Revisit your teaching and learning strategy

PedTech: Aligning Technology with Pedagogy

Your school's teaching and learning strategy should be at the heart of your educational mission.

The process of revisiting your teaching and learning strategy through a digital lens is about moving from "EdTech"—technology for its own sake—to "PedTech," where technology is deliberately chosen and integrated to serve pedagogical goals.

This ensures every investment, training session, and classroom activity is intentional and focused on improving learning outcomes for every student.

Key Considerations

Technology as an enabler

Technology should be a solution to a problem, not the starting point. When reviewing your strategy, ask how a specific tool can help solve a pedagogical challenge, such as personalising learning, providing timely feedback, or supporting students with SEND.

Prioritise Pedagogy First

Effective EdTech integration requires a fundamental shift in focus from simply adopting new technology to prioritising how that technology is used to enhance teaching and learning. It's about using technology to unlock student potential, improve engagement, and create future-ready students.

Leverage Evidence Informed Practice

Your digital strategy should be built on evidence of what works. The Education Endowment Foundation's (EEF) guidance on implementation provides a valuable framework for this.

By following a structured process, you can ensure that your technology choices are appropriate, feasible, and likely to have a positive impact.

Embrace a Holistic Approach

Your digital strategy should not be an isolated document. It must be embedded within your School Improvement Plan (SIP) or School Development Plan (SDP) to be a core priority.

This ensures alignment across all school-wide goals, from raising standards to reducing teacher workload.

Key Questions

What specific, measurable improvements in teaching and learning do we want to achieve with technology?
Are we using technology to do things that were previously impossible, or simply to replace existing methods (e.g., using a tablet instead of a worksheet)?
How can we use technology to foster skills like creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking, which are essential for students' futures?
Are our digital tools chosen to serve the needs of the learners, or are they being implemented for the convenience of teachers or the institution?

Next Steps

Review Your Vision

With your leadership team, revisit your school's vision and core values. Articulate how technology can act as a catalyst for achieving those goals, rather than as a separate initiative.

Redo your Audits

Assess staff skills, attitudes toward technology now, and compare to your data from when you first started. This will help you identify what's working and where you can make improvements.

Integrate into Your School Plan:

Formally embed your digital strategy into your School Improvement Plan or School Development Plan. This will ensure technology is a key driver for school-wide priorities, such as improving outcomes for students with SEND, and is regularly reviewed.

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