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A Better Way to Learn: Expii Helps Students Find Their “Aha” Moment

Despite the current state of technology in 2019, there are still many significant barriers to education. Currently, access is only available to those who can afford it. Expii is free for this exact reason. Expii believes that fun and dynamic educational tools shouldn’t come at a price that restricts who can access that knowledge. Expii’s goal is to make it possible for everyone—even under-resourced schools, teachers and students—to have access to high-quality educational resources. “I had a vision for how more people could have access to education, and how they could learn different concepts in math and science, both for school and for bettering themselves in general,” said Po-Shen Loh, Founder and CEO. “The platform adapts to the needs of its users.” Expii acts as a personalized virtual tutor that uses real-world topics based on the user’s own interests and applies them to the worlds of math and science – whether it be sports, pop culture, technology or any other interest a student might have. It makes learning subjects like algebra and biology less monotonous and more appealing to those who struggle with them in school. On other platforms, learners only have one option for the way they learn, one voice or one style, but Expii approaches content creation differently.
“We believe that there isn’t just one way to learn; there are many. This is why we offer multiple explanations in many voices, formats and styles,” said Loh.
Loh noted, “We provide the opportunity for our users to contribute in a meaningful way: anyone can create and submit their own explanations for any topic on our site.” This crowd-sourcing feature not only fosters community and ownership, but also encourages individuals who learn best by teaching to practice this skill. Expii’s respect for their students means they always put the students’ needs at the forefront of what they do. From design to content and navigation, they empower students to be independent learners by providing the choice of how they want to learn. Loh describes Expii’s mission as “Providing accessible learning to the world and changing how students perceive education.” Expii envisions a world where all learners are able to access math and science. To the team, access has many layers: access to resources, positive feedback, understandable language and personalized progression. They strive to communicate empathy for their learners’ challenges and celebrate their successes. Their goal is to give every learner, educator, and enthusiast a platform where they can be themselves and contribute their voices and perspectives. They want every user to find their own “aha moment.” Expii is proud to be a part of Pittsburgh’s new technological landscape. “Pittsburgh is a city that supports growth and innovation. Because of our many prestigious universities and neighboring tech startups, we have access to nearly endless talent,” said Loh. Pittsburgh’s 90 neighborhoods provide a foundation for understanding many diverse learners and efficiently testing design and product. At its inception, Loh had only two students working alongside him. Within a year he opened the first Expii office in Oakland and began hiring full-time employees. Now, the company is thriving with a full team of specialists, including engineers, designers and content specialists. Expii is still growing. Expii’s vision is to be the go-to resource that is engaging and accessible enough for anyone to learn anything. “We will build on math and science and eventually expand into the humanities,” said Loh. “The ultimate goal is to help young people enjoy learning, thus inspiring them to learn more and think more critically about the world.”