'Industry must answer claims schools don't need tech'

CAE boss Justin Harling says popularity of Waldorf schools among IT moguls shows argument that tech necessarily aids learning has yet to be won

The tech industry is in danger of losing the argument that ICT necessarily aids learning, the boss of a reseller has argued, citing the growing popularity of Waldorf schools among tech moguls.

Talking to CRN, Justin Harling, managing director of CAE, said the industry will be "damaged long term" if it doesn't step up and ensure that the technology schools deploy is used effectively.

His warning comes amid reports that more of Silicon Valley's "digerati" are opting to send their children to Waldorf schools, where ICT is shunned in favour of more traditional learning methods.

"There are quite a lot of children of some high-profile tech executives who are sending their children to Waldorf schools, which use very, very little technology. That's why you've got this argument that says children can be taught without technology and that they will use technology in the home," Harling said.

"Certainly, there's no way as an industry we should assume technology will have a positive impact on learning. That's a dangerous assumption to make. That's being increasingly challenged, so unless we are doing the right things, people's view of technology in education could become quite dim."

Harling gave the example of schools that roll out tablets without thinking about how they will be used.

"As an industry, we have a responsibility to make sure the technology is being used properly and does actually help learning, otherwise we will damage ourselves as an industry long term," he said.

CAE was one of 21 suppliers picked for the new ICT Services for Education framework, which is geared towards the 500 free schools the Conservative government has pledged to set up during this parliament.

Harling predicted spending among free schools, unshackled as they are from local education authority (LEA) control, will shift away from the large-scale capex projects that characterised the previous BECTA framework and may have sometimes given ICT in schools a bad name.

"Previously, there was a lot of focus on big capital projects," he said.

"But what we're finding now is schools are actually interested in what help and support they will get when the technology has been put in place. When the local authorities were in charge, they were a bit faceless and they could be buying for a number of schools. What you are now getting, particularly with the free schools programme, is the schools engaging directly with technology providers.

"That means what they are asking for is more precise and specialist. They want a relationship that helps them remain competitive. They want help to make sure the technology side of things such as Ofsted inspections is being delivered and that someone is willing to commit to that type of relationship with them, and that's a big shift from just a big purchasing agreement concentrating on capital from an LEA."