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Mr Skidmore met over 20 London EdTech companies who are working with听UCL听researchers听on a range of projects, from using AI to speed up language learning to building social confidence in听school students.听

The projects are part of a UCL programme听called EDUCATE,听which听connects start-ups听and business developers听with leading experts听in听education and technology.听It aims to use research-based evidence to develop 250 businesses听which will听help students and teachers and have a lasting impact in education.听

The听visit follows the recent announcement听by听Education Secretary听Damian Hinds听of the Government鈥檚 forthcoming EdTech strategy听and 拢10 million fund to support innovative uses of technology in schools and colleges across England.听

The EDUCATE programme was launched in early 2017 by Professor Rose Luckin at the UCL Institute of Education鈥檚 Knowledge Lab which is part funded by the European Development Fund and its partners BESA, FS6, Nesta and UCL Engineering and has attracted interest and inquiry from EdTech developers in the UK and overseas. To date it has worked with more than 170 start-ups, SMEs and entrepreneurs.

Professor Rose Luckin said: "We are delighted to have this opportunity听to听host Chris Skidmore at the UCL听Knowledge Lab and to welcome him to the EDUCATE programme.听EDUCATE has enabled EdTech entrepreneurs and start-ups to connect with our academics, who bring access to high-quality evidence, and educators, who support the design and piloting of EdTech products and services with their pedagogical expertise.鈥�

"His visit could not be more听timely,听following the Secretary of State for Education鈥檚 recent EdTech investment plans and desire to harness the power of technology in schools. This is not only great news for technologists听but also represents a call to action for schools to engage more fully in its development.鈥�

During the visit to听Mr Skidmore met with听the founders of new companies including听Little Bridge,听Connect2Teach, Confident Beans and Interactive Scientific. With the support of UCL,听these entrepreneurs听are designing products which will help teachers and learners interact with digital platforms to help students work collaboratively, manage workload听and build confidence and ability.

Emma Little, founder of Little Bridge, an on-line learning platform where children from all over the world can meet and chat to each other and, at the same time, learn English, said: "When we began developing Little Bridge, we were aware of the connection between learning, social media, and accessibility and affordability aspects of the product.听

鈥淲e thought, for example, that the social aspect of Little Bridge would have a positive impact on children鈥檚 learning outcomes. EDUCATE gave us a framework to validate those hunches and to set up the right processes to develop new features based on solid research. We now feel clearer about what we are trying to do and how to evaluate learning.鈥澨�

UCL President听&听Provost听Professor听Michael Arthur听who听welcomed听Mr Skidmore听to UCL听along听with Professor Luckin and Dr Celia Caulcott, 宅男视频 Vice Provost for Enterprise听said:听鈥淯CL, along with other UK universities, is at the forefront of some of the greatest discoveries and innovations shaping our world today. We create and share knowledge that transforms lives and society.听We are delighted to be able to showcase some of this work to the minister today.鈥�

Becky Francis, Director of the UCL Institute of Education (IOE),听added: 鈥淓DUCATE is a much-needed innovation and exemplifies the IOE鈥檚 concern to build policy and practice that is听informed by research evidence.听By bringing together the energy of听EdTech听start-ups with the wealth of expertise found among the EDUCATE team and IOE more generally, the EDUCATE project is helping听EdTech听entrepreneurs听make a much more effective contribution to advancing learning.鈥�

Links

• UCL Knowledge Lab听
• UCL Innovation & Enterprise

Image

Credit: Jason Ilagan and IOE

Media Contact

Rowan Walker

Tel:听+44 (0)20 3108 8515

Email: rowan.walker [at] ucl.ac.uk