2019 EdTech Insights Hub Header - Individual Page Header  Alison Clark-Wilson

UCL |UK| educate.london

Share a short description about your company:

UCL EDUCATE is a pioneering accelerator programme aimed at helping innovators in educational technology to develop world class products and ideas. Based at the UCL Institute of Education, the programme matches best practice in business and enterprise with academic research to ensure that effective learning remains the heart of educational technology.
 

How does your current role allow you to make a difference to the education and learning space?

My current role enables me to share over 25 years of expertise as a school teacher, teacher educator, edtech industry collaborator and academic researcher in edtech with young companies who are keen to build products that address educational and societal needs. This means understanding how what we know about how humans learn best can be designed into edtech products and services. My wide experience of all types of edtech research - both as a participant and as a research leader means that I can have strong empathy of the challenges to design robust studies and how important it is to use mixed methods that engage all stakeholders in the process.

What are the key trends you believe have the power to transform the way we learn?

I am excited about the role that blockchain technologies might enable the 'power to learn' to return to the most important protagonist - the learner - and serve their needs better - rather than those of the system! By putting the ultimate currency in education 'evidence of achievement' (or qualifications) into the learners' hands, we can shift how policy makers, publishers, governments and employers suck money from the system - that should rightly go to fund education for all!

Why is it important for all players in the EdTech ecosystem to continuously connect, network and learn from each other?

Because none of us can produce effective edtech on out own - we need each other and collaboration is key!This means we have to trust each other and stay close to our mission to improve accessibility and equity in education systems.
 

What should the rest of the world learn about EdTech innovation in your country?

It is alive, happening - and the UCL EDUCATE programme is right at the heart of it in 2019!!

When you think about joining London EdTech Week and EdTechXEurope Summit this year, what are you looking forward to?

Meeting old and new friends, forging new links with other countries, learning about what is going on elsewhere.

Who would you like to meet at the event?

Any edtech start-ups keen to find out how to join EDUCATE; investors who want to learn about the UCL EDUCATE Venture Fund; governments and policy makers who'd like an EDUCATE programme in their country; Teachers who want to learn about becoming involved in EDUCATE for Schools (teaser - more on this one at edtechX Europe in 2020!!)

Join  Alison and our 150+ thought leader speakers at EdTechXEurope 2019 on 18 June 2019 - reserve your place now >>