MEET KOA ACADEMY

Online schools are not all the same.  Technology in education is rapidly evolving, digital education is ever-expanding and new and improved models of online schooling are providing families with far more choice when it comes to their children’s education.  In South Africa this year, online schools have experienced record-breaking enrolments.

Koa Academy is the realisation of the vision of Mark Anderson that he calls ‘School 2.0’.  As Koa’s Principal and Co-founder, Mark has unwavering focus on providing today’s children with an education that truly prepares them for the real world.  “That’s a world with a significant, continually advancing digital realm and workplaces set in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution,” he says. “We’re educating kids for the fastest-changing world humans have ever known.  They need to learn different skills and have different learning experiences from the generations before them.  At Koa, we’re educating digital natives to be digitally literate.”

What makes Koa Academy unique though, is its focus on high engagement.  Learners attend school in 8-person Pods with a dedicated teacher who has an extraordinary opportunity to know them well.  The school day starts with a Pod Connect session focused on socio-emotional learning and small group connection.  Koa teachers curate globally sourced learning content that plays to each child’s strengths as they progress through the IEB curriculum.  Subject specialist teachers are available for one-on-one and workshop sessions that promote academic achievement.  Learners, teachers, and parents easily keep track of learning progress through individualized dashboards and timetables.  The school community comes together for online assemblies, expert presentations, student-led clubs and expos, as well as in-person social events.

Mark says, “At Koa, we root learning in real-world issues.  We follow a mastery-based approach, so no one gets left behind or goes through school with frustrating learning gaps.  Age-appropriate feedback is ongoing, and assessments are meaningful because they are embedded in the learning process.  Our dedicated teachers facilitate content at each child’s own pace, and there is focused academic support exactly when it is needed. All this leads to the development of flexible and agile lifelong learners who are mastering the skills most needed for them to succeed in future work and citizenship.”

Discover Koa Academy here.

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