TP052686

ASSIGNMENT
TECHNOLOGY PARK MALAYSIA

BM006-3-2-CRI
CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION

UC2F1908CSDA

Abdullah Feroz Ansari TP052686

HAND OUT DATE: 19th MARCH 2020

HAND IN DATE: 29th MAY 2020

WEIGHTAGE: 50%

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES:

1 Submit your assignment at the administrative counter.

2 Students are advised to underpin their answers with the use of references
(cited using the Harvard Name System of Referencing).
3 Late submission will be awarded zero (0) unless Extenuating Circumstances
(EC) are upheld.
4 Cases of plagiarism will be penalized.
5 The assignment should be bound in an appropriate style (comb bound or
stapled).
6 Where the assignment should be submitted in both hardcopy and softcopy,
the softcopy of the written assignment and source code (where appropriate)
should be on a CD in an envelope / CD cover and attached to the hardcopy.
7 You must obtain 50% overall to pass this module.

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Table of Contents
Part 1 ....................................................................................................................................................... 3
Objective statement ........................................................................................................................... 3
Introduction ........................................................................................................................................ 3
Competitor Analysis ............................................................................................................................ 3
ALKES............................................................................................................................................... 4
Gradeup .......................................................................................................................................... 5
Part 2 ....................................................................................................................................................... 6
Product Concept description .............................................................................................................. 6
Part 3 ....................................................................................................................................................... 9
Market Identification .......................................................................................................................... 9
Part 4 ..................................................................................................................................................... 11
Idea Evaluation.................................................................................................................................. 11
SWOT Analysis............................................................................................................................... 11
Force Field Analysis ....................................................................................................................... 12
Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................. 14
Part 5 ..................................................................................................................................................... 15
Appendix – Survey ............................................................................................................................ 15
References ............................................................................................................................................ 27

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Part 1
Objective statement
To implement personalized learning and tailored testing application to enhance quality
education.

Introduction
Today, the world is progressing at an unprecedentedly fast pace along various domains,
especially in digital technologies but the education domain which serves the foundation to all
is deteriorating. On further examining, the reasons for deterioration of quality education it was
found that the practice of standardized testing and learning are obstacles to progress. In
standardized testing, students of different IQ, abilities and calibre give the same test, this
exploits the real potential and creativity of the student. To add on, famous scientist Albert
Einstein quoted “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it
will live its whole life believing that it is stupid” this statement clearly serves an analogy to the
current education system (Strauss, 2014). Further, standardized learning also serves as a barrier
to quality education as a student of different abilities are taught exactly the same. This
ultimately impacts the student’s inability to perform to their maximum potential and determine
a suitable future career path. Therefore, to tackle these hurdles an application is proposed for
tailored testing and personalized learning to be implemented at all education levels to enhance
quality education.

EDTailor, the application is powered by Artificial Intelligence and Big Data technologies
thereby enables students to reach their true potential.

Competitor Analysis
Due to emergence of technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Machine learning and Big
Data, numerous tech companies and start-up have mushroomed in Ed-Tech field recently.
Relating to our problem, on extensive research it has been discovered there are not many
applications specifically covering both problem areas which are tailored testing and
personalized learning except a few this includes ALEKS, NAP and Gradeup. Thereby, giving
a competitive advantage in ed-tech sector.

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ALKES
Company Profile

ALKES stands for Assessment and Learning Knowledge Spaces primarily developed in 1996
at UC Irvine and New York University as an internet-based tutoring program purely for maths
instructions. ALKES had initially partnered with McGraw-Hill in order to publicize their
product. Later in 2013, ALKES was acquired by McGraw-Hill for an undisclosed amount.
According to a report, ALKES has facilitated thousands of schools and millions of students
worldwide (Clarity Innovations, 2015). ALKES is web-based system supported by majority of
browsers. The pricing model followed is a subscription model, $20 per student per month or
$45 per student annually and depending on size rates for school differs (Clarity Innovations,
2015).

Figure 1: ALEKS Website

Uniqueness and Technology

Few numbers of questions regarding a subject are given to a student and instantly results are
generated, and appropriate automated feedback is given, open ended questions as a replacement
for multiple choice questions are given. This helps draw a better picture what the student has
understood, his level and training further needed to clear the points of misunderstanding. Every
time when a student attempts questions, accordingly students learning path is updated. To
measure the performance of student Artificial Intelligence technology is utilized along with

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knowledge space theory and mastery cycle to map students understanding level and
consequently, generate questions that ensures student achieves mastery in that particular topic
(ALEKS, n.d.).

Limitations

ALEKS only offers maths and science courses and limited to United States education board
such as Texas and California. Further, supports English and Spanish language only (ALEKS,
n.d.).

