Youtube Exercise » English Grammar Homework

How to Make Learning as Addictive as Social Media | Duolingo's Luis Von Ahn | TED

TED

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Warm-up Questions

When you hear the title, what does it mean for learning to be “addictive”? Is that a good or bad idea?
What techniques do you think social media uses to keep people coming back?
What kinds of things do you personally learn with an app (languages, math, music, fitness, etc.)?

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How to Make Learning as Addictive as Social Media | Duolingo's Luis Von Ahn | TED

Background: Education, inequality, and why languages (00:00 – 04:05)

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1. According to the speaker, what often happens “in practice” with education in poor countries?

It mainly helps people learn science faster than languages.
It can increase inequality because richer people can buy better education.
It reliably reduces inequality for all social classes.
It is equally high quality for rich and poor students.

2. Why did the speaker say foreign languages were a good subject to start with?

Because languages have a small audience but strong government funding.
Because math and computer science cannot be learned on phones.
Because learning a language can directly increase income potential (especially English).
Because languages require no repetition and are easy to master quickly.

3. What was the main reason the team decided to use smartphones for education?

Smartphones guarantee students will stay focused.
Most people already have access to smartphones, and that access is increasing.
Smartphones are only common in rich countries.
Schools are easy to build, but phones are too expensive.

How to Make Learning as Addictive as Social Media | Duolingo's Luis Von Ahn | TED

Business model and the “addictive” competition on smartphones (04:05 – 07:10)

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1. In the speaker’s description, how does Duolingo mostly make revenue?

Mostly from governments paying for national licenses.
By charging everyone per lesson.
Mainly from people who subscribe to turn off ads.
By selling printed textbooks.

2. Why does the speaker call Duolingo’s model a “small form of wealth redistribution”?

Because it uses ads to make everyone equally rich.
Because it gives cash directly to learners in poorer countries.
Because people in rich countries often pay, helping fund access for people who don’t pay.
Because it transfers money from schools to smartphone companies.

3. What metaphor does the speaker use to describe educational apps competing with social media on a phone?

Hoping people will eat broccoli while the most delicious dessert is right next to it.
Teaching someone to swim in a storm.
Trying to run a marathon in the desert.
Building a house during an earthquake.

How to Make Learning as Addictive as Social Media | Duolingo's Luis Von Ahn | TED

Psychological techniques: streaks, notifications, meaning, and applying it to other subjects (07:10 – 12:55)

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1. What is a “streak,” as the speaker defines it?

A ranking that compares you to your friends’ test results.
A weekly reminder sent by email.
A score that measures how fast you finish one lesson.
A counter for the number of days you used the product consecutively.

2. What did the speaker say is the best time to send a notification?

Exactly at midnight every day.
During work hours to build discipline.
Only on weekends when people have free time.
24 hours after the person last used the product.

3. In the Q&A, which type of subjects does the speaker say are especially suitable for gamification?

Subjects that depend on memorizing celebrity facts.
Subjects that cannot be practiced daily.
Subjects that require only long explanations.
Subjects learned mainly through repetition.

How to Make Learning as Addictive as Social Media | Duolingo's Luis Von Ahn | TED

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1. What is the speaker’s main overall message about using smartphone-style engagement techniques for learning?

The only way to learn is in physical schools without technology.
Educational apps should never use psychological techniques because they are unethical.
If an app isn’t more engaging than TikTok, it will always fail.
Education can borrow engagement techniques from social media to help people learn meaningful things.

2. Why does the speaker think an educational product can be less engaging than social media and still succeed?

Because educational apps can eliminate all distractions on phones.
Because learning provides meaning and internal motivation that scrolling often doesn’t.
Because ads always force people to study.
Because teachers can legally require daily app use.

3. What problem does the speaker identify as the biggest challenge to delivering education on smartphones?

Most people don’t have internet access anywhere.
Smartphones come with extremely addictive apps that compete for attention.
Smartphones cannot display text clearly.
Language learning cannot be done digitally.

Discussion Questions

Discuss the ideas from this video

How to Make Learning as Addictive as Social Media | Duolingo's Luis Von Ahn | TED

Is it ethical for learning apps to use “addictive” design techniques? Where should the line be?
Which engagement tools work on you most: streaks, notifications, memes, competition, rewards, or something else? Why?
The speaker says education doesn’t need to be as engaging as social media because learning has meaning. Do you agree? Give an example from your life.
Which school subjects could be improved through repetition and gamification, and which subjects might need different methods (like explanations or videos)?