Former government minister Charles Clarke, has presented
the findings and recommendations of
a major policy commission into the needs of the education
system, with IT featuring heavily.
Commissioned by
BESA (British
Educational Suppliers Association) as part of its 75th
anniversary, the policy commission is the result of contributions
from educators and leaders in schools and colleges, local authority
advisers and inspectors, educational suppliers, publishers,
industry consultants and others involved within education.
As far as IT is concerned, former education minister Clarke
said, "Responses to the commission were positive about the need for
technology in schools. However, interoperability of hardware and
software was seen as key.
"Recommendations include involving
Becta, the government's ICT agency, in the development of
standards, partnering with industry and using its expertise."
The report concludes, "Technology, whether used in an
institution or at home, must play a full and seamless part in
supporting personalised learning and the gathering of relevant
assessment data.
"There is an expectation that learning when and wherever it
suits the student is crucial, including encouraging greater
involvement of parents and carers in the process.
"Interoperability of content, software and hardware is key to
these goals, and standards to guarantee compatibility and
interoperability are required."
The commission recommends:
- Becta should lead the development of such standards. In
particular, Becta can bring the dimension of understanding
international standards development to ensure the widest
compatibility and competitiveness
- This leadership should be in partnership with industry so that
there is joint ownership of the outcomes
- Becta needs broader support to take this lead and a developed
relationship with industry to achieve the mutual confidence to act
swiftly
- The government and its Information Standards Board should
charge Becta with this initiative and BESA in turn will commit to
drawing industry into necessary developmental processes.
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