PedTech Impact Report

Executive summary

Have you ever wondered about the impact of using digital technology to support learning?

Schools, suppliers, policy makers and researchers have all grappled with this question for a long time, and despite the wide-ranging discussion, the thorny issue of impact is still one which the sector struggles to articulate.

Until now.

In 2019, we embarked upon a journey of digital transformation, investing significant time, money and human energy into an ambitious new future. Since then, every student and every member of staff has enjoyed free access to their own Chromebook, changing the way teachers teach and children learn. We have become known for our pioneering and pathfinding approach to embedding digital technology, regularly sharing our work with the sector.

Four years on, we commissioned Dr Fiona Aubrey Smith to undertake a year-long, in-depth research project on the use of technology across all schools in LEO Academy Trust. Her report, Changing Learning. Changing Lives. What happens when EdTech becomes PedTech, presents the findings on the role technology has played in raising standards and transforming practice.

This report opens, unpacks and dissects the ingredients which LEO have put in place, drawing upon a combination of 4,500 survey responses, 606 documents, 154 observations, 65 interviews, 24 focus groups and hundreds of hours of professional discussion and reflection. The consequent report presents a comprehensive analysis as a narrative, a series of findings (about successes as well as about how challenges have been overcome), and a set of recommendations for the future - for the benefit of both the LEO community, and for the wider educational landscape. Globally, this is the first fully independent research to probe into every aspect of trust provision to surface the impact of digital technology.

The full report will be published on this page on 14 December. In the meantime, a brief executive summary can be read below.

You will be able to see exactly how robust academic research findings lead to high impact, lived experiences for teachers and children today. Something that every learner and every professional deserves.

You are warmly invited (and encouraged!) to be part of this global shift - From #EdTech to #PedTech.

PedTech in Practice: The Impact - Executive Summary

Changing learning. changing lives. what happens when edTech becomes PedTech.

We were delighted to launch the full report at a special symposium hosted by Google for Education, and supported by TextHelp and LGfL.

Held at Google London on 14 December 2023, the event provided strategic educational leaders with an opportunity to reflect upon the ever changing role of technology in education. Delegates heard how LEO Academy Trust has embedded technology across its nine schools, shifting the dialogue away from EdTech towards a more pedagogically driven PedTech approach. 

We were joined by LGfL, who shared a specially recorded video showcasing the work they have done to support the development of PedTech at both LEO Academy Trust and across the EdTech Hubs network.

You can watch more case study videos about PedTech at LEO Academy Trust via the EdTech Hubs website.

PedTech in Practice: The Impact Report

PedTech in Practice

If you’d like to explore what the shift from EdTech to PedTech looks like, why not join one of our professional learning programmes in 2024! Run in partnership with Google for Education, they offer the chance to see our PedTech approach in practice.

Reimagining Education with Digital Solutions

A bespoke, five day programme supporting trusts to create and deliver a digital strategy, focused on teaching & learning. Make the shift from EdTech to PedTech, powered by Google Workspace and Chromebooks. Work alongside the leadership team at LEO Academy Trust, to deepen your understanding of the power of digital transformation to deliver organisational change.

For more information, and to register your interest, please see our flyer.

Digital Discovery Days

The opportunity to spend an immersive day exploring teaching & learning at LEO Academy Trust. Visit classrooms, and hear from teachers & leaders, as you discover how to make the switch from EdTech to PedTech. Put teaching & learning at the heart of your school or trust's approach to digital technology. Leave with the resources and support required to make an impact.

For more information, and to register your interest, please see our flyer.

In the meantime, you can find out more on our approach via LGfL and the EdTech Hubs website:

Watch LEO Academy Trust's PedTech Presentation