Bett 2017

I last week was fortunate to go to Bett 2017. I have been going to Bett, which I know as the British Educational Training and Technology Show, for 13 years! To me, it is the place to showcase and, or, explore the use of information technology in education. Although that can still be said to be true, the size and scope are definitely not the same. According to Wikipedia, the show began in 1985. It started life at the Olympia Exhibition Centre in London, and moved to the ExCeL in the London Dockland area in 2013 (which I feel is a much nicer venue). So with over 30 shows under its belt, I think Bett is rather good at what it does. Bett attracts visitors and exhibitors from all over the world (great to see and explore different ideas) and certainly from all over the UK (great to network too). When I first began taking my PGCE students to Olympia, Bett seemed to encouraged people of influence and, or, money to attend. Nothing has changed except the perception of ‘peopleof influence’. There are now lots more learners and humble teachers to be found at the event, reaffirming the idea that student voice, student influence, and student led-learning do count, and if you want to be a teacher in the 21st century maybe you should find out what it is all about!  Check out the storify at https://storify.com/susaltteam/bett-2017