GAME ON! BETT 2022 LAUNCHES NEW ESPORTS FEATURE

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London: 1st March 2022

 

AN exclusive event showcasing the new world of esports will be unveiled at Bett 2022, the global community meet-up for education technology, next month [March].

 

Esports @ Bett is a new feature hosted in association with the British Esports which will allow teachers, education leaders and parents to experience and understand the potential impact on esports in education.

 

The move comes as it emerged that esports will be piloted as a competitive sport at the Commonwealth Games later this year.

 

As part of the esports takeover, Bett 2022 will host daily tournaments on the popular Rocket League game and feature teams from the British Esports Student Champs, the national schools and colleges competitive gaming tournament.

 

Unlike any other education event before, Esports @ Bett will host a dedicated space that is the epicentre of all things esports, providing a hub within which visitors can participate in gaming and experience real time product demonstrations.

 

There will also be opportunities to hear from inspiring industry experts like Chester King, CEO of the British Esports and Mark Weller, Chief Gaming Officer from GB Esports Team, VEXED.

 

After making waves in the education technology community as an alternative recreational activity for students, esports has boomed in popularity having recently been featured on BBC’s The Apprentice and has now been officially sanctioned as a pilot event for the 2022 Commonwealth Games Federation.

 

In a UK national first, the British Esports Association has partnered with Pearson to introduce the esports BTEC, the first qualification of its kind in the world with a skills-based focus launching back in April 2020, with more than 1800 students currently taking part in the BTEC over both Level 2 and Level 3.

 

For the first time at Bett, visitors will be able to hear from the educators, leaders and technology providers championing esports across schools. The three day agenda will showcase sessions on how schools and universities can harness this growing industry to: build their own esports programme, drive greater student engagement and skillsets, and explore the role diversity and inclusion plays across esports.

 

 

 

For those who can’t attend, the Bett website will bring the esports story to life, housing a brand-new online esports zone that will equip the Bett community with a multimedia toolkit of articles, case studies, audio visual content and research to deepen insight and inspire engagement.

 

Eve Harper, UK Portfolio Director, EdTech said, “We are thrilled to welcome Esports @ Bett to this year’s show to celebrate esports in education and exhibit some of the opportunities it can provide to young people. With more than 70% of schools considering an esports programme, and with the expectation that the global esports market will triple by 2025, Bett is proud to be supporting such a fast growing and innovative industry.”

 

Elliot Bond, British Esports ’ Head of Broadcast and Events said, “We are proud to be representing the esports industry in the incredible Bett show in March. It’s a huge opportunity for those interested in gaming to learn how education and esports can be brought together to inspire and motivate young people.”

 

Registration is FREE for attendees and is now open now at:
https://uk.bettshow.com/visitor-registration

 

Property compliance platform provider Crysp celebrate 25 contract wins with school clients.

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Property compliance platform provider Crysp are continuing to grow, and have announced 25 recent contract wins with school clients.

 

Crysp’s digital platform enables property managers to create a single view, real time picture of their compliance with building inspections, and health & safety legislation.

 

Pete Mills, the founder of the firm, explains: “Crysp is property compliance, simplified. Keeping buildings operational and safe is a significant task, so we developed a solution that enables property managers to move from mislaid documents and outdated manual systems, to a digital platform enabling all safety requirements and records to be centrally managed.

 

“Property managers tell us that Crysp saves them time and reduces their risk of non-compliance.”

 

Their clients include Multi Academy Trusts (MATs) and primary schools across the UK. 

 

The online system is backed by expert fire risk assessment, and workplace health & safety inspections, where required.

 

Crysp can serve single site premises, though their clients are often multi-site organisations, who would otherwise struggle to plan and manage the demanding maintenance and safety compliance requirements associated with a large operation.

 

The firm, founded in 2020 by Stuart Harlow and Pete Mills, has continued to thrive with national and international clients on their books. In 2021 the team received a strategic investment from business accelerator TwinklHive, who are backed by  global digital educational platform Twinkl.

