FE News on the go

Revolutionising Employment Opportunities for Neurodivergent Talent Post-EducationThis article highlights hiring challenges for neurodivergent candidates. Traditional methods exclude them, while inclusive practices like game-based assessments and AI implementation can promote diversity and equity in hiring. The hiring process is never quite smooth sailing, it is challenging to find the right talent...

AI in Education and the Journey AheadAs the DfE’s call for evidence in relation to generative AI draws to a close, Patrick Giles considers the opportunities and concerns with technology in the education sector. With an emphasis on collaboration and responsible use, it looks at how AI can create a safe and transformative educational experience. In an era where technology has become an integral part...

In this article, the author discusses the ramifications of artificial intelligence technology on the higher education sector, including the challenges, opportunities and urges the sector to embrace it. Despite many of us being used to saying ‘Hey Siri’ or asking ‘Alexa?,’ the emergence of very useful and powerful artificial intelligence applications has taken many by surprise. Indeed, when ChatGPT...

Welcome to the second and final article in our mini-series on homeschooling. In the first article we explored the pull of wanting to study at home; customised self-directed education with varying degrees of parental or external support. Advances in technology have been the big enabler with people having access to a wide range of materials anywhere in the world. In this second article, we note a nu...

Will AI make tests and exams more inclusive? Tests and exams are sometimes criticised as being written by the majority and being biased against some minorities. With assessments a gateway to life chances in education and work, it’s crucial they are designed for everyone. This article explores whether AI will improve diversity and inclusivity or worsen it. TESTS AND EXAMS NEED TO WORK FOR EVERYONEI...

What should we value in the 21 century. An Oxford conference explores the impact of the metaverse, climate change, and social inequality on the values we hold. Values that are closely linked to FE.In late January 2023 I took part in a conference on values and value, at the Blavatnik School of Government, Oxford. It was a great privilege. During my career in FE, the pressures on the sector were suc...

Empowering our younger generations with digital skillsIn this article, Elizabeth Anderson highlights the pressing need to equip younger generations with essential digital skills and access in today’s technology-driven world, outlining the necessary steps to achieve this goal. Digital skills and access are crucial in today’s technology-driven world, without which young individuals may face barriers...

The end of August sees the annual tradition of anxious students and their loved ones waiting on the publication of their exam results. This year marks a return to normalcy after pandemic disruptions. However, uncertainty exists regarding outcomes, particularly in terms of top grades. While many seek university admission, financial concerns and job necessity is leading some students to question its...

Lessons from T Levels: Why links with employers must be at the heart of prison educationAs students prepare to receive their A-level, T-level and other vocational results on Thursday, Novus’ Amina Bodhania reflects on how employer engagement should also be an integral part of prison educationNext week, young people up and down the country will be receiving their Level 3 results and preparing to ei...

Is The Rise And Rise Of Homeschooling Explained By Advances In Tech? T his is the first article in a two-part series on homeschooling. In this mini-series, I shall challenge the assertion that the reason for the meteoric growth in home education was Covid and suggest it was down to an assortment of factors; the alluring ‘pull’ of studying at home and the uncomfortable ‘push’ driving students out o...

Is Education a lip service to diversity even though you'd expect the opposite?“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” – Nelson MandelaEducation is a powerful tool that has the potential to shape the future of individuals and societies. It holds the key to knowledge, growth, and social progress. In an ideal world, education would be a beacon of inclusivity, em...

Crafting an antiracist curriculum: UnfilteringWales first Anti Racism Curriculum – miniseries: Having set the context for crafting a new curriculum, this second article explores the importance of ‘unfiltering’ our understanding of history and education. When at school, you may recall your history teacher saying that ‘history is written by the victors’. I certainly remember this. The phrase itself...

Data skills and human qualities go hand in handAs the UK bids to be a world leader in the tech sector, it is important that the workforce’s skills are supported throughout education, with human qualities that complement technology being a key focus. Here, Glyn Townsend discusses the changing landscape of digital skills in the UK and how anyone can get access to them. What we deem as an ‘essential...

