Podium adaptive and personalized learning platform

Our goal is simply to make online learning delivery more effective by transforming learning. Through our online learning platform called Podium we offer a personalized and adaptive user experience to learners while working with Learning Institutions and Corporate customers to deliver their learning content effectively.  We focus on an improved learning experience and better scores for the learner and increased revenue and a better return on investment (ROI) for the Learning Institution or Corporate customer. Research shows that personalization improves learning outcomes especially if it continuously adapts and improves. By focusing on the user, our goal is to improve user engagement, while also addressing some of the systemic failures of current learning and educational environments. These failures are then further perpetuated in the corporate environment, as the existing platforms do not seek to correct these deep rooted learning issues. We believe that given the right environment, anyone can learn.

Many attempts have been made to take education online and make it open and effective. Unfortunately, online learning delivered today is very ineffective and the latest attempts through massive open online courses is not having the massive impact once envisaged. The current attempts at online learning have been very successful at signing users up but are failing in getting users to actually do the courses. Less than 10% of learners on MOOCs complete their online learning courses. Additionally, 25% dropout without even starting registered courses. Most current MOOC courses have been designed using traditional classroom teaching structure e.g. assignments, lecture videos, homework problems & quizzes, etc. These online delivery platforms do not address the way a 21st century person receives information and learns. In 2018, 20 million new learners signed up for at least one MOOC, down from 23 million the year before. This problem is not unique to Learning Institutions, as it also prevalent in Corporate training as well. A 24X7 Learning survey revealed that only 12% of learners say they apply the skills from the training they receive to their job. This equates to a loss of $13.5m per year, per 1,000 employees.

We have engaged students, tutors, learning institutions and corporate companies through research, user surveys, interviews, prototype and now our full platform, including user feedback at each stage. Our target customers are as follows:

1) Higher Ed Learning Institutions who are currently offering or want to offer courses in a class and want  to offer online courses with budget with the goal to expand offerings beyond class room, reduce cost and increase revenue  in the next six months including government and private learning institutions 

2) Corporate customers who want to offer their course materials to their staff with budget and an implementation timeline in the next six months to a year. 

Our customers
- Organization Size/# of Employees: 1 to 300 plus
- Years in business: 1 year plus
- Revenues (Annual): over US$50,000
- Location: Caribbean, Europe, North America
- Industry: Education, Enterprise Business
- Tools Utilized: Moodle, Canvas,Etc. 

Our customers, customers 
- Gender: Female
- Age: 30 to 50 
- Profession:  looking for  advancement,  up-skilling,  remedial
- Financial Situation:  middle class with disposable income
- Education Level:  Secondary or higher

- Shopping  Habits - value for money 

Working with our customers, we seek to increase their user based and also deliver the required learning outcomes cost effectively.

PODIUM is an integrated online learning platform that delivers personalized and adaptive course content with a focus on increasing engagement, delivering a unique user experience and improving learning outcomes. 

Previous state
- The podium platform was created initially in 2018 using the Docebo LMS and Smart Sparrow content delivery and adaptive learning engine.

Current state
- The podium platform was updated in 2019 and it currently uses the Moodle LMS and Smart Sparrow content delivery and adaptive learning engine. Smart Sparrow was acquired by Pearson on the 22nd January 2020 and has indicated that the adaptive engine will be closed on December 31st, 2020.  The GTH Team is currently in the process of building out Podium version 3.0 using a self hosted recommendation engine based on Harvard’s ALOSI and OpenEdx

Q1 - 2020
● High Availability Moodle
o Stateless deployment
o Autoscaling under load
● User Signup API
o Bulk signup from external datasource
o Add single user registration to api
o Add method to choose institution based on security key
● LTI Wrapper
o Create a LTI compliant service which will allow us to integrate 3rd party api’s and tools as learning objects
o Implement and Extend ALOSI Bridge
o Create UI for LTI iframes
● Hogan
o Include Hogan Personality Index as an LTI activity
● H5P
o LMS Integration
o Branching content with external data
o Create 4 modes and add to H5P branching course
● Recommendation Engine tests and fine tuning

Future State (Short Term)
- Plans for the Podium platform include the build out of simulations, AI and Machine Learning and Content Automation. Q2 should see the Podium version 3.0 go live. 

Q2 - 2020
● EDUardo
o Integrarte simulations as LTI activity
● AI / ML
o Extend recommendation engine to include results from Hogan and EDUardo simulations alongside the VARK data
o Integrate recommendations with H5P and /or EDUardo
o Use machine learning to update student models
● Standardise how we receive content from clients
o Web Interface or to standard email
▪ Triggers uploading to LMS *
o Attachments or uploads saved in s3 and associated with user
● Standardise location for smart content
● Podium 3.0 Recommendation Engine goes live

Future State

Plans for the Podium platform include the following:

o Medium Term
▪ Block Chain – grades and certification sharing l
▪ Accessibility for persons with diminished senses (Hearing, Visual, etc.)
o Long Term
▪ AR/VR – use of augmented and virtual reality to increase user engagement. 

