About Becta

The Award, which will celebrate its first winners in 2009, will shine a spotlight on teachers who use all kinds of technology as a natural part of their professional toolkit to motivate children and young people in the classroom and beyond. 

These teachers will be acutely aware of their pupils' appetite for technology and the different ways of learning that are best for them. Such awareness could include the use of mobile phone technology, games consoles, handheld computers and social networking tools as well as interactive whiteboards and laptops.    

Becta's Chief Executive Stephen Crowne welcomed the Award as a key component of the Next Generation Learning campaign which encourages parents, schools and employers to get the most out of technology in education.

He said: "Technology has the potential to improve standards and to engage all learners, even those facing the biggest challenges. But it is not an end in itself because computers don't teach pupils; teachers do, and when they use technology to support learning and to address particular needs they can enrich the learning experience like never before.

"As well as making lessons more relevant to youngsters for whom these technologies are second nature, these outstanding teachers will also ensure their pupils are the best equipped to be the workforce of tomorrow.

"Anyone can nominate a teacher for this award and we hope that pupils and parents, as well as education colleagues, will be conscious of adults in schools making a difference in this way. No one should miss out on the potential for technology to change their life."

Recent research by Becta into the use of Web 2.0 technologies such as blogs, wikis and social networking by pupils aged 11-16, found that more than half of teachers surveyed believed these resources should be used more often in the classroom and that their use led to better engagement in learning and better quality of work from pupils.

Caroline Evans, Chief Executive of the Teaching Awards, said: "We are delighted to have a new sponsor in Becta whose award brings fresh perspectives on what makes a great teacher. We believe that inspirational teachers have a brilliance that rubs off on other teachers as well as inspiring their pupils.

"The winners of the Becta Award for Next Generation Learning will be no different and it is exciting to be offering them a new platform from which to influence teaching and learning more widely; sharing good practice has always been part of our mission. I can’t wait to meet them."

Nominations for the Teaching Awards 2009 are now open. If you know a teacher who deserves to be recognised and rewarded through the Becta Award for Next Generation Learning go to the Teaching Awards website and make a nomination. It’s a great way to say 'thank you'.

Notes to Editors:

The Teaching Awards is open to every school in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.  The awards were established by Lord Puttnam CBE in 1998 and are managed by the Teaching Awards Trust, an independent charity. The Trust's mission is to celebrate excellence in education and share expertise.

The Teaching Awards 2009 is sponsored by Becta, BT, the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), The Innovation Unit, the National College for School Leadership (NCSL), the Royal Air Force (RAF), the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust (SSAT), and the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA),

The Teaching Awards is supported by the Department of Education in Northern Ireland, the Welsh Assembly Government and all major teaching unions. Other supporters include the General Teaching Council for England (GTC), RM, CfBT Education Trust, the British Council, the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA), and Rolls-Royce.

The 12 award categories for 2009 are:

• The Becta Award for Next Generation Learning
• The DCSF Award for Enterprise
• The Award for Teacher of the Year in a Secondary School
• The SSAT Award for Outstanding New Teacher of the Year
• The NCSL Award for Headteacher of the Year in a Primary School
• The Royal Air Force Award for Headteacher of the Year in a Secondary School
• The Award for Special Needs Teacher of the Year
• The TDA Award for Teaching Assistant of the Year
• The BT Award for Teacher of the Year in a Primary School
• The DCSF Award for Governor of the Year
• The DCSF Award for Sustainable Schools
• The Ted Wragg Award for Lifetime Achievement, sponsored by The Innovation Unit

Some of the many examples of the kind of work that might be used in a nomination for the Becta Teaching Award for Next Generation Learning are as follows:

• A Key Stage 2 primary teacher whose pupils explore narrative through texts and through the creation of computer games with strong story lines
• A Key Stage 3 teacher whose students use Play Station Portables to compare their athletics techniques and results with those of professionals
• A rural primary school teacher whose pupils regularly 'visit' their friends at schools around the Mediterranean through video conferencing and messaging.
• An inner city secondary teacher whose pupils share experiences with their contemporaries in India through an e-twinning scheme, blogging and podcasting.