This company pays kids to do their math homework | Mohamad Jebara

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Yanyan Hong

For as long as I remember, I've loved mathematics.

在我的記憶當中， 我一直都熱愛數學。

Actually, it's not 100 percent true.

其實，這句話並非百分之百是對的。

I've loved mathematics for all but a two-week period

我一直都熱愛數學， 除了一段兩星期的時間，

in senior high school.

發生在高中時期。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

I was top of my class,

我在班上名列前茅，

and we were about to start the Extension Maths course.

我們即將要開始一門 叫做延伸數學的課，

I was really excited about this brand new topic coming up,

我對於這個將要學到的 新主題感到十分興奮：

complex numbers.

複數。（註：直譯為複雜數字）

I like complex.

我喜歡複雜。

My teacher was priming us for the concepts

我的老師先給我們一些觀念，

with some questions about square roots.

問到關於平方根的問題。

Square of nine -- three;

9 的平方根是 3；

square of 256 -- sixteen.

256 的平方根是 16；

Too easy.

太簡單了。

Then she asked the trick question:

接著她問了一個腦筋急轉彎的問題：

What about the square root of negative one?

那麼 -1 的平方根呢？

Of course, we were all over it --

當然，我們熱切地嘮叨著：

"Come on, Miss!

「少來了，老師！

We all know you can't take the square root of a negative."

我們都知道負數不能開平方根。」

"That's true in the real world," she said.

她說：「在真實世界是如此，

"But in the complex world,

但在複數的世界裡，

the square root of negative one is the imaginary number i."

-1 的平方根就是『虛數』 i。」 （註：照字面譯是「想像的數字」）

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

That day,

那一天，

my entire mathematical world came crashing down on me.

我的整個數學世界垮在我身上。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

"Imaginary numbers?

「虛數？

Seriously?

當真嗎？

But mathematics is a source of truth,

但數學是個真相的來源，

please don't go abstract on me.

拜託別跟我來抽象的這一套。

I would have studied art

如果我想要玩「想像的」數字，

if I wanted to play with imaginary numbers."

早就去學藝術了。」

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

"This is Extension Maths, let's get back with our program!"

「這是延伸數學， 咱們回來上我們的課吧！」

She didn't,

她沒有，

and over the next couple of weeks,

在接下來的幾週，

I reluctantly performed meaningless calculations,

我很不情願地做無意義的計算，

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

finding imaginary solutions to quadratic equations.

針對四次方程式，找出虛數解。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

But then something amazing happened.

但接著，驚人的事發生了。

We began finding elegant solutions

對於以前無解的真實世界問題，

to real-world problems we previously had no answers to,

我們開始找到漂亮的答案，

starting with the complex world of imaginary numbers.

答案就從複數世界的虛數開始。

So some mathematician 500 years ago

所以，五百年前的一些數學家

decides to have some fun and make up these imaginary numbers,

想要找點樂子， 所以編造出了這些虛數，

and because of that we can now derive these amazing identities

正因如此，我們現在才能 導出這些驚人的恆等式，

with applications in the real world,

在真實世界中應用，

in fields like electrical engineering.

用到像是電子工程的領域上。

Wow!

哇！

I gained a whole new level of appreciation for mathematics.

我對數學的欣賞又再上了一層樓。

And after my brief mistrust,

在我那段短暫的不信任之後，

I was now in love with the subject more than ever.

我現在對這個科目的熱愛 又更勝於過去。

Francis Su, the mathematician, sums it up beautifully when he says,

數學家法蘭西斯蘇用以下的說法， 做了很漂亮的總結：

"We study mathematics for play, for beauty,

「我們研究數學的目的是樂趣、美麗、

for truth,

真相、

for justice and for love."

正義，和愛。」

But if you ask a student today,

但如果你去問現在的學生，

you'll probably hear a different story.

聽到的回應可能大不相同。

You might hear "difficult" and "boring."

你可能會聽到「困難」及「無聊」。

And they might be right about difficult.

說「困難」可能沒錯。

But it's certainly not boring.

但它絕對不無聊。

In fact, I'd say being difficult to master

事實上，我認為它之所以美麗，

is part of what makes it beautiful.

