Explore Learning has launched Compass 2.0, a new learning platform that uses predictive technology to offer real-time insights into children's learning behaviours and progress.
The new platform, available to all Explore Learning members, has been developed using more than half a billion learning interactions. It is intended to address challenges in the UK education sector, which is currently facing underfunding, increasing operating costs, and rising demand for special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) support.
Personalised adaptation
Compass 2.0 uses machine learning models to predict each child's learning pathway based on their responses, adapting instruction to meet individual needs in real time. This adaptation is particularly aimed at supporting students with SEND, ensuring personalised education that adjusts as each child progresses through material.
The predictive capabilities of the platform allow it to assess a child's current learning level after answering as few as 15 questions. Based on these assessments, Compass 2.0 forecasts how long it will take for each student to master specific concepts and adjusts their learning route accordingly. Parents and tutors receive tailored guidance and updates, intended to help families understand not just where their child is academically, but where they are headed, and how long it may take to reach their goals.
Sector pressures
The UK tuition market has seen considerable growth following the COVID-19 pandemic, rising to an estimated value of GBP £2 billion per year, as families seek more personalised educational support. Explore Learning describes itself as a support structure within this wider education system, aiming to help address emerging pressures and varied pupil requirements.
Compass 2.0's underpinning technology draws on recognised educational theories, such as Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development, to ensure work is matched to a pupil's level of challenge. It also employs Bloom's mastery learning principles to help children retain and transfer knowledge, delivering feedback precisely when it is needed to optimise learning.
Machine learning focus
Unlike general-purpose artificial intelligence tools, Compass 2.0 has been tailored specifically for educational purposes. Its algorithms focus on interpreting not just what content a student has mastered, but also the pace and patterns of their learning, and their progress through different subjects. This allows Compass 2.0 to adapt the timing and nature of support to maximise each learner's development.
Richard Reynolds, Chief Digital Officer at Explore Learning, said:
"Nearly 25 years of insights into how technology enhances education have shaped Compass 2.0. It adapts not just to what children know, but to how they learn; it adjusts pathways in real-time. Our predictive tools give families unique insight: not only into where their child is, but into where they're heading and how long it will take. With user experience at the heart, parents feel informed and empowered; children progress at an optimal pace for their individual needs; and the result is a truly transformational learning experience. And this is only the start; our plans are bold, and the potential ahead is even greater."
Combining technology and guidance
Lisa Haycox, CEO of Explore Learning, added:
"Compass 2.0 exemplifies our vision of combining the best of AI-powered technology with expert human guidance, showing how it can be harnessed responsibly and effectively for education. While many talk about personalised learning, we're delivering it at scale through technology that's accessible and genuinely effective. This platform doesn't replace human connection - it enhances it, giving our tutors and families the insights they need to support each child's unique learning journey."
According to the company, students who use its platform typically make 19 months of academic progress within a 12-month period, with those who were previously working behind their year-group level making additional progress.
Compass 2.0 is included in the Explore Learning monthly membership, and can be accessed outside of regular tuition sessions for additional practice and to further engage families in pupil progress.