Resources

https://learn.podiumxp.com

https://podiumxp.com/

https://www.smartsparrow.com/

https://www.hoganassessments.c...

https://h5p.org/

Key to us is our approach. We start with assessments, namely VARK, the Hogan Personality Index assessments and course specific knowledge assessments and use the outcome of these assessments to guide the user experience. We provide a personalized path for each user and use continuous feedback and ongoing assessment to adapt that path as the user engages more and more with the platform. We also do summative assessments. As it relates to content, we provide content in Visual, Read/Write, Auditory and Kinesthetic design as users can maneuver through their learning preference in a multi-modal environment using micro learning. Through AI and machine learning we are able to use the data at the personal and anonymised level, coupled with our recommendation engine to continuously improve the user experience. With a focus on mastery we endeavour to ensure that each learner gets what he or she needs to truly learn and succeed. 

Personalized and adaptive learning has been used to creates truly personalized advanced learning outcomes. With a focus on ensuring that every person reaches true mastery in the shortest amount of time, the results have shown the following:

- 300% Improvement in Retained Learning per Hour of Study

 - 11% less study time

 - 22% less test time

 - 95% higher test scores

In our pilot, we were able to see our users move from a B+ average to an A+ average. The new platform being implemented is being done using a tested scientific approach that will see a 30% increase in user score. This research was conducted by the Harvard VPAL Research team who partnered with the Microsoft Learning Sciences team to conduct the testing.

(https://vpal.harvard.edu/files...)

Based on current contracts or sales pipeline - more to be added

Current - 265

May 2020 - 3500 (POC workbook and Joseph Movie workbook added)

September 2020 - 43000 (30,000 from GE Europe added)

September  2021- 124,000 (60,000 from schools in Barbados - Pilot with IDB)

September 2022 - 564,000 (2030 development goals initiative added)

From inception we wanted to be global. We understand the power of learning and see it as a way to genuinely enhance the lives of others. Our plans include the following:

Caribbean - Based in Barbados, expansion to include Jamaica, Trinidad, Guyana and OECS. Also looking include Spanish and French speaking Caribbean as well.

North America (Americas) - Starting in Canada (lower cost) and looking to work through Canada into the US market. Working with partners like DMZ YYZ, etc. we are actively testing the markets, so we have a clear path and plan to entering those markets. We are also looking to move into LATAM and are actively seeking partners that can make the right network connections.

Europe - Starting in Hungary we are looking to add other European countries to our active portfolio. The EU and the Caribbean currently has an economic partnership agreement that provided preferential access for Caribbean based services and we seeking to utilize that advantage. 

Africa -With both the continent and the diaspora experiencing similar learning challenges, the aim is to grow the platform to include the African continent, starting in Ghana and expand across the continent including Morocco, Cameroon, Nigeria,etc. 

Asia - Long term, looking to target India and China but we also understand the size and competitive nature of these markets. 

The next five years will see us pushing to make our brand a global brand.

Financial - The Caribbean does not have a vibrant ecosystem for startups and scaleups and access to capital is a major issue. We have done the best we can based on what is available to us. We have been in Pitch it - St. Kitts, Caribbean Startup Summit - Barbados, Tech Beach - Jamaica, Caribbean Tech Entrepreneur Program - Regional and now Design Terminal Hungary Social Impact Accelerator. We have been diligent in utilizing what is available to us.   

Technical - We are starting with a Caribbean team, but we understand that the skills required for scale may not be readily available in the region. We are actively seeking partners who have access to world class talent and we will use the opportunity to build out the skillsets in the region as we grow and scale.  

Cultural - We often lack the belief that what we have is good enough and we have the ability to solve our own problems. As Caribbean people we have used ingenious means to make it work for us, we believe a home grown solution can deliver what is needed, while still doing it in our own way and style. 

Having scaled a previous startup across the region and into the US, we know that it is possible to overcome these barriers, working with the right partners. 

Financial - While still working within what exist in the Caribbean ecosystem, we have looked outside including Hungary, Canada, USA for funding and support. We open to partnering with any good fit but also we looking for persons who want to make money but also do a social good.

Technical - Working as a virtual team, allows us to include skillsets not readily or currently available in our region but globally available. From mentorship by experienced mentors who have already done what we are trying to do in our target markets, to adding new skills to the team, we sought to go beyond our borders to find what makes us better.

Cultural - Be Professional. That has been our mantra, and respect is a part of professionalism. Respecting persons time, view point, customs, etc. but also knowing we have something to add that has value and adding a little Caribbean flare has not hurt either. 

Legal - We are working to ensure compliance in all jurisdictions we currently or will operate in the future including GDPR, etc. as we look to ensure compliance across the differing regions.  

We are actively seeking partners who can work with us to break through these barriers and have some fun while we do it as well. 

