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

TED

6.7M 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

Luis von Ahn, a Guatemalan computer scientist, introduces his company Duolingo and its mission to provide equal access to education. He emphasizes the importance of making education engaging and accessible, especially through the use of smartphones, and explains how Duolingo uses techniques from social media to keep people engaged in learning.

Education
Duolingo
Mobile Phones
Gamification

  • Luis von Ahn, the founder of Duolingo, explains that he is originally from Guatemala, which is a poor country located below Mexico and often considered Mexico's Mexico.
  • He emphasizes that education can exacerbate social inequality, as wealthy individuals can afford better education and maintain their wealth, while those less fortunate struggle to access quality learning opportunities.

Insights from Luis von Ahn's Talk on Duolingo and Education

1. Is Education the Great Equalizer? Luis von Ahn argues that education, in its current form, actually perpetuates inequality rather than bridging the gap. Those with financial resources can access better education, perpetuating the cycle of wealth. This challenges the traditional notion of education as the great equalizer.

2. How Can Technology Level the Playing Field? Recognizing the limitations of traditional education, von Ahn proposes utilizing technology to democratize access to learning. By leveraging smartphones, which are widely accessible even in less developed countries, he believes that education can be brought to the masses.

3. Can Education be Addictive? To

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