Since launch, “discovering pods” have actually been controversial in the world of edtech. The term, rather associated with micro-schools, pandemic pods and small-group learning, describes small clusters of children within the same age range who are paired with a private instructor with the goal of replacing, or supplementing, school learning.
The concept took off in 2015 as working moms and dads tried to find a method to supplement their children’s video-based school days with more interesting, customized material. Some edtech business owners anticipated that the trend would usher in a new wave of homeschooled children, which would disproportionately favor upscale families that might afford pod-learning to start with. Tyton Partners estimates that 7 million students were registered in extra learning pods last year, which drove $12 billion in brand-new spend.
Now, nearly a year after the very first pods popped up, one startup coming out of Y Combinator has a fresh take on the role that the emerging learning design plays in schooling. KaiPod Knowing, established by the previous chief item officer of Pearson Online Knowing, Amar Kumar, recently introduced its knowing pod service that aims to connect homeschooled kids with in-person, supplemental knowing pods.
A non-insignificant part of KaiPod’s success depends on if homeschooling is here to remain, beyond the pandemic bump of interest. In the meantime, KaiPod Knowing ran an eight-student pilot program in Boston this year. Article curated by RJ Shara from Source. RJ Shara is a Bay Area Radio Host (Radio Jockey) who talks about the startup ecosystem – entrepreneurs, investments, policies and more on her show The Silicon Dreams. The show streams on Radio Zindagi 1170AM on Mondays from 3.30 PM to 4 PM.
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