Education Technology in Schools

Home Access! ... do you know what's going on?

On my travels it amazes me how little is known about a scheme that about to impact schools in a big way. Home Access is part of Becta's Next Generation Learning campaign and aims to address the perceived digital divide. An estimated one million children do not have a computer at home and 35 per cent of families have no home access to the internet. The aim is for every child to have equal access to the internet at home to assist with their learning.

The Home Access campaign targets families who:

• have home internet access but do not use the technology to benefit their children;
• can afford access but do not think technology has educational value;
• cannot afford home access or need support in obtaining it.

Three models of Operation

• Consumer – parent applies directly to the Home Access Grant Management Service (HAGMS).
• Aggregated – where schools offer to buy the computers for all of the eligible parents, rather than parents applying to the scheme direct (parent have the right to go direct. This model is promoted by the e-learning foundation.
• Targeted Groups – Decisions made by Local Authority as to who should benefit.

In pilot areas, low-income families applied to the scheme through a contact centre and completed a form. Once entitlement was established, the family received a Home Access Grant Card; a payment card loaded with an amount that covered the cost of an approved supplier’s package of computer, internet and technical support. This was then used in participating retail outlets (O2 shops etc.) Parents wanting a higher-specification could ‘top-up’ the grant to cover additional costs. This is the consumer model that will be the predominant method.

Under the consumer model, high profile marketing campaigns will communicate the benefits and educational advantages of home access – supported by dedicated advisers and a helpline. All packages must carry the @HOME logo to assure the educational and technical quality. The Home Access Grant Management Service will be run by Capita.

Impacts for schools

• Home Access is an opportunity for step-change in availability of the technology needed to raise attainment and increase participation through family learning. If successful, the majority of families with children aged between eight and eighteen will have a computer and Internet and will expect access to online resources and information.
• Parents are likely to increasingly evaluate a school by the quality of its online presence and its ability to accept mobile devices. Becta's Next Generation Learning campaign is targeting parent power ...!
  
• It's too late for schools to adopt the aggregated model, but there is still an opportunity to recommend one of the packages to their parents.
• Demand for the scheme is likely to be high. Pressure will increase for schools to provide online reporting, support online Assessment for learning and offer recommended resources / deals with content providers. Content providers are already gearing up to offer content such as revision and other resources directly to parents through online payment schemes or through schools. Schools will need a strategy for developing online services. This may include buying in content or teachers across schools collaborating in its production. The need for a payment card to buy resources may be the new digital divide!
• There is an opportunity to engage families through attractive sessions such as setting up your Facebook, e-bay, image manipulation etc. This could also impact on school network filtering policies which will need to be more adaptive and flexible.
  
• Most purchases in pilot areas Oldham and Suffolk have been for mobile devices with web and walk dongle connectivity. This doesn’t allow video or rich content and monthly bandwidth is easily consumed by software updates. This will affect what you make available through learning platforms and web sites.
• An opportunity exists for schools to reduce the cost of providing mobile computers with short product life-cycles and moving school provision from personal devices towards ‘appliance’ technologies such as thin client.
• Pressure will increase for schools to support externally provided mobile devices on their networks. Wireless will need to be substantially improved to cope.
• Teachers will need to may need to adapt their practice if children and young people bring devices to school. Banning them may not be an option! Charging and storage of pupil devices will be an issue.
• Children and Young People who have opted for mobile connectivity (eveidence shows this will be the predominant connectivity) need to download software updates at a wi-fi hot-spot. Most now block Microsoft updates as they affect service to other users. There may be a role for schools and libraries providing public access wi-fi to enable children and young people to access rich content.
  
• Schools will need to respond to e-safety concerns and have robust policies and procedures for detecting and dealing with inappropriate content brought in on uncontrolled devices.

So when does this all kick off? Launch in late December 2009 with a ministerial announcement at the BETT show is the word on the street, followed by a mass advertising campaign!

Becta held supplier presentations, so if f you want to know the details with good illustrations you can see how industry is being steered HERE.