11.11.11 Autology’s Intuitive New Learning App for Smartphone and Tablet

A leading education technology company that harnesses the power of globally successful pattern matching and search software for learning is revealing for the first time its new intuitive learning Autology App for the latest generation of tablet computers and smartphones at BETT 2012.

The Autology App is the newest user interface for Autology’s world leading pattern matching and search software and learning content database and is perfect for getting parents engaged outside of the classroom. The desktop version is already installed in 37 schools across the UK, with a further 77 signed-up for monthly trials, taking Autology’s number of users to over 300,000 at the start of 2012.

Eric Hobson, Chief Executive Officer, Autology World Ltd, says: “We need to be flexible and responsive to the needs of our users and to stay one step ahead of the market. Apps are the most versatile user interface currently available and enable users to access the benefits of our educational software anywhere and at any time.

“We are investing in a major overhaul of the front-end user experience of Autology. We will be rolling out an ongoing programme of updates, introducing innovations such as how the user interface looks and works, depending on whether you are logging-in at school or at home. This is driven by feedback from research with focus groups that our users want a different experience when accessing Autology inside and outside of school or college. We are looking at smart ways of integrating social media and messaging into the home experience, whilst maintaining a more conservative interface in school.

“Our ambition is to have our App on every tablet or ipad in every school in England within five years. Part and parcel of achieving our ambitions is to lay down firm foundations on which to build our success. We have invested in restructuring our management team to bring in additional experience and expertise from outside of the education markets, specifically individuals with proven track records of performance in digital sales and marketing and from blue chip plc backgrounds.”

Autonomy's world leading pattern recognition search is unlike normal search engines, such as Google or Bing. Autonomy attempts to understand the concepts that are being searched by students. It selects information from a pool of easily searchable premium learning content from providers such as Heinemann, Letts, Lonsdale and World Book, as well as easy access to over 50,000 vetted websites with curriculum content.

The pre-edited content database delivers results specific to the user’s learning profile. The search results that a Key Stage Two user searching Ancient Egyptians, versus a user studying GCSEs, is tailored accordingly. Furthermore, Autology’s unique Accelerator function enables the software to suggest relevant research articles in real time as a student types an essay.

Manchester Academy
Manchester Academy in Salford is an early adopter of Autology and was awarded ‘Outstanding’ status in March 2009 by Ofsted. More recently it has been awarded the Education Investor Magazine award for Academy of the Year 2010. The Academy has been using Autology since 2009.

Kathy August, Principal of Manchester Academy and Acting Chief Executive of the United Learning Trust, says: “Every child deserves the best education possible. Our motto is ‘The Best In Everyone’ and we are committed to providing the best education to our students. Autology helps us to do this by providing students with the resources that will support and enrich their learning, without financial cost to the families.”

Jay Patel, Assistant Principal, Manchester Academy, says: “I am amazed at how many of our students regularly access Autology. The 6th form students find it easy to use and agree that it is a great tool to help them prepare for examinations.

“Autology has no social boundaries. Students can access the resources both in school and at home but with the added bonus that in hard economic times, parents do not have to purchase new books. Autology eliminated the financial burden for many families, enabling all students to have access to the most recent, highest quality and most relevant resources available.

“We believe that Autology makes a difference and when used to support the teaching in class improves student confidence and levels of engagement. It also helps enable a stronger work ethic as well as developing independent learning.”

Year 9 students Hazara and Sanjay Singh and John Anderson agree: “We think Autology is really useful for homework and revision. It has lots of really good links to websites and is easy to use.”

Strengthened Management Team
Autology’s newly appointed chief executive officer Eric Hobson is an experienced CEO, with a blue chip sales and marketing background with leading consumer brands including Boots, PZ Cussons and Unilever. In the last 10 years he has been a successful entrepreneur in the digital media sector, first founding Blue Beck Ltd in 2002, a digital entertainment company which he sold in 2004 for $5m. In 2008 he founded Connect 2 Media Ltd, which was valued at the 2010 funding round at £10m, and then in 2011 co-founding Poll Me Ltd, a Mobile Market Research business.

Keith Edwards, Sales Director, Autology has a strong background in sales and business development with major media companies including Carlton, E-UK and the BBC. He possesses excellent sales credentials and contacts in the education sector from recent senior sales positions at ECi Europe and UCAS.

For further information about the benefits of Autology or to sign up for a trial, visit www.autology.org or email keith@autology.org