**GDPR UPDATE (24th May 2018): 

We are sure you will be glad to know, that after May 25th, the high influx of GDPR emails will slow right down!  It is an important step in data security and data transparency, and one that no school should overlook in the slightest.

At @intSchools, we take GDPR very seriously, and believe this is a great step forward to protect our privacy and digital footprint. In that same vein of transparency, we wanted you - our community - to understand the steps we take to ensure that your data is safe and the bespoke #SchoolWebsites we build meet GDPR standards.

We have added to the bottom of this blog key steps and examples of what we have done.

Here's something that might astound you...

Once upon a time there was a world without the likes of Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. It was a truly strange time where news was watched on boxes in your house, where pictures were shown to friends and family on shiny pieces of paper, and where you'd have to shout really loud to tell people that you are at a concert. Can you believe that?!!

Social media actually started in 1978, when two computer hobbyists invented the computerised bulletin board system (BBS). This was used to inform friends of meetings, make announcements, and share information. Sound familiar?

Fast forwarding through the beautiful internet timeline have seen the likes of GeoCities, Blogger, AOL, Friendster and Meerkat come and go. 

MSN Messenger

Founded 1999.

MSN messenger has a warm place in every user's heart. Launched in 1999 by Microsoft, MSN messenger was a instant messaging client which took the world by storm. In 2005 it had over 330 million active monthly users and was a big part of everybody's lives.

330 Million in 2005! Only 8% of the population had internet access, these numbers in proportion to internet users at the time are unbelievable. 

When broadband started to rise to prominence the service became more and more popular but what could MSN messenger do? What made it so popular?

[1] Tech is redefining the game

It seems obvious to say but the gargantuan changes we have seen in technology, in the last 10 years alone, has completely changed the way we do many things. Education is no exception.

Some of these impactful tech changes include:

• mobile technology
• machine learning / artificial intelligence
• virtual / augmented reality
• cloud & data storage
• significant increases to internet speed (globally)

Tech evolution is not only redefining the ways we can teach but the actual curriculum of what should be learned. This is likely to continue, while we try to better clarify technology's place in the learning process.

[2] Mobile technology is opening new ways of learning

There have been ongoing arguments about pupils having mobile phones in school for many years now. The simply truth today though is that mobile tech has permeated into our lives so much that more people own a mobile phone than do not!

In fact, there is a slightly horrifying statistic that states more people in the world own a mobile phone than a toothbrush!

If we can accept the fact that mobile tech is here, perhaps we can begin to look at how it can be used in the classroom. Here are a few ways that mobile tech has positively affected learning:

• pupils can research topics online, explore subject content further and find inspiration for their work
• pupil engagement has been noted to increase in schools already integrating tech and mobile tech into their learning process
• different teaching styles are easier to implement with mobile tech - distant learning and collaborative learning for example
• consistent use of mobile tech provides more skills for pupils' futures, particularly around digital citizenship

[3] Remote learning is increasingly becoming simpler

We have all likely heard of (and maybe even tried) Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). These are courses (many of which are free) where you can learn remotely by watching videos, reading course content and self-assessing your understanding.

MOOCs give people the opportunity to learn skills in almost anything you can imagine without needing to attend classes. 

[4] Learning can be more focussed around collaboration

This may be one of the more impactful changes we see in education, collaboration:

• pupil / pupil collaboration enabled by tech can be a powerful (and equitable) thing. Pupils who are perhaps introverts may find it easier to collaborate with their peers over a digital platform
• pupil / teacher collaboration is also enabled with tech. We have already seen platforms like Pinterest enable this collaboration, but in reality this can be taken to exciting new heights as the power of tech grows

Collaboration is an essential life skill, so having tech as a tool to better instil it as a quality can only be a good thing.

[5] Digital games are finding a solid place in the learning process

Game based learning and gamification were hot topics a few years ago. Many educators agree that using digital games in the learning process can actually help improve pupil engagement and give teachers useful tools to help analyse their pupils engagement.

