If online study tools were free to all students, would this make a difference in literacy and academic rates within the United States?
I think yes.
Students are constantly under pressure from academic studies, and their social and personal lives.
In a world of technology, there are hundreds of digital study tools for students. The problem with these study tools is the limitedness of the features available for non-paying users.
Quizlet is an online study tool that allows students to create their own flashcard study sets. Features also include a practice test, a “learn” feature, and a matching game. Users are able to use certain features for a limited time before there is a pop up to pay in order to proceed. The flashcard feature and matching game are the only two features that are completely free for all users.
The features that are currently under their Plus plan subscription should be free to all students because these features would allow students to create better study habits and give them more options for study tools.
According to Quizlet, they have roughly 60 million monthly learners. If all features were accessible to students, their users would inevitably achieve higher marks. In addition, Quizlet would amass more users as a result of the accessibility of the plus features.
Their mission statement states, “It’s our job to give every student the tools and confidence to succeed, no matter what their motivation, or what they’re striving to achieve.”
Quizlet currently makes a profit from these revenues; however, turning to a completely free study tool will benefit the platform.
A free study tool would attract more users and in turn, cause public news to recognize the platform. Quizlet would benefit because it would create more networking opportunities, increase collaboration with other programs, and increase community engagement.
If Quizlet were to turn to a completely free model, investors may be interested in utilizing the tool and giving the platform a positive reputation. As the platform grows, there will be updates to expand and adapt to their users’ interests.
Having a positive reputation can also allow for Quizlet to be sponsored by various different companies allowing them to still make a profit without charging users.
Creating subscriptions or fees on their tools creates a barrier for lower-income students who want to utilize Quizlet and puts them at a disadvantage in accessing study tools to aid in their academic success.
Tracy Nguyen
