IntegralCALC AcademyAn analysis of a new venture promoting a unique approach to learning calculus and other mathematics topics, combining one-on-one tutoring, self-directed learning, and community-based support.To fulfill the requirements of Assignmentfor !T!C "## $ %entures in Learning Technology&y 'arah (owe #)"")**+or ,avid %ogt and ,avid -orterContents.ser !/perience...................................................................................................................#+ounder and Team.............................................................................................................#'ite 0istory and 1verview..................................................................................................#Content............................................................................................................................#%ideo Tutorials2..............................................................................................................#,ownloads2...................................................................................................................#Assessment2..................................................................................................................#Community and 'upport2................................................................................................#-oints3-ath 'ystem2.......................................................................................................)Cost to the .ser................................................................................................................)'creenshots......................................................................................................................45ar6et................................................................................................................................"5ar6et 'i7e2.................................................................................................................."Competition2................................................................................................................."-ositioning2...................................................................................................................81verall Impression...............................................................................................................8(eferences..........................................................................................................................9'arah (oweAssignment!T!C "#*User ExperienceFounder and TeamThe main focus of integralCALC Academy :http233integralcalc.com; is to rista >ing, a ?otre ,ame graduate who has been tutoring in the field of mathematics :most specifically, calculus; for over * years.(ather than employing -h.,.-educated professors, integralCALC Academy tries to give users a more hands-on approach $ that is, the tools needed to pass assignments, tests, or e/ams $ rather than a theoretical or inquiry-based approach that may be more suitable for those pursuing graduate-level education in mathematics.,ue to IntegralCALC@s very recent launch, there are no additional team members on board as of yet. IntegralCALC does boast a community of discussion moderators that assist students with real-time questions or problems, but they are not listed as a venture support team.Site History and OverviewIntegralCALC was originally started as a AouTube channel, providing free video tutorials in #**B. A more e/tensive course list and additional features were launched in #*) as integralCALC Academy.There, users are able to access video tutorials for a variety of courses :series of videos and other content that address a central idea of calculus;, download course materials, and trac6 their learningas they progress through each available course. Two basic courses are also available on .demy.com for a reduced, non-subscription fee.ContentVideo Tutorials: IntegralCALC e/pands upon the free AouTube video series with in-depth e/planations and wor6ed problems, narrated3taught by founder >ing. In a sample course there are #B videos that are accompanied by other forms of media :+igure );.Downloads:,ownloadable content includes course notes :that apply to the particular course;, formula sheets, and practice e/ams :+igure 4;.Assessment: 'hort qui77es :typically #-" multiple choice questions; to allow the user to test 6nowledge learned in the current section :called the step; of the course.Community and Support: 'imilar to large-scale C5' such as &lac6board and CebCT, IntegralCALC Academy allows users to see who is enrolled in their course and communicate with them and the teacher :at this stage, the only teacher3tutor is >ing;. Through the points3path system :described below; users can display their progress and see the progress of others :+igure ";.'arah (owe # Assignment!T!C "#*!ach step of the course also has a discussion board to foster collaborative learning. The course moderator and tutor, as well as students, have the opportunity to post discussion items on the general course discussion board, as well as content-specific questions for each specific course item.'tudents have the opportunity to communicate with their course moderator3tutor through email as well. An unprompted email is sent to all users within " days of course registration to chec6 on their progress and identify any questions or concerns as the course progresses. 