Electronic Arts Collaborates with Digital Schoolhouse and EVERFI to Reach 150 Schools in the UK
March 23, 2022
[This unedited press release is made available courtesy of Game Developer and its partnership with notable game PR-related resource Games Press]
Author: EA
UK, 23 March 2022 – Electronic Arts (EA) has today announced two new partnerships to help bridge the gap between education and industry, through teaming up with not-for-profit organization Digital Schoolhouse (DSH) and expanding their partnership with education technology company EVERFI.
The partnerships will target 150 primary and secondary-schools across the UK and aim to improve engagement with computer science while inspiring the next generation to pursue a career in STEAM. The partnerships are timely due to the UK's growing Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematic skills gap most recently reported to cost the nation over £1.5bn per year1, highlighting the opportunity for industry leaders to collaborate with educators and provide creative solutions to build engagement and skills for STEAM careers.
Through its new partnership with Digital Schoolhouse, EA will launch a creative “Computing workshop” for teachers. Primary-school students at the 52 schools within DSH’s network will work with video game Knockout City, which is developed by Velan Studios as part of the EA Originals programme, to explore what it takes to teach an AI to play dodgeball. The interactive workshops use online and offline activities to break down complex game mechanics into simple instructions. By the end of the session, each primary school student will be able to use their experiences playing dodgeball to plan and create their own algorithms and put them to the test in-game.
Additionally, building on its already-established partnership with EVERFI, EA is bringing its cloud-based education course EA Play to Learn to the UK. The co-developed course showcases STEAM skills through an engaging format that mirrors how these skills would be applied in a real-life Game Design Team. The free course will be accessible to EVERFI’s UK network of educators and be targeted at students aged 11-14.
EA’s partnerships with DSH and EVERFI build on the investment it has already made in the UK, having previously established partnerships with the likes of BAFTA and Special Effect, as well as mental health charities CALM and Ditch the Label. With EA's partnership with EVERFI already reaching more than 16,000 students annually in America and Canada since its inception in 2015, this latest investment is reflective of EA’s commitment to empower the next generation of talent with the skills they need to thrive in a digital economy and investing in the communities in which it is present.
Year 6 class taking part in the Digital Schoolhouse Knockout City workshop at a Primary School in Salford yesterday.
Commenting on the partnerships, Chris Bruzzo, Chief Experience Officer of Electronic Arts, said: “We are truly excited to be announcing our partnerships with Digital Schoolhouse and EVERFI. We believe young people of all backgrounds should be given the opportunity to develop the skills they need for a future in STEAM and are proud to play our part in making that a reality. We’ve had a presence in the UK for over 30 years and these partnerships are the next step of our firm commitment to invest in and inspire the next generation of talent in the UK. We look forward to seeing what we achieve together.”
Shahneila Saeed, Programme Director for Digital Schoolhouse and Head of Education for Ukie, added "Electronic Arts’ support for the Digital Schoolhouse programme is a big boost to our efforts to bring Computing to life through the power of play, equipping pupils with the skills and creativity needed to thrive in the modern economy. Their support will help us reach more schools, support more teachers and help pupils connect with the industry that they love in their local areas, bringing benefits to their communities in the process."
Nick Fuller MBE, EVERFI President (International), said: “We are excited about our work with Electronic Arts: together we will drive impact in the communities they serve. We are proud to work alongside Digital Schoolhouse to bring Endeavour - EA Play to Learn to schools in the UK. It is not enough for students to simply have STEAM skills, students also need to apply creative thinking to spark the innovation needed to solve the challenges of the 21st century. Together, through Play to Learn, we are reimagining how young people prepare for and pursue STEAM careers. ”
ENDS
About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA) is a global leader in digital interactive entertainment. The Company develops and delivers games, content and online services for Internet-connected consoles, mobile devices and personal computers.
In fiscal year 2021, Electronic Arts posted GAAP net revenue of $5.6 billion. Headquartered in Redwood City, California, Electronic Arts is recognized for a portfolio of critically acclaimed, high-quality brands such as EA SPORTS™ FIFA, Battlefield™, Apex Legends™, The Sims™, Madden NFL, Need for Speed™, Titanfall™ and F1™. More information about EA is available at www.ea.com/news.
EA SPORTS, Ultimate Team, Battlefield, Need for Speed, Apex Legends, The Sims and Titanfall are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. John Madden, NFL, FIFA and F1 are the property of their respective owners and used with permission.
About Velan
Velan Studios was founded in 2016 by industry veterans Guha and Karthik Bala to create breakthrough games that are magic. In the past two years, Velan’s team of world class game makers have released Knockout City and Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit, two titles featuring revolutionary new gameplay experiences that exemplify Velan’s breakthrough technology and design. The studio is based in Troy, NY, the center of Upstate New York’s growing game development cluster. For more information about Velan, please visit https://www.velanstudios.com/.
About Digital Schoolhouse
The not-for-profit Digital Schoolhouse programme, together with Nintendo UK, uses play-based learning to engage the next generation of pupils and teachers with the Computing curriculum. Digital Schoolhouse is delivered by the UK games industry trade body Ukie and is backed by the video games industry and government. Sponsors include PlayStation®, Electronic Arts, SEGA, Ubisoft and Outright Games.
Website: digitalschoolhouse.org.uk
Twitter: twitter.com/DigSchoolhouse
Facebook: facebook.com/DigiSchoolhouse
YouTube: youtube.com/DigitalSchoolhouse
About EVERFI
EVERFI, a Blackbaud (NASDAQ: BLKB) company, is an international technology company driving social impact through education to address the most challenging issues affecting society ranging from financial wellness to mental health to workplace conduct and other critical topics. Founded in 2008, EVERFI’s Impact-as-a-ServiceTM solution and digital educational content have reached more than 45 million learners globally. In 2020, the company was recognized as one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company and was featured on Fortune Magazine’s Impact 20 List. The company was also named to the 2021 GSV EdTech 150, a list of the most transformative growth companies in digital learning. Blackbaud, the world’s leading cloud software company powering social good, acquired EVERFI in December of 2021. To learn more about EVERFI please visit uk.everfi.com or follow them on LinkedIn or Twitter @EVERFI_UK.
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