OnePoll, which surveyed 2,000 mothers of school-aged children on behalf of Pearson in early November 2011 found that a third of mothers don’t have a good idea of the content their children are learning, and over half think their children would benefit from using online learning and mobile devices. Of those surveyed, almost 40% of mothers said that their child’s school doesn’t offer online learning and even more surprisingly, over 15% said they didn’t know whether their child’s school offered online learning.
Seeing the huge disconnect between parental engagement of primary and high school students, Imagine aims to address these challenges by providing parents with access and insight into current learning activities, student academic data and relevant resources through its cloud based on-demand software. Using the virtual learning platform capability, students are able to access online resources from home, allowing them to interact with digital content and engaging them in a way that is more natural for many school-aged children. It also means that parents can see what their children are learning at school first-hand.
With 84% of teachers using ICT to track pupil progress, the NFER survey also found that overall, 39% of teachers did not feel that their school’s current MIS system was easy and quick to use. Over a quarter of teachers surveyed said that they didn’t feel that their MIS software enables them to make effective use of data as part of raising attainment. For schools, Imagine provides greater functionality with the single sign-on, pre-populated learning platform which enables on-demand access to student data, learning tools and resources. Pearson’s solution also avoids the need for a separate MIS system and virtual learning platform, reducing long-term costs.
To successfully plan and deliver lessons, access to quality resources and student academic data is vital. Nearly two-thirds of teachers surveyed by NFER found it challenging to identify high quality, tested resources from amongst all the teaching resources available on the Internet.
Imagine provides teachers with integration of student information, displaying student academic data alongside curriculum information and content. The speed and ease of access to this student data enables teachers to personalise learning through the use of a combined learning platform and Managed Information System. With the number of UK households with access to computers and the internet on the rise – 82% of 16-24 year olds accessed the internet everyday in 2010, compared to 77% in 20083 - students are able to benefit from genuine anywhere, anytime learning using tools and cloud-based access to data and trusted resources with Imagine.
Quotes:
Prospect School in Reading is one of the first UK schools to use Imagine, having been a Pearson customer for more than five years. Martin Palfrey is responsible for e-Learning Strategy for the school’s 1,300 students, 90 teaching staff and parents: “I am convinced that Pearson has the right strategy. Using a cloud software solution makes sense to us and we prefer the increased reliability and security that Imagine provides. Our users can access a full service wherever they are, even on a Smartphone! We also benefit by using a single solution for our information and learning needs. The ability to publish any relevant information to parents using this solution supports the increased involvement of parents in learning that research suggests leads to higher attainment overall,” commented Palfrey.
“Pearson is offering a solution that teachers have needed for a long time. The NFER survey we commissioned last month found that over 45% of teachers surveyed would like to see more accreditation in place to help them identify high quality and tested online resources. With Pearson’s legacy in the education sector and being one of the biggest education content providers in the world, Imagine provides teachers with trusted online resources that are quickly and easily accessible,” said Justin Reilly, Managing Director of Pearson Fronter.
1 MumPoll Survey – November 2011
2 NFER’s Teacher Voice Omnibus Survey – November 2011
3 Statistical Bulletin: Internet Access 2010, Office for National Statistics
