Solutions

Kide Science Details

Description: Kide offers educational programs and tools that focus on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) for children. Their programs aim to foster curiosity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills in young learners.

Type: Private EdTech company, for profit

Ownership: 50% founders and team, 30% Investors from Finland, 20% Investors from abroad

Organisation size: Small enterprise

Operational in: Paying subscribers in 30 countries and users in over 100 countries such as South Africa, Nigeria, Morocco, Egypt, Brazil, Chile, Peru, India, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines.

Serving: Kindergarten and primary school, educators and caregivers of children ages 3-8

Technology Type and Infrastructure Requirements: Online platform

User Competencies Developed: STEM, curiosity, critical thinking, and problem-solving

Connection Required: Lesson plans require a connection; not required for children

Contact: Sari Hurme-Mehtälä, CEO and Co-Founder, sari@kidescience.com

kide

1. WHY

What does the solution provide: Educational programs and science, engineering, and mathematics focused tools

2. WHO FOR

The solution can be used by/serves: Kindergarten and primary school, educators and caregivers of children ages 3-8

3. HOW TO IMPLEMENT

Resources needed for implementation/ Offline accessibility: Lesson plans require a connection; not required for children

Solution

 

Read the interview of Sari Hurme-Mehtälä, CEO and Co-Founder of Kide.

 

What specific education challenge is this solution trying to resolve?

We give the teacher skill and confidence in the ability to teach STEM skills to children aged 3-8.

Where does this solution fit into a global or local (digital) educational landscape?

If I think about the future, and what for example AI brings, we do not have to focus on teaching specific subjects, but more adaptable learning skills, creative growth mindset, and critical thinking skills. You can ask anything from the internet and AI, but what is the truth in it? Human connection is going to be more important now than ever. Teaching the skills for the future.

We don't replace the local curriculum, but we make it come alive with our lesson plans and bring new engaging ways of teaching it.

How does your solution work, especially for new users?

The teacher begins by going through the lesson plan library on our online platform and looks for a suitable plan. Then they may print a lesson outline summary, watch a guide video, print the story with pictures, look for materials like water and salt. After that, you do not need a computer, but the teacher can go to the classroom to facilitate lessons and activities.

The expedition begins by the teacher reading the imaginary world story in which the problem is presented and the children themselves decide how to solve the issue by different research methods. When children think there may be many right solutions, they report their results and what they think would be the best way to solve the problem. There is more information about how hot it works at the link.

How well-known, popular, or used is the solution in Finland? (To what do you attribute this success?)

We have reached all families in Finland through our TV show, where we have our founders as actors and co-producers. We also have a book series. So our concept is quite well known. But we are not in every school. There are some cities that are using the solution in all of their kindergartens. Our focus is on kindergartens and preschools.

It has been a big deal that we are active in Finland. Finnish teachers also struggle with the fact that they are not able to teach STEM content, let alone teachers who do not have as extensive education as Finnish teachers. The needs are the same but the methods of teaching are different.

There are many solutions that take Finnish expertise abroad without having operations in Finland.

How safe is it to use this solution?

We use safe everyday household items in the experiments. And we do not have screens for children, so we do not collect any children's data, which makes it easier for all contracts around the world. There is no risk.

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User

 

Who can use the solution, what is the user’s role when using the solution, and what kind of skills are required?

Teachers and homeschool parents with children from 3 to 8 years can use the solution. They are already using the existing content.

The skills that we require are reading skills. You have to be able to understand English or Finnish. However, no spoken or written language is used on the experiment videos.

Imagine a classroom setting: Describe the experience of the learners, teachers and other possible user types.

Teachers gain confidence and for once they say they feel confident to teach STEM, they see that all the children, even the challenging ones and the ones with ADHD, feel engaged. They gain calmness through storytelling and a child-centric way of learning. They explore together. The teacher doesn't have to know everything. The children are active and they do not have to sit down, but to solve problems for the character in the story that the teacher tells.

We use AI to support teachers to find and design the learning journey. If you do Kide lessons every day, you could also start with kids' questions. "Hey, I saw a rainbow on my way from home!" Then you can continue learning from that perspective, searching for content.

