[Experience] Combining Online and Offline Strengths... AI Teacher Oversees KT 'Crewdy'

Cruddy class screen. Photo by KT

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Soo-yeon] As non-face-to-face education has expanded due to COVID-19, interactive classes using video conferencing platforms have gained great popularity over one-way lectures. Zoom, widely used for remote classes, was not developed specifically for education, making it inconvenient and difficult to focus. This is why KT has launched 'Crudy,' an online education service for elementary school students that enables online group tutoring with teachers and friends based on artificial intelligence (AI), consolidating the edutech capabilities accumulated through 'Home School' and 'Ranseon Edu.'

AI Says, "Perfect Score for Class Attitude!"

On the 5th, I experienced Crudy. What sets it apart from existing remote education programs is that AI analyzes class attitude in real-time and provides feedback on it. Phrases such as "Perfect score for class attitude!", "Listening attentively," and "Please praise me!" appear next to participants' names on the right side of the screen. Although it is AI, being encouraged for listening attentively makes one feel proud. When the teacher gives a praise sticker to a student, a bursting effect of praise stickers appears on the screen to encourage the student.

On the teacher's screen, real-time analysis of concentration and speaking volume can be checked, allowing the teacher to quickly identify which students to encourage participation from while conducting the class.

Crudy AI Concentration Analysis. Photo by Crudy Capture

Not only the teacher conducting the class but also the students attending together can interact. While existing video conferencing platforms allow voice conversations and chatting, Crudy is a learning-customized platform where users can write on the screen and share it with teachers or friends.

A KT official who conducted the class that day explained, "Students frequently use the chat window as it is useful not only for emoticons and chatting but also for sharing images and files," adding, "Through the shared whiteboard where you can see which friend wrote what, interaction happens as if you are attending the class right next to each other."

Crudy Quiz screen. Photo by Crudy Capture

Check Skills Through Quizzes, Increase Sense of Achievement by 'Collecting Stickers'

There is also a 'quiz' function to check what has been learned during the class. When the teacher gives a quiz, students input the correct answers within the given time to assess their learning status. There is also a feature where students can solve offline textbooks, take pictures with a camera, and submit them for the teacher to provide corrections.

Unlike video conferencing platforms where content disappears once you leave the room, Crudy allows reviewing anytime to maximize learning effectiveness. After class ends, teacher feedback and that day's video are provided together for review. Parents can check their child's participation status and teacher feedback by logging into the parent account.

The 'activity sticker' collection, which stimulates children's desire to collect, is another fun element. In addition to praise stickers received during class, activity stickers can be additionally earned through learning activities such as previewing textbooks or rewatching completed class videos. Stickers evoke a sense of achievement and encourage learning.

A KT official said, "We operate by giving missions such as collecting 100 or 200 stickers, and students who meet the criteria can apply for rewards," adding, "Within this year, accumulated stickers will be exchangeable for gifts in the market or convertible into points to purchase additional classes."

Crudy class screen. Photo by KT

KT, a Strong Player in the Online Public Education Market, Targets B2C Market with Crudy

KT has established itself as a major player in the online public education market by previously launching services like 'Ranseon Edu.' Now, with Crudy, it is targeting the business-to-consumer (B2C) market.

The differentiation lies in introducing ABC (AI, Big Data, Cloud) edutech capabilities to provide a more systematic learning environment compared to existing services. In particular, it features a dedicated backbone network and cloud-based infrastructure that improves video quality and prevents interruptions compared to existing video conferencing platforms. During actual use, there was no inconvenience even when multiple people spoke simultaneously. KT is also enhancing content quality through partnerships with major education companies such as Daekyo, Cheonjae Education, Megastudy, and Jjaekak Ageo.

KT launched Crudy on the 18th of last month. About 20 days after the launch, Crudy is growing rapidly. A KT official stated, "Currently, there are about 7,000 subscribers and 150 classes in operation. Once all classes, including those currently recruiting, are running, 100 to 200 new classes will open monthly. Our goal is to maintain 2,000 classes annually." He added, "We have selected 100 professional tutors, and there are 50 textbooks (curriculums) available, with plans to add 200 more by October."