Curriculum lead for Computer Science Adrian Briggs switched the classroom for the boardroom as he deliberated over the latest educational app submissions as part of the Teach Secondary Awards.
Each year Teach Secondary magazine issue an open invitation for companies and organisations to submit their education resources for analysis by a team of expert judges to identify those most worthy of school’s time and attention.
Adrian, who also heads up Virtual Digital Technology at Middleton Technology School was invited to focus on the apps section of the awards, which involved 10 different categories for assessing everything from engaging curriculum materials to cutting-edge admin systems and innovative coding tools.
“Having access to so many fantastic apps and resources has given me a real insight into the latest resources available at our finger tips. It was fascinating to see such brilliantly designed features that I can also mention and use as sources for teaching purposes too. Hopefully next year the apps get even better” said Mr Briggs
Judges were asked to observe the following criteria when deciding on their final verdict
- Does this resource meet a genuine need?
- What impact is it likely to have?
- How easy is the resource to implement and use?
- Can the resource be adapted for use in different settings?
- Does the Resource represent good value for money?
After assigning numerical scores to the shortlisted entries, Adrian confirmed their three highest scoring entries which were then assigned ratings of five, four and three stars.
Adrian’s Top 3 Apps from the Awards
Safer Schools – oursaferschools.co.uk
A clever and useful app. Useful for keeping in touch with everyone in the school community.
The National College – thenationalcollege.co.uk
A smart resource that gives staff ownership if their own CPD
National Online Safety – nationalonlinesafety.com
A great little app that allows teachers and parents to view and filter safety information