How to Make Learning as Addictive as Social Media | Luis Von Ahn | TED

Summary

Luis von Ahn, the co-founder of Duolingo, shares his inspiring journey of creating an educational app that makes learning languages accessible and engaging for everyone, regardless of their socioeconomic background. By employing psychological techniques similar to those used by addictive apps like TikTok and Instagram, Duolingo has managed to gamify language learning, keeping users hooked through streaks, passive-aggressive notifications, and a relatable mascot. Von Ahn's vision is to extend this approach to other subjects, harnessing the power of mobile technology to deliver high-quality education to people worldwide, rich or poor, in a way that feels like indulging in a delightful dessert.

Takeaways

• 😄 The founder, Luis von Ahn, is from Guatemala, a poor country where access to quality education is limited for those without money.
• 🎓 Motivated by his own experience, Luis aimed to provide equal access to education for everyone through Duolingo, starting with language learning.
• 🌐 Duolingo uses a freemium model where the app is free, but richer users can pay to remove ads, essentially subsidizing education for poorer users.
• 📱 Delivering education through smartphones is challenging due to the addictive nature of apps like TikTok and mobile games.
• 🔄 Duolingo employs techniques like streaks and notifications to keep users engaged and motivated to learn regularly.
• 🦉 The passive-aggressive owl mascot and memes have helped Duolingo enter the cultural zeitgeist and promote language learning.
• ⚖️ While educational apps may not be as engaging as social media, the inherent motivation from learning can compensate for the difference.
• 📈 Duolingo has more users learning languages in the US than all high schools combined, showcasing the potential of mobile education.
• 🌱 The goal is to apply similar techniques to deliver quality education in subjects like math and physics through mobile phones.
• 🌟 The key is to make learning enjoyable and addictive, turning "screen time" into a positive educational experience for all.

Q & A

What is the speaker's origin country?

The speaker is from Guatemala.

What was the speaker's main goal related to education?

The speaker wanted to provide equal access to education for everyone.

Which university was the speaker a professor at when he decided to work on his education project?

He was a professor of computer science at Carnegie Mellon University.

What subject did the speaker and his co-founder decide to teach first through their project?

They decided to teach foreign languages.

Why did the speaker decide to focus on teaching foreign languages first?

They chose foreign languages due to the large global audience learning them, especially English, because knowledge of English can significantly increase income potential.

What technology did the speaker believe was essential to reach a lot of people for educational purposes?

The speaker believed that using smartphones or mobile phones was essential to reach a large audience.

What is the name of the educational platform the speaker co-founded?

The educational platform is called Duolingo.

How does Duolingo sustain itself financially?

Duolingo uses a freemium model, generating most of its revenue from subscribers who pay to remove ads.

What psychological technique mentioned by the speaker is used to keep users engaged in learning?

One of the techniques used is the concept of a 'streak,' which encourages daily usage to avoid resetting the progress counter.

How does the speaker justify the use of engagement techniques common in social media and games for educational purposes?

The speaker justifies it by stating that even if an educational product is not as engaging as social media or games, the meaningfulness and internal motivation of learning can compensate for the engagement gap.