Brilliant Deep Dive: Simplifying STEM Education While Producing Higher-Grade Professionals

According to Dr. Robert A. Bjork, a distinguished research professor in the department of psychology at UCLA, while cramming might be a shortcut to getting good grades, it is ineffective in the long run. Bjork says: 

“Cramming can have pretty dramatic effects on the exam. It will work in the sense of performance on an exam administered right at the end of cramming. Students get an impression that it works, but it just works in the short term. It’s accompanied by a dramatic forgetting rate after that.”

Although cramming may be effective for passing exams, it often deprives students of getting the depth of understanding. For example, while it is easy to memorize the formula E=mc², applying it in real-world problems is another thing entirely. In this light, online platform Brilliant uses a practical and more effective approach to learning. 

Brilliant helps its users to develop the visual and intuitive foundation needed to see how concepts relate to each other, creating a mental framework that eases understanding. On top of that, Brilliant gives students the chance to apply their knowledge with progressively demanding challenges. So, what exactly is Brilliant? 

What Is Brilliant?

Founded in 2012 by Sue Khim, Brilliant is an online learning platform that aims to help students acquire Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) skills and education. Brilliant serves as a supplement for both traditional education and coding bootcamps. It helps students to build a mindset that goes beyond memorizing and helps them develop critical thinking abilities.

Speaking on Apple Store Story, Sue Khim says of Brilliant: “We cover everything from fundamentals to advanced topics, and we offer this dash of magic to make it fun. Without strong pedagogy, the aspirations would just be entertainment. But without the fun, one just comes back to ‘math is scary.’ Balancing that is one of the most difficult parts of our job.”

Altogether, Brilliant’s value proposition focuses on:

1. Upskilling critical thinking ability in students through effective learning methods.
2. Building basics in foundational thinking skills for data science, mathematics, and computer science.

A Review of Brilliant’s Courses and Curriculum

The inability to express STEM concepts into simple, relatable forms is a significant pitfall of the traditional academic setting. So often, students━especially visual and hands-on learners━find difficulty understanding the concepts and their real-world applications.

Brilliant’s curriculum is designed to deliver value to learners through its fun, interactive, and hands-on approach to learning, made possible by experienced educators who guide them through the process. 

Even better, Brilliant uniquely visualizes complex concepts in simple, easy-to-understand ways. Using lots of illustrations and short puzzles, a lesson explains the concept, how it applies in the real world, and why it is applied in specific ways. 

For instance, when explaining the Pythagorean Theorem, Brilliant features several visualizations and short puzzles that build up to explain the properties of a right triangle and how they culminate to prove the theorem. 

Brilliant uses that approach for both introductory and advanced concepts, such as the Pythagorean Theorem and Euclidean Geometry, respectively (watch them here and here). This helps students━both young and adult━draw connections between the principles on paper and their real-world application. Also, it animates the learning process, triggering interaction and seizing the attention of the learner.

The platform also accommodates people with varying needs. For example, Brilliant provides several foundational and prerequisite materials on mathematics, probability, statistics, and algorithms for those who wish to launch a career in data engineering, data analytics, computer science, and so on. There are also intermediate- and advanced-level courses for those who wish to buff up their knowledge and skills in STEM.

Brilliant’s Learning Paths

There are over 60 Brilliant courses available to users on the platform, and they are arranged into different learning paths. That helps to give students a proper portfolio of what they should learn and in the order they should be learning them. Below are Brilliant’s learning paths.

1. Math Foundations

The Mathematics Foundations path has seven courses that cover the fundamentals of algebra and geometry. They help high school students to get a better understanding of mathematics. This learning path is helpful for those venturing into a career in engineering. The courses are:

• Pre-Algebra
• Geometry
• Mathematical Fundamentals
• Algebra Fundamentals
• Geometry I
• Algebra I
• Algebra II

2. Computer Science Foundations

Brilliant’s Computer Science Foundations program is useful for those who wish to venture into IT-related disciplines. The courses in this program can be viewed as a precursor to a coding bootcamp. Students will be introduced to program computational thinking, algorithms, and programming languages, among others. 

This path consists of four courses:

• Computer Science Fundamentals
• Algorithm Fundamentals
• Data Structures
• Introduction to Neural Networks

3. Applied Computer Science

The Applied Computer Science learning path is an eight-course program that teaches neural networks, building up cryptocurrency, quantum mechanics, and computational biology. It is made up of:

• Computer Science Fundamentals
• Algorithm Fundamentals
• Introduction to Neural Networks
• Search Engines
• Cryptocurrency
• Quantum Computing
• Computational Biology
• Computer Memory

4. Computer Science Algorithms

Brilliant’s Computer Science Algorithms program comprises three courses. It starts with teaching students algorithm fundamentals, then builds up to data structures and neural networks. Below are the courses:

• Algorithm Fundamentals
• Data Structures
• Introduction to Neural Networks

5. Data Science Foundations

With the Data Science Foundations program, students can prepare for a bootcamp or college education in data-related fields. The program covers fundamentals in probability, statistics, and neural networks. By the end of it, students will be able to apply the concept of probability and use statistical tools to solve probability problems. 

The list of courses is as follows:

• Probability Fundamentals
• Applied Probability
• Statistics Fundamentals
• Introduction to Neural Networks

6. Advanced and Applied Science

Brilliant’s Advanced and Applied Science program is suitable for those with a solid background in mathematics and other foundational science topics. During the program, students will learn cutting-edge mathematics and science concepts like Information Theory, Bayesian Networks, Computational Biology, Quantum Physics, and Blockchain, among others.  

