Japanese Innovators Entering ASEAN: learningBOX

learningBOX is a web-based learning platform that makes creating and delivering online education a breeze. They focus on user-friendliness, allowing anyone to build courses without needing tech expertise. Affordability is another key feature, making it accessible for individuals and smaller organizations. learningBOX offers multilingual support, with English and Japanese interfaces along with 18 other languages having been integrated. You can upload various learning materials, organize them into courses, and track learner progress. Whether you're an individual sharing knowledge or a business training staff, learningBOX can be your online learning hub. With that, why don’t you join me in learning more about learningBOX with its Company Director, Shintaro Nishimura.   

Could you tell us more about yourself and how your career has led you up to this point?

I spent the first 11 years of my career at Nikon, a well-respected manufacturer of digital imaging products. For five years, I called Tokyo home, and for the following six, I was based in Singapore. Throughout this experience, I held a regional sales and planning role, managing markets across Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. This role provided a fantastic opportunity to collaborate with local business owners, including retailers and distributors. It was incredibly insightful, allowing me to understand the intricacies of local business operations and the mindsets of business owners in each market.

Now, I'm embarking on a new and exciting chapter in EdTech. Particularly, to learningBOX. Their unique product concept and company culture deeply resonate with me. I believe learningBOX has the potential to achieve a win-win for everyone involved in the education sector, especially for the next generation. Furthermore, the company's business development potential for overseas growth is truly exciting, and I'm eager to be a part of it.

What is learningBOX and why is it named as such?

We started with a simple yet powerful idea: to create an online "empty box" for learning. This wasn't a box filled with pre-determined lessons, but a blank canvas where users could build their own unique learning curriculum. Accessibility was paramount – we wanted everyone, regardless of background or technical skills, to be able to design and share their knowledge.

That vision evolved into learningBOX, a cloud-based learning management system (LMS). Think of it as a one-stop shop for everything you need to create a thriving e-learning environment. learningBOX curates all the essential functionalities – from uploading learning materials and building courses to tracking learner progress. This allows users to focus on what matters most: crafting engaging and impactful learning experiences.

learningBOX positions itself as a "next-generation learning platform." Can you elaborate on what makes your platform unique and innovative compared to other EdTech solutions in Japan?

learningBOX is a cost-effective online learning platform that makes creating and delivering engaging content a breeze. One of its most reliable features is that one doesn’t need any advanced IT skills to get started. learningBOX is designed to be user-friendly, so anyone can use it to build courses, upload materials like documents, videos, and quizzes, and even track learner progress. This versatility makes it perfect for a variety of educational settings.

Our partner organizations have used learningBOX to create online curriculums, daily e-exams, and even flashcard sets for their academic classes. But it's not just for schools, learningBOX can also be used by businesses to deliver company training programs, qualification support materials, and even health and safety courses. Government agencies can leverage it for operational guideline dissemination, emergency training, and staff development programs.

No matter what their teaching needs are, learningBOX offers a user-friendly and affordable solution to create a dynamic online learning experience for students or trainees. As of now, the starter plan is only US$0.25 per person per month, making it an accessible option for any budget.

Can you share a success story of a student or educational institution that has significantly benefited from using the learningBOX platform? What were the key metrics that demonstrated improvement?

In February 2022, Suzuka University of Medical Science embarked on a journey to revolutionize their learning system. They implemented learningBOX which provided access to over 3,000 students and 200 professors and lecturers.

The results have been nothing short of remarkable. learningBOX has streamlined the way they manage learning, allowing professors to easily track student progress and provide targeted support. This has led to a significant reduction in grade retention and dropout rates. They have also seen a positive impact on national exam pass rates. By using learningBOX, they have been able to create engaging and effective learning materials, including a variety of question formats and difficulty levels, that keeps students motivated and prevents boredom.

Their success story doesn't end there. In November 2022, Suzuka University of Medical Science and learningBOX signed a memorandum of understanding to foster industry-academia cooperation. This collaboration has been so fruitful that in 2023, we were jointly awarded the prestigious IMS Japan Award for Excellence in recognition of the groundbreaking outcomes of the research.

I'm incredibly proud of the positive impact we've made on medical education at Suzuka University. learningBOX has been a game-changer, empowering us to create a more engaging and effective learning environment for the students. This, in turn, will prepare them to become the next generation of highly skilled medical professionals.

Note: Below are the information from both parts (February 2022 and April 2024) to create a cohesive narrative about the ongoing success of using learningBOX at Suzuka University:

Part1 as of Feb 2022

https://learningbox.online/en/casestudy/casestudy20220210/

Part2 as of Apr 2024

https://learningbox.online/en/casestudy/casestudy20240129/

Are there any plans to explore international expansion for learningBOX beyond the Japanese market? If so, which regions or demographics might be a good fit for your platform?

learningBOX has a global mission: to expand educational opportunities through EdTech. We believe everyone, anywhere, should have access to high-quality online education. That's why we created a user-friendly platform that's affordable and doesn't require technical expertise. This makes it easy for anyone to learn and teach online.

The response has been incredible. We already have users accessing our platform from over 200 countries, with registrations from over 30. The internet has truly made learning a global phenomenon, and people are hungry for engaging content. Our platform goes beyond free educational videos you might find elsewhere. We focus on interactivity and creating a positive learning experience for both educators and students.

We started with just three languages: Japanese, English, and Vietnamese. But the demand from all corners of the world was undeniable. This spring, we expanded our language support to a whopping 18, further breaking down language barriers and opening doors for new learners. We're constantly exploring new markets, conducting research, and seeking local partners to keep growing and reaching even more people. It's an exciting time to be a part of this global education movement.

Shintaro is the Company Director of learningBOX. He is responsible for overall leadership and strategy, growth and expansion, and performance and management among many others. He is an imperative person in bringing educational empowerment through technology not only in Japan, but in the broader region as a whole. As seen in him, Shintaro is committed to making educational technology accessible to all, most especially those who are underprivileged and underdeveloped.

Visit www.techshake.asia if you would like to know and connect more with learningBOX.