The UK has embraced the “digital lifestyle” faster than anywhere else and needs to take advantage of the pool of talent it has, according to the president of Samsung UK.
Andy Griffiths was speaking at the opening of a Samsung Digital Classroom at the Royal Albert Hall in London.
The project will use the Korean firm’s products and the application of music to help improve children’s maths and science skills.
Mr Griffiths said: “In the digital age in which we are clearly living, the UK has very much embraced the digital lifestyle, and probably faster than a lot of other western European countries.
“If you look at the retail results from last Christmas, the UK now leads the world in what we call omni-channel shopping – mixing online choices with their in-store pick-ups.”
Mr Griffiths says that Samsung are keen to take advantage of this adoption in order to improve and modernise the education system by integrating their products into bespoke classrooms.
He added: “How that crosses over into the education space, therefore, is that you have a young generation, certainly the kids in mainstream eduction, whose lives are intricately linked to technology products, and the connectivity through smartphones or tablets means that that is a completely intuitive experience for them.
“We believe that we can help make sure that that is reflected in taking great education and making it more relevant, helping to modernise the approach of education, and therefore to improve the quality.”
The Digital Classroom will offer children aged between seven and 14 the chance to engage in a music-driven programme designed to help improve maths and science abilities.
One of the practical workshops sees Key Stage 2 students putting together a piece of music based on mathematical principles, using a range of Samsung devices.
Skills and Enterprise Minister Matthew Hancock was also at the opening and said: “It’s fantastic to see Samsung combine its technology expertise with the Royal Albert Hall’s passion for music to help children learn maths and science in a fun and innovative way.
“This kind of initiative helps bring education and employment closer together – if children learn how to code, create computer programmes and understand how a computer works, they then have the opportunity to apply these skills in future careers.”
Any school in the UK is eligible for a session within the Digital Classroom, with an official email enquiry account having been set up by the historic London venue.
Mr Griffiths said: “The key topic that we’re launching with our friends at the Royal Albert Hall today is how music can be used to in the context of the digital classroom to enliven big subjects for kids.
“These topics are part of a key drive where our digital classroom campaign is being linked in with different partners, like the Albert Hall, really to make sure that education is more relevant to this generation; the digital generation that are coming through at the moment – with technology very much as their fifth limb, and it’s very much the way they want to learn.”
Mr Griffiths also spoke about where Samsung sees the industry moving over the next few years and how it could revolve around the “smart” home.
He added: ” There has been a huge change in the way the connected world is established, and so to take that forward 10 years it’s interesting to note that the main trend we believe by then will be the connected home.
“There is a level of acceptance that you’re seeing now about digital items in your life and that plots further forward to a home that is driven by machine to machine communication. Both for your energy needs – maybe for lighting, or locking the doors or switching the heating on.
“All the items do talk to each other, so this connected home and by 2024 this could be the standard or the expectation.”
UK 'embracing digital lifestyle'
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