Major-domo for Cyberspace School Kids

Profile - Alf Brown, Internet Education Crusader

Alf Brown - science head teacher

Alf Brown, 38, of Jamaican parents, is an educator with a mission. What makes him different, you might ask, from any other dedicated black teacher? Powerful images come to mind of Lenny Henry's worldly and wily school master on TV, and Sidney Poitier's trials and triumphs at an East End school in the film version of To Sir, With Love.

Alf has given thousands of school kids a chance to reveal their visions of the future in cyberspace. Backed by the corporate might of the nation's No. 1 food store chain, his innovative projects are showcased in the Tesco SchoolNet 2000 exhibition at the Millennium Dome.

Hard work
Selected from a national panel of teachers, Alf, science head teacher and former chemist in industry, was asked to help make a difference in Internet-assisted school learning. Over more than a year, Alf and his project colleagues visited primary and secondary schools, set up writing workshops and won co-operation from parents, teachers and education officials. They got children to interview their families, friends, celebrities, local dignitaries, MPs, and newspaper editors. Finally, they helped shepherd the kids to specially equipped company stores and centres to upload thousands of pages of their work on to the Tesco SchoolNet web site.

The result, says Alf, "is a vast treasure chest of youthful views about life in the United Kingdom, yesterday and today, and how they see life in the new Millennium". The children's' dreams - their art, poetry and fiction - have found a worldwide audience. At on-site terminals in the Dome, their work will delight and inform throngs of visitors.

Well worth the effort
Alf is proud that more British schools have published on the web than ever before, providing a huge database written by children, for children. Teachers' perceptions of the Internet have improved, and info-tech supporters in business and government are happy.

Indeed, the Department of Education and Employment say two-thirds of primaries are on the Net. All schools, colleges, universities and libraries will be "wired" by 2002. Government is investing £1 billion in the National Grid for Learning to ensure higher levels of techno-literacy for students and staff.

Personal actions
But, Alf is not completely satisfied. It is too early, he says, to tell whether SchoolNet and government programmes will have effect in sub-standard schools in educationally deprived neighbourhoods. They may miss out disadvantaged groups, particularly black youth. "Many programmes merely assume that schools use all resources equitably, with an even impact on all groups of students. I would like to see the evidence for this," says Alf.

To put his own words into action, Alf has organised Internet projects to raise the aspirations of Afro-Caribbean youth. Students interview successful black achievers and report what can be learned from their experiences. The look, the job, and even the attitudes of their role models are all noted. "We know this kind of contact is important," says Alf: "Until now, black school pupils have had few opportunities to meet people they can identify with, and take inspiration from their success."

Tesco chief executive Terry Leahy

Questions and challenges
These comments and personal actions pose major questions for business-government partnerships in information and communications technology (ICT). Tesco SchoolNet 2000 has proved a successful promotional strategy. It is now an exemplar of Internet-assisted education. Yet, Tesco chief executive Terry Leahy, and government pundits and teacher training policy makers face a further challenge.

In inner city districts of black concentration they must target sub-standard schools and recruit more highly-motivated black staff. The take-up of funding and training for ICT opportunities must be encouraged. Schools must be urged to prepare five-year plans to secure additional resources from the national Standards Fund. Barriers to educational inclusion should be removed.

"We must ensure that Black pupils and others at risk of disadvantage get a good access to the new millennial resources and the latest technology," says Alf Brown. "Some day we will start to see great poetry, artwork, factual writing and a whole lot more from black pupils on the Internet. But it isn't there yet!" says Alf.

Contact details
Alf Brown now works as schools officer in information and communications technology for the Learning Circuit, a joint venture between the Roehampton Institute London and AZTEC, the Training and Enterprise Council of South London.
alf_brown@learning-circuit.co.uk
http://www.learning-circuit.co.uk

TESCO SchoolNet 2000 - Key Facts and Figures

What is it?
Tesco SchoolNet 2000 is the centre piece of Tesco's £12 million investment in the Millennium Experience, which includes official education sponsorship of the Learning zone in the Dome at Greenwich.

It is said to be

• The new Millennium's most exciting education project
• The "Domesday Book" for the 21st Century
• The world's biggest schools Internet project ever
• Over 15,700 schools and more than 130,000 children already registered

Why was it introduced?

• Tesco SchoolNet 2000 is Tesco's contribution to the communities that support it by helping children celebrate the Millennium and learn more about their communities
• It has helped to develop the relationships between stores and children by contributing to their education in a fun and interesting way and help teachers and children extend their Information Communication Technology literacy
• Tesco SchoolNet 2000 also builds upon the Tesco Computers for Schools project introduced a decade ago - which has given over £54.5 million of computer equipment to schools

How can schools in your community take part?

• Teachers who have not registered for Tesco SchoolNet 2000 should visit the website at tesco.schoolnet2000.com to receive free on-line resources. Parents and community leaders can urge their local schools to register

For further information, contact
Lisa King / Melissa Myers
Tesco SchoolNet 2000 Press Office
Tel: 0845 601 1423 / Fax: 0171 631 1399
E-mail: lking@bell-pottinger.co.uk or mmyers@bell-pottinger.co.uk