Tablets are fine, but where’s the tutor? Here’s edtech the good old way

Photo credit: Anna Gutermuth

A tutor can tell from a pupil’s face if she has grasped a concept or not. A tutor can look at a 10-step math solution, and instantly pinpoint where the student went wrong.

Can technology do that?

That was the question before Unitus Seed Fund co-founder Will Poole and seasoned entrepreneur Pradeep Singh when they started their edtech firm Vidyanext in Bangalore in 2010.

Between them, they have over 60 years of experience in the fields of software and education. But the two came away with an important lesson in the first year of operating Vidyanext.

The edtech firm was initially a purely technology platform, with no in-person tutors. Students learned from video lectures, but not directly in the presence of tutors.

“We had created technology that helped students learn better, and we came away with our first big realization: technology alone is not enough. It needs to work hand-in-hand, with tutors spending time in-person with students,” says Pradeep.

Vidyanext co-founder Pradeep Singh

That’s when Vidyanext decided to put students in touch with a tutor near their home. Over 2,000 school students – from grades 4 to 11 – have taken lessons in maths, physics, chemistry, and biology at its 35 centers, mostly in Bangalore and a few in Gurgaon.

And from this month, it has also tied up with tutors who teach from their home.

“Learning in a classroom with a real tutor is core to our model,” says Pradeep adding that most parents want their kids to access a good tutor, not just open a tablet at home.

“We just make sure that the tutor they choose is actually great at using our solution.”

Cracking a hard nut

Marrying offline with online

Personalization is key

Making money