Catapult is the latest evolution for OpenStudy. So, what exactly is Catapult? In a nutshell, Catapult is an incentive-based learning goal commitment by students which allows crowd-funding, peer support, and ultimately knowledge expansion. Catapult allows a student to create a Learning Goal of their choice, and ask for incentives from family and friends in order to complete that goal.

Recent research have shown that incentives, when used appropriately, can be extremely effective for students.

• “Honestly, [paying students for academic achievement] is one of the best investments you can make if it really causes your children to change their behavior.” – Steven Levitt, PhD Economist and Author of Freakonomics (Listen to the whole podcast).
• “Overall, we conclude that both financial and non-financial incentives can serve as useful tools to increase student effort and motivation on otherwise low-stakes assessment tests.” – Levitt, S. D., List, J. A., Neckermann, S. and Sadoff, S. (2011). “The Impact of Short-term Incentives on Student Performance”, unpublished manuscript.

While incentives are effective in the short-term, the key to long-term learning is engagement – and this is where OpenStudy comes in.

OpenStudy’s community has developed a culture where the learning helpers are the leaders of OpenStudy. Using our SmartScore system, we reward and lift up those with intangible skills – things such as teamwork, problem solving, and engagement. OpenStudy is truly a meritocracy, one which combines learning with social, gamification, and an emphasis on learning, not reaching institutional milestones/benchmarks.

Catapult will allow parents to know that by supporting their child’s Learning Goal on Catapult, they are also introducing them to the OpenStudy community and learning the values that have made OpenStudy, and its members, so successful. For the student, OpenStudy makes their Learning Goals more attainable. Maybe they’ve never gotten an A in a math class before, but now, with 100’s of peers supporting them every step of the way, that A seems far more doable.

In terms of the timeline of Catapult, the first phase is the most basic – and offers students the ability to create a Learning Goal (for example, “I will earn at least a B in Algebra and complete all my homework and quizzes”) and share that with their friends and family for support.

The second phase of Catapult will introduce Learning Goals into OpenStudy itself – allowing users to determine their Learning Goals (on or off OpenStudy), and complete them with the peer-to-peer support of their OpenStudy friends.

So, how can you help? Well, you can start your own Learning Goal on Catapult, or contribute to another learner’s goal (perhaps someone you’ve helped on OpenStudy), or contribute to the Learning Goal of someone who helped you. And of course, share Catapult with your friends and family.

*Note Catapult Goals can only be created by users living in the United States or holding a valid US Social Security Number. We’re working to add international support soon.