Why?

Because I know that when schools talk about pedagogy, the conversation usually solely sits with teaching and learning teams.

I get it, it makes sense, as pedagogy shapes how teachers teach, how pupils learn and what happens in the classroom, but there’s actually another piece of the puzzle that’s easy to overlook…

Pedagogy isn’t just a teaching conversation

When you work in IT, pedagogy might not be the first thing you think about, in fact, sometimes, people hear the word pedagogy and just tune out because they don’t think it’s relevant to them – and I sincerely hope that doesn’t apply when it comes to reading a blog!

If your role is largely IT focused, it’s a safe assumption that you’re probably thinking about infrastructure, security, what’s for lunch, integrations, devices, data, systems and the dozens of other things that go on behind the scenes that work quietly in the background for a school to function at all.

However, there’s a bigger question sitting underneath all of that:

Does the technology actually support the way your organisation wants to teach and learn?

With increasing needs for personalised, collaborative and accessible learning, IT teams are integral to ensuring sure these ambitions are supported by the right digital ecosystem.

So what does that mean?

Basically, it means considering which tools teachers and pupils need, how easily they can access them, whether they integrate with existing systems, how accounts and permissions are managed, what happens when users join, leave or move between schools, and whether there is sufficient visibility of what is being used.

These are IT questions that can determine whether a pedagogical approach works smoothly in practice, or whether it becomes another layer of complexity for your teams to manage.

You’re the bridge between strategy and reality

You know as well as we do that teaching and learning teams can define what they want learning to look like, but you also must know that you help make it possible.

Meaning, as a member of the IT team, you shouldn’t only be brought into the conversation once the pedagogical strategy is already decided and someone needs to work out how to implement it, you should be part of the conversation from the start.

Because decisions about teaching and learning increasingly involve technology, and technology decisions increasingly have an impact on teaching and learning.

The two are connected.

Your role is bigger than keeping things working

IT teams are often the people who have to make sense of the whole picture.

You see how systems connect – or don’t, because that happens too!

You see where data is flowing. You see which platforms create additional workload. You see where access breaks down. You see the impact of another disconnected tool being added to an already complicated ecosystem.

So, when your organisation talks about its approach to teaching and learning, you shouldn’t just be thinking about how to implement the technology afterwards, you should have a seat at the table.

Because the question isn’t simply “What technology do our teachers need?”

It’s:

“What technology do we need to make our approach to learning work securely, consistently and at scale?”

Connecting the technology behind learning

This is where Skolon fits in.

Skolon gives schools and MATs a central environment for managing and accessing their digital tools and resources, helping connect the technology that sits behind the learning experience.

For IT teams, that means having greater control and visibility over the digital ecosystem, while making it easier for staff and pupils to access the tools they need.
Because pedagogy shouldn’t stop at the classroom door.

And IT shouldn’t be brought into the conversation after the decisions have already been made.

Your technology strategy is part of how your organisation delivers its vision for learning.

This is Skolon – we gather the best digital educational tools and make them work in the classroom.

Skolon is an independent platform for digital educational tools and learning resources, created for both teachers and students. With Skolon, accessing and using your digital educational tools is easy – security increases, administration decreases, and there’s more time for learning.

The digital educational tools come from both small and large providers, all of whom have one thing in common – they create digital educational tools that are beneficial for the school environment.