Learning Matters' Virtual Voice Teacher 'Tara' is Revolutionizing the Way Students Learn in India
Bangalore, Karnataka, India: ‘Tara’ - the proprietary virtual voice teacher of Learning Matters, an ed-tech company headquartered in Bangalore, is radically changing the way students learn in schools and in their own homes across the country.
Tara - a dynamic, two-way interactive teaching assistant that uses artificial intelligence and natural language processing (NLP) - has been instrumental in solving challenges brought on by COVID-19 in online teaching and learning through the use of voice technology. With the use of text-to-speech and speech-to-text, Tara employs voice technology to create an immersive learning experience.
Tara is extremely light on hardware, requiring only a smartphone or a simple voice-enabled device such as the Echo dot and a voice platform like Amazon Alexa. Speaking about the easy deployment of Tara, Gowri Mahesh, co-founder, and COO of Learning Matters says, “Tara requires only a minimum 3G connection to function effectively, making it not only a simple interface to use but also very easy to deploy and use anywhere. Further, Tara ensures natural learning by making use of the most natural way in which human beings learn - through conversation and interactivity i.e. listening and speaking. And with content that is aligned to the curriculum, engagement with learners is high.”
The pandemic has made video-based learning the default mode of teaching. However, video-based learning has its own set of mandatory requirements including high-speed internet and a tablet, laptop or desktop. With Tara, Learning Matters is solving these challenges that are contributing to the digital divide. With just a smartphone and an app, learners can access their lessons and assessments. Furthermore, Tara can repeat lessons, exercises, and assessments as many times as learners need, without any fatigue. She supports individualized learning as well as pair, small-group, and large-group learning. With such varied use cases and capabilities, Tara has proved to be an able teacher assistant that allows students to continue uninterrupted learning, whether at school or at home.
Tara can teach in Hindi, too. “Tara English” an Amazon Alexa skill teaches English to non-English speaking users in an easy and seamless way. By simply saying, “Alexa, Tara English open karo”, users can launch the Tara English skill and go through lessons based on levels of proficiency. Tara English is available on the Amazon Alexa skill store.
Speaking of the USP of Tara Saraswathy Ramamoorthy, Co-founder & CMO of Learning Matters says, “The biggest advantage of Tara is that she will not only tell learners they are incorrect but also explain why and correct them. And, because she is a non-judgemental teacher, learners learn without fear, whether they are adults or children. Also, with Tara there is no concern about screen time.”
Ramamoorthy G, Co-founder & CEO of Learning Matters speaking about the future plans for Tara said, “Tara is already in use to effectively teach English to students and teachers. Soon, Tara will also teach science and the humanities making it a superior intervention tool in education.”
