EXHIBITOR BOOTHS
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The world’s leading free magazine and website focusing on news, analysis and insight across the higher education and further education sectors.
VitalSource helps our partners scale and manage the complex technology infrastructure that underpins amazing digital learning experiences.
AGENDA
12.30pm – 1.15pm
LIVE PANEL DISCUSSION
Student Recruitment – Competing in a Buyer’s Market
1.15pm – 1.45pm
INTERVIEW
Laura McInerney
Co-founder of Teacher Tapp and Education Journalist for The Guardian
3.15pm – 4pm
LIVE PANEL DISCUSSION
Breaking the Bro Barrier: Inspiring a Female Digital Workforce
PLUS:
Don’t forget to check out the exhibition booths
Featuring:
Barco;
Sony;
Ivy.ai;
BenQ;
Kramer
and more…
BONUS MATERIAL
INTERVIEW
Sophie Bailey
Founder, The Edtech Podcast / Tangential Brain
REPORT
COVID 19: How the Pandemic is Affecting Teaching
10am – 10.45am
LIVE PANEL DISCUSSION
The Teachers’ Take on the Remote Learning Model
The world is in the midst of a devastating pandemic that has been deemed the biggest crisis of our lifetime. While school gates have been closed, indefinitely, since Monday 23 March, the entire education sector has been swept up by the tide of digital transformation. The move was both daring and rapid, with education institutes shifting their entire offering online in a matter of weeks – some, even days.
Education has been slower to commit to the digital transition than many other sectors, fearful of straying too far from tradition and restricted by a lack of adequate training in tech. But failure to adapt could have caused irreparable disruption to students’ education and upped the risk of a lost learning generation slipping through the cracks. Schools had to make use of the tools at their disposal, and it took something as drastic as COVID-19 to drive this revolutionary change.
The sector has now been functioning remotely for almost three months. The majority of teachers have little to no experience in delivering education online, and the move happened so fast that many have still had little to no training in how to do so effectively. On top of this, they are juggling the daily anxieties that inevitably come alongside a global pandemic…
The government’s plan for the phased reopening of schools on 1 June was shelved before it had even begun, and it’s looking increasingly likely that remote learning in some form or another could be here to stay. So, how are teachers faring in this remote world, and are they ready to embrace the ‘new normal’?
Plus: Launch of EdQuarter’s exclusive report, COVID-19: How the pandemic is affecting teaching
Sponsored by
THE HOST
James Higgins
EdQuarter Reporter
THE SPEAKERS
Mathew Pullen
Senior Lecturer, University of South Wales
Justin Collins
Associate Professor, UCL
Neelam Parmar
Director of EdTech, Ashford School
10.45am – 11.15am
INTERVIEW
Priya Lakhani
Founder & CEO of CENTURY
Priya Lakhani OBE is the founder and CEO of CENTURY – the award-winning AI education technology company.
In 2008, Priya left her career as a barrister to launch a FMCG business with products in nationwide supermarket chains and independent retailers. The company’s charitable arm provided millions of meals and 35,000 vaccinations to the underprivileged.
Priya was awarded Business Entrepreneur of the Year by the Chancellor in 2009 and Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 2014. She has been a member of the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills’ Entrepreneurs’ Forum and in 2019 was appointed to the UK government’s AI Council.
Priya has established herself as a thought leader in the areas of education and artificial intelligence, and in 2018, she co-founded the Institute for Ethical Artificial Intelligence in Education.
Join us for this exclusive one-to-one interview, where Genna Ash – editor of Education Technology – speaks to Priya about her career and perceptions of the sector, delving into the topic of AI in education and unravelling her forecast for the industry’s future.
11.15am – 12pm
LIVE PANEL DISCUSSION
The Digital Divide: Why it Matters and How to Fix it
It’s been almost two decades since Ben Compaine of Northeastern University wrote: “Before there was the ‘digital divide’ there were the information haves and have-nots.” The relationship between ICT and inequality is, unfortunately, nothing new.
Today, the issue is far more prevalent than we ever could have imagined. While the pandemic has demonstrated the value of technology, it has also presented a series of challenges the sector can’t afford to ignore – the digital divide is one.
On April 19, UK education secretary Gavin Williamson announced a scheme pledging free devices to disadvantaged and vulnerable learners who didn’t have adequate access to technology at home. As of 5–6 June, 54% of secondary school leaders who were promised such devices were yet to receive a single one, and 70% still hadn’t received their routers. Teachers and SLTs have been working tirelessly to ensure the best quality remote education for learners, but it doesn’t matter how good their digital lesson plans are if students are unable to take part.
