Climate KIC's user-centric approach to learning

Climate-KIC Nordic was established in 2010 by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) to promote sustainable growth.

One of their main concerns is how to find innovative ways to engage scientists and entrepreneurs (aka people of influence) in climate-related issues.

As seasoned educators, the team at Climate KIC knew that improving the online learning experience for users was key.

They recognised that most online courses are just too predictable and restrictive to spark real engagement.

With most courses people usually start in one place and plod through in a predetermined order, with no alternative route through.  Because of that they tend to lose interest and don’t make it to the end.

So, Climate KIC’s vision was to find a way of delivering content to people that played to their personal interests by offering choice, flexibility and an element of discovery.   

Our mission was to codify their ideas and prove that their vision would work online.

Over the years we’ve become pretty good at helping clients understand what they need and coming up with a way forward.

But for the guys at Climate KIC, it was the first time they’d sat down with a technical team who could also speak their language. Our consultative approach really helped them solidify some of their own ideas and understand what could be achieved in the time available.

Working within the constraints of their existing e-learning platform (Moodle) and their website (built in Joomla) we developed some clever code that helped users find their own way through the course content on offer.

No more starting at point A and finishing at point B. Learners now start their online adventure wherever they want by selecting a topic they’re interested in.

From there, they’re presented with a suggested list of 5 bite-sized ‘nuggets’ to try.

Choosing a module on, say, climate science will refine the 5 suggested nuggets more to their needs, and so on - there are literally thousands of potential avenues to explore.  (If you were between 10 and 14 in the 1980’s you’ll understand if we say it’s a bit like the e-learning equivalent of  ‘Choose your own adventure’ books.)

If you don’t like the pathway you’re on, it’s easy to trace your steps back through the process and find something else to do instead.

If you’ve like the look of a course, you can save it for later, and also keep track of your progress on your personal dashboard.

It a great way of surfacing content in what would otherwise feel like an enormous haystack of resources.  

Less a case of you finding the needle, but the needle finding you.