Armenian specialists create largest programing tutor mobile platform

Armenian specialists create largest programing tutor mobile platform

Mathematical skills are not necessary but desirable, as the lack of elementary arithmetic skills will considerably complicate the process of learning.

Armenian-American startup SoloLearn is one of the fastest developing startups of the Silicone Valley with up to $10mln financial backing, according to Mattermark company engaged in startup research. Besides, SoloLearn was included in the list of the best applications in India. With the huge competition at the programming tutor market, SoloLearn achieved an incredible result: it became the world leader in the field.

PanARMENIAN.Net - In a conversation with PanARMENIAN.Net the founders of the company told about the education process in the form of a fascinating game.

Eva Yusyan, co-founder

SoloLearn is a series of mobile applications which teach the user programming rules with the help of special games. Actually, the student gets access to new levels after learning a lesson. In the process, he/she gets points along with programming skills.

SoloLearn is free of charge for all platforms - iOS, Android, Windows Mobile and desktop computers. The final product that appeared in September 2014 consists of two parts – education and game, where the user can compete with friends and solve programming tasks.

SoloLearn is popular all over the world, with 40% of users living in the U.S. The team offers updates every week, boosting interactivity. The programming teaching methods have undergone revolutionary changes. The format where “the student learns what the teacher tells” is outdated for the new generation which wants the process to be interesting and pleasant. The new generation is extremely competitive while the society formed by them becomes an extra stimulus to work harder and achieve success.

The modern programming teaching market is boundless. Pilot programs are launched in U.S. schools to teach programming elements from childhood. Nowadays, such skills are essential not only for those who want to become programmers, but also for future doctors or even art workers. However, with the great number of teaching programs, SoloLearn is the biggest platform to learn programming through mobile applications. It now has over 3 mln 600 thous students and the number continues growing steadily.

The application is in English, but there are also pilot programs in Russian and Spanish. If we succeed, we will further think about other languages. However, English is the right language to study programming.

David Kocharyan, co-founder and executive director

There are a great number of companies engaged in teaching programming. The main difference between SoloLearn and its competitors is that our content is presented through a sketchy and interesting methodology. If other services offer an hour long video, we help the user study certain topics within several minutes. Besides, we managed to combine the theory and practice. The theoretical part of the lesson is immediately followed by the practical one for the student to write a programming code.

Any user with no knowledge of programming can start studying with SoloLearn. Mathematical skills are not necessary but desirable, as the lack of elementary arithmetic skills will considerably complicate the process of learning. The game consists of levels, which are unlocked one by one. It starts with primitive tasks like explanatory texts and gets more and more complicated.

The user gets points, which allow him to unlock special achievements, for example the solution of a complicated task. There is also a forum where lessons are being discussed. Each user has his own profile with the information about the passed levels, points, achievements, etc. Upon completion of the course a special certificate is provided.

SoloLearn offers nine different levels of programming. For example, C++ course is advanced and long. It consists of almost 90 lessons with 400 exercises, providing more skills that the university education course.

To expand the knowledge, uninterrupted practice is needed. So a new function has been added to challenge the other players in a special competition. During a limited timeframe, the users have to answer rather complicated questions, while the winner gets extra points and unlocks new levels. Thus, the student masters the profession and we work to develop the content, adding new questions and topics.

SoloLearn has won a 50% grant provided in the framework of the contest organized by the Enterprise Incubator Foundation with the assistance of the World Bank and Armenian Economy Ministry.

Arman Gasparyan / PanARMENIAN.Net
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