Learn math in just 10 minutes a day? New app can help with that
Short lessons and quick quizzes are a fit for students' lifestyle, Waterloo startup founder says
In just 10 minutes a day, you, too, can be good at math.
No, it's not a cheesy infomercial.
It's Minute School: An app by a new Waterloo startup that has micro-courses for high school and university students. The courses go over subjects they're learning in school, quiz them and help them prepare for tests and exams.
- The push to teach coding in school reflects our digital world
- Technology in the classroom no shortcut to success: OECD report
- Only 50% of Grade 6 students met the province's math standard
Students don't want to spend hours on homework, so the short lessons and quick quizzes are "a fit for their lifestyle," said Tushar Singh, founder and CEO of Minute School.
Currently the app has courses for Grade 9 students taking EQAO math tests, which students were taking last week and this week. EQAO is the province's Education Quality and Accountability Office which assesses literacy and math skills and reports the results to the public.
- EQAO says 'intentional, malicious' cyberattack led to literacy test system crash
- Waterloo Region District School Board EQAO results below provincial average, vows to do better
Courses are free or pay-as-you-learn
Singh said they launched the courses a week ago and user data shows students are using it 24-hours a day.
A recent private investment of $1.2 million is helping Singh expand the company from just himself to six people. They're working on content creation and plan to have courses in a variety of subjects, including science, math, business and economics.
The EQAO courses are free, but other courses on topics like introduction to cell biology will be offered on a pay-as-you-learn format, with fees starting at $5.
Singh said they've received great comments from students.
"The feedback from them is, 'This is the tool I need,'" he said.
Listen to the whole interview below:
Comments
To encourage thoughtful and respectful conversations, first and last names will appear with each submission to CBC/Radio-Canada's online communities (except in children and youth-oriented communities). Pseudonyms will no longer be permitted.
By submitting a comment, you accept that CBC has the right to reproduce and publish that comment in whole or in part, in any manner CBC chooses. Please note that CBC does not endorse the opinions expressed in comments. Comments on this story are moderated according to our Submission Guidelines. Comments are welcome while open. We reserve the right to close comments at any time.