Report on the Edefy Application: A New Model for Educational Delivery

Introduction: Aligning Education with Sustainable Development Goals

A new school-based application, Edefy, has been launched, presenting an alternative educational framework known as “Pod schooling.” The platform functions as a marketplace connecting families with teachers at local host sites. This initiative directly addresses several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), primarily focusing on providing inclusive and equitable quality education.

Core Objectives and Contribution to SDG 4 (Quality Education)

Enhancing Access to Equitable and Inclusive Education

The fundamental goal of Edefy is to make customized education both affordable and accessible, a principle that strongly supports SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities). The platform aims to dismantle economic barriers to premium educational experiences.

• Affordability: The cost structure is based on supply and demand, with default rates comparable to low-cost private education. This model is designed to counter tuition inflation driven by facility and administrative costs.
• Accessibility: In regions with school choice funding, the Edefy platform can be utilized at no cost to families, significantly advancing the goal of equitable access outlined in SDG Target 4.1.

Fostering Quality Learning Environments

Edefy promotes the creation of effective learning environments as stipulated in SDG Target 4.a by focusing on the core teacher-student relationship.

1. Personalized Instruction: Classes are limited to a maximum of 12 students, enabling teachers to provide personalized attention and foster a positive learning atmosphere.
2. Focus on Outcomes: By minimizing administrative and facility overhead, the model directs resources and focus toward the teacher-student dynamic, which is the primary driver of educational outcomes.

Operational Model and Support for Broader SDGs

A Marketplace for Education Professionals (SDG 8)

The platform’s model provides new opportunities for educators, contributing to SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth). It empowers teachers by allowing them to operate as independent professionals within a marketplace.

• Teachers can build professional profiles based on their skills and earned reputations.
• This model allows families to seek out and connect with educators who best fit their needs, fostering a system of merit and quality.
• This creates a new avenue for productive employment and decent work for teaching professionals, aligning with SDG Target 8.5.

Sustainable Infrastructure and Community Integration (SDG 11)

Edefy’s use of “nearby host sites” represents an innovative approach to educational infrastructure that aligns with SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities). Instead of constructing new, resource-intensive facilities, the model leverages existing community spaces, reducing both financial costs and environmental impact.

Vision and Partnership for the Goals (SDG 17)

Global Vision and Collaborative Development

After two years of software development and 15 years of testing its underlying method, Edefy has launched its first public version with a global vision. The founder, James Bisenius, stated a desire to “massively improve education globally.”

This ambition is coupled with a call for collaboration from education and technology experts to help realize the platform’s full potential. This open invitation for expertise and partnership directly reflects the spirit of SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), acknowledging that significant global challenges require multi-stakeholder cooperation for their resolution.

Analysis of the Article in Relation to Sustainable Development Goals

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 4: Quality Education
   • The article’s central theme is a new educational model, the Edefy app, designed to provide an alternative to traditional schooling. Its stated purpose is to “massively improve education globally” and offer a “premium, customized education experience,” which directly aligns with the core mission of SDG 4.
2. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
   • The article emphasizes making this new educational model “affordable and accessible to all families.” By addressing tuition inflation and aiming for a cost “comparable to the state’s lowest private education option,” the initiative seeks to reduce the economic barriers that prevent families from accessing quality education, thereby tackling inequality.
3. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
   • Edefy is presented as a technological innovation—a “school-based app” and “software” platform. The article notes it was created due to “frustration with parents over the public education infrastructure.” This positions the app as an innovative infrastructural solution designed to improve access to a critical service (education).
4. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
   • The article explains how the Edefy model can benefit educators. It describes a “marketplace at the individual teacher level” that allows teachers to “build their profiles and be pursued by families according to their earned reputations.” This creates a new avenue for employment and entrepreneurship for teachers, contributing to the principles of decent work.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. SDG 4: Quality Education
   • Target 4.1: “By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education…” The article connects to this target by focusing on providing a “quality” and “premium” education that is also “affordable.” The mention that “Edefy can be free in states with school choice funding” directly relates to the goal of free and equitable access.
   • Target 4.5: “By 2030, eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education…” The app’s mission to be “accessible to all families” supports the principle of equal access, aiming to overcome economic status as a barrier to customized education.
   • Target 4.c: “By 2030, substantially increase the supply of qualified teachers…” The article implies an increase in the supply of motivated teachers by creating a model where they can build their reputations and be pursued directly by families, potentially making the profession more attractive and rewarding.
2. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
   • Target 10.2: “By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all… irrespective of… economic or other status.” The article directly addresses this by creating an educational model that is intentionally “affordable” to counter “tuition inflation.” This promotes economic inclusion by giving more families access to what is described as a “premium” educational experience.
3. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
   • Target 9.1: “Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure… with a focus on affordable and equitable access for all.” The Edefy app is a new form of digital infrastructure designed to replace or supplement the “public education infrastructure.” Its focus is explicitly on providing “affordable” and “equitable access” to education for all families.
4. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
   • Target 8.5: “By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all…” The article describes a new employment model for teachers, creating a “marketplace” that empowers them as individuals. This allows them to leverage their “earned reputations” for better professional opportunities, which aligns with the concept of productive employment and decent work.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. For SDG 4 (Quality Education)
   • Student-to-teacher ratio: The article explicitly states the app is “intended for a class of no more than 12 students to allow for personalized instruction.” This low ratio is a direct indicator of quality and personalized attention.
   • Cost of education: The article provides specific financial indicators of affordability, stating the cost is “comparable to the state’s lowest private education option” and gives an example tuition of “$1,030” in California. It also notes the service can be “free in states with school choice funding.”
2. For SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities)
   • Accessibility for lower-income families: The primary indicator is the affordability metric mentioned above. The comparison to the “lowest private education option” and the potential for it to be free are direct measures of its capacity to reduce economic inequality in educational access.
3. For SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure)
   • Adoption of new technology: The launch of the app (“the first public version recently launched this month”) is an initial indicator. Future progress could be measured by the number of families and teachers who adopt and use the platform, indicating the successful deployment of this new infrastructure.
4. For SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth)
   • Teacher employment and compensation: An implied indicator is the number of teachers who use the platform to find work. The article also mentions that “cost and compensation adjust automatically” and there is a “built-in default based on the pay scale for teachers,” suggesting that teacher compensation levels could be tracked as a measure of decent work.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: thecentersquare.com