On June 15, Tory MPs, Tony Blair and leading UK charities issued a warning to the education secretary, stating that as many as 700,000 children – the very same bunch who have been eligible for free school meals throughout the lockdown – also don’t have access to the internet at home. The open letter cited fears that the young people who are falling behind now “may never catch up”…
But this is by no means an issue that’s exclusive to the UK. Remote learning relies on tech and tech costs money to implement. In this new remote world, is it fair that some students are automatically disadvantaged because their socioeconomic circumstances are not the same as their peers? Will this gap in access further marginalise underrepresented learners? How can we ensure reliable and equitable access for all so every student has a fair chance of unleashing their full potential? Will the government fulfil their promise, or will this be a lasting battle that puts the most vulnerable and disadvantaged students at risk?
THE HOST
Genna Ash
Editor of Education Technology
THE SPEAKERS
Abdul Chohan
ThinkSimple Ltd
Nathan Snider
Manager of Policy & Outreach, ICTC
Ruth Drysdale
Digital Consultant – Data and Digital Capability, Jisc
12pm – 12.30pm
INTERVIEW
Vivi Friedgut
Founder & CEO of Blackbullion
Vivi Friedgut is the founder and CEO of Blackbullion – the award-winning edtech company on a mission to make the world’s money smart.
Prior to founding Blackbullion, Vivi was a financial management expert, spending almost a decade managing the wealth of high net worth families and individuals. She’s on a mission to empower young people by helping them build financial capability, opening up the conversation surrounding money and cultivating a healthy, money-smart mindset.
Fast becoming the go-to financial platform for leading universities, Blackbullion currently supports 700,000 students through partners including King’s College London, the University of Edinburgh and the University of South Australia. A champion of tech for good, the platform is actively integrated into university student recruitment, retention and financial support strategies.
In this exclusive one-to-one interview, Anna Britten – managing editor of EdQuarter – talks to Vivi about her path from finance professional to global edtech founder, discussing her insights on the current status and value of financial management in education, and mapping out her vision for the future of the sector.
12.30pm – 1.15pm
LIVE PANEL DISCUSSION
Student Recruitment – Competing in a Buyer’s Market
Fast-paced technological advancement is transforming the world one industry at a time. The pandemic has forced businesses on all corners of the globe to develop a comprehensive, long-term strategy that prioritises all things digital, and as we move through this era of enforced social distancing, more and more of daily life and practice will migrate to a virtual environment – student recruitment is no different.
The light at the end of lockdown grows stronger by the day, but universities must acknowledge that failure to future-proof their current recruitment models could place them at the edge of a dangerous precipice as we come out the other side. With financial analysts forecasting a £463m shortfall for the next academic year, as 14,000 fewer prospective students from just eight southeast Asian countries opt to cancel or postpone their study plans, these invaluable institutions must do all they can to protect the bottom line, all while maintaining the elite student experience for which the UK is well-known.
Staff are stretched by swelling workloads and rising administrative tasks, all while working from home and dealing with heightened levels of stress. How can universities support their student recruitment teams and maintain a seamless recruitment model to see them through these unprecedented times? Does the answer lie in technology and automation?
Our expert panel explores…
THE HOST
James Higgins
EdQuarter Reporter
THE SPEAKERS
Harjiv Singh
Founder and CEO of BrainGain Global
Laura Rettie
Vice President of Global Communications & Brand at Studee
1.15pm – 1.45pm
INTERVIEW
Lunch with Laura McInerney
Co-founder of Teacher Tapp and Education Journalist for The Guardian
Laura McInerney is an education journalist, former teacher, and co-founder of Teacher Tapp – the app that uncovers teachers’ secret lives.
She regularly appears on TV and radio as an authority on schools, including BBC News, Today on Radio 4, Sky News, and Newsnight. Laura taught for six years in challenging secondary schools before being taken to court by Michael Gove for asking a difficult question about free schools (and yes – she won the answer eventually, and did so while wearing a dazzling sunshine-yellow jacket!). After this, Laura became a journalist, writing a monthly column in The Guardian and editing Schools Week, where her team won national awards for their hard-hitting scoops. Here, Laura profiled over 50 names in education, including Dylan Wiliam, Carol Dweck and David Blunkett.
As co-founder of Teacher Tapp, the daily teacher survey app, she is on the pulse of teachers’ deepest wants, needs and thoughts. Laura is known for being blunt, bold, but fair. She holds to account politicians across the spectrum and is widely respected across the sector.
Join us for this exclusive one-to-one interview, where Genna Ash – editor of Education Technology – speaks to Laura about her transition from teacher to edtech trailblazer, touching on her life and experience of the sector, and uncovering the meaning of that gorgeous yellow jacket in Laura’s quest to shine a light on the truth…
2pm – 2.45pm
INTERVIEW
Bob Harrison
With extensive experience in schools and colleges as a teacher, lecturer, senior manager, principal and governor, Bob Harrison has worked with head teachers and senior leaders in developing leadership skills for the National College of School Leadership. He was also the advisor to DfES on the FE Principals Qualification, the digital/e-learning advisor for the DfES Standards Unit and the lead on Digital Futures for the Building Schools for the Future Leadership programme which he designed and delivered at national level for several local authorities.