'tudents are free to reply to the email or send a help request through email at any time during a course from the site.+requently As6ed Duestions are listed in a convenient place to help students with site usage and subscription management $ these are not content-related.oints!at" System: In order to help students chose the correct sequence :path; of learning:although at any time the user may s6ip or go bac6 to a step;, a points system is employed. Chen the user has completed a step, such as watching a video on a topic or downloading3reading course notes, he or she is given a predetermined number of points. These points are displayed on the community board and are used toward the total point value of the course, which varies depending on length. The completion of a step, and thus the points value, can be reset at any time to allow the user to retry or rewatch the step.Cost to t"e UserTwo free, 511C :massively open online course;-style courses are available to any registered IntegralCALC Academy user :registration is free;. The first course :Academy *; offers an introduction to the site itself, including navigation :through the site and through individual courses;and account management. The -reCalculus Elobal course offers a quic6 set of lessons to refresh basic mathematics s6ills such as evaluating functions and using trigonometry, which are essential to understanding calculus.The subscription-based model has a F#G3month fee. +or the fee, users are able to access all content on integralCALC Academy at any time via the web. ?o long-term subscription is required $ cancellation is available at any time.>ing has also made two popular courses available on .demy.com, available for unlimited viewing with a non-subscription-based plan for FB per course.Another option for users at a teacher or school administrator level is to purchase a school-wide subscription. A per user group monthly fee :from -"* students to #"*-*** students; ranging from FBB3month to FBBB3month for the largest number of subscribers allows any student from the school to access any of the Academy@s courses at any time while the subscription is active. Teachers also have the opportunity to add their own course content for their students and monitor progress with special moderator privileges.'arah (owe ) Assignment!T!C "#*Screens"otsFi#ure $: T"e "ome pa#e o% inte#ralCA&C'com( %eaturin# a num)er o% courses'Fi#ure *: T"e main course screen %or reCalculus( a %ree course on inte#ralCA&C'com'Fi#ure +: A video tutorial %or reCalculus( %eaturin# %ounder and tutor ,rista ,in#''arah (owe 4 Assignment!T!C "#*Fi#ure -: A sample download . a %ormula s"eet %or t"e reCalculus course'Fi#ure /: T"e reCalculus course community screen'0ar1et0ar1et Si2e: &ecause of its company mission, integralCALC.com stands to ma6e headway into the private tutoring and online tutoring mar6et. The >-# private tutoring mar6et :in the .nited 'tates; in #**"-#**8 totalled F#.#) billion .', with a forecast of F#." billion .' by #**9 :!duventures, #**G;. 1f that, it is estimated that "H of the mar6et includes online tutoring.'ince the #**G report by !duventures, the .' private tutoring mar6et has reached an estimate of F9 billion .' :Cronenweth, #*; and online tutoring sites could hold as much as #"H of that mar6et share.The IntegralCALC Academy does have a smaller mar6et segment to target due to its focus on senior secondary and first-or-second year mathematics topics, rather than a larger set of 6>-# subIects.Competition: IntegralCALC.com faces competition from other popular course delivery sites and mathematics tutoring sites.'arah (owe " Assignment!T!C "#*.demy.com allows users to create and sell their own custom courses, ranging from photography to physics. !nrollment fees depend on the price set by the individual course creator, and a percentageof the fee is paid to .demy. IntegralCALC has two basic courses available on .demy for a reduced fee. 1ther calculus courses on .demy may pose some competition, but they do not offer the interactive community featured by integralCALC.Coursera.com offers free online academic and interest-based courses from accredited educational institutions. 