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TECHNOLOGY
were already working on snazzy IT systems that were being used, for example, for setting and uploading homework. Schools that had invested in virtual teaching resources had been planning a gradual, phased introduction. While some members of staff were early adopters of IT, many had a way to go. Cue the pandemic and lockdown, and everything changing. The way that technology was being used took a quantum leap forward as remote learning and virtual classrooms became the lifeline connecting home-based pupils and teachers. Long-term learning programmes scheduled to take place over many months were compressed into a week. Staff who were beginners in Zoom or Microsoft Teams morphed into seasoned professionals, some within a few days, working exceptionally hard to master the key features of the new technology. With the added complication of issues having to be resolved remotely as all staff were home based, some schools organised more informal collaborative online sessions – on top of formal training, so that teachers could iron out problems and share good ideas and best practice. In schools throughout the area, dedicated teaching staff went the extra mile to ensure their students had the best possible educational experience during “One head teacher estimates that IT usage moved on three or four years in just a few weeks, turbo-boosting integration”
CAMBRIDGE EDUCAT ION GUIDE
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