Learning doesn’t always need ‘new’ tech

Last weekend was spent in the New Forest National Park training teachers and other adults how to train young people for their Duke of Edinburgh Award expedition.

The weekend is quite demanding consisting of:

Classroom based activities on risk assessment, route planning, training programme design, teaching techniques and stove safety.
A 5 hour day walk in which each candidate gets to lead one or two legs.
A 3 hour night navigation exercise – I usually get the group to act collectively, and ensure that they get ‘lost.’ This allows them to empathise with how young people feel during the day. Candidates then get an individual leg to lead.

All of this while camping on a school field and cooking as a team.

It struck me that technology took a very back seat and that I still encourage groups to only carry a ‘group emergency phone.’ It’s an example of where ‘new’ technology, rather than enhancing the learning experience, takes something away.

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