This initiative is part of the 2014-15 WISE Accelerator Cohort.
What they do
Sterio.me is a service to reinforce learning via pre-recorded interactive voice lessons, as well as SMS-based lessons, which are accessible via any type of phone without requiring an Internet connection. This saves teachers time by automating the homework process in Primary and Secondary Schools, where they sometimes face overcrowded classrooms. Sterio.me is reinforced education made simple, effective and affordable.
It’s as simple as this: a learner sends a unique code via SMS referring to a specific lesson they were taught at school. They then receive a call back with an interactive quiz, which is answered via the keypad or by speaking into the phone. When they’re done, it’s automatically marked and the results are sent to the teacher, saving them time and providing them with useful data on learner progress. Teachers can further engage their learners via SMS messages, complementing the voice quizzes, to enable full pedagogical input involving reading, writing, listening and speaking.
Why it matters
In Sub-Saharan African countries, teachers frequently spend 10 to 20 hours a week on homework (preparing, collecting, marking, and tracking). In many cases they have stopped giving homework regularly or at all due to this burden. Processing and tracking homework is so time-consuming that teachers spend less time teaching and are not able to give individualized guidance to students.
On the student side, there is often a lack of books, no Internet access at home and sometimes no electricity or available writing materials. Often the home environment is not conducive to learning; some students have to work at home to support the family. This context has serious negative implications for the learning outcomes and work conditions of both students and teachers.
Tractions so far
Sterio.me automates the homework process for teachers, and provides them rich data on student performance and understanding. As a result, teachers can spend more time teaching and offering individual guidance to students, even in overcrowded classrooms. Students have free access to quality homework, helping improve their retention of information and grades. Sterio.me was finalist in the LAUNCHedu 2015 competition at SXSW in Austin, Texas.
The Co-Founder and VP Design Danielle Reid has been selected among the top five finalists to be part of the inaugural Huawei-She Leads Africa Fellowship program for African female tech entrepreneurs. The project has been reevaluating its development strategies.