King Edward VI Balaam Wood Academy launched a new initiative at the beginning of November with their Parent and Carer computer workshops.
These workshops are exclusive to King Edward VI Balaam Wood Academy and are being delivered in partnership with South and City College.
It is estimated that approximately 17.1 million adults lack the essential digital skills required for work and home life. During the pandemic many students had to access their lessons from home using a computer. This highlighted to some parents and carers that they did not feel able or confident to assist their children with the online, virtual learning.
Individuals fed back to teachers, which then prompted the schools to look at how it may be able to empower parents not only to support their children, but to also gain skills they may find useful in their everyday life.
The programme is being delivered over a 5-week period, with 2-hour sessions, twice a week and at the end of the course, those enrolled will gain 'The Gateway Entry 1 Digital Skills for Everyday Life Unit: Search Engines and Online Research' qualification. Attendees will learn skills such as IT terminology, how to create print screens to evidence work, how to use search engines successfully, how to use online databases and much more.
Kevin Baxter, who is delivering the course at the school comments: "I love participating in the attendees' learning journey. Seeing them reach their untapped potential is so rewarding - I don't feel as if I am teaching, but that it is a collaborative effort".
Speaking to one of the parents involved in the course, they said: "The pandemic really highlighted to me how uneasy I felt when using a computer. My children were asking me for help with their school work and I was unable to. This frustrated both me and them and I am now really looking forward to completing the course which will give me confidence when browsing the internet, booking things online and being able to assist with my children's work".
