Learning technology in Utah is good business – Daily Herald

Education in all phases of life is changing, and local technology businesses are leading some of that revolution.

Provo-based Imagine Learning is one of those that offer an individualized learning software platform. They cater their technology to English Language Learners and those struggling with math literacy in preschool up to high school. Because of the speed of technology, the company is growing at a significant rate, and expanding its reach further.

We reach about four million kids out there on a weekly basis, said CEO Joe Swenson.

Swenson explained that Imagine Learning does not replace classroom teachers. Through learning technology, teachers have more time and ability to reach each individual child, because the software can pinpoint exactly what concept a child struggles to understand.

In a regular classroom, especially with larger class sizes, you are losing kids at the top, and the kids at the bottom. Youre stuck teaching only to the kids in the middle. But digital education allows you to teach them all where theyre at, Swenson said.

The companys approach has made them very successful financially. Imagine Learning was founded in 2004 by a small group in a living room in a Provo home. From that start, the company now employs almost 500, with representatives in every state, and even a few countries. Swenson said the company annually does about $100 million in business.

Imagine Learning celebrated another milestone Thursday, holding a grand opening for their new offices on Park Boulevard in Provo. They moved into Qualtrics old digs during March. Their offices include a full production facility for their learning software including a content creators, animation area, a dedicated video team, fully outfitted recording studio, green room with a professional puppeteer, and even two virtual reality spaces.

But though success is good for the bottom line and for those employed there, helping individual children is the most important part.

The answer is the kids. We started by wanting to help kids, and thats what appeals to our employees. They dont care about numbers, but when I translate $1 million in revenue translates to this many kids helped, they get excited, Swenson said.

Imagine Learnings story is part of a bigger trend happening in learning technology today and its not just happening with youth. Utah has seen the growth of many local technology learning software businesses like Instructure, Pluralsight and Degreed that focus on creating individualized learning paths for lifelong learning.

According to a white paper by GSV Acceleration, Its a Breakout: Capital Flows In the Learning and Talent Technology Market, learning and talent technology has become a $75 billion technology sector, and is only expected to grow even further. The industry has boomed significantly in the past decade so much so that it is garnering venture capital funding like never before.

And Silicon Slopes is uniquely poised to be a leader in the sector. Just this week, thousands of educational and business technology minds gathered in Salt Lake City from all over the nation to discuss the learning technology industry at the ASU GSV Summit. With topics revolving around all aspects of lifelong learning and technologys role, the summit highlighted many Utah educational technology companies success.

Deborah Quazzo, founder and managing partner for GSV Advisors, complimented Degreed and Pluralsight for giving all types of professional learners ways to customize and implement learning that is unique to their needs.

Aaron Skonnard hit a nerve, he hit the right place, she said of Pluralsights co-founder and CEO. His business is the poster-child for what has to happen in the workforce.

With the speed of technology and the subsequent speed of change in todays workplace, workers need to be constantly learning, Quazzo explained. And what they need to learn has become more and more individualized. This is why education centered on custom learning paths is successful.

People are having to completely upskill or reskill, with some entire industries having to completely reskill, she said. You need to be a constant learner if you want to be active in todays workforce.

Jeff Weber, senior vice president of people and places at Instructure, agrees. Todays technology has necessitated the need for consistent training, but it has also made learning easier, and Weber envisions further expansion of technology in all areas of education.

Like Imagine Learning, Instructure focuses on creating interactive learning experiences for each user. While the companys work has netted them success they recently added a new office in Pleasant Grove Weber sees the benefits for all learners.

We like to say were building smart software that makes people smarter and makes the learning experience more engaging, Weber said. Personalized learning makes learning easier for students and teachers.

The classroom of yesteryear is changing, and Utah companies are some of those leading the charge. According to a 2017 National Education Technology Plan Update, Reimagining the Role of Technology in Education, these changes are needed.

It is now more apparent than ever that the courageous efforts of educators to embrace the role of thoughtful, reflective innovators who work collaboratively with each other and alongside their students to explore new learning models, new digital learning environments, and new approaches to working, learning, and sharing is essential if we want technology to be an effective tool to transform learning, wrote Joseph South, director of the Office of Educational Technology at the U.S. Department of Education.

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Learning technology in Utah is good business - Daily Herald