Implementing CENTURY’s AI-Powered Learning in Welsh Colleges

Project Overview:

This case study examines the implementation of CENTURY, the AI-powered teaching and learning platform, within the NPTC college group. The project aimed to enhance maths and English skills, support digital transformation and explore the platform’s potential for wider adoption across the Further Education (FE) sector in Wales.

Project Scope:

• Implementing the CENTURY platform within NPTC Group of Colleges.
• Aligning CENTURY’s content with the Welsh curriculum.
• Translating the CENTURY platform interface into Welsh.
• Developing a custom Continuing Professional Development (CPD) package for Welsh FE, in both English and Welsh.
• Training staff on using the platform and interpreting data insights.
• Evaluating the impact of CENTURY on student results and teacher workload.
• Disseminating best practices and findings to the wider FE sector in Wales.

Successful embedding of the CENTURY platform:

*Data collected from 05/12/23 to 26/11/24

The colleges successfully embedded the CENTURY platform through a multi-faceted approach:

1. Curriculum Alignment and Translation: CENTURY collaborated with the colleges to align its courses with the Welsh curriculum and translate the platform interface into Welsh. This ensured the platform was culturally relevant and accessible to Welsh learners.
2. CPD and Training: A custom CPD package was created, and training sessions were conducted for lecturers and staff. This training covered platform functionalities, data analysis of student scores and insights that could be derived from these, as well as various models of use.
3. Leadership and Support: Senior Lecturers and Digital Learning Champions received specialised training to track platform usage and data insights. This ensured monitoring of the platform’s implementation.
4. Flexible Models of Use: Colleges adopted flexible models of use, including integrating CENTURY into lessons and allowing learners to access their AI-powered Recommended Paths for independent study. 
5. Community and Collaboration: The project fostered collaboration between NPTC Group of Colleges and CENTURY Tech, with a conference to share best practices with the wider FE sector.

Benefits of using the CENTURY platform:

The project yielded several key benefits:

The project saw an impressive level of engagement with over 3,500 nuggets being completed so far this academic year, and 34,648 questions answered by students. All of which have been automatically marked and for which students receive immediate feedback. This equates to 24,343 minutes of personalised study for participating students. The college group also carried out a survey amongst tutors and students. 

Improved English and Maths Skills: 

• Enhanced Learner Retention: The platform helped address learning obstacles and improved learner retention rates. 74% of teachers felt the content on the platform helps to consolidate learning.
• Increased Learner Confidence: Over 68% students felt that CENTURY helped to increase their confidence in relation to their qualification. 
• Increased Tutor Confidence: Tutors and lecturers gained confidence in their digital capabilities and explored new teaching and learning methods with 95% of teachers stating they would recommend CENTURY to other teachers.

Next steps

The project’s findings and resources, including Essential Skills post-16 learning content, CPD materials and best practice documentation, are available to the wider adult education sector in Wales, encouraging broader adoption of the platform. CENTURY is also in the process of building a Welsh version of their Smart IA initial assessments, enabling tutors to quickly ascertain a learner’s level. They are also creating updated versions of WJEC maths courses. MIS Integration is also available for Welsh post-16 providers to aid with reducing administrative burden. Based on the success of this project, CENTURY’s positive impact could be shared more widely within the wider post-16 education space in Wales.

If you would like to know more about embedding CENTURY into your organisation, book a demo here.