BETT: 3D and gaming to make education more engaging

Cutting edge technologies on show at BETT

I'm currently at BETT, the IT trade show for the education sector, and what's most striking is how much cutting-edge technology is available for use in UK schools.

Teachers have an increasing amount of freedom to choose the technology with which to engage with pupils, and the show sees technology providers capitalising on the opportunity to showcase their products and show potential customers what a major role ICT can play in the delivery of education.

The event kicked off this morning and I've already seen teaching tools that are more hi-tech and exciting than the stuff you're likely to find in most enterprises; for example software programs that use 3D technology to teach children science; one particularly impressive example was from Designmate. ViewSonic too is showcasing a range of DLP projectors that broadcast in 3D.

And the fun doesn't stop there, with suppliers showcasing learning software that teaches children through games. Games-ED is one company that has developed PC games that support the curriculum and have a serious educational purpose.

Meanwhile, ConnectEd is appealing to children by developing educational games on the PS3, and even the PlayStation's ‘Move' add-on, which uses motion-capture technology similar to Nintendo's Wii.

While some traditionalists may argue that such technologies have no place in the classroom, a recent teacher survey commissioned by FutureLab and conducted by the National Foundation for Educational Research revealed that 60 per cent of teachers would consider using computer games for teaching in the future, and an encouraging 35 per cent of the sample group had already used computer games.

Naturally, these technologies will not come cheap, and schools will have to carefully consider which tools to invest in, but if there's one thing that is apparent at BETT 2011, it's that technology can make education fun, appealing and ultimately a more engaging experience for students.