Virtualisation gets a class of its own

The level of engagement with smartphones is so high amongst children that it seems like a missed opportunity not to use these devices to deliver education. BYOD is an important trend in the edtech market, for this exact reason. If the tablet can't be in the school, institutions should find a way to put the school in the tablet, to provide a continuum of touch points to support learning outside of the school.

Apps, programmes and mobile optimised sites can provide access to teacher approved materials, study guides, quizzes, mock tests and so on – all enabling focused, personalised learning, in and out of the home.

TRP: How do you see that technology has changed education and workplace learning? How does it compare to 'traditional' methods?

SS: Technology is an enabler. In an already digital market, the digitalisation of education is happening for the same reasons it's happening in other markets - ease of access, personalisation, flexibility, interaction, engagement. Digital platforms bring content to life for users globally.

Traditional methods of teaching are still widely recognised as the best method – and this is certainly the case for some disciplines, language learning and soft skills based teaching for example, benefit from face to face interaction. We've seen digital learning legitimised by the edtech market, with disruptors such as busuu launching virtual classroom platforms for students, allowing for greater interaction, better learning, and yet still allows for easy remote access.

TRP: Who are the major European technology players in the industry?

SS: In a recent ranking of the biggest players in the market, the European EdTech 20, three firms, Busuu, Bettermarks and The Student Room were identified as most influential based on innovation, scale, market impact and revenue growth in Europe over the past year.

The Student Room is an online platform of resources including study guides and forums and busuu, is a new platform for language learning that uses video chat and native speakers to create a virtual classroom – both of which have been highlighted above as key trends for the industry this year. However, also gaining ground in the market are programmes which allow for adaptive learning. Bettermarks is an adaptive learning platform which allows users to access personalised maths learning online, and intelligently analyses answers to improve understanding and performance.

TRP: In comparison to the big players, how are edtech startups fairing in the current market? Do they have adequate support?

SS: As a young market and low digital usage, edtech firms are typically small to medium sized enterprises, so there's less variation between company size in this market. Despite their potential, the majority of companies in this sector struggle to earn turnovers of more that £4m. Their size, fragmentation and lack of EU investment means that they're incapable of scaling the operation to new markets. Firms in the EU market need investment to change, and fuel growth.

TRP: What more should the European Government be doing to promote and support the edtech industry?

SS: In the US, early stage companies benefit from more intuitional investor support, a scheme not available to EU firms. The European education sector is slow to change and adopt new ways of working. The US has moved quicker and far further along the curve in the space.

Though that all industries are facing digital disruption, and the education sector perhaps has the most to gain from the increase in engagement and interactivity in content. Technology has the power to help users learn better. This isn't just the case in Europe, it's a global trend and a global need. Without appropriate support,

Europe's edtech firms will get swallowed by those in the US and Asia, who've recognised the opportunities, potential and benefits in this market, and are subsequently, leading the way.

TRP: Are tech professionals choosing to work in the edtech market - are there any specific skills required that separate candidates for this vs fintech/medtech etc?

SS: The tech industry as a whole has long suffered from a skills shortage, with school leavers often falling fowl to the misconception that a job in this discipline is dull. Those of us who work in the industry know that's far from the case – and the increase in government support to improve the ICT curriculum, the launch of coding clubs and high profile IT professionals such as Mark Zuckerburg all help to attract new talent into the industry.

Taking this skills shortage and coupling it with public sector cuts often means candidates don't feel there are stable opportunities in this sector. The increase in outsourcing in the public sector to cuts costs has blurred the lines somewhat, so even candidates heading to large software houses or small tech start-ups have the opportunity to make their mark in the edtech market.