Teach-Secondary-14.1

Needto know Astudyby researchers at UniversityCollege London has found that truancy rates rose at a faster rate in English-speaking countries in thewake of COVID-19 pandemic, compared to non-English-speaking countries. A recent working paper bythe UCL researchers draws on data fromtheOECD’s PISA programme and a series of attendance questionnaires sent to over 200 randomly selected schools in countries included within the study (England, Ireland,Scotland,Wales, the USA,Australia,Northern Ireland, Canada andNewZealand). The analysis indicates that in 2022,26%ofY11 pupils in England reportedplaying truant at least oncewithin the past fortnight – up fromthe 18%of pupilswho said the same in both 2012 and 2018. The 2022 figures further showed that 29%ofY11 girls in England reported skipping school within the past two weeks, compared to 23%of boys.The studyalso notes that teenagers from lower socio- economic backgroundswere more likelyto report skipping school (29%) compared to their most advantagedpeers (22%). The full studycanbe downloadedviatinyurl.com/ ts141-LL2 30% of the youth clubs operating in London circa 2010 were closed by 2019; the young people who lost access to themwere estimated to have performed 4%worse in their GCSE exams Source: Researchbythe Institute forFiscal Studies WHY NOT TRY... STARTINGA ‘COMPUTER HARDWARE CLUB’? The use of technology in teaching and learning can often be seen as a barrier – an added complication, with the potential for things to go wrong if you don’t possess specific knowledge and skills. And yet, technology can also be a benefit to learning for many reasons – as can understanding how it all actually works . WHAT,WHERE,WHY An ability to understand the inner workings of computers at the hardware level – essentially what goes where and why – is essential for anyone considering a career as an IT technician, network engineer or solutions architect. At the same time as learning the hardware essentials of what, where and why, however, you’ll also be developing other essential skills that could be utilised across a wide range of different careers. Understanding how a computer’s hardware works in tandemwith its software requires the kind of technological knowledge that’s fast becoming very valuable in the modern, tech-driven workplace, and can prompt interesting observations and discussions around the vulnerabilities of the devices we all now depend on, and the pressing issues of cybercrime and data security that now regularly inform our thinking around technology use and data protection. Providing ‘computer hardware’ sessions for pupils during lunchtimes or as after-school clubs will encourage the development of practical knowledge and skills around, for example, what various computer components do, how to repair machines when they break down, and how existing computer set-ups can be configured for better performance – knowledge that can only be gained by getting truly hands-on with the technology in question. SOLUTIONS FOR PROBLEMS More broadly, these sessions would also help to teach practical skills related to problem-solving and critical thinking that could be hugely useful across multiple vocations and careers. Depending on your level of IT provision, the structure of the sessions and numbers attending, the sessions could also help to develop your students’ abilities at working within a team. Collaborating successfully on hardware projects will, after all, call for good interpersonal and communication skills between those taking part. Being given opportunities to find solutions to problems – such as a computer in need of a repair or upgrade – can boost students’ confidence in their technical abilities, and helpfully illustrate what can be gained by breaking down intricate tasks intomore manageable pieces, before identifying a correct solution through a process of testing. SPARKING INTEREST Providing access to activities that can help develop the aforementioned employment skills may well enable a wider exploration of the careers that are available, and spark students’ interest in fields such as information technology, computer science and engineering, which they might not have previously considered. I believe there’s significant value to be had from teaching students how to assemble and configure computer hardware. Giving them the ability to do this at some point during the day, or at an after-school club would be a significant step towards helping thembetter understand and appreciate the place of technology in the modern world. Comparisons can be further made to after-school sports clubs, in that both exist to encourage pupils into trying something new, and that both can be powerful ways of imparting essential skills and knowledge that last well into adulthood. ROBWRAITH IS HEAD OF LEARNINGTECHNOLOGYAND DIGITAL LEARNINGATNCG – AGROUP OF SEVEN COLLEGES ACROSS THE UK; FORMORE INFORMATION, VISITNCGRP.CO.UK 78 teachwire.net/secondary