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> Is there academic research underpinning the pedagogical approach? I can't quote direct articles but I have seen some trends in trying to make education in ge

by S4M 11y ago

> Is there academic research underpinning the pedagogical approach? I can't quote direct articles but I have seen some trends in trying to make education in general more interactive. > Does the underlying technology use a domain specific language in the vein of Mathmatica/Wolfram? Yes, I wrote (and am still writing, in fact) my own symbolic algebra software. I tried to use some open source CAS (Maxima and Sympy) but I found that the way theirs codes are structured doesn't allow to offer hints on how to solve an exercise, without putting lots of work in it.

brudgers 11y ago
Why did you choose middle school mathematics in particular or education in general as "the killer app" for the symbolic algebra software?
- S4M 11y ago
  Two reasons: - I originally wanted to build a symbolic algebra software to compete with Wolfram's Mathematica but realized it would require too much work for a solo founder. - Math had always been my favorite subject and I saw studies about the decline of math level in first world countries so I thought I could try to help.
  - brudgers 11y ago
    I believe education is a commodity market. Sales happen in bulk and large sales via public bids, government allocations, and lobbying. I suspect that in the first world, textbook companies are likely to be harder competitors than Wolfram Research: the market is a finite pie and the businesses are relatively low margin. I don't think the technical challenge of building a symbolic algebra problem changes much with two cofounders, i.e. if there was a business person one person would still be writing all the code. Which is to say, developing a symbolic algebra package is audacious no matter how it gets sliced. The solo founder challenges are not so much technical as social and psychological. The educational angle means piling the study of pedagogical research and analysis of pedagogical methods on top of all the business stuff. Because middle school age children are minors it also means it's going to be hard to get direct access to end users, comply with privacy laws, and separate willing use from mandated use.
    - S4M 11y ago
      > I believe education is a commodity market. Sales happen in bulk and large sales via public bids, government allocations, and lobbying. I suspect that in the first world, textbook companies are likely to be harder competitors than Wolfram Research: the market is a finite pie and the businesses are relatively low margin. You are right, but only if you say that the education market is limited to apps and books used by schools. However, there is also a market for apps or books to help to prepare for exams or simply understand some notions better - tiplus mentioned math-42, and there are many others. My plan is to fight on this market first, and if I get some recognition, I will attack the much harder market of the schools. > I don't think the technical challenge of building a symbolic algebra problem changes much with two cofounders, i.e. if there was a business person one person would still be writing all the code. Which is to say, developing a symbolic algebra package is audacious no matter how it gets sliced. > The solo founder challenges are not so much technical as social and psychological. The educational angle means piling the study of pedagogical research and analysis of pedagogical methods on top of all the business stuff. Another observation that is true: no matter how hard the work on symbolic algebra is, the work on the pedagogy is even harder - I am finding out at the moment. > Because middle school age children are minors it also means it's going to be hard to get direct access to end users, comply with privacy laws, and separate willing use from mandated use. In fact I am thinking of targeting parents who care about the education of their kids. I noticed that people who have a scientific background seem more interested in the concept of an AI to teach math than "normal" parents.
      - brudgers 11y ago
        My gut feeling is that "replacing Mathematica" might be a stronger idea to pitch to investors with a "Silicon Valley mindset" and an "middle school math app" better for pitching to a local investment club due to the differences is the risk/reward profile of both groups. Of course both groups will use the term "startup", but something with an annual internal rate of return of 20% qualifies for the locals and something with a 20x exit after five years is "meh" in Silicon Valley. The local investors probably won't care much about symbolic algebra and a 20% IRR will be driven by Facebook ads and SEO and Product Hunt accompanied by phrases like "Best math app". On the other hand, "symbolic algebra like Mathematica" lights up sparks in at least a few people's eyes...it's the sort of thing that people seek out with the passion of technical geeks rather than the vague interest of concerned parents as consumers. I'd suggest looking at Thiel's "competition is for losers". An SEO fight against "coolmathgames.com" for kids' attention, classroom utility in terms of keeping bored kids occupied, and the plausible deniablity it provides adults is not conducive to a lighting war. It's trenchfoot and mud and barbed wire. Good luck.

by S4M 11y ago

brudgers 11y ago

Why did you choose middle school mathematics in particular or education in general as "the killer app" for the symbolic algebra software?

S4M 11y ago
Two reasons: - I originally wanted to build a symbolic algebra software to compete with Wolfram's Mathematica but realized it would require too much work for a solo founder. - Math had always been my favorite subject and I saw studies about the decline of math level in first world countries so I thought I could try to help.
- brudgers 11y ago
  I believe education is a commodity market. Sales happen in bulk and large sales via public bids, government allocations, and lobbying. I suspect that in the first world, textbook companies are likely to be harder competitors than Wolfram Research: the market is a finite pie and the businesses are relatively low margin. I don't think the technical challenge of building a symbolic algebra problem changes much with two cofounders, i.e. if there was a business person one person would still be writing all the code. Which is to say, developing a symbolic algebra package is audacious no matter how it gets sliced. The solo founder challenges are not so much technical as social and psychological. The educational angle means piling the study of pedagogical research and analysis of pedagogical methods on top of all the business stuff. Because middle school age children are minors it also means it's going to be hard to get direct access to end users, comply with privacy laws, and separate willing use from mandated use.
  - S4M 11y ago
    > I believe education is a commodity market. Sales happen in bulk and large sales via public bids, government allocations, and lobbying. I suspect that in the first world, textbook companies are likely to be harder competitors than Wolfram Research: the market is a finite pie and the businesses are relatively low margin. You are right, but only if you say that the education market is limited to apps and books used by schools. However, there is also a market for apps or books to help to prepare for exams or simply understand some notions better - tiplus mentioned math-42, and there are many others. My plan is to fight on this market first, and if I get some recognition, I will attack the much harder market of the schools. > I don't think the technical challenge of building a symbolic algebra problem changes much with two cofounders, i.e. if there was a business person one person would still be writing all the code. Which is to say, developing a symbolic algebra package is audacious no matter how it gets sliced. > The solo founder challenges are not so much technical as social and psychological. The educational angle means piling the study of pedagogical research and analysis of pedagogical methods on top of all the business stuff. Another observation that is true: no matter how hard the work on symbolic algebra is, the work on the pedagogy is even harder - I am finding out at the moment. > Because middle school age children are minors it also means it's going to be hard to get direct access to end users, comply with privacy laws, and separate willing use from mandated use. In fact I am thinking of targeting parents who care about the education of their kids. I noticed that people who have a scientific background seem more interested in the concept of an AI to teach math than "normal" parents.
    - brudgers 11y ago
      My gut feeling is that "replacing Mathematica" might be a stronger idea to pitch to investors with a "Silicon Valley mindset" and an "middle school math app" better for pitching to a local investment club due to the differences is the risk/reward profile of both groups. Of course both groups will use the term "startup", but something with an annual internal rate of return of 20% qualifies for the locals and something with a 20x exit after five years is "meh" in Silicon Valley. The local investors probably won't care much about symbolic algebra and a 20% IRR will be driven by Facebook ads and SEO and Product Hunt accompanied by phrases like "Best math app". On the other hand, "symbolic algebra like Mathematica" lights up sparks in at least a few people's eyes...it's the sort of thing that people seek out with the passion of technical geeks rather than the vague interest of concerned parents as consumers. I'd suggest looking at Thiel's "competition is for losers". An SEO fight against "coolmathgames.com" for kids' attention, classroom utility in terms of keeping bored kids occupied, and the plausible deniablity it provides adults is not conducive to a lighting war. It's trenchfoot and mud and barbed wire. Good luck.