People think the digital education system is replacing traditional school education: Praveen Tyagi, Founder and CEO of STEPapp
We, at The Tech Outlook, caught up with Praveen Tyagi – Founder and CEO of STEPapp to know more about the application he made – STEPapp, how it functions and what is the USP of their program.
STEP (Student Talent Enhancement Program) is a revolutionary gamified learning application developed by a team of 400+ IITians and doctors. Recently, Amitabh Bachchan became the face of the brand that is available in English, Hindi, and Marathi.
In the interview, Praveen opened up about his journey with the company, the initial expectations, and inhibitions, the challenges, and much more.
Q. How did you come up with this idea?
Praveen Tyagi: Having been an educator for the past 22 years, I always felt that education needs a level playing field that allows students from all backgrounds equal opportunity to step up and be rewarded on the basis of their merit and sincerity. The digital revolution has provided us with a great opportunity to do just that. Students of this day and age need supplemental solutions that allow them to learn and gain conceptual clarity in an enjoyable, personalised, adaptive format, which can be achieved if learning is gamified.
That was when the idea struck me. I had the support of 400+ IITians and Doctors who not only understood my vision but also supported it. We came up with an idea that existing traditional learning pedagogy would be greatly complemented by a solution that would allow students to take control of their learning outcomes through conceptual clarity delivered to them in a gamified format. That is how the idea of STEPapp came into being.
Q. What expectations and fears you had when you started STEPapp? Do you think all the expectations have been fulfilled?
Praveen Tyagi: One of the biggest fears of bringing new technology in the digital education system is the misinterpretation that it is replacing the already set up traditional school education. I have always made sure that with the introduction of STEPapp, the traditional school education will be complemented and not supplemented. With STEPapp, we provide a gamified format to students that will enhance their education through a fun learning platform and helps them relearn the topics that are taught in schools.
We at STEPapp are focusing on bridging the educational gap between the children in the elite areas and the children in underprivileged areas. This has always been the top concern for us. I have always believed in equal educational opportunities to everyone irrespective of their backgrounds. With STEPapp, there will not be any differences when it comes to providing a level playing field for students all across, getting quality and fun learning educational experiences through this gamified format of e-learning.
Q. On this journey, what challenges have you faced and how did you overcome them?
Praveen Tyagi: I and my team at STEPapp have always aimed to provide universal access to quality education for every child in every corner of the country using technology and gamification. One of the biggest challenges that came before us was to reach out and build connectivity in remote areas and provide them the e-learning experience. There was also an issue of improper infrastructure to provide school education in many areas in the country.
After extensive research and development of STEPapp, we are happy to successfully implement the offline feature in our app to provide a platform to educate children in the underprivileged areas. With STEPapp, students can now learn and revise the topics thoroughly without any disruption at the ease of their homes.
Q. Amitabh Bachchan would be joining you as a brand ambassador. What do you have to say about that? How do you think it will help the app come in limelight?
Praveen Tyagi: Amitabh Bachchan is a legendary actor who has marked his presence in the industry for a long period of time. Being in such a respectful position, he is not only a great personality but is one of the most trusted and genuine brand influencers. He believes that the future of our country lies in the education of our children. He further adds that STEPapp has made learning interesting and rewarding for students with the innovation of introducing learning through games.
With the trust of a remarkable person like Mr Bachchan, we firmly believe in keeping the confidence of parents and teachers who will join hands with us to build the future of the children of our country.
Q. What are the things that you are going to venture into the future?
Praveen Tyagi: With a gamified, interactive and adaptive learning approach by STEPapp, we are focusing on the successful implementation of our app in every sector, every region, and corner of the country. We are concentrating on giving out equal opportunities to every child, irrespective of where they come from. Furthermore, we are aiming at helping the parents and teachers to make an informed decision on the basis of the student’s performance that is notified to them on a regular basis.
