Transforming learning through innovation
In a year of global crises and ongoing disruption, our digital delivery has continued to enable global teaching, learning and research.
This year at Cambridge University Press & Assessment, we have seen historic integration; bringing together global teams to meet global challenges, while delivering innovative tools and world-leading products at the forefront of education.
Our innovative digital products and services are driven by evidence-based research and data to build a deep understanding and inform our creative approach to problems which matter to us all.
Transforming learning, research and assessment
We used advanced technologies in the field of education to help empower a new generation of digital products and services. Our innovations have helped to enhance engagement in both remote and in-person classes, promote a more conducive learning environment for students, and greatly improve both security and management efficiency.
The Cambridge Wellbeing Check
In response to a pandemic that continues to impact student wellbeing around the world, the Cambridge Wellbeing Check was launched to allow teachers to measure their students’ emotional health and support their conversations.
Launched by the Cambridge Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring (CEM) for students aged 7 to 18, the Cambridge Wellbeing Check is a 20-minute digital assessment that can be done quickly and simply in a regular classroom lesson. It also comes complete with supporting lesson plans and activities that can be tailored to the needs and local context of each class or school.
Irenka Suto, Assistant Director of Assessment at Cambridge CEM, said: “The simple, student-led assessment provides teachers with a clear picture of wellbeing at their school through actionable reports at an individual, class, and whole school level to support students to feel their best.”
CogBooks’ adaptive courseware
A year of organisational integration has also seen the adaptive online learning platform, CogBooks, celebrate its first anniversary with Cambridge - presenting a range of new ways to support learners.
By bringing together our world-leading content and global reach with CogBooks’ skills, platform, and courseware technology, we can better support students and improve the way they learn. In a world where the pandemic has dramatically accelerated the trend towards more online learning, we need to help education institutions deliver high-quality learning flexibly, both in person and remotely, in ways that not only retain but enhance its effectiveness.
Adaptive learning technology has a huge part to play, and when you combine that technology with world-leading educational content from Cambridge, the possibilities are really exciting.
Partnering with Ludenso
Most recently, we announced our partnership with augmented reality (AR) publishing company, Ludenso, which will allow Cambridge Partnership for Education – the part of our organisation that works to improve education systems worldwide – to include AR-enhanced textbooks as part of the solutions it offers.
Through Ludenso’s AR platform, we can bring hybrid learning to life for millions of learners, through 3D models, video experiments, audio and links to further reading materials.
Linguaskill
Cambridge’s online English test, Linguaskill, shows our researchers are building effective English assessments at the cutting edge of auto marking technology, using advanced Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Machine Learning (ML) tools that support learners of both written and spoken English.
A data-driven approach to English language assessment allows the automated assessment engine to continuously learn and improve, making for a resilient and future-proof platform that provides richer learning experiences.
As our Chief Executive, Peter Phillips, said: “Sophisticated artificial intelligence-powered products such as Linguaskill show we can be at the forefront of technological and pedagogical innovation while delivering a first-rate customer experience.”
IELTS Online
Launched in 2022, IELTS Online provides IELTS test takers around the world with the option to take their secure test at home. It has been a hugely successful collaboration between global partners and organisations to deliver a flexible, scalable, and resilient technology platform fit for the next generation of English language service test takers.
Christine Nuttall, Managing Director for IELTS, said: “IELTS Online is the next step in enhancing the test taker experience around the world. By making the world’s leading test available online, we aim to empower even more people to take IELTS and follow their ambitions. IELTS Online will provide flexibility and confidence, using cutting edge AI and state-of-the-art security features to complement the expertise of IELTS examiners.”
Digital high stakes assessments
Working across our exam boards, OCR and Cambridge International, we have made significant progress in developing digital 'high stakes' assessments that are underpinned by evidence-based research.
At a seminar in November, our assessment researchers - part of the largest team of its kind in Europe - explored our innovation process; detailing our approach to migrating existing paper assessments online and developing born digital assessments.
Our robust frameworks in these areas have been key to ensuring the development of high-quality transformative assessments as mock exam trials continue to take place across participating schools.
Cambridge Advance Online
In the past year, we successfully developed and launched Cambridge Advance Online with the University of Cambridge. These online courses for the independent professional learner bring premium Cambridge professional education to global audiences as we use our expertise and resources to help the University move its teaching online.
The flexible, online academic courses are created and led by University of Cambridge academics. Learners are able to go through them at their own pace, connect and collaborate with a network of Cambridge peers and gain valuable insights while getting a unique online learning experience.
Read more about our innovation and collaboration over the past year in our Annual Report 2021 – 2022.