The path has nine courses:

• Scientific Thinking
• Introduction to Neural Networks
• Knowledge and Uncertainty
• Cryptocurrency
• Computational Biology
• Quantum Computing 
• Special Relativity
• Gravitational Physics
• Quantum Objects
• Solar Energy

What Makes Brilliant’s Teaching Methods Different?

Today, having quality skills in critical thinking and problem-solving is necessary to thrive in any tech job. According to Pearson, critical thinkers produce better real-world outcomes and sound decisions in the real world. Hence, the focus on critical thinking rather than memorization is a huge plus for Brilliant and its students. 

The platform’s code of broad approach towards learning is unique. 

1. Interactive Lessons

Brilliant aims to make learning comfortable, entertaining, and stimulating. It achieves this by replacing conventional lecture videos with interactive and intuitive lessons that are peppered with quizzes and problem-solving quotients. This encourages active participation and helps students understand the topics better for improved retention.

2. Focus on Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

The critical thinking approach increases understanding of the science concepts. It experiments with the “why” of things, rather than just memorizing the formulas and concepts. 

On Brilliant’s Today tab, the platform also features daily challenges to add some fun to the learning experience, and ultimately, to improve learners’ problem-solving skills.

3. Learn by Doing

Brilliant teaches students by providing sufficient practical explanations to help them understand concepts. Then, it shows them how to apply that knowledge in solving questions and other real-life problems.

4. The Progressive Approach to Learning

Using a progressive approach to learning, Brilliant students are taken through the foundational level to more complex topics. This helps them see a bigger and clearer picture of the entire concept by connecting the individual topics. 

Programs start with simple questions and stories that guide students to build a foundation while stimulating intuitiveness. Then, they advance to problems that test students’ capabilities of solving them.

5. In-Depth Explanation

Brilliant has a team of experienced educators who helps students focus on knowing why a theory exists and how it is applied. This guidance allows them to build a solid understanding of the subject and prepares them for real-life challenges.

6. Openness to Failure

In school, students learn that there is a cost to making mistakes, but not in Brilliant. Its founder Sue Khim stresses that it is okay to make mistakes. This ideal forms part of the platform’s guiding principles. 

In the Apple Story Store interview, she notes that, “… no matter what you do, you’re going to be given choices. [W]here there’s no obvious right answer, you just have to figure it out.” 

Who Can Learn with Brilliant?

Brilliant is ideal for anyone keen on building a strong foundation in science, mathematics, and technology. You can also use Brilliant as a platform to test the waters to find out what career is right for you. Just note that the learning platform is mostly catered to:

• Professionals. The platform is suited for young professionals, who are introduced firsthand to the need for critical thinking in workplaces.

• Life-long learners. Those in this category find that the platform helps them to gain more knowledge and expand their minds, even though they may be well past their formal years of education.

• Students. High school and college students use the platform to complement their knowledge in maths, probability, statistics, and much more. It is useful to develop critical thinking skills. 

How to Pay for Brilliant

Brilliant offers subscription plans to interested learners, each giving you varying levels of access to the platform’s services and products. 

Free Plan

The free plan allows users to use Brilliant, albeit with restricted benefits. While it gives users access to preview the courses, they can only view the first module and curriculum of every course. However, there is access to daily challenges in the Today tab.

Premium Plan

Brilliant’s Premium plan ensures subscribers have unlimited access to over 60 courses on the platform. Plus, it allows users to learn even when they are offline. 

Subscribers will need to renew the plan to continue enjoying premium access when the subscription expires. Three payment options are offered to users:

1. Annual Plan. The annual plan gives users access to all the course content over 12 months. It costs $149.85. According to Brilliant, this is the most popular plan among subscribers.
   
2. Monthly Plan. The monthly plan gives subscribers premium access for over 30 days and it costs $25 per month.
   
3. Group Plan. The group plan allows multiple users to access one premium benefit on one account. It costs $299.88 per year for a group of three people. Adding an extra person to the group will require additional payment. 

What Do People Say About Brilliant?

Brilliant is available on the web interface and mobile applications for both Android and iOS operating systems. Its testimonials page states that there are over nine million Brilliant subscribers and that the platform boasts five-star ratings from over 50,000 users.

Here are some testimonials from learners who were impressed with the platform:

Jacob Snider

“Through its engaging and well-structured courses, Brilliant has taught me mathematical concepts that I previously struggled to understand. I now feel confident approaching both technical job interviews and real-world problem-solving situations.”

Mark Walth (Google Play)

“I’m a mathematician and teacher. I’ve used Brilliant both for my own continued learning and to challenge my more advanced students. Their problem-based courses are an excellent way to build understanding, and they are adding more resources all the time. Highly recommended.”

Elijah Rodgers (Google Play)

“I love this app. It has made me find this love for math that has been missing since middle school. It’s challenging but in a fun way and it has almost become therapy for me to jump into a session of Brilliant.”

Become a Better Problem-Solver with Brilliant

The traditional academic setting trains students to regurgitate facts and formulas with little to no context. Hence, it typically produces learners who lack a grounded understanding of STEM concepts and their application in practical circumstances. 

Brilliant focuses on helping people develop a critical-thinking mind. Its materials are cleverly created for anyone who wants to improve cognitive abilities, be they students, young professionals, or lifelong learners. 

Furthermore, the platform is excellent for people to get foundation-level knowledge on STEM courses. This can help them prepare for college or join a bootcamp in data science, data analytics and engineering, software engineering, and many more.

So, sign up today with Brilliant and begin your journey to a quality STEM education that is designed with fun in mind.