DFRobot to showcase its IoT-enabled ‘Smart Garden’ at Bett 2020
DFRobot, a world-leading STEM education solution provider is boosting engagement with STEM with the help of their micro:bit-designed ‘smart garden’ at Bett 2020. Embracing the power and versatility of micro:bit throughout its range of STEM resources, DFRobot is blending ‘smart garden’ design with Internet of Things (IoT) technology to show students and teachers how to monitor and instruct intelligent systems by combining the knowledge and skills from block coding, programming, science and nature in one powerful and engaging lesson. Using the Maqueen Plus and Maqueen Mechanics – AI-enabled robotics kits – visitors will have the chance to see how the products work in an exciting ‘Intelligent Transportation’ display. This will demonstrate the varied and dynamic functions of Maqueen products – from being able to recognise tags and acting like miniature mechanical beetles. This cross-curricular approach is becoming increasingly important with blended learning and practical applications forecast to take centre stage in edtech in 2020. Consequently, demonstrating the flexibility of applications for products like micro:bit is becoming a priority for teachers and school leaders. At the forefront of robotics, programming and coding edtech, DFRobot is also hosting a series of three-part workshops at Bett. During these workshops, attendees will learn about: the artificial intelligence-driven HuskyLens camera, the graphical programming Maqueen robot and how this can be used with HuskyLens to gain unique insight into the opportunities that can emerge from robotics and AI when used in tandem, and finally, a hands-on session during which participants are invited to join in a live coding exercise. Ricky Ye, Chief Executive Officer at DFRobot, said: “We are incredibly excited about our offering this year at Bett – from innovative products and creative displays to exciting workshops, the event is going to be packed full of engaging learning experiences. Our products are designed to excite young people about science, technology, engineering and maths and we believe our dynamic and innovative products do just that, offering students an early and interactive introduction into coding, programming and AI. “The workshops will be particularly insightful, and we are looking forward to sharing our ideas and helping teachers and schools enhance their STEM opportunities.” Pop by Stand SA43 to speak with Edward or any of the DFRobot team, who will be happy to provide a personal demonstration of any of the exciting products in their robotics suite and advise on which resources would be the best fit for your school.
Whizz Education – a pioneering education organisation
Whizz Education is a pioneering education organisation committed to improving learning outcomes. Its proprietary personalised virtual tutor, Maths-Whizz, is available in five languages – English, Russian, Spanish, Thai and Kiswahili – and has been adapted to multiple curricula. Educators are supported by Whizz Education teams in London, Seattle, Nairobi and Dubai as well as partners in Russia, Mexico, Thailand and New Zealand, enabling communities around the world to reach their full potential through personalised learning. The team were announced as winners of the ‘Collaboration with a School’ award at the Bett Awards 2019, beating nine other prestigious finalists in their category. This marked Whizz Education’s third BETT Award in recent years and came at a time of unprecedented interest in the organisation’s approach to delivering measurable learning gains. Richard Marett, CEO of Whizz Education, who collected the award alongside Svetlana Tarassova, the firm’s director of global strategic partnerships, said: “We are delighted to be recognised by the judging panel at BETT for the contribution Whizz Education and its international partners have made in working with schools to achieve transformational education impact in some of the most challenging learning environments around the world. Eddie Ralston, project manager international development, added: “Our work in Kenya, and specifically our partnership with Bahati Primary School, who were the focus of this award entry, is immensely rewarding for all involved. “The headteacher and ICT lead at Bahati are wholly supportive and the students should be deservedly proud of their progress in maths since using Maths-Whizz. Bahati is an exemplar case of how an engaged school, iterative program design, evidence and insight coupled with on the ground support can achieve optimum learning gains.” Since 2004, Whizz Education has been entrusted and supported by schools, ministries of education, commercial partners and donor organisations, such as the Department for International Development (DFID), to implement education impact projects worldwide. Whizz Education delivers measurable learning and teaching gains through personalised virtual tutoring, teacher-led digital resources, real-time learning analytics and teacher and government capacity building. For more information about Whizz Education, visit whizzeducation.com Photo: Bett
Learnit aims to ‘change the conversation in education’
