Most Scalable Live Class Model 🧑🏫
Live classes have become mainstream all across in 2020-21. With low barrier to entry, business model of 1:1 classes has become unsustainable. Read up on how Ding Dong Ke Tang went about solving this!
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EdTech companies have built various live class models- 1:1, 1:few and 1:many, to replicate offline tutoring experience online. Live classes are preferred over recorded content as there is a greater need of discipline and responsiveness in the students to show up for each class.
1: Many Learning
Pros ✅
Most Cost Effective
Best Unit Economics
High Scalability (Teacher Supply)
Cons ❌
Low Attention Span
1:Few Learning
Pros ✅
Higher Attention Span
Relatively Cost Effective
Good Unit Economics
Cons ❌
Low Scalability (Teacher Supply)
1:1 Learning
Pros ✅
Highest Attention Span
Cons ❌
Low Scalability (Teacher Supply)
Least Cost Effective
Worst Unit Economics
Here’s a study on one of the largest 1:1 learning platforms- Zhangmen
What if there is a model that combines the best of the above three, and provides:
Scalability
Cost Effectiveness
High Attention Span
Best Unit Economics (90%+ Gross Margins)
Low CAC
Ding Dong Ke Tang (叮咚课堂)- Live English Learning Platform 🦁
Ding Dong Ke Tang (DDKT) is one of my favorite companies from China in EdTech. It is an English live learning platform for 2-12 years old.
With its unique productized approach, it has solved most of the problems discussed above when it comes to live learning.
Explainer Video of DDKT
Simulated AI Live Class: Not a real live class 😉
DDKT records content with high-quality teachers from North America. The recorded content is then live streamed as per the timing selected by the student. The class uses voice recognition and AI to ensure the class is interactive and simulates all essential components of a live class.
Solving for Discipline ⏱️
All of us have been guilty of not completing that Udemy course we paid for, simply because we procrastinate on watching the recorded video!
To solve this, just like a live class, each DDKT class must be pre-booked in advance, so that the student shows up in time. The class starts on time and missing a session does not mean you can watch the video later – you simply miss the lecture just like in the real world.
High Attention Span! 🛎️
DDKT Class Experience
Although the teacher is not live, but the class enables close-to-live class experience with the help of interactive exercises, voice recognition and AI. E.g., in the video above, the teacher gives exercises like vocalising ‘ant’, through voice recognition. In case of an incorrect answer, the teacher would explain it again while in case of a correct answer, the teacher would move on to the next topic.
Students can also book 1:2 class, which makes the class more engaging.
High Scalability (Teacher Supply) and Best Unit Economics 🧑🏫
DDKT need not hire 1 teacher per 5 paying students but can hire a few best-in-class English language teachers and record high quality content with them for streaming. This content can be amortized over the life of the company.
Since DDKT does not pay a fixed per class commission (~50%) to the teachers, it drastically improves the unit economics, with gross margin upwards of 90%.
Low CAC driven by low pricing!🚀
One live class on DDKT costs $2-$3, whereas a live class on VIPKid (largest live 1:1 English learning platform) is $20. The 10X cheaper pricing reduces the parents’ expectations and enables lower CAC.
Final thoughts!🤔
Even though EdTech is adversely impacted in China, models like DDKT are inspiring for entrepreneurs innovating in EdTech globally. Not everyone can afford to spend $15-20 on a live 1:1 class, hence productised simulated live classes can increase access to high quality education at scale!
Moreover, barrier to entry for a live learning platform is very low, hence productising simulated live classes will be inevitable for defensibility!
If you are building in this direction anywhere in the world, would love to speak! I am available on rahul@beenext.com.