Epic to produce more 'virtually fantabulous'
Epic Group plc, the UK's leading e-learning company, has won a major contract in Round Three of the National Learning Network (NLN) Materials Development programme. Epic will develop 35 hours of e-learning materials in Social Studies, Physics and English Language for A-level and AS level on behalf of the NLN's target audience of close to six million learners in post-16 education across the UK.
The NLN is a national programme designed to increase the uptake of Information and Learning Technology (ILT) across Further Education. The Government has invested a total of £156 million in the NLN over a five-year period.
Epic has already developed forty hours of online materials for Round One of this programme, on Business Studies, Health Studies and Science. One of these modules was described by a student during user trials as 'virtually fantabulous!'
Joyce Martin, Head of the NLN Materials Development and Implementation Team at Becta, said: 'The commissioning and development of Round 3 has been highly competitive, and although we are now working with some new partnerships, it's particularly good to have the opportunity to build on the successful relationships that we have previously developed with suppliers such as Epic.
'I hope Epic enjoys developing materials that extend creative approaches to learning and teaching and that will be used to enrich and enhance Further Education. That's what this work is all about - helping both tutors and students achieve their goals in an innovative and interesting way.'
Donald Clark, CEO of Epic Group plc, said: 'The challenge in Further Education is to provide scalable, high quality content to cope with increasing student numbers. The NLN has provided some great educational e-learning. Success breeds success and these further topics should extend the reach of e-learning into more subjects and more colleges.'
The company fought off strong competition to secure this new commission, which builds on its strong presence in the education market, including recent work for Sheffield Hallam University, Heriot-Watt University, Cambridge University, Dundee University, and UKeUniversities.
Notes to Editors
1. Epic Group plc is the leading e-learning company in the UK. For nearly 20 years, Epic has been a consistent leader and innovator, producing groundbreaking and award-winning work in e-learning and web design. Services range from consultancy through content production and technology solutions (both bespoke and generic) to testing and localisation. Epic's extensive client list includes some of the world's leading companies as well as numerous UK government departments and agencies.
2.The NLN is a national initiative, supported by £156 million of government investment over five years, to help transform the Further Education (FE) learning environment. It is a complete package of measures designed to increase the uptake of Information and Learning Technology (ILT) across FE.
The key partners of the NLN are Becta (British Educational Communication Technology Agency), JISC (Joint Information Systems Committee), the LSC (Learning and Skills Council), UKERNA, the Learning and Skills Development Agency (LSDA) and NILTA (National ILT Association).
3. Becta is the government's lead agency for ICT in education and supports the government's efforts to drive up standards in curriculum subjects, in the teaching of key skills, in institutional effectiveness, and in the development of lifelong learning.