The schools minister has said he is “confident” that the Covid crisis will improve teachers’ use of technology.
And Nick Gibb said today he is “hopeful” that the lessons learned from the pandemic will “open the door to new opportunities for children to leave school shaped by a truly excellent education”.
Delivering the introductory keynote address at the edtech event BettFest, the schools minister also said the government is currently “exploring options for a strategy to create a more resilient education system built on firm digital and technological foundations”.
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“I’m hopeful that when schools and colleges open again and when the effects of the pandemic are eventually a distant memory, the lessons that we have learned will open the door to new opportunities for children to leave school shaped by a truly excellent education,” Mr Gibb said.
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“And I want to thank teachers and heads and principals for embracing these changes and opportunities. While I know that we are all still navigating the almost totally virtual world that we find ourselves in, I’m confident that this period of time will support teachers to permanently adopt the relevant skills and confidence to use technology in a way that continues to enhance their practice.”
The minister added: “Yes, we need to make sure that schools and colleges have the digital infrastructure in place to make the best use of technology, but it’s not about using technology for the sake of it, it’s about delivering a consistently high-quality education and looking at where technology can support and enhance that.
“For this reason, we are exploring options for a strategy to create a more resilient education system built on firm digital and technological foundations, which improves outcomes for all children and adults in education.
“But government can’t do this alone. As we develop our strategy, we hope to continue collaborating with all of you to better understand the needs of schools and colleges, as well as staff and students within them.
“And we’ll continue to listen and to learn using our research partnerships with the Education Endowment Foundation, with Nesta, and the international Edtech Hub to investigate what does and doesn’t work when it comes to technology, and cementing Britain’s reputation as a world leader in education research.”
