terms of physical wellbeing, it is important that staff help pupils understand the importance of posture and eye health. There is a lot of debate in the research community about the real effects of screens on mental health and sleep, so we advocate for balanced and blended learning experiences which do not depend on screens for large portions of the day, without setting arbitrary time limits.

At what stage will my child receive their device?

Most parents, educators and experts on age and stage agree that the very youngest children need time to establish correct handwriting, literacy and numeracy skills. Children do not develop at the same rate and as a result, what suits one 8 year old may not fit as well for another. After much consideration, consultation and research ESMS have chosen P6 as the point of entry.  Therefore, laptops will be supplied to pupils in P6-S6. In addition to a bank of iPads, pupils in P4 and P5 will have access to an abundance of the same laptop so they are familiar with its functionality in advance of entering P6.

What happens if my child's device gets lost, damaged or stolen?

The aim is to decrease the time a pupil is without the device when a loss/breakage occurs. For this reason we intend to operate a 'hot swap' system where the pupil exchanges their device for a replacement. A Parental Advisory Group was formed to help develop an Acceptable Use Policy to ascertain what charge should be levied for breakages/losses. The Policy is yet to be signed off but while the hot swap is used, the pupil's device is sent for repair and if this is the first offence in an academic year the 'excess' of £95 is levied.  If this is a second (or more) occasion in an academic year the charge is the full cost of the repair or a new device if that was required. These devices have been chosen for their robust nature but accidents will happen but equally the pupil who takes care of their device for three years should not pay extra for the minority that have the accidents.

For pupils who have a good track record of breakages an extra layer of protection may be wanted. Home insurance often covers against events such as these but there are also companies such as Protect Your Bubble (Gadget Insurance Quote | Cheap Gadget Insurance in UK (protectyourbubble.com)) who specialise in offering this service and charge in the region of £90 for three years.

Since this is an area where knowledge of the pupil and the type of activities they engage in as well as what existing cover a household has, the Schools do not intend insuring all devices before they are returned at the end of the three year lease.

Is my child safe carrying this device to and from school?

We know that a large number of pupils already carry expensive devices to and from school and so we believe that they are not under any greater threat. We will encourage pupils to follow standard precautions when travelling to and from school.

Will ESMS be providing IT support?

Yes. The Schools want pupils to experience no break in their learning. A 'hot swap' system will operate where a child can hand in a broken device or report one stolen and pick up a spare. The build of each laptop will be specific to their username and password, so when they turn on a fresh device the network will know who they are and set it up in the same way as their original device. This takes around 5 minutes to download so the pupils will not be disadvantaged.