部分原因是因為它很難精通。

Because nothing worth doing is easy.

因為，值得做的事都不容易。

So we need students to stick around long enough through the difficult parts

所以我們需要學生能夠 撐久一點，撐過困難的部分，

to appreciate the beauty when it all ties together.

才能在一切結合起來時 欣賞它的美麗。

Much like I did for that brief couple of weeks in high school.

就像我在高中時那短短幾週的情況。

Unfortunately, our school systems --

不幸的是，我們的學校體系——

we move students through mathematics in a lockstep process.

我們讓學生用密集 連鎖步伐的過程來學數學。

So those who fall a little behind

所以，稍微落後一點的人，

find it near impossible to ever catch up and appreciate that beauty.

就會覺得要趕上並欣賞 數學之美是幾乎不可能的。

But why is this a problem?

這為什麼是個問題？

Why should we care?

我們為什麼要在乎？

Well today, more than ever,

比起過去，現今，

our world needs every citizen to be skilled in mathematics.

我們的世界更需要 每位公民都具有數學技能。

With the advent of artificial intelligence and automation,

隨著人工智慧和自動化的出現，

many of the jobs we see today will either not exist

現今的許多工作 在將來不會繼續存在，

or be transformed to require less routine work

或是會被轉變成 比較不需要例行性的工作，

and more analysis and application of expertise.

需要更多分析與專門知識的應用。

But we're not producing the extra mathematics students

但我們並未產出額外的數學學生

to fill these new roles.

來補這些新角色。

This graph shows the number of students

這張圖上的是學生數目，

taking Standard Mathematics

有修基礎數學的學生，

and Advanced Mathematics

及有修進階數學的學生，

over a period of 20 years in Australia.

時間是過去二十年，地點是澳洲。

It's clear that while we have demand for mathematics skills rapidly increasing,

很顯然，雖然我們對於 數學技能的需求正在快速增加，

supply is in steady decline.

供應卻在穩定地下降。

To put things in perspective,

正確地說，

half of the students completing high school today in Australia

在澳洲，有一半的高中畢業生

are not prepared to understand any argument

都沒有準備好了解任何關於

about rates of change in data.

資料改變率的論點。

In this digital age

在這個數位時代，

where fake news can influence election results,

連假新聞都能夠影響選舉結果，

this is very concerning.

這點很讓人憂心。

Let me give you a concrete example.

讓我舉個具體的例子。

Let's take a closer look at that graph.

咱們更仔細看一下那張圖。

Can everyone see what I've done there to stress my point?

有沒有人看得出來， 我做了什麼來強調我的重點？

If you can't, let me show you now,

如果沒有，我現在做給各位看。

with the vertical axis starting at zero, where it should be.

如果縱軸的起始點是零， 原本看起來應該像這樣。

There, you see it now, right?

你們現在看見了，對嗎？

It's the exact same data

資料都沒有變，

but I've manipulated the representation to influence you.

但我調整了呈現方式，來影響你們。

And that's cool, that's my job up here.

那很酷，那是我在台上的工作。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

But in all seriousness,

但，說正經的，

unless we do something

除非我們採取行動

to drastically improve student engagement with mathematics,

來大大改善學生對於數學的投入，

we'll not only have a huge skills shortage crisis

不然，我們不僅會有 技能短缺的大危機，

but a fickle population,

還會有會動搖的人民，

easily manipulated by whoever can get the most air time.

很容易被取得最多 播送時間的人給操弄。

So what's the solution?

所以，怎麼解決？

There are a lot of things we have to do.

我們需要做的事情很多。

We need curriculum reform.

我們需要課程改革。

We need our best and brightest encouraged to become teachers.

我們需要鼓勵最好 和最聰明的人去當老師。

We need to put an end to high-stakes tests

我們得停止用考試結果為補助依據，

and instead follow a mastery-based learning approach.

改成使用以精通為基礎的學習方法。

But all these things take time.

但這些都要花時間。

And I'm impatient.

我不是有耐心的人。

See, I've been thinking about this for eight years now.

