Read the latest research on children’s wellbeing as a result of Covid-19 and other news addressing online safety, education and more…
TOP NEWS THIS WEEK:
NEW £29 MILLION FUNDING TOWARDS DIGITAL REVOLUTION
The UK government released news of their new £29 million funding to boost digital revolution and to help keep everyone safe online. The research projects will take place in six different cities, Bristol, Bath, Newcastle, Nottingham, Surrey and Lancaster. The £29 million government funding has £7 million specifically dedicated toward a new online safety research centre of excellence. Read more here.
NUMBER OF STUDENTS ATTENDING SCHOOL DROPPING
Recent government data has shown that the percentage of children missing school has drastically increased all across England. The Department for Education has reported that the drop in school attendance is due to COVID- 19 and children self-isolating “as we would expect”. Read more here.
SCHOOLS TO RECEIVE FEWER LAPTOPS
Headteachers all across England have received emails before half-term from the Department for Education, explaining that their allocations of laptops for disadvantaged pupils has been cut down by 80%. A co-principal at Passmores Academy in Essex comments on the news. Read more here.
MORE NEWS:
How some social media habits can contribute to depression
Research has shown that some social media habits can lead to depression. A 2019 study amongst seventh-grade students found that every hour spent on social media increases depressive symptoms such as feelings of loneliness, sadness and hopelessness. Read more here.
UK could learn from Estonia regarding digital learning for students
The UK could learn a thing or two from the Baltic country’s long-term investment in digital learning. In the UK, online education during this crisis has been found to be patchy with children’s learning being based on their access to a computer. In contrast, Estonia has been doing really well at dealing with the situation. Read more here.
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