Every person working in education went into it for the same reason – to teach the future generation. Somewhere between September and July, it’s easy to lose sight of that and feel buried underneath stretched budgets, never-ending admin and the latest technology that promises to help but somehow made things more complicated.
With rising pressure to do more with less, adopting new technology – the most obvious on everyone’s lips being AI – seems like a natural step forward.
But, innovation without the right foundations doesn’t get you very far. And right now, there are some pretty fundamental questions that schools and trusts need to ask themselves.
Now, we’re huge advocates for innovation and technology in education – that’s why we’re sponsoring the Most Innovative Product Award at Edufuturists Uprising Awards.
Edufuturists is a podcast and community challenging the status quo and bringing a bold, innovative approach to education.
And we caught up with Co-Directors Stephen Hope and Ben Whitaker to talk about what school leaders need to focus on when it comes to innovation and the future of education.
The pressure is on for schools
The challenges facing schools right now are well known: time, money, behaviour, staff wellbeing and the relentless pace of technology.
But Ben makes a point that goes deeper than any of those individual pressures:
“Is school fit for purpose? There’s a conflation between learning and education being equal to school. And just because we’ve always done it one way, doesn’t necessarily mean we have to continue to do so.”
Now let’s be clear. This isn’t a criticism of schools or people working in them. It’s a recognition that the world has changed and the structures and systems today’s schools inherited were built for a different time.
“We can’t use the same solutions and ways of solving problems as the ones that caused problems in the first place.”
3 questions every school leader needs to ask about new technology
For anyone in a leadership role – whether you’re a headteacher, a trust CEO or head of IT – there are a few questions that Edufuturists bring to the table.
Does this technology make things easier?
The first is around technology.
While there’s an enormous pressure on schools right now to adopt AI, to modernise and keep up, we have to be intentional about what new technologies are going to actually enhance – else they are just another hindrance to staff and students.
As Stephen highlights:
“Focus on what technology can enhance and enable. It’s not about what it can replace or sit on top of. Ask yourself how can AI and other technologies be used effectively to enhance education.”
Who is making decisions around technology?
The second area is collaboration – who is in the room when you’re making decisions? Steve was clear that IT teams can’t be an afterthought in the decision making process:
“Make sure educators and school leaders are working in collaboration with the IT team – they’re a key stakeholder and part of the community in schools and have a vital role”
Does this serve our learners?
And the third – a great reminder from Ben:
“We’re all here for one reason – we’re in service of the learners. We always need to remember that as we make decisions for our schools and trusts.”
That’s the question every leader – and every product, every system, every innovation – should be measured against. Does this serve learners? Does it make it easier for the people around them to do their jobs? Or does it just add to the noise?
How we help schools innovate for a better tomorrow
We’ve been working with schools and multi academy trusts for over two decades. And while the conversation around education has changed enormously over time – and will continue to do so – our purpose hasn’t.
We make the basics work so well that everyone in a school can focus on what they’re actually there for – teaching and learning.
Salamander automates the things that eat up IT teams’ time, from creating accounts and managing access to syncing timetables and keeping everything up to date when pupils and staff move on.
It works in the background, connected to the systems schools already use, so people have the right access from day one, without anyone having to make it happen manually.
When things work properly, when your systems and technology are connected, it frees up time, reduces stress and lets everyone in your school get on with being in service of learners.
You can find out more about Edufuturists by visiting their website.
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Courtney supports SalamanderSoft in creating engaging digital content for its website and social channels. Her content studio - Bloom Creative - specialises in heart-led copywriting for purpose-driven brands.
