Edulink
Mobile
UX/UI
Web
Nov 2024- Jan 2025
Context
I began this project after reading news of Ontario's “classroom crisis” brought upon by the province’s staffing shortages, poor working conditions, and inadequate government support. As a proponent of equitable education for all, I’ve become increasingly aware of the discriminatory barriers to quality education resources. However, I realize that the universal right to equitable education is not afforded to everyone, especially to underserved communities. With the escalating financial and social issues in Ontario education, we must act to ensure every student has the opportunities and resources for success.
I researched systemic issues within Ontario's education system, conducted interviews with students & tutors, then synthesized my findings into Edulink, a non-profit dedicated to addressing educational inequalities.
SKILLS
UX/UI
User Research
Branding
Motion
Copywriting
TOOLS
Figma
After Effects
2 million students
-$776 per pupil
Problem
Ontario's education system faces deepening inequities due to the privatization and marketization of education, for-profit education services, and inadequate government support, creating a system that marginalizes low-income and underserved communities. Coupled with staffing shortages and the underfunding of public schools, these issues limit equitable access to quality education for all.
Socioeconomic status (SES) gap
Microdata from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) revealed gaps between students of different SESs nationwide. Students of a higher SES perform better in reading, maths, and science.
Staffing shortages
The provincial teacher shortage results in less time devoted to each students’ unique and individual needs. Teachers are overwhelmed by the volume of students and lack of resources.
Inequality
SES divide is widened by the growing for-profit education market, thus further marginalizing underserved groups such as indigenous peoples, women, youth, racialized people, 2SLGBTQ+ people, and persons with disabilities
Decreased funding
When adjusted for inflation, there has been a decrease of $776 in funding per pupil. Inadequate financial and emotional support from the government de-emphasizes the importance of public education.
Interviews
To better understand the needs of students, I conducted interviews to provide insights into for-profit tutoring, volunteer tutoring, and Ontario’s education system.
Discovery
Ontario's requirement for high school students to complete 40 hours of community service presented a unique opportunity: mandatory volunteerism aligns with my platform's mission of non-profit aid, offering a large pool of tutors eager to give back to their communities and fulfil their service.
Edulink
I propose a non-profit organization dedicated to addressing educational inequalities by connecting students with volunteers to provide free tutoring services. While the program is open to all who wish to participate, it will target high school and university students to capitalize on mandatory volunteer service and foster meaningful community engagement for youth.
Edulink Logo
MISSION
EDULINK thrives on mutual aid; tutors earn community hours and valuable experience, while students have access to free tutoring. Moreover, the platform advocates for systemic change by raising awareness of education disparities and lobbying for greater public funding and equity-focused education policies.
Impact
While Edulink offers numerous advantages to students, parents, and teachers, it cannot resolve deep-rooted systemic issues such as funding cuts and socioeconomic disparities. However, it has the potential to provide much-needed support to understaffed schools and underserved students without adopting a for-profit model. By encouraging mutual aid between learners and tutors, I hope a platform like Edulink is implemented in Ontario's education system to promote equitable and accessible education for all.
How will Edulink mitigate systemic issues?
SES GAP
Free services would relieve students of financial pressure and create an accessible environment against the growing shadow education market.
STAFFING SHORTAGES
Utilizing the many high school and university students in search of volunteer hours would provide more support outside of the classroom.
INEQUALITY
The app connects students from all socioeconomic backgrounds with free volunteer-based tutoring, ensuring that financial barriers don’t prevent students from receiving academic support.
DECREASED FUNDING
By mobilizing high school and university students, Edulink creates a sustainable model that provides academic support without requiring additional funding from schools or families.
Lessons learned
The importance of thorough research
Since Edulink was a solo project, I had to ensure that I gathered trustworthy resources. Without interviewing high school students and researching Ontario's education system, I would not have discovered how volunteer hours could be better utilized in providing free tutoring.
Designing compatible user flows
Edulink has student and tutor flows, both of which have to be compatible to ensure seamless communication between users. Designing the app to support all users taught me how to carefully plan the IA to organize the structure and functionality.
Throughout my research, I learned that opportunity is essential for upward mobility. When resources are inaccessible, underserved groups are not only deprived of opportunities but also the benefits that come with them. Despite having the means to provide quality education for all students, Ontario is moving toward privatization and funding cuts. We must prioritize community support and invest in creating a system that empowers students to succeed, both in and outside of the classroom.