We have seen some great innovations in the digital game meets education technology industry, Minecraft: Education Edition for example. 

[6] Information is easier to come by, but application still needs the guidance of a teacher

While all of the above are very positive regarding the impact of technology in education, there is one essential thing to bear in mind. This is that while the availability of information has been vastly improved (a pupil could be said to have unlimited knowledge in their pocket with smart phones) the application of this knowledge still needs to be taught.

And this is why the teacher cannot really be replaced! We explore this exact topic in our analysis of Virtual Reality (is it a supplement for teachers, or their replacement) and the outcome very much remains this:

2017 was a busy year for Virtual Reality, as consumers truly began to take notice. Tech companies were quick to identify this interest, and began to drive VR innovation across many different industries.

Travel, entertainment, hospitality and healthcare all benefitted from new tools based around VR, and now its the education sectors turn to contract the VR bug!

Here are 5 reasons why VR is perfect for education.

[1] Pupils can travel the world (and beyond) without leaving the classroom

Imagine trekking through the jungles of the Amazon, or across the freezing tundras of Antarctica, or even reaching the top of Mount Everest without leaving the classroom.

VR enables this. Even the most inaccessible regions of planet Earth can be viewed with VR. Take note of Google's growing library of Expeditions, allowing pupils to take field trips to virtually anywhere.

Expeditions are easily enabled by having a mobile or tablet device and a VR viewer (the cheapest option is actually Google's own Google Cardboard).

#SchoolStories are the lifeblood of our 'story-led', creative websites. They are an effective, visual and engaging way for a school to really demonstrate what they do on a day-to-day basis: to "show, not tell" their community what makes the school so special.

So, when one school shares great #SchoolStories that gets seen by millions of people we get pretty excited! 

Alleyn Court Prep's snowball fight

With the #BeastFromTheEast causing some chaos across the UK, many schools were forced to close and see out the snow fall. Alleyn Court, an co-ed preparatory school based in Southend-on-Sea, opted to stay open to celebrate the snow in the best way you possibly can...by holding a pupils vs. teachers snowball fight!

We love awards season at @intSchools! This year, we wanted to join in the fun and give you, our loving community, an opportunity to play along too. It's time for the #intSchoolsWebsiteAwards.

Take a look through some of our creative ‘story-led’  websites below, and vote for your favourite!

How to vote:

1. click the school website image and explore our immersive and engaging ‘campaign-led’ designs
2. choose your favourite and click the VOTE link to submit
3. we will also be running daily polls on Twitter, using #intSchoolsWebsiteAwards. Come and join in the conversation
4. we will reveal winners after the Easter break

According to the World Economic Forum’s 2016 report, The Future of Jobs, it is estimated 5 million jobs will be lost to automation by 2020 (a number that will likely continue to grow). Jobs involved in office work and administration, manufacturing, and even law are likely to be hit the hardest.

With such dynamic shifts in the availability of work, which jobs should we preparing our children for? 

An unknown working future

Much has been argued on the subject of social media, particularly in relation to Millennials, in recent years: 

• is it good or bad?
• is it actually harming young minds?
• is it creating a generation far more removed on a social / relationship basis?

Understanding these impacts is essential if we are to best prepare our younger generations.

We can regard social media as a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it enables a platform for users to share amazing stories and to interact with communities on a global scale. But on the other hand, concerns around self-esteem and the growing fear of Social Networking Addiction underlie fears of social media use.

The reality is that whatever the impact of social media, it is here to stay. 

Dopamine and social media

The use of mobile tech and social media has been proven to release dopamine - the "feel good" chemical - in our brains. We receive a text, we get a hit of dopamine. We get a Like on Facebook, we get a hit of dopamine. Someone has commented on our Instagram post, we get a hit of dopamine.

Simon Sinek - author, motivational speaker and marketing consultant - identifies social media as having heavily addictive consequences; particularly on the Millennial generation.