About LIFT
The DigiSmart project is developed and managed by LIFT for Learning (LIFT). LIFT is a charitable educational organisation working in partnership with schools, local authorities and other educational stakeholders.
All of us at LIFT believe that every child deserves an equal chance to succeed in education. We use new technology not to replace more traditional ways of learning but to re-kindle them.
The organisation possesses a wide range of skills and experience, including:
- teaching in all phases of mainstream and special education
- English teaching in primary and secondary schools
- ICT co-ordination in primary and secondary schools
- advisory and inspection work
- university-based research and development in curriculum and assessment
- project management including at national level
- initial and continuing teacher professional development
- educational resource development and publishing
- development of online safety materials and guidance
- evaluation of e-learning content
DigiSmart beginnings and growth to date
Children from disadvantaged backgrounds are twice as likely to struggle with literacy in all its forms. The DigiSmart project was conceived by LIFT in 2001 with the specific objective of boosting these children's skills and life chances.
The ability to read — both on the page and on the screen — is a vital skill for learning and for life. New technology is a powerful way of inspiring children who would otherwise be reluctant to learn, much less open a book, express themselves in writing or speak out to an audience.
We researched UK and international developments as part of our investigations (and continue to do so). This, coupled with our experience and observations in schools, led us to launch DigiSmart as a small pilot project in 2002, working in partnership with 3 schools.
Since 2002 we have recruited more schools whilst retaining the vast majority of existing partner schools.
To date, 6000 children have directly benefited.
We are currently working in partnership with 200 primary schools and, over the years, have worked with 550 separate school groups.