Lyfta has been recognised for its positive impact on students’ outcomes with a prestigious Bett 2023 Transformational Impact Award.
The Bett Awards are an annual celebration of outstanding achievement in education technology. The Awards recognises the most innovative resources and services that are helping to transform education and improve learning outcomes.
Lyfta was chosen by judges for its proven impact in making learning more effective, accessible and inclusive for students. The resource combines interactive 360° spaces with short films of real-life human stories, and links them to curriculum-aligned lesson plans to help students experience a broad range of people, places and perspectives.
With a focus on connecting students with different people and cultures from around the world, Lyfta brings global learning to life in the classroom through its fun and interactive platform and provides access to experiences that might otherwise not be accessible to all students.
From Ethiopia to Finland and China to Greece, the human stories span a diverse range of experiences and complex themes. This includes migration and cultural contrasts to coping with bereavement and challenging gender stereotypes.
Michael Brothwood, Curriculum Assessment Lead, Djanogly Sherwood Academy, said:
“The most powerful tool I have seen in education is definitely Lyfta. The conversations, student engagement and real world actions we have had from using the platform have been truly inspiring. Lyfta has made our school a better place and the children feel like they have a place they belong.”
The resource supports teachers to build cultural capital and prepare students with key skills needed to thrive in life, from developing empathy, resilience and understanding to teamwork, leadership and problem-solving.
With many children not having the opportunity to experience different countries and cultures, Lyfta aims to close the disadvantage gap and ensure all students have equal access to a rich diversity of perspectives, to help them grow into well-rounded individuals.
Commenting on Lyfta’s impact, the Bett 2023 Awards’ Judging Panel said:
“The judges were extremely impressed by Lyfta’s unique product and the focus it has on global citizenship and inclusivity. Lyfta’s support to schools in teaching global awareness, understanding and inclusivity speaks to a critical current need that is hard to teach well. A go-to resource to share globally rich experiences.”
At a time when many schools are dealing with limited budgets and resources, it is vitally important that edtech solutions can show a proven impact on student outcomes. In the current economic climate schools have particularly benefited from the resource, as it allows them to continue providing rich cultural experiences and exposure to new thinking and ways of life, in a virtual setting at a time when other horizon broadening experiences like school trips are limited.
Paulina Tervo, co-founder and chief content officer at Lyfta, said:
“Impact is at the heart of everything we do and our reason for being, which is why we were thrilled to be nominated in this category. We had an inkling in 2016 that the authentic real life stories we were bringing to light through our immersive storyworlds could help shape the way young people see the world and themselves. Seven years on, thousands of teachers and children have confirmed this in the case.”
Serdar Ferit, co-founder and CEO at Lyfta, said:
“We couldn’t have done this without our amazing community of schools, teachers and students all over the UK and the world, and would like to thank everyone who has been on this journey with us. Our vision is that by the time a child completes their education, they will have had a meaningful and humanising learning experience in every country in the world. We would love to make this an entitlement for all children. ”
Designed to reduce teachers’ workloads, the resource includes hundreds of ready-made, National Curriculum-aligned lesson and assembly plans in a range of subjects for teachers to use off the shelf, or easily adapt to suit their needs. The content is further aligned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to help schools easily weave these into their curriculum.
