Every student is unique. A brain unlike any other student’s. A unique and unknown potential. Strengths, weaknesses, interests, experiences, and goals that create their own identity. No two students are alike.

Every student is a snowflake. And yes, snowflake has also become a term used to chasten those who are different or require special care. But really – why is it considered a weakness to be an individual? Instead of nurturing each student’s uniqueness, we raise them like we’re building an army of clones. Those who can adapt are forced into the molds we create, and those who can’t are left on the scrap heap.

We enlist them into platoons according to age and move them down a training assembly line, grade by grade, each one drilled with the same instructions, giving each one the same standard-issue educational weapons.

Congratulations cadet, you’re 15 years old, here’s your standard-issue Algebra I course.

What, having trouble keeping up? Go faster, cadet!

Whoa there – trying to move ahead into Calculus? Not here cadet, you’ll get that in a couple years.

The best way to teach kids is individually. The best learning results come from giving each student one-on-one instruction and making sure they master each topic before moving to the next. Research has proven students can learn twice as fast this way. But sadly, this approach doesn’t scale in our educational system - there aren’t enough teachers. Most teachers are only able to teach to the middle of the bell curve. Teaching kids at the head or the tail of the curve requires skills, time, and resources that many teachers just don’t have.

Fortunately, we have the technology to build a better solution. We can solve this through online education, but we need to improve upon current online learning software in ways we’re only beginning to explore.

First, we need to maintain a unique learning fingerprint for each individual student. We have to understand each student’s strengths & weaknesses and understand what is working for them.

Second, we need to create a widely diverse and flexible curriculum. We need an education program that can provide more material when a student either needs help understanding something or wants to learn more.

With both a learning fingerprints and expanded curriculum, then as each student progresses we can adapt their courses to how the student learns best. It should adjust modalities – such as switching between videos, books and written content, diagrams and visual layouts, games and puzzles, podcasts, and other formats. It should adapt between individual study and interactive work. It should continuously try new things and reinforce what works. And it should be able to customize a path for each student. For example, if a student has interests in biology, then the math they learn should be taught in the context of biology.

This is an area my team is actively working on and we hope to be able to make progress in this field soon!

Cover Image Credit: Egor Kamelev