After 6 months hard work, on the evening of 9 May, we launched the Learning Lab – a new centre for education, technology and innovation in the heart of London. Based at Hub Westminster, the largest startup incubator in London, the Learning Lab contains state of the art technology, world class furniture, equipment and spaces for educators, policy makers and businesses to connect, think and learn. The event included presentations from Graham Stuart MP, Chair of the Education Select Committee, Indy Johar, Co-founder, Hub Westminster and Kate Russell from BBC Click. Photos of the launch are available here.
We were delighted by the support and engagement of all of our great partners on the evening in the Lab. They include a stellar list of companies… Skype, Sony, Kinnarps, Tribune Business Systems, Promethean, Lightspeed Technologies, 4D Creative and a fantastic range of schools and education organisations…. Phoenix Canberra Schools Federation, Wellington College, Apps for Good, City and Guilds, Waterhall Primary School, Portslade Aldridge Community Academy, West London Free School, Stanley Park High School and the National Association of Headteachers.
We were also delighted to received endorsement from Skype’s CEO Tony Bates on the Big Blog about the partnership between the Education Foundation and a global organisation such as Skype who said:
In further pursuit of Skype’s goal of connecting one million classrooms across the globe through Skype in the classroom, we have recently partnered with the UK’s first cross-sector education think tank, The Education Foundation. Technology’s impact on learning has been identified by The Education Foundation as a key challenge for the future and an area where a combination of practical projects and big thinking can make a real difference. This is a view held by Skype and reflected through our development of the Skype in the classroom program.
Our partnership was solidified this week with the launch of a state-of-the-art, technology-rich professional development center for education professionals and leaders in the heart of London – The Learning Lab. It will be used as a testing ground for new approaches to the curriculum, technology and the world of work. The space can also be used as an event and showcasing area for education organizations, policy makers and businesses across the UK.
Our hope for The Learning Lab and our partnership with The Education Foundation is that more opportunities will be created for teachers and students to use technology in the classroom and barriers to communications can be removed, allowing them to connect and learn from others around the globe.
We are now looking for a range of partners to bring the Lab to life as a hub of edtech and learning. So whether you are in the worlds of mobile, content, online, academia, social media, global, entrepreneurship ,youth, government, policy – please contact us at info@ednfoundation.org to see how we can work together.