Learnia Inc announced the release of their next-gen math and spelling app for the iPad. Learnia uses state-of-the-art 3D graphics to create an attractive and fun world for kids to explore. To make progress, kids have to master skill stones that contain lectures, exercises and a final challenge. Learnia teaches spelling and common core aligned math grade 1, 2 and 3. Learnia is free to try and supports in app purchases.
Learnia’s world consists of a number of islands, each with a distinct feel. Each island contains one year of spelling or math. A path meanders from island to island giving kids a sense of progress as they learn. The path is blocked by skill stones. When kids master a skill stone it steps aside and the next segment of the path opens up.
Each skill stone contains three exercises and a final challenge. The skill stone can also contain lectures. Children can attempt the challenge straight away or practice first using the exercises. This puts kids in charge of their learning and allows them to quickly work through material they already know. Skill stones can be mastered to a bronze, silver or gold level enticing kids to try hard or come back later to ‘nail it.’
An owl named Waddle joins kids on their journey. As children open up more of the path, Waddle will collect pick-ups along the way. Kids earn coins. Each island has animals that can be purchased as well as food for them. As they progress kids will fill up the world of Learnia with ‘pets’ that they will want to feed. This creates an incentive for them to pick up their iPad, feed their pets and do some learning while they are at it.
Learnia’s interface is designed specifically for tablets. Children can write numbers using handwriting recognition or using a virtual keyboard. In many exercises marbles/blocks/objects can be moved around to gain a feel for the math before moving to the more abstract numbers.
Progress is saved in the cloud and synched up between iPads. Parents and teachers can share access to a student so that kids can work at home and at school on the same account. Teachers have a screen live-showing what all kids in the class are working on. Questions the student was unable to pass, are stored so that parents or teachers can review them with the child at any time.
Learnia contains over 180 skill stones spread out over 7 distinct islands, 140 different exercises, many lectures, 4 reward games and many animated animals.