A Quantum Leap in Education -- Fast, Free and Personalized
New Web-based service Free World U offers a complete, hands-on education in a fraction of the time of traditional schooling and at no cost.
South Pasadena, CA (PRWEB) March 4, 2008
Free World U, the interactive Web site plus live teachers that provide the material needed to educate a person from preschool through high school, announces its recent launch.
"Our real goal is to transform the fabric of society," Dr. Hall, the program director, says. "Since the system is largely automated, it will reduce the cost and time of education dramatically and allow the development of curriculum into such areas as character development, healthy family living and career preparation."
Free World U uses a unique format, a series of electronic flashcards that presents information with questions and answers, a concept that encourages students to be active participants. Each flashcard contains a graphic that makes it more visually appealing and easier to remember. There are also optional soundtracks that play in the background and enhance learning, described in the section of the site called Superlearning. Students can move past material they understand or choose to review difficult concepts. Controls are coming soon to enable teachers or parents to gauge students' abilities and performance at a glance.
"Free World U works like a game, and turns a chore into entertainment," Dr. Hall says. "It's like having a superteacher at your beck and call at all times."
The discovery that made this invention possible was the realization that the entire state-mandated curriculum could be broken down into tiny fact units, analogous to atoms in chemistry. Each fact unit is then converted into a question and answer pair. A flashcard has a question on one side and the answer on the other. This is simulated electronically and powered by a database on the Internet. When users first encounter a new flashcard, they can toggle back and forth between the question and answer to get an idea of what the fact unit is all about. If they have mastered the preceding material, understanding a new fact unit should be a snap. Besides being extremely easy to understand, flashcards have the advantage of being able to be sorted. If a user knows a flashcard cold, the computer program allows the card to be dismissed, never to be seen again. Users can also mark a flashcard for repeated review throughout the study session, or as incorrect to make the card appear again in a few minutes. The system remembers the status of every flashcard for every student.
State curriculum standards for the sixth grade comprise approximately 5,000 fact units. That sounds like a lot. Let's assume, however, that a student studies 250 days a year. That means that the student would only have to learn 20 fact units per day. Most students find that they can do this in only half an hour!
Grade levels lose their meaning with the Free World U system, Dr. Hall says. "Students quickly find a comfortable level of difficulty. Often they start out a couple of grade levels behind to pick up what they missed, but within a few months, are easily able to move well ahead of their peers."
Instruction in using the system is provided with a movie, tutorial, and live video teleconferences, which can be scheduled by writing to office(at)freeworldu. org. The Free World U staff also offers free tutoring by live video teleconference.
"This is a truly awesome site!" a Free World U user writes. "I thank you, thank you, thank you, for providing such a service. I've homeschooled for 10 years and I've never used a site that has had such an affect on my children. They love the way in which this site helps them learn. They all spend hours on your site. Please don't ever stop providing it. More importantly, trying to homeschool and survive on one income can be challenging at times, so to be able to use this site free of charge is even more of a blessing. Again, thank you so much and may God richly bless this site. I will definitely share it with other homeschooling moms."
For more information on the free educational material provided by Free World U, visit FreeWorldU. org. Live video press teleconference Tuesday March 4, 2008, 1 p. m. to 2 p. m. PST Dr. Hall (https://www2.gotomeeting. com/register/187048075) can be reached for interviews by calling the Free World U office after 1 p. m. PST daily, seven days a week. The phone number is (323)258-1616. Please don't call this number during the press conference. A conference phone number will display on your screen.
Title: Free World U Press Conference
Date: Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Time: 1:00 p. m. - 2:00 p. m. PST
Https://www2.gotomeeting. com/register/187048075 (https://www2.gotomeeting. com/register/187048075)
Date: Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Time: 2:00 p. m. - 3:00 p. m. PST
Https://www2.gotomeeting. com/register/516103117 (https://www2.gotomeeting. com/register/516103117)
Thursday, March 6, 2008
2:30 p. m. - 3:30 p. m. PST
Https://www2.gotomeeting. com/register/400910470 (https://www2.gotomeeting. com/register/400910470)
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