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Alison Exford

UI/UX designer

Europe/Kiev(UTC +3)
English, Bengali, Ukrainian

5.0 (1)

About

Product designer, researcher, and strategist with seven years of expertise in educational technology. Passionate about creating impactful education products that drive social change and promote equity.

Key Skills

Experience

Product Manager | Skills U

Jan 2025 - Present

Product Strategist | Zenith Learning Group

Nov 2023 - Dec 2024
I worked primarily on Zenith's edtech app, Zendora, a gamified learning platform that offers engaging English, Math, and Science activities for primary school students in Singapore. Zendora complements our curriculum and in- person lessons at Zenith Academy. - Spearheaded the refinement of Zendora’s features from a pure-online learning platform to a hybrid app that complements classroom teaching, conducting pilot tests and user feedback sessions to optimize the app’s effectiveness and user experience - Facilitated the integration of Zendora across subjects, collaborating closely with Zenith Academy’s curriculum team to align digital content with in-person instruction - Managed cross-functional projects between Zendora’s product team and Zenith Academy’s curriculum developers, streamlining workflows and establishing quality standards for educational content creation - Conducted in-depth analyses of business challenges, synthesizing qualitative and quantitative data to develop strategic recommendations that drive Zendora’s growth and Zenith Academy’s success - Led research initiatives on emerging edtech trends, identifying tools and strategies to enhance Zendora’s offerings and maintain its competitive edge in the Singapore education market

UX Researcher & Designer | Nanyang Technological University Singapore

Aug 2022 - Sep 2023
Singapore I led a team in developing an innovative technology-based learning platform aimed at enhancing partnerships between learning institutions and industry leaders for adult learners and course instructors. - Spearheaded the research strategy, conducting comprehensive secondary research to define project scope and crafting targeted research questions to address the challenge of strengthening industry-institution partnerships - Led user-centric research initiatives, including interviews and usability tests with actual and potential users, analyzing data to derive actionable insights and iteratively refine the platform design - Presented evidence-based recommendations to the Principal Investigator, translating user feedback into strategic design improvements that enhanced the platform’s effectiveness and user experience - Designed and created three learning websites, acquiring skills related to typography, UI, iconography, and interactions using industry-standard tools - Facilitated collaboration between the Research Engineer and Website Developer for successful implementation of the fully-functional site

Educational Technologist | Ministry of Education, Singapore (MOE)

Jan 2021 - Jul 2022
Singapore, Singapore As an Educational Technology Officer, I played a pivotal role in harnessing educational technologies to enrich learning and teaching experiences across Singapore schools. Our mission was to catalyze innovation and effective application of edtech in Singapore’s education system, particularly in the post- pandemic landscape. - Provided thought leadership in educational technology application, collaborating with a team of officers to reconceptualize technology-enhanced learning in the post-pandemic world - Developed and implemented comprehensive capacity-building programs for school leaders, key personnel, and teachers, focusing on effective utilization of educational technology and e-Pedagogy to enhance student learning outcomes - Spearheaded the redesign of teacher training offerings, integrating educational technologies and new pedagogical approaches - Facilitated close collaboration between teachers, school leaders, and multiple stakeholders to ensure seamless implementation of educational technology initiatives across schools - Communicated policy decisions and educational technology strategies to public stakeholders, including parents, students, and education researchers, fostering transparency and engagement in Singapore’s edtech transformation

English Language Teacher | Cedar Girls' Secondary School

Feb 2016 - Dec 2020
Singapore I played a multifaceted role in shaping innovative educational experiences and curricula, while also contributing significantly to research in educational practices. My work focused on enhancing English language education, nurturing gifted students, and pioneering the integration of technology in teaching and learning. - Spearheaded the development of the English Language Integrated Programme curriculum, designing engaging learning experiences that fostered students’ language proficiency and critical thinking skills - Led the prestigious Humanities Special Programme, a two-year Talent Development initiative, collaborating with the Gifted Education Branch to mentor high-aptitude students in academic research, facilitated by partnerships with local and international universities - Championed the innovative use of educational technology as an ICT Champion, developing a comprehensive four-year Digital Literacy curriculum and conducting professional development sessions to empower teachers in tech-integrated pedagogy - Conducted action research projects, including a study on online writing feedback (funded by the English Language Institute of Singapore) and an analysis of the Integrated Programme experience, with findings presented at national conferences and published in educational journals

Education & Certificates

Post-Graduate Diploma in Education

NIE - Office of Graduate Studies & Professional Learning
Jan 2016

Master of Philosophy (MPhil), Theoretical and Applied Linguistics

University of Cambridge
Jan 2015

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), English Language

National University of Singapore
Jan 2014

Testimonials

5.0 (1)

Avatar

Alena Riz

4 weeks ago
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