Why Schools need Pupil-Centred-Sites

Many school sites have little relevance to pupils, and Heads and IT leaders are missing vital opportunities to engage young web users. In the first article of a new series, Michael Phillips argues for a child-centric approach and an online presence that children really understand.

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The web is now an integral part of a child’s culture - no primary or secondary pupil has lived in a time without it. The technology their teachers and parents used when they were at school is long gone; a mouse and a mobile puts the world, literally, into the palm of a child’s hand.

But the web’s influence extends into childhood beyond the browser window. The attitudes and expectations of these Digital Natives are also being shaped and formed by the technology they use. Information must be immediate; peer relationships international; diversity of choice, virtually infinite.

Given that children and youth are amongst some of the most voracious consumers of internet-deployed technology, it is ironic that schools and Local Authorities fall so far behind corporates, NGOs and even charities when it comes to providing credible web destinations for young audiences. School sites are frequently built by hobbyists or by companies who roll out production-line portfolios, cheap, templated solutions that do little for children’s learning needs. This is not to say that pupils don’t feature in such sites - photo galleries, class pages and videos are common. But such media is still prepared and presented in the same linear way in which a teacher might prepare a wall display. It lacks the dynamism of information that Digital Natives expect.

Moreover, teachers tend to see updating a school site as a bolt-on or reporting activity rather than a normal part of a daily learning: anything more involved is perceived to be the domain of LA-provided Learning Environments. However, these too are, at best, pale imitations of popular online destinations for children - little real thought is given to graphics or pupil/teacher usability, the individuality and character of a particular school can't be reflected and children certainly won’t use them unless they have to.

Schools aren’t really at fault here: Heads and ICT Leaders are usually unaware of what is possible, and are also kept in the dark by web companies who avoid rocking the boat in order to preserve profit margins. But the net result is akin to a school ordering a new set of playground equipment, climbing frames or rope swings - all in adult sizes. The kids may get some use out of it, but the product specification essentially doesn’t fit them.

So it is easy to see why a mere school website is overshadowed in a child's mind by high-end destinations such as Club Penguin, Nick, Moshi Monsters or CBBC. And it would seem impossible that any could ever compete and win a child's attention over such commercial offerings, and ludicrous to try.

But this is exactly what these articles are about: elevating school websites within the whole school community and helping them reach for a new standard of sites which children will be proud to own, contribute to and even recommend to their friends online.

Making children the core audience

Is this really possible? Children's media consultants, Paperhorse LLP, believe so. But it means redefining what schools have come to expect as normal in a school site, and upping their game considerably.

In the corporate world, websites are built with key audiences in mind, and a successful school website begins in exactly the same way. If a school genuinely takes the view that children are its central stakeholders - and dares to operate by this principle - the development of a website suddenly jumps from the sidelines to mission-critical. Why? Because a web project represents an invaluable chance for a school to show empathy with their children’s culture; to dialogue with their pupils about and through a technology that is wholly relevant to them.

There is a need for a new breed of school site which reflects the needs of children born in a digital culture. At Paperhorse we call these sites child-centric - they are based not just upon the technology children use but the way that they use it. It does not mean Pixar-quality graphics nor Hollywood budgets. It does mean building local school sites which demonstrate an understanding of the world of the Digital Native, and function in a way that will really help prepare them for life and work beyond the educational system.

A child-centric site will win over prospective parents, because it will be demonstrative of real-world involvement by pupils. (On the other hand a portfolio site for parents says little and is likely to alienate kids). Child-centric sites will have pupils running them on a daily basis. Children need no encouragement to assume a proactive contributor’s role, yet few schools actually allow them to do this effectively. In fact, lack of child-centeredness is prevalent across virtually all of the UK’s school websites: in a recent review of nine hundred school sites within seven Local Authorities we found that virtually all of them had design, technical or usability issues that would militate against a child visiting, staying or returning.

It’s all in the mindset

Why is this? The commonest argument is that ‘schools just don’t have the money’ to do any better. However, this is not really the problem. What keeps school sites small and unnoticed by those they should be helping, is an embedded mindset - an entrenched expectation that this is the way things inevitably have to be.

Are schools actually poor? The reality is that they are rich in many ways. They have knowledge and skills resources greater than most businesses. Paperhorse uses the term 'School Family' which encompasses all who might have use of, or might reference to, or might benefit from, a local school site - ie children, former pupils, teachers, administrators, governors, parents, grandparent, peripatetic teachers and local professionals linked to the school. A site can make a school literally the hub of a community - and even the smallest rural primary will have a school family of 150+ to draw upon, with a breadth of experience in different areas.

We believe that the first of these groups is by far the most important user group for a school site. Children are willing contributors who have time, energy and enthusiasm to devote to keeping a site fresh. And it is fresh, relevant content that will always draw Digital Natives, and win them to the site's - and the school's - objectives.

The only thing that most schools actually lack is a site infrastructure that enables them to utilise their resources, and vision - including partners with vision - to help catalyse the process.

Paperhorse provide schools with child-centric web solutions and produce sites that children not only use, but value. Why not call us to see how we could make your school site shine?

In forthcoming articles:

Where school sites most consistently fail

The skills that teachers have which can be harnessed for a successful school website

How a school can make its site relevant to every member of staff

Why Pupil Power works

© 2009 Paperhorse LLP All rights reserved

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