Colette Roberts, the Executive Principal of a local Collab, has launched a brilliant new initiative. Students are going to have instruction from a teacher who is 300 miles away! In a letter to parents, she assured them about the promise of the new setup but addressed the worries expressed by local educators. Chris’ perspective, recently highlighted by Newcastle’s Local Democracy Reporting Service — thanks to full and frank reporting by local journalist Paul Faulkner.
Roberts described the new arrangement as “an exciting initiative and a significant investment that looks to combine the benefits of edtech and virtual learning with quality support in the classroom.” She explained that students would use “a special laptop and headset to take part in the lessons,” aiming to enhance learning experiences through technology.
Ian Watkinson, policy officer for the National Education Union (NEU), told Schools Week he had serious concerns about the new approach. He went on to denounce the idea of permanent digital instruction as “dystopian.” He claimed the move would steal away essential “pastoral support” from students and prevent teachers from being able to teach in an engaging way. Watkinson stated, “You just can’t dynamically respond as a teacher if you’re on a screen in Devon.”
Questions have been asked about the possibility of a strike from union members. Watkinson emphasized that any strike will need to be officially voted for by NEU members and those of other unions. In closing, he emphasized that this action would only be considered a “last resort.” He slapped down the initiative as “dumbing down” and “cutting corners,” saying it was “not fair on the children.”
In her letter, Roberts addressed these concerns, stating that the initiative aims at “raising standards and expanding access to excellent teaching – particularly in communities that have historically faced disadvantage.” She highlighted its role in retaining “exceptional teachers who might otherwise leave the profession due to personal or family circumstances.”
The current debate highlights just how hard schools and colleges across the country will have to work to keep pace with rapidly changing pedagogical practices. Now that technology is a ubiquitous presence in classrooms, the line between avant-garde strategy and tried-and-true pedagogy is one of today’s hottest debates.
