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

TED

7.7M Views . 2023-10-26

When technologist Luis von Ahn was building the popular language-learning platform Duolingo, he faced a big problem: Could an app designed to teach you something ever compete with addictive platforms like Instagram and TikTok? He explains how Duolingo harnesses the psychological techniques of social media and mobile games to get you excited to learn — all while spreading access to education across the world. If you love watching TED Talks like this one, become a TED Member to support our mission of spreading ideas: https://ted.com/membership Follow TED! Twitter: https://twitter.com/TEDTalks Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ted Facebook: https://facebook.com/TED LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ted-conferences TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tedtoks The TED Talks channel features talks, performances and original series from the world's leading thinkers and doers. Subscribe to our channel for videos on Technology, Entertainment and Design — plus science, business, global issues, the arts and more. Visit https://TED.com to get our entire library of TED Talks, transcripts, translations, personalized talk recommendations and more. Watch more: https://go.ted.com/luisvonahn https://youtu.be/P6FORpg0KVo TED's videos may be used for non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons License, Attribution–Non Commercial–No Derivatives (or the CC BY – NC – ND 4.0 International) and in accordance with our TED Talks Usage Policy: https://www.ted.com/about/our-organization/our-policies-terms/ted-talks-usage-policy. For more information on using TED for commercial purposes (e.g. employee learning, in a film or online course), please submit a Media Request at https://media-requests.ted.com #TED #TEDTalks #Duolingo

The speaker, originally from Guatemala, introduces their background and explains the educational disparities they observed in their home country. They highlight the importance of education as a tool to overcome poverty and emphasize how their own access to quality education, despite coming from a poor family, played a significant role in their path to achieving a PhD in computer science.

Education
Guatemala
Social Inequality

  • The speaker, originally from Guatemala, introduces the country's geographical location and socioeconomic situation, emphasizing its poverty and the challenge of social inequality in the context of education.
  • He highlights his own experience as an only child whose mother invested heavily in his education, enabling him to pursue a PhD in computer science in the US.

Insights from the YouTube Video Critic Text:

1. The Power of Personal Storytelling: This speaker uses their own journey as a Guatemalan immigrant who received a "rich person's education" despite their background to connect with the audience. They highlight the importance of personal anecdotes in making complex issues relatable.

2. Challenging Traditional Views on Education: The speaker argues that traditional education can perpetuate inequality by favoring those who can afford it. They present a compelling case for accessible and equal education opportunities.

3. The Role of Language in Economic Opportunity: The speaker makes a strong argument that learning a foreign language, particularly English, can significantly increase earning potential in many parts of the world. This perspective challenges

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