1nly si/ courses are available under the hanacademy.com is perhaps one of the most widely 6nown mathematics and science education sites today, with about # million viewers per month in #* :Thompson, #*;. The site offers a multitude of free videos about numerous math and science topics, including over #** videos on calculus topics, although there are some interactive opportunities through which students can as6 questions and discuss videos :via Community Duestions discussion boards;.ositionin#: IntegralCALC does much to position itself in its fairly small mar6et segment. The semi-tiered individual subscription model :try some courses for free, pay for a subscription later; allows users more opportunity to evaluate integralCALC before paying :unli6e competing .demy courses; while 6eeping quality, currency, and support levels high :which may or may not be the case for Coursera courses if they are not updated frequently;. Care.com lists average private tutoring prices :in .', for .nited 'tates-based tutors;. These can range from as little as F#*-F"* per session for an online tutor, or as much as FG" for an in-person session with a certified teacher :Care.com, n.d.;. IntegralCALC Academy offers a great deal of value for a manageable fee. The value of social constructivism in the integralCALC.com community as well as the potential for unlimited communication with the class tutor via discussion postings or email can ma6e integralCALC a more affordable option for a student, particularly if faced with additional financial pressures such as paying for post-secondary education.Overall 3mpressionAs an employee of a maIor Canadian educational publisher :most recently in the >-# mathematicsdepartment;, I often hear that math teachers in Canada@s public school systems are faced with a number of challenges. The first is teachers@ overall lac6 of time to plan remedial lessons and to wor6 one-on-one with students. In a particularly difficult course li6e Calculus and %ectors :1ntario course; that is also e/tremely important for students wishing to pursue science, technology, and engineering studies in university, integralCALC.com can fulfill a need. Teachers can purchase a school subscription to allow their calculus students to obtain e/tra help in areas of difficulty, or students themselves can register and subscribe. The second challenge that is nearly universal to teachers in the public school system is the lac6 of funding. >-# curricula are regularly revised, and thus, require new resources :te/tboo6s and teachers@ editions; to correspond to the new material. 1ften school boards are unable or unwilling to ma6e a maIor te/tboo6 adoption when new curriculum guidelines are released, due to the e/pense. 5any teachers have also communicated :through mar6et focus groups and other feedbac6 meetings; that these new editions often have large sections of te/t where the 'arah (owe 8 Assignment!T!C "#*instructional design can be lac6ing. Thus, teachers often pic6 and choose items from their own personal material, other te/tboo6s, or the Internet. IntegralCALC.com provides them with more affordable access to quality calculus resources and is more reliable than some free sources online.The only maIor problem I foresee for this venture is the very small si7e of the advisory team and3or tutoring staff. (un solely by >ing at this time, the real ris6 involved in this venture is the possibility that >ing may or may not be available and able to respond promptly to student question,decreasing the value-added proposition that integralCALC.com has over its competition. Although the community discussion boards can fill in for an urgent matter, e/pansion of the tutoring staff would alleviate this problem.As a small mathematics venture, integralCALC.com has potential for targeting a niche in the private3online tutoring mar6et. Li6e many of its competitors, this company targets individual mathematics learning. 0owever, its specific focus on entry-level calculus and its community-based and individuali7ed one-on-one support allows it to stand out in the mar6et. 'ome users may initially hesitate to register with the Academy due to its per-month subscription fee, but a comparison to average private tutoring rates and the ability to cancel at any time :e.g., after a course or e/am has been completed; means integralCALC.com can hold a great deal of value for a user for the duration of their subscription.'arah (owe G Assignment!T!C "#*4e%erencesCare.com. :n.d.;. The tutor guide2 Tutoring +ees. (etrieved from http233www.care.com3tutoring-tutoring-fees-p4"-q))"8.html 1ctober , #*).Cronenweth, '. :#*;. Elobal private tutoring mar6et continues strong growth. Socrato.com. (etrieved from http233blog.socrato.com3global-private-tutoring-mar6et-continues-strong-growth3, 1ctober , #*).!duventures. :#**G;. Instruction for hire2 A survey of the private tutoring mar6et. (etrieved from http233eia.memberclic6s.net3assets3#**GH#*6#JprivateJtutoring.pdf, 'eptember #8, #*).integralCALC Academy. :#*);. About integralCALC.com. (etrieved from http233integralcalc.pathwright.com3support3, 'eptember #", #*).Thompson, C. :#*;. 0ow >han Academy is changing the rules of education. Wired Digital. Kuly ", #*. (etreived from http233resources.rosettastone.com3C,?3us3pdfs3>-#3CiredJ>hanAcademy.pdf, 1ctober , #*).'arah (owe 9 Assignment!T!C "#*