我過去八年都在想這件事。

Ever since I left my job as a derivative trader

自從我辭掉衍生產品交易員的工作，

to build a web application to help students learn mathematics.

去建立網路應用程式來協助 學生學習數學，就開始想了。

Today, our app is used by schools across the globe.

現今，全球都有學校 在用我們的應用程式。

And we're seeing big improvements

我們看到經常使用 這個程式的學生進步很大。

for students who use the program regularly.

But here's the thing --

但，重點是

we're only seeing it for students who use the program regularly.

只有常用這個程式的學生才有進步。

And most of them don't.

而大部分學生並不常用。

So after years of developing and refining the application,

所以，在花了數年時間發展 和改善這個應用程式之後，

our biggest challenge was not so much product related,

我們最大的挑戰竟然 和產品沒有很大的關係，

our biggest challenge was motivating students

我們最大的挑戰是要鼓勵學生，

to want to work on their gaps in understanding.

讓他們「想要」去改善 他們在了解上的不足。

You can imagine in today's attention economy,

你們可以想像，在現今的 注意力經濟當中，

we're competing against Facebook, Snapchat and PlayStation

我們的競爭對手是臉書、 Snapchat、PlayStation 遊戲，

to try and get these students' time.

跟它們搶學生的時間。

So we went back to the drawing board

所以，我們回到計畫階段，

and started to think about how we could make it worthwhile

開始思考，我們要如何讓學生覺得

for students to spend some of their "attention budget"

值得花一些他們的「注意力預算」

on their education.

在他們的教育上。

We tinkered with gamification elements

我們補上遊戲化的元素，

like points, badges and avatars,

比如點數、徽章、頭像，

and we'd see a temporary spike in engagement

在參與度上有出現暫時性的提升，

but things would go back to normal as soon as the novelty wore off.

但新鮮度不再時，馬上又回到原狀。

Then one day, my cofounder, Alvin,

有一天，我的共同創辦人艾文

came across a study of students in Chicago

看到一篇關於芝加哥學生的研究，

led by the behavioral economist, Steven Levitt,

主導研究的是行為經濟學家 史帝芬萊維特（Steven Levitt），

where they paid students who improved on their test scores.

在研究中，他們付錢給學生， 要他們改善考試分數。

He started telling me about some of the things they tested for

他開始告訴我研究做的一些測試，

and the interesting findings they had.

以及有趣的發現。

For instance, they found that incentivizing students for inputs,

比如，他們發現獎勵學生的投入，

like effort,

比如努力，

worked a lot better than incentivizing for outputs,

效果大大優於獎勵他們的結果，

like test scores.

如考試成績。

They found that for younger students, you could win them over with a trophy

他們發現，對年輕學生， 用獎品可以贏得他們的心，

but for older students,

但對較年長的學生，

you really needed cash.

他們要的是現金。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

And the amount of cash mattered -- 10 dollars was good,

且現金的金額也很重要，$10 很好，

20 dollars -- even better.

$20 更好。

But perhaps most importantly,

但也許，最重要的是，

they found that the rewards had to be instant

他們發現，獎賞要「即時」，

rather than promised at a later date.

不能向他們保證晚一點再給。

They went as far as to give the students 20 dollars and say,

他們做到這種程度—— 給學生 $20，然後說：

"Touch it, feel it, smell it --"

「觸摸它，感受到，聞聞它。」

(Sniffing)

（鼻吸）

"It's all yours.

「這全是你的。

But if you fail, I'm going to take it back."

但若你失敗了，我會把它收回來。」

And that worked really well.

那樣做得效果非常好。

I immediately got excited

我馬上就很興奮，

about the possibilities of implementing this in our program.

心想有可能把這個點子 導入我們的程式中。

But once the excitement settled down,

但等興奮感平靜下來之後，

there were a few concerns that crept in our minds.

我們慢慢想到了一些考量。

Firstly,

首先，

was this ethical?

這樣合乎道德嗎？

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Secondly, how would we fund this thing?

第二，我們哪來的資金？

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

And finally,

最後，

would the results be sustained if the students were no longer paid?

如果不再付錢給學生， 結果會維持下去嗎？

Now, let's look at the ethical part first.

