For Release October 26, 2012 Henry Lisowski Henry.lisowksi@gmail.

com 801-709-3207

BYU Students use Technology to Improve Education PROVO (September 19, 2012) In the growing world of digital tools, BYU students Henry Lisowski and Zachary Coverstone are combining technology and education in a way they feel will change how students learn and help them achieve greater success in school. Their idea is called Kizuna, a personalised educational device programmed to recognize the specific needs of each student and build questions that target individual learning styles and areas of learning that need improvement. Kizuna is pretty simple, Lisowski said. It acts as a personalized tutor, tailored to the needs of every student who uses it. As students use the program, Kizuna will learn how they think, determine where students are struggling to grasp concepts, and provide assistance to match their specific needs. Right now, Lisowski and Coverstone are developing a prototype of their design focused on 12th grade statistics. Their goal is to have the program ready by November and enter the Student Innovator of the Year competition, sponsored by Venture Factory and BYUs Ira A. Fulton College of Engineering and Technology. The contest allows young entrepreneurs to present their ideas and have a chance to win some money to further their business. With growing class sizes and limited resources available for teachers, Kizuna acts as a tool that helps assess each students individual progress and needs. With Kizuna, teachers can learn right away, through updates sent to his or her Kizuna device, information about each

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BYU Students use Technology - 2 student using the program. As students respond on the device, teachers know who is struggling and who understands the material, so quicker corrections can be made. Every student learns differently. Some are visual learners, others are auditory and kinesthetic, Coverstone said. Sometimes a student doesnt get an idea simply because they arent being taught according to their learning method. Kizuna helps correct that. The idea of using mobile technology as a teaching tool came to Lisowski while he was serving as a full-time missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The lack of education in third world countries caused him to reflect on how improvements could be made. He learned the Church had wanted to create an educational program by using the satellite technology available at stake centers to receive broadcasted lessons people could attend. While the idea didnt last, Lisowski couldnt shake the idea and value of using technology to improve education. We know this is a unique product that could do wonders for students, Lisowski said. We are looking to create something that teachers can use to help bridge gaps in our educational system and improve learning throughout the world. As of now, Kizuna has no set release date. It will be on display at the SIOY contest November 7th at BYUs Brigham Square. ###