School broadcasting - students get a voice of their own

Education ICT is in for extra-special scrutiny at Bett 2010 as a hand-picked team of school-age reporters will be roaming the Olympia exhibition halls road-testing and reporting on the latest kit. This manifestation of the learner voice is down to Radiowaves which has been providing broadcast technology and a safe window on the world to schools since 2003.

"We have over 1,000 schools on the books and 20,000 young users with their own dedicated profile page where they can maintain a blog and download both podcasts and video," explains Cliff Manning, Radiowaves communications director. Radiowaves will be launching its new free version of the service at Bett 2010.

"Teachers act as publishers," says Paul Whelan, assistant head for ICT at St Lawrence's academy in Scunthorpe. "We have the power to moderate students' work and the comments that others can leave on the profile pages or the main school Radiowaves page where the best broadcasts can be cached and accessed by anyone in the school, its broader community and beyond."

According to Whelan, it has taken less than a year for Radiowaves to become a hub for the academy. "Radiowaves has become the centrepiece of all our pupil leadership projects. In the role of reporters our young people have the opportunity to upload both sound and moving image material about themselves or life in the school."

There is hardly an aspect of St Lawrence that has not been touched by the school's transition programme with local primaries and specific, subject-related projects.

"Our Radiowaves site has also proved an ideal mechanism for giving anyone concerned in life at the school unique access and insights," Whelan adds. "And this applies equally to parents concerned to see how a school trip is progressing, to outside auditors and inspectors."

Also banging the drum for broadcast technologies at Bett 2010 will be Russell Prue who will be promoting the thrills and disciplines of live radio and his own, school-friendly Anderton Tiger broadcasting equipment at the East of England Broadband Network E2BN.

"Live school radio is different to podcasting and although the two do cross over, I am convinced that some children find editing sound files on screen, which podcasting requires, is a barrier," he says. "Lots of schools are really getting into this. It is a good step on from podcasting for the older pupils with plenty of emphasis on preparation, planning, collaboration and team skills, not to mention the all-important speaking and listening skills."

A vast range of other exhibitors will be demonstrating their hardware and software in Bett's dedicated broadcast technology area. Highlights include Podium, a PC-based podcasting application on show on the RM stand, and P Squared which offers tailor-made radio studio packages designed specifically for use in primary and secondary schools .