Welcome to the July issue of Whizz Insights, the monthly email communication where we share our thoughts on the most relevant educational insights from the team at Whizz. This month’s issue includes a discussion on the pros and cons of mixed ability groupings, a reflection on blended learning based on a desk doodle in a Kenyan classroom, and suggested holiday reading and listening for those of you heading off on a summer break.
We hope that you’ll find this issue thought-provoking and would welcome any feedback you may have. Feel free to share with your colleagues - they can sign up here to be added to our mailing list.
In this month’s Whizz Insights
To set or not to set - Article (6 min read)
Ability grouping is still common practice for schools worldwide but is increasingly facing scrutiny, with growing evidence that it perpetuates the achievement gap. Can digital technologies settle the debate once and for all by enabling teachers to differentiate in ways that ensure all students benefit from mixed groupings? Here we examine the arguments and research behind this hotly debated topic.
Lessons from a Kenyan desk doodle - Article (2 min read)
During a recent field trip to rural Kenya, we observed students scrawling on their desks as they worked through the on-screen maths problems. Will the technologies of the future have the capacity to capture students’ thinking processes as they interact with digital content, or are desk doodles indicative of the inevitability of offline mediums of expression?
Events
TEDxNorwichED | Norwich | 13 July
At precisely 1.41pm on Saturday 13 July, our Director of Education Dr Junaid Mubeen will take to the stage with his talk, ‘You weren’t bad at maths. You just weren’t looking at it the right way’. Dr Mubeen will argue that mathematics has been tainted by its association with calculation and that, in a world in desperate need of more creative problem solvers, we must embrace a new brand of recreational mathematics that plays to our core human strengths.
Additional reading this month
In Radhika Palany’s article (May issue of Dialogue Magazine), she defines and examines the 6 essentials for digital transformation success. We spoke to Radhika in support of this piece and you’ll see us referenced in relation to our own global experience. Read the article here. (3 minute read)
‘School maths is a desecration of the subject’ Read Dr Mubeen's piece in the Times Education Supplement, where he rejects the OECD's suggestion that the arts will replace mathematics. Instead, he argues, we must embrace mathematics as the creative art that it has always been, and that has been marginalised by the curriculum.
Hot off the press this last month has been the Global Partnership for Education's 156 page Results Report 2019, focussing on this multi stake-holder's work in the world's poorest countries. All credit to Alice Albright, GPE's CEO, for not disguising in her foreword that, despite several areas of progress answers have yet to be found for the critical issue of poor learning outcomes. The report highlights “Four in 10 primary school graduates lack basic proficiency in reading and math." The report is replete with data and interesting specific country cameos. It is worth noting that the 2018 data reflects results in 2016, which in turn reflects actions taken prior to 2016.
Only $11 million of the $1,438 million total active GPE grant allocations at the end of fiscal 2018 were devoted to the use of ICT in Learning. Through the implementation of edtech solutions, organisations including Whizz Education clearly have work to do to show how the delivery of virtual education backed up by on the ground training and support can not only generate improved student outcomes but up-to-date real time assessment data to evidence learning impact.
Listening this month
With the summer break approaching for many of us, here’s some education-related listening that we are particularly enjoying at the moment:
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The EdTech Podcast from Sophie Bailey has the mission to improve the dialogue between ‘ed’ and ‘tech’ through storytelling, for better innovation and impact. With a variety of guests from all areas of the education field, you can expect a broad spectrum of topics to pique your interest.
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The Numberphile YouTube channel and its companion podcast. Created by video journalist Brady Haran, these different media claim just to be ‘Videos about numbers. It’s that simple.’ Indeed it is, but so much more.
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Hosted by Derek Thompson, The Atlantic’s Crazy/Genius provides both a balanced and insightful view of AI in their podcast focusing on ‘Big questions about technology, science, and culture’.
Look out for the August issue of Whizz Insights which will be landing in your inbox at the beginning of August. If you can’t wait until then, and would like to know more about Whizz Education’s work globally, click here.
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