Kristine Michelsen-Correa discusses empowering volunteers to contribute to Duolingo's global mission of providing free language education. She outlines a 4-step process for developing volunteer-led language courses: 1) Define clear goals, 2) Start small by launching select languages and building tools, 3) Track progress through different phases, and 4) Continuously learn and iterate based on feedback. The end result has been over 40 new language courses created by volunteers, empowering millions more people to learn for free.

1. Hej, I’m Kristine Michelsen-Correa
Head of Community, Duolingo
@hejkristinemc
Empowering Volunteers to
Contribute to a Global Mission

2. I believe through collective action we
can achieve more

3. 1993

5. We believe everyone should have access to education of the highest quality - for free.

6. Meet the team

7. We started with a handful of course offerings

8. + some more

9. We now offer over 60 language courses

10. 85 million people learning a
language for free

12. Photo source: gatesnotes.com

13. But, how?

14. Where volunteers bring life
to new language courses

16. A duck says good morning.
En and siger godmorgen.

17. You must be mission driven
Power map data across the world
Spread Ideas
Promote openness, innovation and opportunity on the web
Provide software for the public good
Free language education for the world
To collect knowledge disseminated around the globe

18. • Can your mission be furthered?
• Do people feel a personal connection?
• Is there a problem that provides value to
others when solved?
• Is your project community driven bottom up
& not top down?
Can your community help?

19. Step 1
Define goals of program
Step 2
Open small parts
Step 4
Learn and iterate
Step 3
Track progress

20. Define Goals: Step 1

21. • Different levels of contribution
• High quality content
• Ease of contributing
• Multiple languages
• Engaging and fun
• Incentives to participate
Challenges

22. • Why are you doing this?
• How much are you willing to invest?
• What’s your timeline?
• How do you evaluate the program?
• Who are your volunteer leaders?
• What are the community guidelines/norms?
Ask yourself some questions
to set realistic goals

23. Contribute to a course. Change the world.

24. Build free language courses

25. Build the course’s curriculum

26. Support contributors through
experience

28. Start small: Step 2

29. How we got started
Launched select languages
Didn’t worry about automation
Found volunteer leaders
Empowered contributors

30. Build the right tools as you grow

31. Workshop: Course creators’ toolbox

32. Tracking Progress: Step 3

33. What are you tracking?

34. Phase 1

36. Phase 2

37. Invite people to join community

38. Phase 3

39. Learn and Iterate: Step 4
(repeat)

41. What are the incentives for volunteers?

42. 5 traits of a great volunteer
• Believes in mission
• Enthusiastic
• Flexible
• Committed
• Communicative

43. PhD in the sociology of
the internet
Big data
consultant
Scientist working on the
immune system and
cancer, PhD

45. Incubator Summit
April 30th, 2015, Berlin

48. So, what can we
accomplish together?

49. 40+ new language courses created by volunteers
(millions more people learning for free)

50. More people on Duolingo learning Irish
than native speakers in the world

52. Together we can achieve more
than when we think and act alone

53. Thank you
Kristine Michelsen-Correa
Head of Community, Duolingo
@hejkristinemc