Gradeup
Company Profile

Gradeup is an Indian Noida based ed-tech startup, which was launched in 2015. It serves now
as India’s largest online exam preparation platform (gardeup, n.d.). The platform now offers
live classes led by academicians from India’s premiere institutes. Along with online classes it
is supported with interactive quizzes and mock tests. It further uploads selective content on it
YouTube channel in order to benefit the community at large. According to indiatoday, Gradeup
has benefited 13 million students across 2500 cities in India alone (Chopra, 2019). It has
revolutionized traditional competitive coaching from offline to online classes. To have better
reach Gradeup application is available on App Store and Play Store, and intuitive website. It
offers free and paid content, according to paid course the price differs from $10 to $500.

Figure 2: Gradeup apps and its distinctive features.

Uniqueness and Technology

It not only offers students preparing for exam with live online classes, interactive quiz and
mind maps but also 1 on 1 meeting with teacher, this actively drives student engagement with
4X higher compared to recorded video lectures (Agrawal, 2019). On daily basis, meeting slots
are released for clearing doubts and to promote deeper understanding on topic, and daily study

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plans offers further clarity and structure to the student. Gradeup is built using advance
technologies such as Elasticsearch, Nodejs, Bigquery, Tensorflow and Cassandra (Agrawal,
2019). Taking consideration of Tier2 and Tier3 cities low internet bandwidth, the light 7 MB
app is optimized for image compression and cached data. Gradeup is powered by Machine
learning models which allows students to make text or picture-based query and get its response
in less than 3 seconds which is big issue in majority of e-learning apps (Agrawal, 2019).

Limitations

Gradeup can be considered as virtual classroom and repository of lectures, preparing student
for competitive exams with additional support of quizzes and tests. Thereby, lacks personalized
learning and tailored testing wherein students of different abilities access common material.

Part 2
Product Concept description
To achieve the objective of implementing personalized learning and tailored testing in order to
enhance quality education. Two technologies that includes Artificial Intelligence and Big Data
will be primarily used in development of EDTailor application.

In order to make tailored testing successful it is highly important to know about student
abilities; therefore implementation of personalized learning is vital to keep track and monitor
student performance (Rouhiainen, 2019). Therefore, the proposed application will have
features personalized learning and tailored testing integrated. An Artificial Intelligence
powered using Natural Language Processing technique, chatbot is placed in left-corner that
will allow students to ask questions on how-to-use the software and also answer basic technical
related queries (Maruti Techlabs, 2017).

Figure 3: Website interface of EDTailor

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Depending on module and respective grade selected as seen in figure 3, the student initially
attempts a couple of open-ended questions and MCQs, this will enable to draw a fair picture of
student’s understating in that particular module. On attempting the questions, results will be
immediately generated. Behind the scenes, the results generated of the student will enable big
data’s data mining technique to understand the student’s strong and weak points in that
particular module (Khan, 2019), further using artificial intelligence’s heuristics technique
optimal path for accomplishing that topic will be displayed (Guido Diepen, 2017).

Each student has a digital profile where his/her knowledge path is constantly updated according
to the progress made, and this progress is displayed in a progress bar/ fuel bar as seen in figure,
this consequently serves as statistics to student, lecturer, staff and parents behind which pure
data analytics KDD (Knowledge discovery process) is utilized to gain insights, interpret and
then present the results (rajput, n.d.) the mechanism behind this shown in figure below.

Figure 4: Image 1- insights are discovered, Image 2 - Facts are analysed and interpreted, Image 3 - Results are presented.
(Onderwijsdagen, 2014)

Each topic consists of three sections class, live and tests as seen in figure 3. Further, classes
are of two type online classes and offline classes. The online classes will be pre-scheduled
monthly, wherein all student attend virtual classroom and interact with respective lecturer. The
offline class will be set of pre-recorded lectures serving as an aid to rewind or fast pace certain
concepts, based on student profile pre-recorded class will be arranged by a sorting algorithm.

Under live section, respective module instructors/lectures will be available daily to entertain
all sorts of query/question asked by students and weekly student profile report will be discussed
with student and parents. According to a study, parental involvement highly impacts the student
performance as parents are aware and thereby, motivate them to perform better (Nightingale,
2016). Further, live section will utilize advance video conferencing technology such as smooth

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face to face calling, screen sharing and whiteboard sharing enabling individual/group meetings
among peers and instructors to effectively collaborate and interact (Darcy, 2020). To add on,
COVID-19 pandemic showcased the importance of such a feature as worldwide meetings and
classes were conducted online live (Darcy, 2020).