先來看看道德的部分。

I'm a bit of a mathematical purist.

我有點算是數學純粹主義者。

So I'd be one of the first people to say that we should study mathematics

我會是最先說我們應該要為了數學

for the sake of mathematics.

而學數學的人之一。

Remember -- for play, for beauty, for truth, for justice and for love!

記得嗎？目的是為了樂趣、 美麗、真相、正義，和愛！

Not for money!

不是為了錢！

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

As I struggled with this, I came to see that,

我為此掙扎時，漸漸理解到，

while it's a way I look at mathematics now,

雖然那是我現在看數學的一種方式，

it's only because I studied it long enough to appreciate it.

也只是因為我研究數學夠久， 讓我能欣賞它。

It's very difficult to tell a student struggling with mathematics today

很難告訴一個現在正在 因為數學而掙扎的學生，

to work hard for a payoff in the distant future.

只要努力，在遙遠的未來會有回報。

And it's not so much bribery that's at work here,

這裡其實還算不上有什麼行賄，

because I could bribe students

因為我可以賄賂學生，

by telling them about my big bonuses in my derivative trading days

告訴他們我還在當 衍生產品交易員的日子，

as a reward for doing well at maths.

因為數學做得好而得到高額獎金。

But it doesn't pay off for a very long time.

但在很長一段時間內沒有回報。

So it's practically naught.

所以，它其實是零。

Behavioral economists call this hyperbolic discounting.

行為經濟學家稱 這個現象為「雙曲貼現」。

And Levitt goes as far as to say

萊維特竟然還說，

that all motivating power vanishes

當獎賞的分發時間被延遲時，

when rewards are handed out with a delay.

所有的驅動力量都會消失。

So, from a purely economic point of view:

所以，純粹從經濟的觀點來看：

if we don't use immediate incentives,

如果我們不使用立即的獎勵，

we are underinvesting in student outcomes.

我們對於學生成果的投資就是不足的。

I took heart from that, and came to see that as a society,

那增加了我的信心，我漸漸了解，

我們這個社會其實 很習慣財務的獎勵。

we're actually quite used to financial incentives.

Whether it be by the government, by employers or at home.

不論是由政府提供、 僱主提供，或家裡提供的獎勵。

For instance, many parents would pay their children

比如，許多父母會付錢給孩子，

an allowance or pocket money for doing chores in the house.

給他們零用錢或私房錢 要他們做家事。

So it wasn't really all that controversial.

所以，這種做法並沒有那麼爭議。

As I thought about that,

當我想到這點時，

it started to answer that second question of how we were going to fund this.

它也開始解答了第二個問題， 我們的資金從哪裡來。

Naturally, parents are the most invested in their children's education.

自然地，在孩子的教育中 投資最多的人就是父母。

So, let's charge them a weekly subscription fee

所以，咱們來向他們 收取每週的訂購費，

to use our program,

付費使用我們的程式，

but --

但是，

if the students complete their weekly maths goal,

如果學生完成了 他們的每週數學目標，

we'll refund the subscription amount directly into the child's bank account.

我們就把訂購費的金額直接 退還到孩子的銀行帳戶中。

We chose three exercises completed

我們選了三項練習

over a one week period

要在一週內完成，

for a 10 dollar reward.

獎賞為 $10。

That way we're incentivizing effort rather than performance

這麼一來，我們在獎勵的 就是努力而非表現，

over a short enough period

經過很短的時間就能得到獎勵，

and with a substantial enough payout for the students to care.

獎勵的金額也足夠讓學生在乎。

Now, I remember when I first told my wife about this new business model.

我記得我初次告訴我太太 這個新的商業模型時的狀況。

If she had any doubt left that I've gone completely mad,

如果她有一點點懷疑我完全瘋了，

that pretty much confirmed it for her.

那幾乎讓她確認了。

She said to me, "Mo ...

她對我說：「小穆……

you realize that if everybody does their homework, which you want,

你要知道，如果人人都如你所願 好好地做他們的家庭作業，

you're not going to make any revenue, which you don't want.

你就不會有任何利潤，這非你所願。

Great business model."