Here, our editor Victoria Galligan speaks to the Learnit team to find out the background behind the new-for-2019 show and what educators can expect to see… How did the team come together? The Learnit team consists of Anil Aggarwal, an American tech-entrepreneur and investor, and Katy Fryatt, a Cambridge University graduate and a millennial parent. They met whilst developing the world’s most important events for fintech and retail innovation: Money20/20 and Shoptalk. Learnit aims to be “world-changing” – how does it hope to do this? Learnit is doing two really important things. Firstly, it’s uniting the entire global learning community – from government and educator leaders to startups, investors, tech companies and heads of talent and training within employers. We’re talking about learning, not just education. Secondly, we’re leading an intellectual conversation about the current and future state of learning. Our 100+ speakers will talk about how we can revolutionise education, and ultimately change the world. All speakers are chosen on merit, not ‘pay-to play’ and range from Andreas Schleicher at the OECD, to the Ministry of Education in Afghanistan, to the Head Master of Eton and to Euan Blair, who’s set out to build an outstanding alternative to university. Learnit itself is a venture-backed startup with $1million in funding. We’re building Learnit very differently to any other event. What makes Learnit stand out from other events? Learnit is bringing together the right people in an environment that is conducive to accelerated change. To do that we’ve focused on developing a groundbreaking agenda and thoughtfully curated networking program that will bring senior-level decision makers to learn and build the partnerships needed to make meaningful progress. We offer educator and government leaders free tickets and up to £750 for their travel. What are the main issues within education which you feel need changing the most? Education has remained largely unchanged for decades, and is now disconnecting from the real world in increasingly material ways. Children of every age go to school, are taught a government-prescribed curriculum, are tested and retested and then enter The Real World. And while The Real World has changed, and continues to change exponentially, education hasn’t. Making learning relevant is one of the greatest challenges facing education today. We’re changing the conversation. The speaker line up is unparalleled. Learnit’s 2019 agenda focuses on important, timely themes including Equality & Access to Education, The Future of Work, Educating Generation Alpha, The Business of Education, Learning Spaces in 2025, Impactful & Scalable Learning Innovations and Artificial Intelligence in Education. To book tickets for the event, which takes place January 24-25, see the Learnit website here.
Bett and Learnit collaborate to gather global education professionals
Bett, the world’s oldest and largest EdTech exhibition, today announces a collaboration with Learnit, the brand new, venture-backed conference for the global learning ecosystem. This January, a group of Bett’s 35,000+ visitors, 200+ speakers and 850+ exhibitors will also be able to participate in Learnit at the QEII Centre in Westminster as one of its 1,000+ attendees, 150+ speakers, or 50+ sponsors. Rachel Brodie, Portfolio Director of Bett said, “Bett is the must-attend show for EdTech: for knowledge, for products, for networking, for suppliers, for learning and for the global education community. Learnit is where the global learning ecosystem goes for a conversation about the current state and future of learning. The significance and impact of both of these eventsis clear; they bring people together who believe education can change the world.That’s why we’re excited to welcome Learnit to London in the same week as Bett.” Katy Fryatt, Founder & CEO of Learnit said, “Change has never been this fast. The conversation and community at Learnit will explore what this means for learning at every age. Learnit welcomes government, educator leaders, heads of talent & training, startups, tech companies, investors and media from across the globe. Bett has long been the world’s largest and most important global EdTech gathering. It’s a fantastic place for teachers to see and experience the latest advances in education technology. We’re very excited to collaborate with Bett.” Before joining Bett, Rachel was an education publisher at Macmillan and also spent time teaching in Mexico City. Katy and Rachel spent a brief time working together on Bett in 2015. Katy spent the last three years working for Anil Aggarwal building Europe’s largest fintech and retail innovation conferences (Money20/20 Europe and Shoptalk Europe). Anil is a venture-backed tech entrepreneur with exits to companies including Google. He also joins Learnit as its Chairman and Co-Founder. “It’s time to rethink learning,” said Anil. “Our global education systems have been built on legacy. Learnit will celebrate the revolutionaries driving change in education and create an entirely new experience for the global learning ecosystem.” Bett will continue to take place at the ExCeL Centre, in east London, welcoming visitors from January 23 – 26, 2019. Learnit will take place in Westminster at the QEII Centre and Central Hall, from the evening of January 23 – 25, 2019. Visitors can register for Bett at www.bettshow.com and tickets for Learnit can be purchased here. Code QA100 gets readers £100 off general tickets at Learnit! About Bett Bett is the UK’s leading cross-sector education community. Every year Bett brings together 850 leading companies, 100 EdTech start-ups and over 35,000 learners and educators from around the globe. Bett’s mission is to bring together people, ideas, practices and technologies so that educators and learners can fulfil their potential. About Learnit At Learnit, we believe an event that unites the global learning community and leads an intellectually honest conversation about the current state and future of learning, can revolutionise education, and ultimately change the world. The Learnit community is inclusive, disruptive, bold and brave. It encompasses the entire learning ecosystem – from government, educators, corporates and established solution providers to tech startups, investors and media. It is united by a common goal to improve education outcomes globally. Learnit’s conversation is open and honest. It’s a conversation about how to give everyone, regardless of age, ethnicity or wealth, the opportunity to reach their greatest potential in a rapidly evolving world. It is untethered by legacy, politics or geography. Learnit’s 150+ international speakers are selected based on merit, not pay-to-play.