The University of Nottingham has engaged London-based EdTech startup GoodCourse to co-create a new style of micro-learning courses to raise awareness of misogyny and hate crime.
As thousands of new students explore their city and independent living for the first time, a new micro-learning approach – informed by ground-breaking research for police forces – will help educate students on how to keep each other safe.
The university approached GoodCourse – which featured on our EdTech 50 ranking – for a new kind of learning proposition – one which encompasses short, accessible videos to capture the attention of a new generation.
Courses are specifically designed to feel like the familiar social media apps students use every day but will incorporate Nottingham’s award-winning research on hate crime and misogyny.
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Louise Mullany, Professor in Sociolinguistics at the University of Nottingham – a leading expert on the language of hate crime – will be heading up the project. Her work has fed into the National Police Chiefs’ Council and the Women and Equalities Select Committee review of street harassment, contributing to proposed amendments to the Upskirting Bill and the government tasking the Law Commission with reviewing hate crime laws in 2019.
Following the rollout, the team is keen to ensure universities across the sector will be able to use the co-created courses to make young people safer around the country.
Professor Katherine Linehan , Pro Vice-Chancellor for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and People, at the University of Nottingham said: “Meaningful change on these important equity and inclusion issues can’t be achieved with academic rigour alone. Being able to reach and engage everyone in the conversation is crucial to effect change and progress.
“Through our partnership with GoodCourse, we are excited to be leading the way with the use of new technology to engage far wider audiences on these topics.”
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Chris Mansfield, co-founder at GoodCourse, added: “The fact that equity and inclusion training is still often only attended by a minority – who are often already highly engaged with the topic at hand – makes it incredibly difficult to create meaningful change.
“That’s why we’re so pleased to partner with Nottingham, to make learning and training on these important issues much more accessible and engaging.
“Nottingham has unmatched academic expertise on the subject matter, which will be instrumental in creating research-backed and effective micro-learning courses.”