Koan elearning tool

A solution by No Spoon Tech submitted to Diversity in the public administration

The aim of GoKoan project is to create an online learning tool for public examinations’preparation. We have developed an algorithm based on scientific studies which allows students to optimize their time and study method. The tool will allow that more disadvantaged groups have a more accessible and economical study method than the current options to get prepared for a vacancy as a public employee.

(Pitched: 15/04/2018)

One Page Summary

GoKoan is an online teaching and learning tool for massive educational communities (candidates for a public job, college students, etc). Its mission is to optimize the time and the study method and increase the probabilities of success. In GoKoan students will have access to courses and to their teachers’ materials (tutors for public candidates, being such tutors active public employees who have passed the public examination which they aim to teach). Besides, it will be possible to enrich such materials, through study strategies, such as, diagrams, mental maps, mnemonic notes, etc, as well as benefit from a totally personalized planning that can be adapted to their availability and progress in real time.


Technologically speaking, GoKoan has developed a complex algorithm based on artificial intelligence that optimizes both the time and study method aiming to improve the student’s academic performance. When a student applies to GoKoan, they face some material to be learned. For that, the user should specify their time availability, the deadline to learn the subject and to what extent they want to learn it. Then the algorithm calculates a planning by taking into account the study phases as well as the review and examination.


This algorithm has been designed taking care of several scientific evidences about the memory and learning (as a result of the pioneering studies carried out by Ebbinghaus in this field), that can be implemented in a technological tool so that it is possible to optimize the probabilities to have success in the study to the fullest. The design is particularly based on variables that affect the memory (number of repetitions, advantages of paused repetitions, total time hypothesis, etc), as well as the critical moments of oblivion (oblivion curve). All these results have been summarized in the so called “Koan method”.


In order to increase diversity in the access to public employment, we must remove some of the obstacles that limit the access to certain groups. GoKoan is an online learning platform that offers high-quality materials (prepared by experts in the field) and totally personalized and adapted planning and measuring of the progress in real time. The method expects to facilitate the access of susceptible groups to a quality preparation, having the following characteristics:

  • Time and presence availability (accessible anywhere and on any devices).
  • Online innovative and gamified platform, in accordance with the modern world.
  • More economical option than schools.

The tool will allow that more disadvantaged groups have a study method that is more accessible and economical than the current options to get prepared for a vacancy as a public employee.


Besides the overall benefits aforementioned, GoKoan contains the following specific objectives:

  • A completely personalized planning in accordance with the user’s needs and which is adjustable based on their progress.
  • Acquisition of high-quality material as well as the possibility to enrich it with notes, links, mental maps, diagrams, etc. aiming to favor, that way, active and meaningful learning.
  • A multiple choice test, that points out a thorough analysis of the mistakes made to the student. That way, the user is aware of their mistakes and in what part of the subject oblivion is caused. GoKoan schedules a review of the errors to make sure they are learned correctly.
  • A continuous report of the progress in real time and also a comparative study with the other learners
  • A community where it is possible to share doubts and study material, favoring collaborative learning.

Being based on our market researches, GoKoan is able to facilitate the access to a vacancy as a public employee to almost 3 million people who belong to susceptible groups.
The members of the team that develop GoKoan have a vast experience in the development of technological projects and consist of a multidisciplinary group to carry out the different tasks of the project. However, most importantly, we have a huge motivation about the project and are convinced that we are able to increase the probabilities of success in the study of public examinations.
In order to achieve a relevant and permanent social impact, it is imperative that the project be sustainable throughout the time. We have been designing a business model that assures the project economical stability and does not suppose such a big economical obstacle to certain groups.