Page 5 - Winter 2025

people working in education to have a say in, and Most of the audience then appeared to support
knowledge of, how this technology is going to be the idea of a ban in schools, but there followed a
used’. counter-argument which spoke of “an epidemic of
hysteria” in which the banning of phones was “not a
She says:1
magic bullet solution”.
“ We need to help students learn how to use the
It was then argued that what was perceived as being
technology appropriately.
a phone issue was really a cultural issue. Students
With some consumer AI tools we’re being told in the audience were invited to participate in the
they’re going to make our lives “effortless”. As an discussion and here there was strong support for
educator that is not a message I’m comfortable the use of mobile phones, for example to check
with, because learning isn’t effortless. And that’s a the timings of transport and to give information to
really important argument for why educators need parents, but not in the classroom.
to be part of the conversation, because we don’t
There was some concern about the “significant
want lots of technologies appearing on the market
harm” that can result from mobile phone use,
that are all about persuading learners that they particularly with regard to its coercive effects. There
BETT 2025 don’t need to work hard any more”. was a viewpoint that suggested that we were now
“on the cusp of turning the tide”. How this would be
Should Mobile Phones be banned in Schools? done was not entirely clear, but a role for the Online
Safety Act was proposed.
This question was one of the hot topics that
was covered in the Fishbowl programme, with As the discussion progressed the prevailing opinion
arose that there was a definite need to make
viewpoints expressed both for and against.
learning more engaging, and that learning to
A case was presented by one educational manage the technology was a priority. Unfortunately,
Bett 2025 is the world’s largest event dedicated School in Clitheroe, Leo Academy Trust and The establishment where a year ago children were not however, many parents do not have the time to
to the application of technology in education, Pioneer School. allowed access to the internet and this resulted manage the technology, with one arguing that “we
otherwise known as ‘edtech’. It takes place each in “an incredible transformation”. In particular
Here, teachers narrated a 25-minute lesson, cannot expect children to behave perfectly when
year in different locations across the globe, safeguarding issues dropped by 80 per cent, whilst
providing insights into their methods and tech we’re using phones so much”.
including the UK, Brazil and Asia, and this year it behaviour in class improved with fewer distractions
choices, after which a panel discussion enabled
celebrated its fortieth anniversary. with a corresponding improvement in attendance. The conclusion was that the debate was one
educators to share the rationale behind the tools
that crosses right through education with putting
This year’s UK event took place at the ExCel Exhibition and strategies used and discuss how they address Later in the discussion it was accepted that ‘banning’ children first being the top priority - using the correct
Centre in London from the 22nd. to 24th. January and diverse learner needs. was in fact a very emotive word. The question was technology at the correct time.
involved around 600 exhibitors spread across two then asked whether the issue really was about
Education Today (January 2025) incorporates an
halls and seven dedicated zones as follows: smartphones or whether it was more accurately
eight-page supplement dedicated to Bett, which
about content. The audience’s attention was then Classroom Live: Ribblesdale School
• Global Showcase (23 exhibitors) includes details of the Bett 2025 shortlisted Awards
directed to the “huge numbers” who were accessing
Finalists, ViewSonic in partnership with Jesus College As previously mentioned, Ribblesdale School was
• Equipment and Hardware (157 exhibitors) games that were not age appropriate.
Oxford, and Lapsafe®, shortlisted for the Ahead by one of three schools that took part in the Classroom
• Start-up Zone (46 exhibitors) Bett Further and Higher Education and Technology Live demonstrations.
Award.
• Education Show (18 exhibitors) Led by Assistant Headteacher Lee Small, and
A companion supplement, entitled ‘Innovate and presented by Subject Lead for History, Caroline
• Ahead Zone (30 exhibitors)
Collaborate’ is published in Teach Secondary, which Fletcher, this presentation used EdTech to bring
• Management Solutions (91 exhibitors) focuses on the speakers Rose Luckin, University history to life. In this case the subject was First World
College London Professor and Founder of Educate War trench warfare and the enablers were One Note
• Teaching and Learning Tech (211 exhibitors)
Ventures, and Kelly Hannaghan, Mental Health and and Microsoft Forms with the aid of Mentimeter.
Collectively the event united over 30,000 educators, Wellbeing Consultant and Director of Mind Work
To begin Microsoft Forms presented ten questions
policymakers and edtech supporters from 129 Matters.
to check the learning achieved in the previous
countries. Key features included a dedicated Esports
Rose Luckin notably gave three presentations all with lesson. This was used to identify any gaps in
zone, a Teaching and Learning Theatre and a Tech
an emphasis on AI: learning, providing instant feedback that identified
in Action Theatre, whilst new for 2025 were the Bett
gaps in knowledge concerning the organisation
Big Assembly, where students and teachers explored • ‘AI-powered pedagogical Transformation:
of trenches and four students who had apparently
gaming tech evolution and career pathways in an Visions of the Classroom’
not understood what a dug out was. This was then
interactive format, and the Fishbowl Experience,
• ‘AI: Learn fast, act more slowly’ rectified.
which encouraged audience participation on hot
topics. • ‘AI: Data and Employability’ One Note and Microsoft Forms were highlighted for
their ability to aid collaboration across departments
Another new feature was the Live Classroom, In these she identifies ‘lots of enthusiasm across the
and reduce teacher workload. A multiple input
designed to bring real-world teaching to life on English education system around AI’, but accepts
method is used for creation of content and by flicking
the show floor in conjunction with the EdTech Hubs that it is ‘incredibly difficult to leverage it’. She argues
directly onto a student’s One Note the teacher was
Programme, showcasing the power of technology that ‘a lot of what will happen in the classrooms
able to quickly identify any misconceptions rather
to inspire, engage and elevate education for all of the future depends on how people react to
than leaving it to chance to intervene. It can be dealt
learners. Participating schools included Ribblesdale the technology’ and therefore it is ‘essential for
with on the spot.
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