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London 2050 Summit – City of the Future

This week Ann Beatty was invited onto the panel of the London 2050 Summit to join the discussion on how technology will continue to shape our lives, and to offer a perspective of what the implications are for global education.

In the U.K. and globally, the pandemic has seen large numbers of people forced to work and socialise from home. Most of us are discovering new technology and experimenting with how it can be used to fill the gaps left by the various lockdowns. For some it means looking at entire home automation to enhance home life, work and entertainment life, and including these ideas in the new housing construction work of the future. For others it means questioning the pervasive role of technology in our lives, and building a future directed by human needs, not the needs of productivity and profit in isolation.

Technology is exciting, the possibilities are limited only by our imagination, and our development funding. So much is possible, but we need to make sure it is always fit for the purpose it is being used for. Algorithms are not better than teachers at predicting grades. Internet lessons can be a good way to deliver some aspects of education, if you have a stable internet connection and a device to study on, but online learning cannot replace professional expertise and the passion of teachers who inspire learning in students.

We have to be aware of the way we use technology to educate ourselves too, the potential for “Generation Google” is a double edged sword. It’s brilliant what we can learn and discover on YouTube and Google, but we have to be aware of the algorithms that are putting the content we consume up onto page 1 of a Google search. 

The fact is we need the right technology for the right situation. In The Gambia we found that solar radios were the right solution, to take into account not only a lack of internet connection, lack of equipment, and a lack of access to power. Working in a diverse range of countries makes us acutely aware of the limitations of the technology we have. Our technological advances are still very dependent on infrastructure put in place decades ago. Where that infrastructure does not yet exist, our technology fails. Likewise, if our infrastructure fails so does the technology that we now wholly rely on too. By including everyone in the picture of development we are finding a more robust and sustainable way forward for everyone.

The new 5G network forces a network structure based on digital capitalism. Potential threats to cyber-attack, sharing and use of our data. We need to keep our focus on how to use data to benefit humankind rather than just distract us from the gravity of our current situation.

We are already testing the boundaries of the tech world we have built. The Social Dilemma documentary by Jeff Orlowski (2020), highlights the dangerous impact of digital social networking. The need to connect is a very important drive, and if our connections, our communities and even community spaces are all brought online, then we lose a fundamental part of that connection, especially the power of physical touch. The Covid-19 lockdown periods have been like an experiment in how far can digital socialising go. Our experiences with this range from frustration and isolation to the joy and convenience of being able to chat with someone on the other side of the world without having to travel.

In education there is definitely a global digital divide, not all children have access to technology and yes, many children are addicted to smart phones but you cannot learn effectively on smart phones. In many families they do not have a quality laptop or computer, they may not have the space to learn in their homes. We are in a situation where the U.K. government set up a scheme for laptops to be provided in April of this year to families who needed them but the outcome was that only 37% of children who needed them were able to access these devices (Children’s Commissioner Aug 2020). If we cannot feed our children adequately and many families have to visit food banks there needs to be a review of the whole system as hungry children cannot learn even if they have access to the technology. We now have the time to Reflect, Re-imagine and Reset learning but it will need investment and we must not miss this opportunity globally.

We need to invest in education, and for that we need to go back to basics. we need a method of delivering quality education to people, we need to connect with each other, to make the connection with each other, ourselves and the world.

Clearly technology is a brilliant tool to transform our world, and tackle our deepest challenges too. It just has to be fit for purpose. So sometimes we have to remember that the low-tech solutions can be the best. Not everyone has access to the technology that others take for granted. Most of us are not in control of the technology we are surrounded by. 

So, this is what we need to be asking. Is this technology being used for the advancement of the human race, is it inclusive and is it sustainable? If it is driving the divides between people, if it is only being harnessed for productivity and the profits of a minority and driving the chasm between the wealthy and poor, then maybe we need to take action to alter the direction. When do we have enough technology? Doesn’t that depend on what we are using it for?

To move forward, we need to ask the right questions.

Gary Whitehall ended our panel discussion with this: If you want to do one thing that will make a difference, ask yourself this, “What can I heal?” Use technology to do that thing.