Dr Naeema Pasha discusses how many of us in the learning/coaching/leadership spaces may be speculating on how generative AI adoption is going to work out. But putting that aside for just a moment, we might also consider how the Metaverse will affect us too. To work on this piece I asked Sam Isaacson, a coach and consultant coaching technology specialist running a boutique start-up who founded an o...

Why representation is critical to achieving equity in educationIn this article, Black Leadership Group Director Amarjit Basi explains why the lack of Black leaders in education is harming the education and employment outcomes of Black students. When considering student attainment within the UK context, it is right that we focus on more than the academic achievements of people. It’s also about thei...

Apprenticeship Revolution: A Comparative Analysis of the UK, US, and India's Journey Towards Workforce DevelopmentThomas Burton discusses how the United Kingdom’s apprenticeship system once hailed as a trailblazer in workforce development, and how it now faces challenges amid the rapid advancements made by two global powerhouses – the United States and India. Four years ago, I embarked on a transf...

Bright Futures’ research sheds light on greens skills needed to transform energy workforceCity & Guilds calls for urgent action to help meet workforce challenges as the UK transitions towards a low carbon economy. In April 2022, the Government released its British Energy Security Strategy , setting out its aim for 95% of British electricity to be low carbon by 2030, for full decarbonisation of...

Wales first Anti Racism Curriculum – miniseries: As Wales moves to becoming an Anti-Racist Nation by 2030, this article explores the role of curriculum in ‘rehumanising’ our understanding of the world. How do you create a new curriculum? This was the challenge that befell me in October 2022. I enjoy challenges. I enjoy the struggle; finding solutions to emerging problems and above all, I love work...

Teacher Attrition in the UK: Economic Consequences and Implications for the 21st-Century WorkforceTeacher attrition rates in the United Kingdom have emerged as a pressing concern, bearing significant economic consequences and implications for the modern workforce. This blog post aims to delve into the topic, shedding light on the loss of social and knowledge capital associated with teacher turnove...

Further Education in the UK Needs a RebootHadi Moussa, Managing Director (EMEA) at Coursera, discusses how flexible learning models are essential to bridge the digital skills gap and prepare the UK to thrive in the digital economy. Successive governments have not supplied further education the resources and reform needed for the changing world of work. Vocational skills training is still too inacc...

Exams Results Time: Options and OpportunitiesThis article reflects on exam results time and provides an overview of options and opportunities. With the unprecedented challenges caused by the disruption of Covid, growth in the 18-year-old population, a cost-of-living crisis and intermittent strike action , students find themselves facing a unique set of circumstances. As the exam results season bec...

Employee Ownership - A Better Model for Independent Training ProvidersHIT Training Ltd has recently put a majority of its shares into an Employee Ownership Trust to benefit its staff. HIT’s CEO, Jill Whittaker OBE, tells us why and what it means to her colleagues. You may have read recently that HIT Training has reached a big milestone in its 16-year journey – we have sold a majority shareholding...

Tackling education staff shortages can’t be a “one-solution fits all”In this article, Simon discusses how the focus for schools and trusts shouldn’t be on a one-solution fits all approach to the staffing crisis. Instead, a tailored strategy is needed, including leveraging social media, collaborative networks, and data analysis for training and development. Education continues to be one of the sect...

New insights from BetterUp show that uncertainty in the education sector has nearly doubled in three years. Dr. Kristi Leimgruber, Behavioural Scientist, PhD explains how coaching culture enables workplace success. Recent research from BetterUp’s Coaching Culture Insights Report shows that uncertainty in the education sector has nearly doubled in the last three years, which should come as no surpr...

The recent emergence of accessible, generative AI tools such as ChatGPT has sparked much conversation and varying degrees of concern, optimism and uncertainty, but what kind of place does AI have in education? As AI is here to stay, it’s important to consider how we should respond to such advances in technology, to ensure we are moving with the times, whilst protecting pupils and professionals in...