Herb Kim column

Jan 19 2006 By Herb Kim, The Journal

Last week I visited one of the world's leading exhibitions, the British Educational Technology Tradeshow, featuring the latest in software and technology for the classroom.

What struck me first was that educational technology is a very big business. Among the thousands of exhibitors were the BBC, Apple, BT, Intel, Toshiba, Oracle and Adobe.

Perhaps most impressive was that this was not technology for technology's sake; instead it was about using technology as a powerful tool to help children learn more easily and effectively.

The region was well represented. Codeworks Connect has built a North-East beachhead at BETT over the last two years with its Teaching with Technology stand and we were fully subscribed again this year.

Sunderland-based Caspian Learning has grown tremendously and had the largest presence on our stand. Caspian is part of a global vanguard seeking to develop serious games, i.e. games developed explicitly to achieve a learning result.

By integrating games and proven teaching methodologies, a software suite emerges that truly engages students - even those written off by the educational system.

Two North-East firms excelled in electronic whiteboard software systems. L2 unveiled its intelligent, language-learning tool, which works like a personal tutor, matching itself to the pace of the student, and EdUK8 demonstrated its interactive maths software. It allows teachers to communicate core concepts like fractions, decimal and percentages.

Virtual Learning Environments are tools to help teachers manage students and workloads by tracking student progress, enabling online tutoring, information exchange, etc.

With organisations like Northern Grid for Learning ensuring more schools have broadband and PCs, VLEs are popular and were well represented at BETT. DeBurca of Durham showcased a system that helps educational establishments implement elements of the DfES "Harnessing Technology" strategy through sharing of online learning resources and maximising VLE use.

The show also reflected uptake of SMS/mobile phone technologies for learning provision. SchoolAlert has already built a software tool to let schools stay in touch with parents and pupils. I had my first child last year and wonder how different her hi-tech classroom will look, compared to my own no-tech classroom of 1972.

Herb Kim is chief executive of Codeworks, the North-East's centre of excellence for digital technology.