Department for Education drive to develop technology to help teachers

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The Department for Education (DfE) is working with Chartered College of Teaching and the British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA) to call on technology companies to do more to help teachers. The intent is to develop solutions that help teachers manage their ever-growing workload and automate as many administrative features as possible.

We all know that the teachers’ workload is growing all the time. More testing, more assessment, extra paperwork, more detailed teaching plans and the administrative overheads of each class increase every term. Rather than reducing that workload and simplifying administration, the Department for Education is asking tech companies to come up with innovative ways to help.

In a statement released this autumn, Damian Hinds, the Education secretary identified key areas where technology could help teachers. He said: “Schools, colleges and universities have the power to choose the tech tools which are best for them and their budgets. But they cannot do this alone. It’s only by forging a strong partnership between government, technology innovators and the education sector that there will be sustainable, focused solutions which will ultimately support and inspire the learners of today and tomorrow.”

Technology for teachers

The Department for Education’s big idea is to automate as many non-teaching tasks as possible so teachers have more time to do what they love. The DfT also wants to increase SEND inclusion through technology, make assessment less burdensome and finding innovative ways to help teachers develop their own learning as well as their students.

One new feature that is on its way is an online portal where schools can try new software before they buy it. This opportunity could save a lot of money in the long term as schools can access demo packages of new software to see if it meets their needs or requires extra resources such as specialist training.

This move is a welcome one but seems to be placing the burden on schools and technology companies rather than the DfT. Many companies, such as Techs4Education work hard to deliver the solutions schools need and tailor packages to solve the individual challenges of every school we work with.

Aside from the new portal to try before you buy, none of this is any different from what Techs4Education has been doing for years. Coming up with innovative ideas to help schools deliver more for less. We already have a demonstration suite where we can show schools what programs look like and a detailed consultation process to ensure we deliver the right solution for the right situation.

It is however great news that the DfT is looking forward and recognises that teacher do need help. Our teachers work hard and deserve as much assistance as we can give them. If getting the government behind them improves morale and encourages other technology companies to help out, all the better.

Otherwise, Techs4Education have been doing everything we can to help teachers deliver top quality learning for years. Contact us if you would like us to help you!

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