Anthony Lee, teacher of IT and computing at Whickham School and Sports College, describes some of the lessons his school have learned about the digital divide and blended learning, when surveying to find out about access to technology, the difference between what students might class as a suitable device versus what is actually needed for six hours of school work a day (a keyboard and mouse, not a phone!) Anthony also talks about the issue of parents needing the family device for work and multiple children needing it for school work and the pressure on wifi and how it slows down if the whole family are trying to work and learn online. He adds that they learned that it is better to schedule school work over the week rather than by the day as it gives more breathing space, especially for students who may not be able to get online until the evening, and allows them to organise their own time within the week.