Thank you, please tell us in the comments below what you will heal with technology.
The Steve Sinnott Foundation • Nov 12, 2020
By Nicolet Nguyen & Becky Brace 24 Oct, 2024
We both love London and walking, and this year, in honor of The Steve Sinnott Foundation's 15th Anniversary we have decided to embark on this journey. We planned to complete the 10KM walk along the river Thames, passing by many iconic London attractions on the way. We wanted to raise funds, and awareness, to ensure that every child worldwide, can have the opportunity to go to school, as well as adults too. It was an amazing experience and we enjoyed each other's company on luckily a very sunny day! “Since working for the Foundation I have witnessed firsthand the impact it has in supporting young people develop essential life skills by working to ensure provision of quality education for all children worldwide. The ripple effect of this education is truly remarkable as students go on to empower and educate others.” - Nicolet “I’ve been friends with Nicolet since we were kids, and I appreciate her and support her in any way that I can! She does amazing work for the Steve Sinnott Foundation and I want to be able to support her in this as well. A sponsored walk would not only be something we can accomplish together, but the fact that our efforts could go some way to making a difference for children around the world made it very worthwhile.” - Becky 
By Ann Beatty 29 Aug, 2024
H'arts in Mind is an inclusive mental health Arts charity run by people with lived experience. They support people with mental health or physical challenges who have an interest in Art. The Steve Sinnott Foundation (SSF) is an international education charity also based in Hertfordshire. The foundation is working with teachers and educators to deliver projects that progress the achievement if Sustainable Development Goal 4 - ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote life long learning opportunities. Kim Rasit CEO and founder of H'arts in Mind met up with Ann Beatty CEO SSF to see how two small local charities might support each other. They decided they would work together to develop a space in the art gallery for future artists or others to exhibit in the space. SSF would be the first exhibition to test out the space. The exhibition took place August 21st to 25th and we are really pleased to report it was a great success. SSF provided workshops on Storytelling, Jewellery Making and Vision Board and Well-being as well as exhibiting their work on Positive Periods and Preventing Gender Based Violence.
By BY SAARAH RAHMAN 08 Jul, 2024
The Foundation has been working in partnership with UNESCO since 2015 and Ann Beatty our CEO is the UNESCO ASPnet Co-ordinator in the UK. There are 145 schools in the programme and Coventry City is currently supporting all schools in the city with the opportunity of accreditation. In January, Warwick University and Coventry City Council hosted an event at the House of Commons to celebrate UNESCO ASPnet schools’ contribution to the UK. Saarah Rahman who helped organise the event, is currently studying at the University of Warwick in her final year, reading politics and international studies. Saarah shares her thoughts on ASPnet and her personal journey in education. I believe that being a part of UNESCO ASPNET and the Hidden Heroes project will help to lift hundreds of schoolchildren out of educational deprivation. This is an issue that I have personally grown up with my entire life. Educational deprivation is a very personal topic for me, as someone who originates from Tower Hamlets and as a British Bangladeshi Muslim, I am already socially and economically hindered. I went to your average underperforming state school, where I was never able to take part in programmes which helped to improve my confidence and critical thinking skills, as well as deepen my awareness of the world around me. I was always stuck in a bubble at school, believing that students like me would never be able to leave Tower Hamlets; that my whole life would only start and end here, in this small pocket of London. From not having a laptop until I was seventeen and being on Free School Meals when I was younger, I have faced the brunt of deprivation in education. It was when I got into The University of Warwick that I realised the deprivation gap between me and my classmates was much greater than it seemed. My classmates had opportunities to take part in initiatives such as Model UN at school, Pupil Parliament, and so many other extracurriculars that they had at their disposal, because of the type of funding their school during sixth form and secondary had received. Meanwhile, I had to scout for my extracurricular opportunities during school, alongside the challenge that they had to be free. The disparity gap is prominent in who runs for execs or higher student positions, and the common denominator between these types of students is they had leadership positions and extracurriculars handed to them during their time in compulsory education. They were given the confidence at an early age to apply for these roles inside and outside of the University, which will ultimately lead to them being in a better position to take up opportunities. This is why I am a massive advocate for initiatives such as UNESCO ASPnet, because giving young people the confidence to explore social issues alongside critical thinking skills, will boost their confidence in academic and nonacademic settings. Working-class, underprivileged students are always in competition with students who have been given the resources to enrich their education throughout their lives, which shows in their confidence in applying for and receiving opportunities throughout their time inside and outside of higher education. Hopefully, with initiatives such as Hidden Heroes and UNESCO, we finally give underprivileged students the stepping stones they need to get out of their comfort zone and take up opportunities. To find out more about UNESCO ASPnet in the U.K. and how your school can join, visit https://www.stevesinnottfoundation.org.uk/unesco-aspnet
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