Every secondary pupil in East Lothian will return with their own laptops next week, and teachers and school staff are being given support and additional training in preparation.
East Lothian Council says it has completed its roll out of the devices across its senior schools with more than 6,000 Chromebooks handed out as well as increasing the number of laptops available in primary schools to one for every two pupils.
And they said staff were being offered support to help them use the digital technology in the classroom saying: “Staff have already been offered support and will continue to have the opportunity to take part in general and bespoke training to upskill and embed digital technology in their teaching and the
curriculum.”
Earlier this year councillors were asked to ‘spare a thought’ for teaching staff as they navigate the digital world.
A meeting of the council’s education committee was reminded some teachers began their careers before the emergence of the internet as they were being updated on the roll out.
Councillor Lee-Anne Menzies told fellow members: “I want us all to take a minute and think about the teachers as well and the staff in the schools who may well have started their career not having to have any of these digital skills and it is now thrust upon them.
“Just a bit of thanks for them and their understanding and for taking on the many additional pieces of work we now have because the world is very much in a digital time and we all have to adapt to that.”
And at June’s education meeting headteacher Paul Reynolds, from Ross High School, in Tranent said that while a lot of work had gone into IT use over recent years the one to one access to laptops would really ‘open things up’.
He said: “up. It’s not just about having Chromebooks for our youngsters, it’s about how we use them and enhance learning in the classroom. The project team has already been in working with our teachers and there are planned training sessions next session.”
Councillor Fiona Dugdale, the council’s cabinet member for education, welcomed the completion of the roll out to secondary students.
She said: “Digital literacy is a key life skill. Access to a personal device will help young people to develop their knowledge in this area and many others. It will also help them control their own learning much more effectively including in their own time within a safe, online environment.”
By Marie Sharp Local Democracy Reporter
