The online school Koa Academy is positioning education around small, live “micro learning Pods” designed to tackle one of digital teaching’s biggest weak spots: student engagement. The approach focuses on groups of eight learners with real time interaction and a dedicated teacher.
Koa Academy says online education is growing fast across Africa, while full time online schooling remains early stage in most countries. In South Africa, it points to a rapid shift towards digital learning, with families increasingly open to it but still unsure how to judge quality online options.
The academy says many platforms scale up the traditional classroom model and rely heavily on pre-recorded, asynchronous lessons, leaving learners with limited live interaction and weaker connection to teachers and peers.
According to recent research, a meta-analysis of more than 90,000 learners links teacher connection to stronger engagement. The research finds that multitasking during passive video lessons can reduce comprehension and retention by up to 40%.
Koa Academy says it confronts engagement pitfalls head on by shifting the paradigm from mass online delivery to intimate, highly interactive Pods.
“Our micro-learning Pods consist of just eight learners per group, fostering a close-knit, interactive environment rarely seen in the online education space,” says Mark Anderson, Koa Academy co-founder and principal. “Unlike typical online formats dominated by passive content consumption, these Pods thrive on live, synchronous sessions where every student participates actively.”
Each Pod is led by a dedicated teacher who serves as both an educator and mentor, personally knowing each student’s academic needs and goals. This personalised approach aims to ensure timely feedback and tailored support, building trust and accountability. Peer collaboration within Pods encourages discussion, collective problem solving, and shared learning responsibilities, creating an active and engaging atmosphere.
“Our model addresses the root causes of disengagement by providing consistent teacher presence and support, social belonging and peer accountability, interactive learning replacing passive watching and structured flexibility, promoting responsible self-management.”
Koa Academy’s Pods are designed to be mini communities where learners feel connected emotionally and intellectually, supporting sustained motivation and deeper comprehension. The academy says parents regularly report their children becoming more confident, focused, and excited about learning within these small, supportive groups.
Impact
Koa Academy reports a 100% matric pass rate for two consecutive years, in 2023 and 2024. The results sit alongside global research indicating that smaller classes combined with effective teaching strategies can lift academic outcomes from 20% to 40%.
The Pod environment places attention on soft skills linked to future employability, including communication, teamwork, resilience, and self management. Learners can practise these skills through collaborative projects, peer feedback, and leadership roles within Pods.
As the job market places increasing value on adaptability and social intelligence alongside technical ability, Koa Academy’s focus on academics and practical skill building aims to support learners over the long term.
“Success in today’s world depends on more than academic knowledge; it’s about communication, teamwork, and the ability to think critically with others,” says Anderson. “Our small Pods mirror the kind of collaboration found in modern workplaces, where teams work together to solve problems, share ideas and take responsibility for outcomes.”
Reflecting trends from the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2023, Koa Academy’s model aims to cultivate 21st-century skills that traditional classrooms and many online models fail to develop.
Scaling innovation
The Koa Academy Pod model aims to influence online schooling across Africa. With digital schooling still nascent in many countries beyond SA, the platform can support a scalable blueprint for delivering quality, connected, and personalised education at scale.
Expansion into markets such as Kenya represents a milestone for Koa Academy, extending its small group, teacher led Pods to additional learners. Many education systems across the continent operate with large class sizes and low levels of individual teacher attention, and Koa Academy presents its Pod model as an alternative aimed at improving access and learning quality.
SA’s online learning market is projected to grow substantially by 2033, with estimates indicating a near fourfold increase. Within that context, Koa Academy positions its approach as a model for online schooling in Africa, combining digital delivery with live, small group teaching and broader learner development to support education outcomes and preparedness for life after school.
“By linking rigorous academics with these human skills, Koa Academy helps close the gap between what students know and how they apply that knowledge,” says Anderson. “The result is confident, capable graduates who are not just academically successful, but genuinely ready for the modern world of work.”
* Visit the Koa Academy website here.