Following 12 years as Chief Examiner as well as being a fellow of the RSA, Bob was made an Honorary Life member of CGLI for services to Vocational Education. He is also Chair of Governors at Northern College, Governor at Oldham College and Vice Chair of Governors at a Trafford Secondary School.
As Toshiba’s Northern European Education Advisor for 16 years he is a writer, presenter and researcher on mobile learning, digital technologies and next generation learning. Bob is a BERA member and recently presented BERA 2019 on “Digitisation and Academisation”.
An active member of the Association for Learning technology he is also the ALT FE Ambassador and a member of the conference programme committee.
Bob has recently been shortlisted for the TES FE “Lifetime Achievement Award” for services to Further, Vocational and Adult Education and so we are very pleased to welcome him to our Sofa Sessions where we hope you will join us for this exclusive one-to-one interview hosted by Debbie Luckham, Marketing Consultant at EdQuarter.
2.45pm – 3.15pm
INTERVIEW
Kimberly Bryant
Founder & CEO of Black Girls CODE
Kimberly Bryant is the founder and CEO of Black Girls CODE – a non-profit organisation dedicated to “changing the face of technology” by introducing girls of colour (ages 7-17) to the field of technology and computer science with a concentration on entrepreneurial concepts.
Prior to starting Black Girls CODE, Kimberly enjoyed a successful 20+ year professional career in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries as an engineering manager in a series of technical leadership roles for various Fortune 50 companies such as Genentech, Merck, and Pfizer. Since 2011, Kimberly has helped Black Girls CODE grow from a local grassroots initiative serving only the Bay Area, to an international organisation with fourteen chapters across the U.S. and in Johannesburg, South Africa. Black Girls CODE has currently reached over 10,000 students and continues to grow and thrive.
Kimberly has been nationally recognised as a thought leader for her efforts to increase opportunities for women and girls in tech and has received numerous awards for her work with Black Girls CODE. Kimberly has been awarded the prestigious Jefferson Award for Community Service for her work to support communities in the Bay Area, named by Business Insider on its list of ‘The 25 Most Influential African-Americans in Technology’, and featured on The Root 100 and the Ebony Power 100 lists in 2013. Kimberly has been deemed one of FastCompany’s Most Creative People, and was named a White House as a Champion of Change for her work in tech inclusion, as well as for her focus on bridging the digital divide for girls of colour. She even received an Ingenuity Award in Social Progress from the Smithsonian Institute, and has been identified as a voice of authority on the area of tech inclusion, speaking on the topic at conferences nationally and internationally, such as the Personal Democracy Forum, TedX Kansas City, Platform Summit, Big Ideas Festival, South By Southwest (SXSW), and many more.
In this exclusive one-to-one interview, Anna Britten – managing editor of EdQuarter – explores Kimberly’s journey from engineering manager to edtech pioneer. They will discuss Kimberly’s experience as a woman of colour in tech, her campaign for increased diversity and her continuing battle for BAME inclusion.
3.15pm – 4pm
LIVE PANEL DISCUSSION
Breaking the Bro Barrier:
Inspiring a Female Digital Workforce
It’s mind blowing that, in 2020, so many people are still fighting for equality. The current climate of anger and divisiveness only emphasises that fact.
Unfortunately, the tech industry is no exception. The gender gap, in particular, has long been a topic of contention. And while seven out of the top 10 most gender-equal countries are in Europe, according to the WEF’s Global Gender Gap Report 2020, the UK is not one of them.
The national gender pay gap stands at 18.3% – higher than the EU average of 16%. But this is a global issue; in the US, for example, 60% of female tech professionals claim they have been offered lower salaries than their male counterparts for the very same job role at the very same tech company. While the average gender pay gap in the US is 3%, the picture is even bleaker for women of minorities, rising to 8% for LGBTQ+ women, while Hispanic women take home 9% less on average than their male peers. Even today, black women are earning just US$0.89 for every dollar earned by men in similar jobs.
Even once their expertise and dedication sees them soar to the top, female tech COOs are consistently underpaid, earning 12% less than their male equivalents. Experts say that, overall, across every industry, women may have to wait 250 years to achieve pay parity with men. That simply isn’t good enough. Women must be paid what their worth. But this is an issue that starts as early as school, where young girls are discouraged from pursuing their passion in STEM.
So, where do we begin?
We talk to some of the industry’s most powerful female figures about their experience as a woman in tech, laying out a blueprint for breaking the bro barrier and inspiring a female digital workforce.
THE HOST
Anna Britten
Managing Editor, EdQuarter
THE SPEAKERS
Chloe Barrett
Founder & CEO of Immersify Education
Rosie Bennett
Investment Programme Manager, SetSquared
Geseth Garcia
Co-founder of NearLife
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