An open-source operating system for education
In May, we launched the first version of Zoonk. The idea was simple: tell us what you want to learn, and we create a course for you.
Since then, I've been emailing people who tried it to ask what they thought. Our courses were built to take you from zero to mastery in a subject, and that works for some people. But most people I talked to needed something else. They were preparing for an exam, starting a new job, moving to another country, or trying to keep up with a class.
For them, our courses were too generic and too academic. Life is more complex than that, and people wanted more focused help.
So we're rebuilding Zoonk around your goals. You tell us what you're working toward, in your own words, and Zoonk turns it into a daily learning plan shaped by that goal and the time you have. We don't have a launch date yet. I'll write more about how it works when it's ready.
Where we're going
Goals are the first step. Long term, we want Zoonk to be an open-source operating system for education: one place with the tools people need to learn, teach, and run a school or a training program.
That means helping:
- School managers run their schools
- Teachers spend more time on what matters for their students
- Students have better learning experiences
- Teams get training that fits their jobs
- Creators sell courses and share what they know with interactive tools
- Brands teach how their products work and build an audience
- People get ready for a job and find one
Schools come next. After that, we'll build tools for teams and brands.
I still want learning to feel more like a game. In July, I wrote about wanting to build something like No Man's Sky for learning. That's still part of the plan, but it's one part of something bigger.
And Zoonk will stay open source. As I wrote in my vision post in April, I think we move faster when we build in the open.
Why we're doing this
At the end of the day, our goal is to end poverty. Education was my way out of it, and I want everyone to have the tools to reach their dreams and live a fulfilling life. Most people learn at school and at work, not only in an app, so that's where Zoonk needs to be too.
We're also retiring our old motto, "learn. build. shape." It meant a lot to me, but it didn't tell anyone what Zoonk does. From now on, we'll just say it: Zoonk turns your goal into a daily learning plan.
If you want to know when the new Zoonk is ready, you can join the waitlist at zoonk.com.