New-look IGGY website online
IGGY have launched their new website for global and gifted young people, and new members can now register.
IGGY is the University’s educational social network for gifted 13 to 18 year olds, offering the brightest students around the world an opportunity to work with top academics and student mentors. IGGY will create a global community of gifted students, offering them top quality resources and encouraging them to collaborate and achieve their full potential. Watch the introductory video or go and explore at www.iggy.net
Content
Many Warwick academics are already working with IGGY to design projects and challenges with innovative interactive content. The initial focus is on Maths, English, Science and History, with resources on a wide range of other subjects. IGGY has signed up ten postgraduate student mentors who’ll be supporting and mentoring members online. IGGY is also working with companies such as Severn Trent and National Grid to involve students in real life projects and issues.
More content will be developed over the coming months and the team would welcome contributions from other staff and students.
To get involved, please contact Jo Thomas at Jo dot Thomas at warwick dot ac dot uk.
Membership
IGGY is a subscription service, but will offer free membership to disadvantaged students and to local schools in Warwickshire and Coventry. Southam College near Leamington Spa is one of the first schools to sign up as a pilot school, and its Head of History Sam Tarling said:
As a teacher you want students to think for themselves and widen their horizons. IGGY is providing great resources and a website that encourages students to collaborate and explore the wider world.
IGGY aims to reach 15,000 gifted students in its first year and 50,000 after 3 years. Applicants will have to be endorsed as gifted by their schools. As well as UK students, IGGY is already recruiting new members as far afield as South Africa, Singapore and Saudi Arabia.
IGGY’s Director Janey Walker, previously Head of Education at Channel 4, says IGGY has a unique offer:
13 to 18 year olds have a huge range of options online. But IGGY offers a unique opportunity for them to work with some of the world’s top academics and to connect with other gifted students across the world. IGGY offers opportunities beyond school that can inspire students to learn and collaborate in new ways.
IGGY’s new website has been built by local games company Fishinabottle, an award winning digital agency with proven experience building engaging websites and communities. Fishinabottle’s Rob Sloan said:
Designing a community for a gifted audience and such wide ranging content has given us huge scope and we’re delighted with the results. IGGY is a world class platform for a global community.