Bolster Academy for the IB Diploma Programme

Automated grading & personalised feedback

Unlike traditional textbooks, our platform is able to process and analyse a student’s answer to a question. This enables us to automatically check any attempt, meaning that grading homework can become a thing of the past.

Additionally, whenever a student inputs a wrong answer, we are able to analyse it, identify the mistake made, and then relay this information back to this user. This allows us to provide everybody with a personalised learning experience, irrespective of the number of students taught.

Randomised exercises

Another big advantage of a digital textbook compared to a traditional one is its adaptability. Whereas ink on paper is permanent, bits and bytes are flexible and can easily be changed. Instead of creating exercises with fixed values, we write a piece of code that generates a random set of values each time an exercise is loaded. This subsequently allows us to generate an incredible amount of versions of the same exercise.

This not only increases the amount of practice material available to the students but also helps to stimulate productive forms of cooperation between them. When two students are given two slightly different versions of the same exercise, they can no longer ‘help’ each other by sharing their solutions. Rather, they have to discuss their method of solving a problem.

Interactive theory

Unlike traditional paper-based textbooks, our theory pages contain interactive elements and graphics that stimulate the students’ understanding of the concepts. Our digital textbooks include worked-out examples, detailed calculator instructions (see example video right), color-coded text, and interactive visualizations. All are designed to trigger your students’ curiosity, encourage them to engage with the content, and promote active learning.

Learning analytics

Our reporting environment allows teachers to get a clear picture of the progress and mastery of their entire class. In this overview, you are able to zoom in on any chapter, subchapter, or single topic in a course. It’s also possible to get a detailed report on any individual student’s performance and even view their exercise attempts.

These learning analytics enable teachers to quickly and proactively identify topics that students are struggling with, which then allows them to redirect their attention to these subjects. Additionally, these reports can be a valuable source of information for course coordinators tasked with the evaluation or redesign of a curriculum.

Real-world applications

Connecting mathematics with real-world problems makes the content feel less abstract. This not only shows students the relevance of what they are learning but also helps to foster a deeper understanding of the subject.

To this end, many of our exercises present students with a real-life problem that is to be solved using mathematics. In doing so, we have tried to draw inspiration from as many different fields as possible.