Nord Anglia reports online STEM course uptake leap

Of the 67,000 students in 30 countries using the Nord Anglia online learning platform, Global Campus, 57% opted for STEM courses between April and June in 2021, a “significant increase” compared to 23% during the same period in 2020.

The STEM programs were especially popular with students in China, North and Latin America, and India, Nord Anglia said.

Overall, between April and June 2021, the Global Campus platform recorded a 120% year-on-year rise in users.

“Across our schools we know that education technology is a powerful tool to empower teachers to bring learning to life and inspire students whether in the classroom or online,” said Nord Anglia Education group director of education Elise Ecoff.

“With Global Campus, developed by our team of educational experts, we have created a rich mix of engaging learning materials that complement schools’ curricula and encourage students to discover, explore and collaborate with their global classmates.”

“We have created a rich mix of engaging learning materials that complement schools’ curricula”

Six STEM courses featured in the top 10 most popular learning activities on Global Campus, including the space sustainability program, developed in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where students are challenged to create thoughtful solutions and promote sustainable space exploration.

One in two students studied courses centred on developing creativity, while students in China, India and Southeast Asia engaged most frequently with creative arts activities, Nord Anglia said.

Some 30% opted for global citizenship activities – an area most popular with schools in India, constituting 1 in 5 visits. Additionally, 20% joined wellbeing activities, down slightly compared to earlier analysis showing one quarter of students engaged in wellbeing courses.

Along with MIT, Nord Anglia has collaborated on the Global Campus platform to “nurture key transferable skills” including in creativity, problem solving and communication with The Juilliard School and UNICEF – the latter of which the K12 provider agreed a SDG partnership earlier in 2021.

Nord Anglia has 73 schools worldwide.