March brought the news that Cape Town-based SkillWise has been named as one of 15 finalists for the Dataset Prize of the prestigious international Tools Competition, 2025.
Commenting on what this means for SkillWise, MD Dr Rob Stead said:
“The very existence of the competition is a welcome development because it represents the coming-of-age of the relationship between technology and learning. Ever since the birth of the PC, software and education have been dancing together, adopting different modes and styles, functioning under various names such as ‘e-learning’, ‘digital learning’ or ‘machine learning’. Lacking was a clear, evidence-based set of principles that defined when ‘CBT’ resulted in effectve learning and when it was merely a delivery mechanism for content. There was minimal understanding of the difference between the delivery of information and skills.
The birth of ‘Learning Engineering’ as a discipline represents a huge step forward. Building on evidence-based principles, Learning Engineering explores what we know about learning. it brings together computer science and learning science to create virtual environments that are conducive to learning. It includes minimum standards that test and verify whether a particular structure is effective in supporting learning.
SkillWise has been building tech-ed software for over 20 years, working mainly with young adults who have dropped out of conventional education. We have moved forward slowly, testing what worked and verifying with data. For the last 12 years, we have extended outwards into rural and peri-urban spaces, reaching over 6 000 students with a system that has equipped them for the workplace with basic computer skills. As the world discovers Learning Engineering and asks questions about reaching underserved communities, we find that we have already ticked most of the boxes.
We are delighted to be in the list of 15 finalists for the Dataset prize, and proud to be the first-ever South African finalist in the Tools Competition!“