Teachers spend long hours doing administrative tasks like marking and setting assessments, which acts into their spare time and contributes to them being overworked. That is where Noodle Factory founders Yvonne Soh and Jim Wagstaff think their educational technology start-up can help. The firm seeks to solve such problems by using artificial intelligence to help teachers create notes, and set and mark simple assessments. Set up in 2018, Noodle Factory has about 5,200 students

Updated for 2025 | Originally published: November 9, 2021 Last week, we explored Zoom fatigue—what it is, its causes, and its effects on students . As online learning continues to evolve, tackling video call exhaustion is more important than ever. This week, we’ll provide actionable steps to help students and educators combat Zoom fatigue while improving virtual learning experiences. How to Reduce Zoom Fatigue in Online Classes Online learning isn’t going away anytime soon, b

The pandemic pushed the boundaries and the opportunities for the EdTech companies across the globe. The developments and the innovations that were slated for a year or two later in the future, were rushed in through the development process and introduced into the market during the Covid-19 pandemic period. Several online education platforms were under the scanner and were put through the acid test to survive the rising competition in the market. The EdTech market saw a huge b

First posted: October 25, 2021 | Updated for 2025 Introduction: The Growing Concern of Mental Health in Online Learning With the rise of hybrid and online university courses, video conferencing has become an essential part of education. However, students and educators are facing an increasingly common issue—Zoom fatigue. What is Zoom Fatigue? A form of mental and physical exhaustion caused by prolonged video conferencing, leading to: Reduced focus and engagement Increased st

How AI assistants can reduce teachers’ workloads, alleviate stress and avoid burnout – to improve teaching. It’s hard to be an educator in Singapore. They have to plan classes, teach and consistently find ways to engage students who just have various individual needs. Additionally, 50% of their time is spent on non-teaching tasks and it’s no wonder they’re overworked. According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Teaching and Learning Interna

In our previous article, we talked about what universal design for learning (UDL) is and explained its key principles . In this article, we’ll tell you why lecturers should start using universal design for learning ASAP. If you’re already interested in incorporating UDL into your classroom, we also explain how you can do that. Why Institutions Should Work Towards Universal Design for Learning Universal design for learning comes in handy because every student has their own

With the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Natural Language Processing (NLP) in Southeast Asia, there’s plenty of interest in the use of AI and its potential to transform schools. Many people are framing now as a time for “the future”, but how does it benefit the education scene? Should these technologies be used to assist and optimise the students’ education process? Is there even a future for such tools and technologies in the region? The short answer- Yes. The incre

Published 8 October 2021 Why It Matters: How AI assistants can reduce teachers' workloads, alleviate stress and avoid burnout The OECD Teaching and Learning International Survey 2019, revealed that Singaporean teachers were clocking in an average of 46 hours a week. But only 18 hours were spent on teaching, with the other hours going to administrative tasks and school activities. Yvonne Soh, Co-founder, Noodle Factory, shares the various factors contributing to why the teache

📅 First posted: September 28, 2021 | Updated for 2025 Introduction: Why Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Matters More Than Ever Education should be accessible to everyone —but not all students learn the same way . Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a research-backed framework designed to eliminate learning barriers by providing multiple ways to engage, access content, and demonstrate knowledge . What is UDL? It’s an inclusive approach to education that ensures s

If you find it challenging to increase student engagement during online learning, you're not alone. When conducting online classes , teachers are unable to monitor all students at once or communicate with them as easily as in in-person classes. Students are more prone to lose focus and have lower engagement during online classes because there is often little to keep them accountable or interact with them. So, is there a way to make online learning more engaging? That’s where

Noodle Factory, an AI-powered edtech platform, has announced that the company has closed a US$500,000 seed funding round. The round is supported by edtech accelerators, EduSpaze and SuperCharger Ventures and a consortium of seasoned angel investors. With the seed funding, Noodle Factory plans to extend its platform to K-12 (Secondary) institutions and expand its presence to the UK, Australia, US and Canada. The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted education all over the world, an

Everyone has their own unique strengths and weaknesses. Everyone blossoms at their own time. Everyone has their own way of absorbing and applying information. All of this is especially true when it comes to learning. Everyone has their preferred style and pace of learning, and we cannot expect a curriculum that came from a cookie-cutter mould to be one-size-fits-all. Key Differences in Learning Styles in Students 1. Learning styles Have you noticed that some students excel in

📅 First posted: August 16, 2021 | Updated for 2025 Introduction: The Rise of AI in Education With AI-powered tutors, chatbots, and virtual classrooms advancing rapidly, many educators and students are asking: “Will AI replace human teachers?” While AI personalises lessons, provides instant feedback, and automates admin tasks, it cannot replace the human touch in education. Let’s explore why human teachers remain essential and how AI should be seen as an ally, not a compet

📅 First posted: August 2, 2021 | Updated for 2025 Introduction: The Evolution of AI in Learning With AI-powered education platforms rapidly advancing, AI Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS) are revolutionising how students learn and teachers teach. What is an AI Intelligent Tutoring System? It’s an AI-driven learning assistant that provides personalised instruction, real-time feedback, and adaptive learning experiences—without requiring a human teacher. Why AI Tutoring Sys

Life at work will not return to the pre-COVID-19 world we're used to having. Gone were the days of fully packed conference halls for quarterly town halls and for those who are permanently working from home, gone were the days of face-to-face water cooler conversations with colleagues in the office. With remote working becoming the ultimate norm, how do we inject the working culture employees are so fond of into the virtual space and integrate new hires into both the formal an

In our previous article , we talked about what virtual onboarding is, how it works, and why it’s important. We even shared a teaser on how you can instantly improve your virtual onboarding process. If you’ve been waiting patiently for those tips, today’s your day. 1. Overprepare for your new employee Make the virtual onboarding process as smooth as possible for your new employee by getting everything prepared. Have a detailed schedule for new employees’ first week in the

Self-appraisal encourages employees to play an active role in the appraisal process. It also provides the manager with another perspective on the employee’s work over the past year. The self-appraisal should include questions that will help your direct report analyse their performance effectively. Here are the 8 questions that needs to be addressed for effective self-appraisal: Have you achieved the goals set during the past performance review? Have you surpassed your goals

Overview If you’re a learner or educator in this modern day, you’ve definitely used some form of AI or educational chatbot before. Need a refresher on educational chatbots? Our previous article, the Ultimate Guide to Chatbots for Learning and Education (2021), talks about the definition of educational chatbots, how they work, pinpointed their critical functions, and explains how educational chatbots can help users and revolutionise learning. Ready to learn about the nitty gri

What You Need to Know About Virtual Onboarding So, you want to use artificial intelligence to do virtual onboarding for new employees, but where to begin? Not to worry, Noodle Factory has got you covered with this guide to virtual onboarding. Here, you’ll learn what virtual onboarding is, how it works, and why it’s important. Read on if you’re ready to learn! What is virtual onboarding? Like traditional in-person onboarding, virtual onboarding is used to integrate new emplo

The following will help you to address performance gaps with employees during appraisals. 1. Begin by acknowledging the positive contributions and accomplishments. This will set up a right tone that will make your employee more receptive to your unfavourable feedback to come. Furthermore, it establishes trust between the both of you by showing the employee that you have been fair in your evaluation and is not judging them biasly. 2. Describe the gap between the target goal a