TED Talks Daily How to make learning as addictive as social media | Luis von Ahn (re-release)
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Aug 2, 2025 
Luis von Ahn, co-founder of Duolingo and a professor at Carnegie Mellon, delves into the challenge of making education as engaging as social media. He reveals how Duolingo uses psychological techniques to foster excitement in language learning while promoting accessibility. Von Ahn shares his personal journey from Guatemala, shedding light on educational inequality, and discusses how mobile technology and gamification can revolutionize language learning. His insights on turning education into a captivating experience are both inspiring and thought-provoking.
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Luis's Educational Journey
- Luis von Ahn grew up in Guatemala where education inequality is stark due to wealth differences.
- His mother, a single parent, invested heavily in his education, enabling him to study in the U.S. and earn a PhD.
Languages and Mobile Access
- Teaching foreign languages, especially English, can directly increase income potential worldwide.
- Mobile phones are key to scalable, accessible education, since most people worldwide already have smartphones.
Making Education Addictive
- Educational apps face competition from addictive social media apps like TikTok and Instagram.
- Duolingo uses psychological techniques from these apps to make learning engaging and fun.