 

Pete Mills says: “Like many new businesses, we were looking to solve a complex problem with a simple solution. Fundamentally, property compliance and health & safety is about keeping people safe and well – yet because of the poor systems and processes and the “un-sexiness” of it all, this space has been long overlooked. We recognised that we could radically disrupt this market.

 

“The continuing success of Crysp illustrates that our property compliance solution is meeting a real need for property managers, who face a wide range of maintenance and health & safety demands.”

USC Shoah Foundation and Discovery Education Launch 2022 Anti-Hate Challenge for UK Secondary Schools

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Stronger Than Hate Challenge Inspires Student Activism and Creative Expressionism

 

A powerful challenge which empowers secondary school students to tackle hate within their communities is being launched across the UK this week.

 

The annual Stronger Than Hate Challenge encourages students aged 13-18 to use their creativity to show how testimony can bring communities closer together. Entries can take the form of a video, poem, song, blog or piece of art and a first prize of £5000 plus iPads is on offer. Full rules and submission details are available here.

 

The Stronger Than Hate Challenge demonstrates the power of learning from the past and raising one’s voice to counter hate. The Challenge is presented by USC Shoah Foundation – The Institute for Visual History and Education (USC Shoah Foundation) and Discovery Education, the worldwide EdTech leader whose state-of-the-art digital platform supports learning wherever it takes place.

 

Founded after the making of Steven Spielberg’s film Schindler’s List, USC Shoah Foundation collects audio visual testimonies from survivors and witnesses of genocides around the world, preserving their stories for future generations. Pupils taking part in the Stronger Than Hate Challenge can listen to these stories and be inspired to produce a piece of work which reflects the power of testimony to tackle hate.

 

“Student voices have the power to change the world. The Stronger Than Hate Challenge empowers students to raise their voices through the power of storytelling to not only counter hate, but promote empathy, understanding, and respect as well,” said Lesly Culp, USC Shoah Foundation’s Interim Director of Education. “We are eager to see the submissions this year and thank Discovery Education for their continued partnership. Together, we are building a more just and equitable society through education.”

 

Previous finalists and winners submitted projects on a range of relevant and impactful topics that addressed hate in their communities. The 2021 UK winner – Elizabeth Stickland from Attleborough Academy in Norfolk – was awarded first prize after writing a powerful poem about how communities can overcome prejudice.  Second place was awarded to Guildford student Callum Halkett, who wrote about the devastating impact of drugs.

The Stronger Than Hate Challenge, which can be self-guided or teacher-led, provides students with a platform to address key issues in their communities by creating projects addressing the themes of identity, diversity, inclusion, and more.

 

Stronger Than Hate is being launched for the third time in the UK along with special classroom resources to help teachers and pupils recognise and counter hate and discrimination. Freely available at TeachingWithTestimony.com/challenge-uk, these expert resources and videos will empower students to employ empathy, build critical-thinking skills and become inspired to create a brighter future after listening to first-hand accounts from survivors and witnesses of genocide.

 

Discovery Education has also collaborated with USC Shoah Foundation to produce special age-appropriate resources for younger children in the UK. These are available to primary schools through Discovery Education Espresso – an award-winning, cross curricular digital learning service for teachers and pupils supporting the delivery of the National Curriculum and the successful integration of digital media into teaching and learning.

 

“The Stronger Than Hate Challenge exemplifies the power of connecting students to social and emotional learning as a tool to improve the world,” said Lori McFarling, President of Social Impact at Discovery Education. “Since 2018, we’ve had the honour to collaborate with USC Shoah Foundation on this important initiative. Social and emotional wellness is critical for growth and confidence, and we are committed to empowering students with the resources they need to combat hate and build resilient empathy.”

The Stronger than Hate Challenge closes on May 26th 2022. Learn more about the Challenge and the partnership at TeachingWithTestimony.com/challenge-uk .

 

For more information about Discovery Education’s digital resources and professional learning services, visit www.discoveryeducation.co.uk and stay connected with Discovery Education on social media through Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.