好棒的商業模型。」

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

I say it's more like an antibusiness model,

我說，它比較像是個反商業模型，

it's free if you use it, but you pay if you don't.

用它就是免費的，不用它就要付費。

Now, I knew from experience

根據經驗，我知道，

that not everybody in the country was going to jump on

不可能全國每個人都會因此動起來，

and do their maths homework every week.

並每週完成數學的家庭作業。

And if they did, sure we'd go bust pretty quickly,

若大家都做到，我們很快就會破產，

but hey, we would have solved the country's maths skills crisis.

但，嘿，我們就能解決 這個國家的數學技能危機呢。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

As a company, we've always run a double bottom line,

我們開公司總是會有雙重底線，

looking to both make a return for investors

期望能為投資者取得收益，

as well as improve student outcomes.

同時也要改善學生的結果。

We know that our path to long-term profitability

我們知道若想要有長期收益性，

is through improving student outcomes.

就要去改善學生的結果。

So our dual objectives should never be at odds.

所以，我們的雙重方針 應該永遠不會不一致。

So we're always looking

所以，我們總是在注意，

to make our product decisions

當要做產品決策時，

around helping students reach their weekly maths goal,

要考量能協助學生達成 他們的每週數學目標，

effectively ensuring that they get paid

有效地確保他們會賺到錢，

and not us.

而不是我們。

Now you must be wondering: How is this crazy business model going?

你們現在一定在納悶： 這瘋狂的商業模型進展如何？

You'll be glad to know we're still in business.

你們會很高興知道，我們還在營運。

We've been testing this now for the last five months

過去五個月，我們一直在測試，

on just our personal home users in Australia

對象只有我們在澳洲的 居家個人使用者，

before we think about rolling it out to schools.

之後才會考慮把它推展到學校。

And here are the early results.

這些是早期的結果。

The green represents students who are completing their weekly maths goal

綠色代表的是完成 每週數學目標的學生，

and the red those who aren't.

紅色則是沒有完成。

You can see a lot more completing their homework than not.

你們能看到，完成的人 比沒完成的人多很多。

In fact, as our user base has grown,

事實上，隨著我們的 使用者基礎變大，

we found the percentage to be pretty steady, at around 75 percent.

我們發現，百分比 相當穩定，大約在 75%。

So on average, we receive our weekly subscription fee

所以，平均來說， 我們每四週會收到

once every four weeks,

一次的每週訂購費，

and the other three weeks, we're rewarding the students.

剩下的三週則是在獎勵學生。

Now of course we're leaving some money on the table here,

當然，我們有把一些錢留在桌上，

but guess what?

但，你們猜如何？

It turns out these students

結果發現，這些學生

are 70 percent more engaged than students not on the reward program.

比沒有參與獎勵方案的學生， 投入程度還要高 70%。

Check.

打勾（確認）。

From a business perspective,

從商業的角度，

they are less likely to churn

他們是比較不會流失的客戶，

and more likely to refer friends,

比較有可能推薦朋友，

so we're hoping to trade off a lower revenue per user

所以，我們希望能把 「每位使用者利潤」較低的使用者

for a bigger and more engaged user base.

換成比較大、比較投入的使用者基礎。

Check and check.

打勾再打勾。

Now for that final question.

至於最後一個問題。

Would they keep coming back if they were no longer paid?

如果不再付錢給他們， 他們會持續回來嗎？

Mathematics is so much more than just a subject you study at school.

數學絕對不只是 你在學校學的一個科目。

It's a human endeavor.

它是人類的努力。

It's what helps us to understand the world around us.

它能協助我們 了解我們周遭的世界。

And the more you know, the more you want to know.

你知道的越多，會想要知道更多。

So yes, we've triggered initial engagement

所以，是的，我們用財務獎勵來觸發

with a financial reward.

初始的投入。

But in the long run,

但從長期來說，

the money won't matter anymore.

錢就不再重要了。

Because in the long run,

因為，長期來說，

the wonder of mathematics will be the incentive

獎勵，將會是見證數學的驚奇，

and understanding it

報酬，則是讓你我真正了解它。

will be the reward.

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）