Last and one of the unique features of this application, under test section once student covers a
topics’ he/she will be put test in order to assess students’ understanding on that topic. Unlike
the traditional testing wherein all student attempts the same set of questions. According to a
study, 38% have agreed that standardized testing is not fair and consequently pushed by many
educational institutions to remove standardized testing (usnews.com, n.d.). Furthermore, to add
on standardized testing places student of different calibre, ability under one roof and thereby,
stagnating student to reach maximum potential and creativity (Strauss, 2014). Instead tailored
testing powered by AI and Big Data will be used. All the data collected on student performance
in previous topics and tests will be analysed using data mining techniques and thereby, map
student understanding level similar to ALKES algorithm (ALEKS, n.d.). Accordingly, test
questions are given to student and when student is attempting the questions in the background
AI will be running to arrange questions based on complexity, student who completes a more
complex pathway will achieve higher score compared to one who completes a less complex
pathway, this technique will be similar to current NAPLAN testing algorithm (NAP, n.d.)as
seen in figure below. Further, testing will also case study assessments, this will allow student
think outside the box and give his/her opinion to solve case study, ultimately promote
creativity. Thereby, this resulted will be updated in student profile and depict true potential of
student.

Figure 5: Online Test algorithm (NAP, n.d.)

To develop the mobile application and website programming languages such as Nodejs and
React will be used.

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Part 3
Market Identification
India accounts for 315 million students in 2019 (Varma, 2014). Making it world’s largest
student population holder and thereby, serves suitable target market for the proposed
application. Despite having a gigantic student population but have less/no technological
advancements in education sector. Only a few private institutions have adopted to tailored
testing and personalized learning such as EI (Educational initiatives) providing mobile and
web-based application built on machine learning and big data to test mathematical and English
skills of students. On the other hand, public institutions like CBSE (Central board of secondary
education), NIOS (National Institute of open schooling) and other Indian education boards
which accounts for majority enrolment have very few tailored testing and personalized learning
platform for students. Most students unaware about existence of such applications/platforms.

Product

EDTailor application will be available on both mobile platform that includes App-Store and
Play-Store and a dedicated website. Initially, it will be covering K-12 courses ranging from
science, maths, languages, and political science of CBSE and NIOS board. For instance, in 10th
grade course offered to students will be science, maths, languages and political science, further
under science there will be segregation of Physics, Biology and Chemistry. Later in following
months after constant monitoring and feedbacks, new courses will be added and support to
other nationwide educational boards. Applications comprises of two main features which are
Personalized learning and Tailored testing. The student choses the subjects he wants to study
and leverages the application’s two unique features to enhance his performance. Once the
product is nationwide approved, it can be used solely for conducting examination of 10th and
12th grade annually, thereby allowing to achieve main objective of implementing tailored
testing and enhance quality education.

Place

Since Indian Education Boards that includes CBSE and NIOS will be focused. According to a
shiksha.com, CBSE national education board is affiliated with 21,271 schools in India and 228
schools outside India, which totals upto 21,600+ schools all over the globe and in NIOS
3,50,000 students annually enrol (shiksha.com, n.d.). Therefore, the product market will be

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schools affiliated with these boards but for primary stage students in India nationwide will be
focused.

Price

EDTailor will be a freemium, which implies certain content and partially features will be given
as free. The objective behind keep it partially free will allow students to try and use it, further
when students urges the need to experience all features and boost his/her student performance,
will eventually subscribe to the application. The subscription charges have been tabled below:

GRADE MONTHLY YEARLY

K-5 $5 $30
5-9 $7 $40
10-12 $10 $50

The above prices are listed for per student subscription whereas for school subscription price
varies depending on the size of school.

The price has been specifically low as product is new in market and due to comparatively low
income annually in India.

Promotion

Taking in consideration India’s massive student population, thereby various models and
strategies need to be implemented to become leader in Ed-Tech industry. It can be identified
that 10-12 will be the main grade category which have to be marketed the most since in these
grades student appear for 10th and 12th board exams thereby indicating need for students to
access such material and assistance in order to perform their best. Social media marketing will
be used to notify existence of such an application and its unique features through social
networking apps like Instagram and Facebook, targeting students aged between 13-18 years
using these applications. Parents will also be targeted through YouTube ads because once a
parent is convinced by the unique features of this application, they will ultimately enrol their
child’s better performance and bright future. The application will be given as a free trail for 4
months to quite number of schools, thereby this will attract huge traffic of students to
experience such a unique app further this will also benefit school as students will score better
and further use it as means of conducting classes and tailored examination. Students who had
subscribed to the application and achieved topped in the annual CBSE and NIOS examination

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will be made application ambassadors thereby, this will further help to promote. Last but not
the least, mouth of word is vital for success thereby, students using the application will be
encouraged to tell their friends.

