New ePace online learner profiling tool showcasing at The Education Show 2011

New ePace tool developed in conjunction with Sheffield University's Professor Rod Nicolson set to help transform teaching strategy and delivery. End Quote

(1888PressRelease) February 23, 2011 - Helping UK teachers tailor lesson delivery to enable every pupil to achieve their potential, ePace (Stand P56) is showcasing a brand new online profiling tool at The Education Show 2011 (17-19 March) that evaluates a child's strengths and weaknesses in 11 critical areas of learning. Developed in conjunction with cognitive psychologist Professor Rod Nicolson at the University of Sheffield, ePace (www.epaceonline.com) delves deep into how a child processes, retains and recalls information. Providing a complete toolkit to support teachers in a mixed learning environment, ePace also incorporates a reporting suite, practical resources and strategies to enable more informed engagement with parents and carers.

In development for over five years, ePace is already helping teachers, having been piloted and standardised in over 15 schools across the UK, many of which are rated as outstanding by Ofsted. It is now being actively used across the country's academy, primary, secondary and special educational needs schools. Unlike traditional learner profiling or assessment tools which focus solely on a single aspect of learning such as cognitive ability, ePace is helping to empower children by highlighting their strengths and weaknesses, unlocking hidden talent and demonstrating how they could learn best. These insights can play a key role in parental engagement, uniting parents, teachers and pupils in a common understanding of a child's ability.

Christian Hilton, Headteacher of a large, 'outstanding' primary school in Shipston-on-Stour, Warwickshire, comments: "We are continually evaluating and looking for new ways to engage pupils in their learning. Being able to sit down with each child's ePace results at the beginning of term or new school year and discuss their learner profile has been a very empowering experience. As the test is based upon a series of short games, our students find it really fun to do, so we are able to assess them without them realising it!"

The easy-to-use ePace test which takes just 45 minutes to complete, expands on the traditional kinaesthetic, auditory and visual learner assessment criteria, to the root of a learner's cognitive make-up and mental efficiency. It brings together the best of current attainment, cognitive and diagnostic testing to assess a broad range of skills essential for learning, from a child's knowledge (stored information - attainment); through to the child's memory processes and fundamental skills (cognitive skills - cognition); and on to the speed and coordination of action (processing skills - efficiency). Reporting on 11 different elements of learning including auditory memory, visual memory, listening skills, emotional control, decision making, focus, hand/eye coordination, mental speed, timing, literacy and impulsivity, ePace facilitates an understanding of the complete learning performance of every child.

The results of the ePace test provide teachers with a clear profile of how each child learns, giving them a real opportunity to practise personalised learning in the classroom and reach every pupil. Understanding the learning profile of the whole class, with the facility to organise groups with similar skills accordingly, greatly enhances opportunities to teach effectively. For example, if a high percentage of students in a class have poor auditory memory, the teacher can adapt their teaching style appropriately, or supply handouts to accompany the lesson.

Created to release talent in every learner, ePace does not solely highlight students that are struggling. Mary Blake, ex-teacher of 30 years and co-ordinator of ePace's development, comments: "Using ePace, teachers can pinpoint issues in the highest achieving students which, if left unacknowledged, could restrict them from fulfilling their potential. For example, a student could possess fantastic visual, auditory skills and focus, but display poor decision-making skills and low impulse control. In a real test environment, these traits could lead to a student making rushed decisions and could inevitably see them underachieve. By using ePace, teachers can intervene early and implement a strategy for the student to work on."

Once students have completed the easy and fun to do test, an easily digestible report is produced, written in child-friendly language, which highlights the student's strengths and weaknesses in a simple visual format. The report forms the basis of a personalised learning tool to be shared with the student to discuss the support they require. ePace also comes with a unique class profiler, allowing teachers an 'at a glance view' of the learning strengths and weakness of the entire class. It gives teachers and LSAs resources and strategies to aid planning, teaching and learning.

Mary Blake adds: "ePace equips teachers with the fundamental knowledge and strategies to adapt their teaching style to ensure every child in the class is achieving their potential. If teachers also share that knowledge with children very early in their school career, then we are going to greatly improve their chances of learning effectively."

An ePace annual unlimited subscription is available at the cost of £595.00 to £1895.00 (dependent on size of institution). For further information, please visit stand P56 at The Education Show 2011, the web site at: www.epaceonline.com, tel: 0333 123 1810 or e-mail: info ( @ ) epaceonline dot com.

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