Today is Digital Learning Day, an event born in the USA but based on ideas that are shared by the tech and education communities globally.
Personalised digital learning isn’t just a tool, say the event’s organisers, ‘it’s a lifeline.’ A means of levelling the playing field and closing equity gaps. This is a sentiment we at Appdrawn agree with, as we grow as leaders in developing bespoke edtech platforms.
Higher education and online training are just a couple of the beneficiaries of advances in edtech, and bespoke testing software – as we developed for OIDI – is only one example of the ‘tech’ in ‘edtech.’ Finally, Digital Learning Day is but one means of drawing attention to the sector. The event has so far had little pick-up outside the US. So we thought we’d take a look at where things stand for UK edtech and how we as a nation can get the schooling needed to foster developments and shine a spotlight on the market.
Students expect A-grade digital learning platforms
During the covid pandemic, the rapid integration of technology into learning environments was revolutionary. A reported 98% of universities moved a majority of classes online due to the pandemic and 43% have invested in creating online learning resources since. This was helped by some edtech companies offering services free of charge to universities and higher education establishments.
It seems online learning is here to stay – as long as it’s of high quality and, for university students, integrated with traditional learning methods. According to the Student Futures Commission, 66% of students want a blend of online/in-person teaching. Improvements in tech training and edtech are also a priority: an EY report found almost half of university students want teachers to deliver online learning more effectively, and 41% want to see the development of better online learning materials.
It’s important that the investment we saw in edtech during the pandemic continues and that students – be they at university or undertaking any online training or testing – and businesses can continue to access secure, robust and easy-to-use apps and software. At the same time, the edtech sector and IT users themselves must keep on top of disruptors like AI. To help move in this direction, we’ve outlined three key points of focus for the current state and future of edtech.
1) Learning the basics
First up, a basic grounding in edtech. Edtech can be split into a number of components, including teaching aids and platforms that support educators (like virtual learning environments and lesson planning tools); digital content that supports learning (e.g. games and apps); hardware (such as interactive whiteboards); platforms that facilitate the day-to-day running of schools (like databases and plagiarism software; and SEND (special educational needs and disability) digital resources.
In addition, edtech covers the usual IT services – technical support, cybersecurity etc. – that are critical for all IT users as well as those with a more specialist education sector tilt, like safeguarding. So, edtech is a broad category! And it’s also a buoyant market in the UK.
Technology played a pivotal role for teachers and students during the covid-19 pandemic, and one good thing to emerge from 2020 was the growth in the UK’s edtech sector. A report by the British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA), a trade body, highlights a 72% growth in the edtech market in 2020, for instance. In 2022 the UK government identified more than 1,000 companies active in edtech, a sector which employs approximately 41,000 people.
2) Collaboration, from chamber to conference hall
Helping edtech get the attention it deserves doesn’t just involve getting to grips with the facts and figures. Collaboration between politicians, education institutions and public and private edtech bodies is also critical.
Conferences like the EdTech World Forum, to be held in London this May, and the European Advanced Educational Technology Conference, taking place at the University of Cambridge in March, provide such opportunities. The EdTech World Forum agenda features notable names from a range of companies, bodies and NGOs including Microsoft, the British Council and the Tony Blair Institute. The Cambridge event meanwhile promises a gathering of academic minds to discuss ‘innovative ideas and changes in education, results and outcomes of theories and practice in the area of educational technology.’
Discussions and collaboration must continue in Parliament too. We’ve seen politicians and decision-makers talk the talk: in November last year, for instance, a House of Lords debate questioned the government’s assessment of the use of edtech, including on educational outcomes, social development and privacy.
The second critical component in such collaborations, of course, is ensuring these ambitions are followed through. In 2024 we hope to see edtech stakeholders walk the walk.
3) A high achiever: leveraging our excellence in education
The UK has a centuries-long reputation for excellence in education. Foreign students are a massive contributor to the private and higher education sectors and English language training is an in-demand service taught both at home and exported globally. We should focus on upholding this reputation and making it deliver for today’s pupils and market. This means ensuring our edtech firms get the support and visibility they need to attract investment – again, both at home and overseas.
In recent years, things have been looking good. Venture capital investment in London-based edtech firms increased by 21% to £67 million between 2019 and 2020. According to one estimate, the UK market could be worth approximately £8.6 billon by 2027. And according to the aforementioned BESA report, in 2022 the UK won 41% of all edtech investment in Europe. The Department for Business and Trade has highlighted a number of areas in which it hopes the UK can (or can continue to) excel: AI, massive online open courses (MOOCs), cloud-based learning management systems and cybersecurity.
By leveraging our reputation for excellence in education, the UK can attempt to realise this value and continue to attract investment. Why not use our university system as a way of showing edtech in action, for example? Many of our institutions are recognised across the world, providing an ideal platform to showcase digital tools from UK-based companies. The integration of digital technologies should be a selling point for prospective students, enhancing both education and the reputation and worth of the homegrown sector.
Want to find out more about the opportunities in edtech? Perhaps you want to grow your business, add new features and functions to your edtech software, or launch a new edtech app. At Appdrawn we have years of experience working with clients in the sector. To find out what bespoke edtech we can develop for you – get in touch!