Interviews with stakeholders about Teddington School's Pilot Zone - Interview One (April 2009)
Teddington School is a One School Pathfinder BSF project in the London Borough of Richmond. The brand new BSF school is due to open in September 2010, but long before the school is complete staff and students have been able to road test an array of new technology and furniture which could be used in the new school.
Following on from the BSF Case Study about Teddington School's Pilot Zone, here is an opportunity to hear first hand from a teacher, local authority representative, school network manager and students about their innovative 'try before you buy' project.
There are four interviews in this case study, all of which can be downloaded in mp3 format. They are:
The teacher's view (9mins57secs)
Kevin Watling is Assistant Headteacher and Project Director of the technology Pilot Zone at Teddington School - a project developed over the past two years in conjunction with Cordless Consultants.
Kevin calls the room "groundwork for the new school" with equipment and furniture set up to mirror what students and staff can expect to encounter on a daily basis in the new building.
He explains how the partnership with Cordless Consultants, and their industry connections, has helped equip the Pilot Zone with state-of-the-art technology and furniture from leading suppliers and manufacturers.
"Try to get as many students as possible through the room," Kevin suggests, and a range of subjects - languages and business studies have been enthusiastic users of the Pilot Zone.
Things which students, and especially teachers, have had to get to grips with is the fact that there is no obvious focal point in the room. This flexibility is liberating for some, daunting for others.
"As well as equipment, think about things like the height of furniture," Kevin counsels. A range of different seating and table options give students choices about how they want to complete a task, from chest-height tables where students can stand for quick interactions, to the possibility to sit on stools with laptops on their knees. Teachers use the sound system to play music at the start of, and sometimes during, lessons to change the mood. He says that despite the wealth of computers, some of the best lessons in the room have not used any of the new technology, but the relaxed seating pattern has led to enthusiastic debate - even by younger students.
Staff at Teddington School have been given an opportunity to try out the room to see what new ideas they can employ, and how this will affect lesson planning and delivery in the future. Kevin says this is crucial for staff confidence. The Managed Learning Environment (Fronter) is already allowing teachers to post presentations and video demonstrations online for colleagues to view as part of CPD and preparation for the new school environment.
Finally he gives his three Top Tips:
1. Don't divorce the technology from the furniture - the two go hand in hand;
2. Multiple focus points - with teachers teaching from various parts of the room - are very positive in longer lessons;
3. Be creative - whiteboards are not the only way to show information and interact with a class.
