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How an innovative UK technology company is empowering students and teachers to work smarter, not harder CENTURY
Country: United Arab EmiratesCENTURY is an award-winning teaching and learning platform that improves student outcomes and enables teachers to work more efficiently.
GCC nations are in a unique position to leapfrog the rest of the world and set global best practices in education.
The education sectors in GCC nations are relatively young by global standards and are extremely dynamic. The GCC’s education sector is experiencing impressive growth - 34,500 extra school seats were added in the UAE in 2018- 19 academic year alone. According to a 2016 report by Alpen Capital, the UAE is ranked highest in the world for the number of foreign schools, further demonstrating the incredible opportunities that exist in the region for private players.
The high number of schools also means that competition is incredibly strong with each institution working hard to establish its unique selling point. This provides a great opportunity for schools in the GCC to set new standards in education by introducing the most innovative of technologies into their education systems.
EdTech is gaining prominence in the GCC, with UK companies such as CENTURY Tech driving this charge.
One of the key pillars of the UAE and Saudi visions is the creation of first-rate education systems – with innovation at their cores. The UAE National Agenda 2021 calls for all schools, universities and students to be equipped with smart systems and devices to enhance all teaching methods and research. Meanwhile, one of the main objectives of the Saudi Ministry of Education in the country’s National Transformation Programme is the “continuation of a shift to digital education in support of both teachers and students”. The plan aims to equip teachers and students alike with the skills necessary to succeed in the digital age.
UK companies are already playing a key role in helping GCC nations to deliver on these ambitions. CENTURY Tech is an example of a UK technology firm that is currently working with numerous schools in the UAE to achieve better learning outcomes for students.
CENTURY Tech is currently collaborating with a number of schools in the UAE to improve pupil performance.
Developed by CENTURY Tech, CENTURY is an online platform that uses a pupil’s interactions with the technology to identify their skills gaps and pace
Developed by CENTURY Tech, CENTURY is an online platform that uses a pupil’s interactions with the technology to identify their skills gaps and pace of learning. Interestingly, the technology can also detect when information has passed from a student’s short-term to long-term memory. Teachers benefit hugely from CENTURY as the solution provides real-time data and analytics to help them to understand exactly why a student is struggling with a particular concept or topic.
The software gives schools a competitive advantage as it is able to demonstrably improve learning outcomes. Research reveals that student performance improves an average of 30% when using CENTURY.
CENTURY Tech firmly believes that teachers should not be replaced by technology, but rather that their role must be modified, especially in the digital age. The solution enables teachers to free up time that is usually spent on marking and admin in order to work towards becoming “superteachers” who concentrate on skills as well as knowledge.
So far CENTURY Tech has established partnerships with 12 schools in the UAE including Jumeirah English Speaking School (JESS), Al Salam School, Dubai International Academy, Uptown School, Raffles International Academy, Collegiate American School, and Dubai College.
CENTURY Tech has already been extremely well received by teachers in the UAE and will continue to collaborate with schools in the region to roll-out its innovative solution.
Pali Nahal, Head of Primary at Uptown School in Dubai said: “In 2017-18 our progress levels GL (leading provider for formative assessments for UK schools) Progress Levels for Grades 3,4 and 5 were disappointing. We started using CENTURY in July 2018, and now our 2018-19 results show evidence of ‘outstanding’, ‘very good’ and ‘good’. I think that CENTURY has played a big part in this. And, with results like this it’s no surprise that our teachers love CENTURY.”
Luke Rees, Assistant Head at JESS Dubai said: “CENTURY is an increasingly important tool within our teaching resources, helping schools to identify gaps in learning whilst using AI to direct students to relevant learning materials. The platform delivers a level of accuracy in assessments that is supported and extended by teachers. CENTURY has also transformed how our students learn at home.
A student’s recommended path is personalised to their needs, allowing homework tasks to be focused and impactful. Our parents like CENTURY too as it provides them with a window into their child’s learning.”
The UK Government is dedicated to playing a leading role in the development of innovative technologies aimed at transforming the way that educators interact with pupils. The UK is ranked top in educational technology venture capital and angel funding in Europe and over half of the European EdTech top 20 list are from the UK. The UK EdTech sector is projected to grow from £45bn to £129bn by 2020. UK technology companies are dedicated to working closely with regional governments and private players to help them to take full advantage of the opportunities that exist in their markets to transform their education sectors in the digital age.