Barbados

Jamaica

Trinidad

N/A

N/A

Michael Husbands - CEO 

Sean Ifill - Head of Smart Content

Silvana Joseph-Husbands - Administrative Coordinator

Dario Thornhill - CTO

Mr. Michael Husbands, has over 20 years in technology and 6 years building start-ups. Mr. Sean Ifill is an award winning graphics artist/teacher. These two gentlemen would have worked together building start-ups including Blue Apple in the Caribbean and On Demand Experts in North Carolina. Mrs. Silvana Husbands would have previously worked with both Mr. Husbands and Mr. Ifill at Blue Apple. Mr. Dario Thornhill is the resident tech guru, with a wealth of knowledge in building scalable platforms.

When you put a group of people together with a common vision, that makes a real team. Our common goal is our focus on transforming learning. It’s personal to us. To do this, we have pulled together a team that’s passionate about making transformational learning a reality for all. With expertise in education, business, content creation, design, administration and platform delivery –  this makes quite a team. Our advisors include Dr. Gladstone Best, the former principal of the Barbados Community College who holds a doctorate in education with over 40 years in education in the Caribbean and is a board member of Association of Caribbean Tertiary Institutions. The other advisors include Ms. SparkleAnn James an experienced corporate lawyer and Mr Roger Henniss Senior Manager at Deliotte Barbados. We now also supported by Zoltan Feher of Hogan Assessments and Andras Koherek a specialist in learning platforms as a result of recently completing the Design Terminal Social Impact Accelerator. We all have a passion to do good but we also want to make money while doing it. We have worked through failures in previous startups, bootstrapping for over 2 years and many saying that the problem was too big. We have sought out the best support we can find and have gone as far as Hungary to get support and help. We know why its important to us, as we know the impact this will have for us personally, our country, our region and the world. 

Smart Sparrow - 3 year deal to use learning engine (recently purchased by Pearson but we will still have access until December 2020. Moving to Podium 3.0 using our own build)

Hogan Assessments - Access to full Hogan Assessment portfolio for testing and implementation of learning preference

EDUardo - Partnering to deliver simulations as a part of education services 

Design Fees - We charge each institution a fixed fee of US$300 for reviewing their course content and making the content available via the platform. We provide a report including a review of the institutions content and an outline of what new or revised content is needed. As the content is provided in a minimum of four (4) learning styles, the institution may choose use our services for content creation at a rate of US$75 per hour or use their own personnel or graphics team using the report as a guide.

Subscription Model - We offer access to the platform based on a monthly user fee of US$20 per user for students and US$200 per user for corporate users.

Students

Starter Package

• • 1 to 20 user monthly subscriptions
  • $35.00 USD every month
• Lets Go
  • Subscription for 21 to 100 persons
  • $25.00 USD every month
• Web Enabled Institution
  • Over 100 users monthly subscription
  • $20.00 USD every month

(Price of packages can be adjusted based based on volume)

Corporate 

- Per project basis

Value Add

Our value add is that we allow those that have existing platforms to use them (Moodle, Canvas, Blackboard, etc.) and we make them personalized and adaptive (less cost to the institution instead of rip and replace). For those who do not have an LMS or know where to start, we provide a full service including the use of our LMS up to the rollout of personalized and adaptive learning as they grow and expand.  

Having bootstrapped for the past two and half years, we have only taken in funding from friends and family of US$14K. We are currently seeking funding of US$300K as a seed round to provide one year of run way and to realise over $250K of sales in the pipeline. We are also set to transition from part time to full time in April 2020 and July 2020 seeing the full staff complement as full time. Covid 19 may impact these timelines but we are continuing to work remotely. 

Our sales revenues are expected to grow 300% year on year based on expansion and the addition of new projects and regions as we fully anticipate the need to seek additional funding to super charge our expansion plans. As the platform is the primary source of revenue, we expect the cost per user to reduce as we scale but the major thrust of spending will be marketing and sales related. We plan to continue to update the platform including new and emerging technologies, and to this end platform cost also make a significant portion of our operational cost.  

We have already garnered interest in acquisition and fully expect that interest to increase. While not building for acquisition only, we fully expect to either become a major global player or be acquired/partner with a major player in the education services delivery environment in the next 5 to 7 years. 

Our plans include expansion through out the Caribbean and the Americas.  

Short term - Canada (Toronto), Hungary (Budapest) 

Medium term - USA (Orlando), Europe (To be defined), LATAM 

Funding and network connections continues to be a major challenge for startups in the Caribbean and LATAM. We see this as an opportunity to align ourselves with like minded persons, with a passion and a drive for transforming learning in our hemisphere and the world, and the scope to take improved learning outcomes to a global stage.  

Sales Support - Testing in the proposed markets and contacts to Learning Institutions, NGOs and Corporate customers in the LATAM region. 

Any partners who can help us make transformational learning a reality for a wider global audience.