Or more commonly what we see, with a specific curriculum, is an annual clock. We map out our curriculum to fit with yours. Next month everything could be about weather and then the next about transportation, for example. Continuous throughout the year. We even connect the parents and teachers to continue experimenting at home with our home experiments.

How are the users/teachers communicating with each other or building community in the context of/inside the solution?

On the platform, teachers can ask us for help in a chat box and we will help within 24 h. There is also a comment box for teacher's comments which are visible to everyone, and give guidance to others, or let others know about their experiences.

What kind of capacity building or system support is necessary to ensure the successful implementation and sustainability of the innovation?

We support professional development, if needed. There is also professional training online on specific topics, for example playful methods, if teachers are interested in it. It is an additional service and it's not mandatory.

 

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Scalability, Impact and sustainability

Scale is a result of multiple successful implementations in a variety of contexts. How can the solution be scaled up to reach a larger number of learners and schools?

We already have users from over 100 countries. Anyone can use our platform anywhere. Science is a global theme, so we haven't had the need to modify the content. That makes it super scalable. The only challenge may be a poor internet connection for the teacher.

The user needs just a web-based browser, device and a registration. But you can see the platform by just visiting the website.

Share an implementation success story/quote to describe your scalability.

Many cases come to mind, but I will mention South Africa, where our customer really saw the importance of our solution. She began arranging Kide classes for children in the area. She had never thought she could be such a good STEM teacher. She wanted to get Kide into schools and kindergartens and is now wondering how it would work. In her view, this should be the way they teach all subjects.

Explain your Operational model / Business model

Yearly subscription per teacher or by school.

Is it possible for parents, teachers, schools, municipalities, governments, CSR/NGOs/Funds to become users/customers of your solution?

Anyone can buy a licence, € 99/year.

How do you measure the impact, or effectiveness, of your solution?

We have 4 levels of impact evidence, which is similar to the HolonIQ model.

Level 4: Peer-reviewed scientific research by one of the founders.

Level 2: Non-peer reviewed scientific research such as master's theses.

Level 3: Learner impact study, teacher interviews, user data, before and after analysis, observations.

Level 1: We base everything on educational theories, where socio-cultural and play-based learning are in the centre.

I recommend for you to take a look at our global impact and research page for more details.

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Implementation and adaptation needs

They say innovation needs to be flexible, as it will look different over time. Describe the flexibility of your solution.

What we have seen in different parts of the world is that every teacher can have a different way of teaching. We can give you guidance, but you can still be very flexible in continuing teaching in your way. Another request to us is to create new content.

We also do continued development on the tech side. We have ongoing research on children with special needs. Quite often the pedagogical core is the same but there are different models to deliver, such as the TV show or the lessons. It is flexible.

What kind of adaptations are necessary when implementing the solution in a new location?

The model can always be customised for the local need if there is internet or a suitable device available. After this it is a distribution method.

How do you expand into new markets?

If we enter a new language area. It is more how the business works in a new market.

How has the solution been implemented and adapted?

Like in Finland, teachers themselves make decisions about the source of resources. In Finland teachers have independence to make decisions. Even if we have a deal with a client, it doesn't mean they will, but there is the opportunity. It is not mandatory, but a possibility. In other countries, it is common that top-level decision makers decide on the behalf of teachers.

 

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Ecosystem

Who are the necessary people and roles needed to ensure a successful implementation of your solution?

Learner, teacher and parent learning doesn't stop when the school day is over. Teachers and parents are both important for the child. This requires decision makers and school leaders to give space to the teachers without giving too much pressure. Sometimes there is pressure from the parents for the teachers to teach certain topics.

How can local innovators, startups or organisations collaborate with you or the solution?

Already now, for example, in South Africa, we cooperate with another startup that has created lesson plans about movement and wellbeing. They have the expertise in physical wellbeing. We “kide-fy” it with our lesson plans. We also have cooperation in Finland with Pikkuli, where we use their characters and SEL activities on our platform.

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