Our “Surala Math Solution”
We, Surala Net, not only provide e-learning material but also aim to transform learning through our product and the support to utilize it. We envision education to support students to have the true academic ability that can be leveraged through their lives and confidence that efforts can bring results.
Personalized learning to enhance the level of acquisition
Our e-learning materials take the form of asynchronous, individual learning, allowing students to learn at their own pace. Moreover, personalization is realized by changing the contents of each student, so students can learn content at the appropriate level for them.
The content covers three learning flows: lectures for understanding, drills for mastery, and tests for utilization, fostering the basic skills that form the foundation of 21st-century skills. In particular, it incorporates methods that allow children to repeat learning and consolidate basic skills while having fun, such as the “25 recipes” for mastering composition and decomposition, which are important foundations of Mathematics, and the “Box Calculation” for improving the accuracy and speed of calculations.
Furthermore, gamification elements such as medals based on the correct answer rate and ranking system are installed. The lectures are also designed to be fun and easy to learn, with animated characters presenting the lessons in small steps, so that even students with low academic ability can learn with interest.
- Please refer to the below for more information.
Nurture learning habits for independent learning
Besides the foundation of Mathematics, we focus on nurturing the foundation of learning habits. The learning habits are crucial for students to continue learning going forward, and the individual learning environment provides a good practice place to learn independently. Because students learn on their own devices, Surala class sets rules for students to manage their learning independently. The learning plan is assigned to each student and students also can set it by themselves, therefore, students proceed with it in the set schedule, and record their own learning. Also, students are responsible for marking their own materials by themselves instead of teachers. Through these practices, students learn to learn independently.
Also, to nurture students’ learning habits, disciplines play an important role. We set the class rules to enhance discipline along with the subject learning in the classroom. Examples of class rules are washing hands before the class, greeting teachers at the beginning of classes, and raising hands when students ask questions. By enhancing disciplines, students can raise the level of concentration and increase the amount of learning.
We also encourage utilizing the classroom time to assign the roles to students. Roles include distributing and correcting students’ learning files, cleaning up the classroom. Such classroom practice also enhances self-responsibility.
Raising learning motivation with awarding amount of efforts
We encourage awarding not just the score that students can get but also the amount of learning and changes students make. By utilizing the learning management system, teachers can find the data for the evaluation easily and effectively. By visualizing and evaluating efforts, we aim to raise students’ motivation to learn and increase the amount of learning, resulting in improvement of academic ability.
In addition, the ability to make efforts is also an important indicator of student strength. In Japan, some schools add the amount of learning in our e-Learning for a certain period of time to the evaluation items of the entrance examination. By looking at the amount of learning, the ability of students to continue their efforts, which cannot be measured by a single exam, can be evaluated.
Developing skills for future
Moreover, we aim to develop skills for the future other than subjects as students use computers by themselves.
- Computer skills
By using the digital tool for learning, students can increase their familiarity with computers - Literacy skills and logical thinking
Through the experience of learning the new concepts with online contents, students actively engage with learning and develop cognitive skills - English skills
Some e-learning materials are offered in English and this provides students with opportunities to develop English skills along with the acquisition of basic ability.
Nurturing non-cognitive skills
We value not only the acquisition of basic skills but also skills for the future as described as “non-cognitive skills” such as the ability to learn and self-esteem. Surala’s personalized learning creates a positive cycle in which students master the content, are motivated to learn, increase the amount of learning, and improve academic performance. Furthermore, with the new evaluation system awarding the amount of each student’s effort and changes in performance, students can have a sense of accomplishment and growth. These experiences can foster students’ confidence and self-esteem that they can create achievements by making efforts. This cycle of success continues to support students’ growth in the future.
Also, events are good opportunities for students to utilize the learning and get a sense of accomplishment. Along with online education, we hold events such as box calculation contests in which students can demonstrate their learning. These events give students the opportunity to challenge themselves and find their accomplishments.
Decrease of the time for basic academic skills
to conduct active learning
With the personalization of learning and developing students’ independent learning, the acquisition of the fundamental skills is enhanced efficiently in a shorter time. This decrease in study hours for basic learning enables teachers to use the class time differently to introduce active learning, new ways of learning to nurture skills for the future. Also, the workload of teachers will be decreased greatly by reducing tasks such as lecture preparation and grading. Improvement of efficiency in teachers’ work enables them to prepare for new learning and engage with students more.
Improving learning activities
based on accumulated data
We are also working to improve learning activities by utilizing the data accumulated in the e-learning system. We regularly analyze the amount of learning and the status of academic achievement of students and make opportunities to discuss with teachers at schools and tuition schools. In addition to individual student achievements, issues in the student’s learning situation and class can be discovered and we work closely with schools to take actions for further improvement.
Supporting learning of people with challenges
E-learning can deliver high-quality education to many people, and we are working to improve learning for people with challenges such as poverty. We have provided our products to SOS Children’s Villages Sri Lanka, an NGO that supports vulnerable children who cannot live with their families, and to the Ati community in the Philippines to support their learning. In Sri Lanka, we are also collaborating with a microfinance institution for women, Women’s Bank, where local women as a facilitator open a tuition school by using “Surala Ninja!”. This activity not only expands learning opportunities for local children but also creates employment for women.
