This Thursday (January 23), on the second day of the Bett Show in London, visitors were able to enjoy a variety of experiences: exploring the products and services of hundreds of exhibitors, attending presentations, and participating in panel discussions and award ceremonies.

One of the day’s presentations was given by Joan Jacobson, product director at Britannica Education, who discussed the dangers of misinformation, which can trigger a real “crisis” in the world of education as well.

“On average, our students spend nine hours a day online. They’re getting their information from social media,” he said during the lecture “Foundations for Today’s Learners in the Age of Disinformation.”

She pointed out that when asked about their research sources, students often say things like “the internet” or “Google.” “For them, that’s the source; it doesn’t matter which website they click on,” said Joan.

This means they cannot distinguish sponsored content from actual articles and are unable to assess the credibility of what they read or watch. This inability to fact-check extends even to the university level, where freshmen begin their academic careers without knowing how to conduct research.

A new feature at this year’s Bett Show was the debut of a space called “fishbowl”, or aquarium. Inspired by the format used at Bett Brasil, the British content team set up a stage that featured an open space for audience participation.

See also:

• Delegation Discusses the Balance Between Digital and Analog
• Panel Highlights Brazil's Educational Innovations at the Bett Show UK
• Bett Show UK Delegation: We Must Learn Today to Lead Tomorrow

On Thursday afternoon (the 23rd), the topic of discussion was the use of artificial intelligence in the classroom. Led by a moderator, half a dozen educators from the audience took turns at the microphone to share their experiences and answer questions, fostering a truly spontaneous discussion that reflected the reality of everyday school life. Participants included people with very different backgrounds, such as a technology professor from a French university, an early childhood education teacher from South Korea, and a British chemistry teacher.

The day also featured the Gesa Awards ceremony, a global awards program for startups. Edusense, a corporate education startup, was one of the finalists for the award: “It’s very important to receive this kind of recognition because it lends credibility to the startup,” said Vinicius Arakaki, founder of Edusense.

Participants and finalists at the Gesa Awards ceremony

And there was an added bonus for the Brazilians: that evening, after the Bett Show closed, the program continued for the delegation, which was invited by Samsung to visit the brand’s showroom in London. There, everyone had the chance to see the latest available technologies in action.

The Bett UK Delegation is supported by the British Consulate General, Britannica Education, SQUARE Ecosystem, Editora do Brasil, EF Education First, Google, Letrus, Samsung, Start by Alura, and Quizizz.

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