General knowledge quiz to highlight role of technology in learning launched by Becta

Becta, the government agency for technology in education, has launched a national online schools quiz that will be taking place on Friday 12th March. The Next Generation Learning National Schools Quiz will be an exclusively online competition, via the National Education Network (NEN), demonstrating the effect and innovative use of technology in learning. Becta hopes to see thousands of Key Stage 2 primary school children compete simultaneously all across the country, in the battle to become the ‘Brainiest school in Britain’.

Becta is the government agency leading the national drive to ensure the effective and innovative use of technology in learning. Becta’s ambition is to utilise the benefits of technology to create a more exciting, rewarding and successful experience for learners of all ages and abilities, enabling them to achieve their true potential.

The National Schools Quiz is aimed at Key Stage 2 pupils, aged eight and nine years old in schools all across Britain. Becta will be awarding the winning pupil’s school up to £3,000 worth of ICT equipment or training. The online knowledge quiz will be covering curriculum areas such as history, science, citizenship, numeracy and literacy.

The nationwide schools quiz is part of Becta’s Next Generation Learning campaign, which enables schools, teachers and parents to take charge and use technology to its full potential in education. It allows parents to get fully involved in their child’s education, pupils to learn how, when and where they want, plus it helps schools train teachers efficiently and effectively.

Becta aims to raise awareness of the Next Generation Learning campaign through the quiz by engaging schools and learners in a way that demonstrates the benefits of using technology in education. Becta hopes that this will then lead to an increase in technology usage in schools all over the Britain.

The National Schools Quiz objectives are to demonstrate the innovative and effective use of technology in schools on a national level, to engage learners of ages 8 to 9 in technology within the classroom and to encourage schools to sign up to and proceed through the Next Generation Learning Charter. In addition to this, Becta hope to encourage schools and parents to use their Learning Platform. This online interactive feature enables pupils and teachers to access learning resources, online storage and tools for communication and management not just within school, but from outside it too.

Schools can register pupils for the nationwide schools quiz on the National Education Network website. Further details about Becta and Next Generation Learning can be found at www.nextgenerationlearning.org.uk/nsq