Open Data NI Challenge Launched

Have you an idea for using open data to develop a new teaching resource or tool?

The Finance, Economy and Education Ministers have launched an open data competition aimed at supporting local schools. The competition is themed ‘Using Open Data for Education’.

Applicants are asked to harness the power of public sector open data on OpenDataNI portal and submit ideas for the development of new teaching resources that could help in the delivery of NI curriculum. The resources can be developed for either primary or secondary level education.

The proposal is left deliberately wide so that solutions could be pitched using open data to provide rich resources across a range of subjects within the curriculum, such as:

  • environmental
  • social
  • geographical
  • maths
  • computer programming

Competition details
The competition will be run in two phases.

For phase 1, applicants are asked to submit a paper-based proposal for their teaching resource or tool. Six winning submissions will be awarded £2,500 each and given six weeks to develop their idea to a prototype.

In phase 2, two of the six prototypes will be selected to receive further phased funding of up to £20,000 each and given 15 weeks to develop a fully working teaching resource.

Information event
An information evening sponsored by Ulster University will be held on Tuesday 21 June 2016 at 18:00 in the Conner Lecture Theatre, 25-51 York Street, Belfast BT15 1ED. The event will give potential applicants the opportunity to hear from and engage with teaching professionals from various subject areas in order to generate ideas.

Registration for the information evening is essential – you can register here.

Find out more about the Open Data NI challenge.