Part 4
Idea Evaluation
SWOT Analysis
SWOT stands for Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, and Threats. SWOT analysis is performed
to find out the strength, weakness, opportunity, and threat of the idea. The main objective of
SWOT analysis is to help EDTailor in developing full awareness of all the factors involved in
making a business decision (Schooley, 2019).

Strength

The strength of EDTailor is defined by enhancing current quality education. The idea is to
implement tailored testing and personalized learning into current education system. The biggest
strength identified is student of different abilities will understand concepts and be tested
according to their ability and thereby, students potential and creativity isn’t harnessed.

Therefore, EDTailor will revolutionize education industry by enabling students to perform to

their maximum potential and determine suitable future career path.

Weakness

Every coin has two faces, if there are strengths then having some weakness is pretty common.
In long term, adoption by Indian educational boards as primary mode of taking examination
seems a bit complex due to rigid bureaucracy in India.

Opportunity

EDTailor will allow students with internet connection located at remote location to access
education at an affordable rate and without any hassle to travel. Further, COVID-19 pandemic
has proved online classes and exams are possible and thus, giving an opportunity.

Threats

Due to rising concern of data privacy and mentioned in survey as well, students may feel
uncomfortable to share such data and government bodies may intervene with rigid data

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collection policies. This can be a huge threat as the application’s heart and soul is data, to create
tailored test.

Force Field Analysis

In 1940’s Kurt Lewin proposed force field analysis model. In this model forces driving change
and forces restraining of a given proposal are identified and each force given a score between
1 to 5. In order for the change to occur the driving force must exceed the restraining force, then
proposal is accepted.

Figure 6: Force Field Analysis

In the above force field analysis model, forces driving change (green arrow) and force
restraining change (red arrow) are listed. Below a short description on each change is
mentioned and conclude to whether move forward with proposal of implementing personalized
learning and tailored testing application to enhance quality education.

Forces driving change:

Students of different abilities appear for the same test, thereby studies also have proved
standardized testing is not fair (usnews.com, n.d.). Score: 5

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The proposed application will provide personalized educational content and tailored testing at
the tip of fingers to students. Student with internet connection, located anywhere in the world
can access this application. Score: 5

It has been brought to notice, every year number of students attending school before completion
are dropping out. According to a study, personalized learning increases student engagement by
66%, therefore such an application can boost student retention. Score: 3

In previous section, competitor analysis it was found out there isn’t any application like the
proposed application, and it stands out with tailored testing and personalized learning unique
features. Score: 2

Forces resisting change:

Due to rising concern of data privacy laws all over the globe, this may hamper the
implementation of such an application which solely feeds on students’ data to provide
personalize learning and tailored testing. Score: 4

India educational sector will be for the first time experiencing such an application loaded with
advance technologies, thereby might create unease to new users and non-technical students.
But necessary tour will be provided to ensure student becomes familiar with usage. Score: 2

The main concern for achieving long term goal of the application, to provide educational board
a primary means to conduct annual examination through this application may be hindered as
Indian bureaucracy is known for rigidity and slow adoption. Score: 3

Primitive culture and background of school and parents may curb the acceptance of this
proposed application for education purpose. In India, there are schools which prefer hardcover
books over softcopy still and, parents that fear intervention of technology in imparting
education may distract child. Score: 1

Conclusion

It is clearly evident, forces driving change score higher than forces restricting change therefore,
the proposal can move forward.

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Conclusion
From this project, it can be concluded that world is accelerating at unprecedently high speed
especially in technologies domain, but the domain education which serves foundation to all is
deteriorating. Therefore, there is an urgent need to implement an application to personalize
learning and conduct tailored testing, which thereby allows student to reach to their maximum
potential and determine suitable career path for a better future. This will therefore make
education in line with society 5.0. Society 5.0 aims to integrate technology in our daily lives.
Bringing technology in the educational sector will only be beneficial in achieving this aim.

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Part 5
Appendix – Survey

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References
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For Expansion. [Online]
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indias-test-prep-market/
[Accessed 28 May 2020].

ALEKS, n.d. ALEKS Course Products. [Online]

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Anon., 2019. Lack of Education: Causes, Effects & Solutions. [Online]

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Chopra, D., 2019. Top 5 educational apps that every student should pursue for their exam preparation.
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shiksha.com, n.d. Education boards in India - CBSE, ICSE, National Institute of open schooling. [Online]
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Strauss, V., 2014. ‘Let’s stop measuring fish by how well they climb trees’ - The Washington Post.
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usnews.com, n.d. 85 (640x354). [Online]

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%3A%2F%2Fmedia.beam.usnews.com%2F44%2Fd9%2Fed0523814b159aec1ace86bc3f71%2F15100
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Varma, S., 2014. At 315 million, India has the most students in world. [Online]
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[Accessed 29 May 2020].

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