By Mike Straus/Contributor
For Kristin Garn, ed-tech entrepreneurship is a way of life.
香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檝e always been an entrepreneur in the education space, since I was in my twenties. After I graduated with my education degree, I started my own consulting company. I worked in classrooms, started consulting, and kept growing the business 香蕉视频直播� and the instant that I saw mobile is a wonderful tool for learning, I moved into software development, 香蕉视频直播� said Garn.
Garn founded Kelowna education technology startup Mathtoons in 2011, after her 20 years of experience as a math tutor showed her that the education system was missing something big: A data-driven approach to learning.
香蕉视频直播淪chools are still using 19th century tools 香蕉视频直播� that is, textbooks. To this day, we香蕉视频直播檙e still not using the smart tools that help us understand how the learner is using them. That means we香蕉视频直播檙e wasting a lot of learner time. So we built a piece of software that allows anyone to create their own mobile learning apps. Our VP of user experience, Ryan Martinez , built a massive analytics engine. We香蕉视频直播檙e trying to be the next generation of learning tools.香蕉视频直播�
With a host of talented tech workers on board, Garn built the Software-as-a-Service app Practi, Mathtoons香蕉视频直播� flagship product. Practi combines a student interface for learning math, science, and languages (Practi Play) with a teacher-riented app for designing and publishing courses (Practi Press).
Practi is now being used to teach curriculum topics and aid in employee training at institutions like the University of Saskatchewan, the University of British Columbia, Ryerson University, Memorial University and the Realm School in California.
Garn says that the field of ed-tech is quickly moving toward competency-based evaluation, where practical application of learned skills is just as important as rote memorization.
Traditional educational technology tools have focused too much on the what of learning and not enough on the how, she says, and Mathtoons grew out of her desire to build a design-focused solution to the educational system香蕉视频直播檚 structural problems.
香蕉视频直播淲e make it look seamless, but there are a lot of moving parts that we香蕉视频直播檝e had to perfect. This whole idea of optimizing the learning cycle香蕉视频直播hen you get developers in there, that香蕉视频直播檚 when you have a process for optimization. We use AGILE development methodology (to optimize learning).香蕉视频直播�
As an educator and data scientist, Garn says that managing the dichotomous relationship between technology香蕉视频直播檚 rapid evolution and education香蕉视频直播檚 emphasis on proven methods requires the support of major innovators.
香蕉视频直播淯BC has been amazing for me 香蕉视频直播� it was ground-breaking, to start that partnership. Their education faculty, the comp-sci department, the math professors, the industry liaison officer香蕉视频直播nything we needed, they were there.香蕉视频直播�
Beyond having industry support, Garn says that running an education technology startup also requires a diverse team.
香蕉视频直播淵ou have to make sure that you have science-based technical team members. My tech team consists of mathematicians and computer scientists, which matters because we香蕉视频直播檙e moving into a data-driven future. We香蕉视频直播檙e one of the few tech companies around that has kept the same core team members for years. That香蕉视频直播檚 because we need a team that can analyze data. The future is geeks!香蕉视频直播�
Garn says that her software can sometimes use as many as 20 different learning algorithms, and choosing the right algorithm for the right task is essential to the Mathtoons operation.
Thankfully, she notes, the Okanagan香蕉视频直播檚 thriving tech sector and enviable lifestyle means that attracting and retaining talent is relatively easy.
However, Garn香蕉视频直播檚 experience in business hasn香蕉视频直播檛 been completely free of complications. One of the most significant lessons she香蕉视频直播檚 learned came from a meeting at Google香蕉视频直播檚 headquarters, where the skeptical entrepreneur dismissed one of tech entrepreneurism香蕉视频直播檚 essential axioms.
香蕉视频直播淚n 2013, the Canadian Trade Association recognized me as a top female tech CEO, and I went to Google and met with other female CEOs and executives. One of the things they said about tech is that it香蕉视频直播檒l take three times more time and money than you think. I figured, 香蕉视频直播業香蕉视频直播檓 a mathematician, so I can estimate pretty well 香蕉视频直播� that won香蕉视频直播檛 be true for me.香蕉视频直播� Turns out, it香蕉视频直播檚 true.
香蕉视频直播淎lways budget for more time and money than you think you香蕉视频直播檒l need.香蕉视频直播�
But Garn learned quickly, and after four years of building Mathtoons, the company is experiencing rapid growth. Mathtoons is attracting sales and potential clients from outside of Canada, and is continuing the success it saw in 2013 when Mathtoons香蕉视频直播� app 香蕉视频直播淕rammar Fun!!香蕉视频直播� hit 700 per cent popularity growth within two weeks of its release.
Garn credits much of her success to the entrepreneurial environment in Kelowna, and says that starting a company in a growing tech center is opening some rather significant doors.
香蕉视频直播淎mazon is coming to Canada right now - they香蕉视频直播檙e starting an office in Montreal.
香蕉视频直播淚 was talking with their Canadian liaison today, and I told him I was calling from Kelowna, the west香蕉视频直播檚 tech center.
香蕉视频直播淗e said, 香蕉视频直播業香蕉视频直播檝e heard that place is growing.香蕉视频直播� (That香蕉视频直播檚 a good indication that) Kelowna is a great place to build a company.香蕉视频直播�
Crowe MacKay香蕉视频直播檚 Women to Watch program is a weekly feature that profiles remarkable women in our community, concluding October 16th. After terrific response, the nomination period for 2015 is now closed. Watch this space each week to see our remaining Women to Watch.
