Press Release: 15 December 2020
→ Get involved in the Big Data project for education.
The money was awarded to projects that seek to mitigate the health, social, economic, cultural, and environmental impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak. Klik2learn’s data analytics project includes the development of learning analysis software to support better educational outcomes for students.
Commenting on the project, Ann Attridge, CEO of Klik2learn, said:
“Educators have risen to the challenge of COVID-19 by adopting a range of online learning systems at speed and with limited resources. What is not understood is the impact of various online activities; self-directed, peer-to-peer, tutor-supported, immersive learning, and gamification on young people and their educational outcomes. The funding from UKRI and Innovate UK comes at an important time, allowing us to provide educators with evidence- based research on the effectiveness of different types of online learning.”
While other sectors of the economy such as finance and retail have sophisticated methods of analysing huge amounts of data to improve services, the education sector is behind the curve in applying data analytics to drive better outcomes. The project will analyse learning networks of teachers, resources, and learners in order to recommend effective pedagogical interventions and measure their success.
Working with The Data Lab and City of Glasgow College, Klik2learn will provide educationalists with the analytical insights to understand how learning happens in the digital space and the tools that can lead to improved educational outcomes. Dr Joanna McKenzie, Principal Data Scientist, The Data Lab, said
“It’s great for The Data Lab to be involved in such innovative and important work. Data science and analytics techniques have enormous potential to support educational outcomes, something that underpins and supports the whole economy. Really getting the most from online learning offers enormous value to learners and teachers at all stages, extending opportunities to people who might otherwise be missed, and the potential of that has never been clearer.”
Dr Ian Campbell, Executive Chair of Innovate UK commented:
“The pandemic is not just a health emergency but one that impacts society and the economy. Klik2learn, along with every initiative Innovate UK has supported through this fund, is an important step forward in driving sustainable economic development.”
Klik2learn is an education technology company based in Glasgow dedicated to the creation of online courses and learning management systems for educational institutions, local authorities, and private employers. Klik2learn’s innovations include the first SQA accredited digital course for intermediate English language learners, the award-winning pre-beginner course, Journey 2 Basic Skills. In 2020 Klik2learn won the College Development Network award for Digital Learning with its partner, City of Glasgow College. The Digital Learning Hub gives tutors and organisations a platform to teach, assess and track student progress. Klik2Learn’s mission is to close the employment gap – by helping speakers of other languages reach their full potential in the English-speaking world.
Innovate UK, as part of UK Research and Innovation, is investing up to £191 million to fund single and collaborative research and development projects as part of the Sustainable Innovation Fund over the next two years. The aim of these competitions is to help all sectors of the UK rebuild after the effects of COVID-19. The Sustainable Innovation Fund is funding 1,103 projects, 1189 UK businesses and totalling over £130 million in support across the UK.
To arrange an interview with Ann Attridge or to obtain high resolution pictures please contact Alison McHugh: alison@klik2learn.com
