Celebration of Learning Project: Vana Learning

Student(s): Robert Trone and Joshua Stafford
Project: Vana Learning Behavior Management Tool
Course: The Wond’ry, Pre- and Post-Flight Program
Faculty Sponsor: Deanna Meador, M.A.; The Wond’ry

When Rob Trone reflected on his own academic journey, he notes some low points throughout. “There was a lack of consistent and actionable feedback provided by my teachers,” he says. However, this reflection didn’t stop there, Rob wanted to do something about it, so he pulled together a team of Vanderbilt students and established the company Vana Learning, marketing the namesake product.

Vana Learning is a behavior management tool that can be utilized to improve academic outcomes in K-12 settings. Rob says that the tool can be used for all primary and secondary grade levels, but it is specifically targeted to middle and high schools. When asked how he came up with the idea, Rob cites his experience with other behavior management tools and how labor intensive they were. Therefore, he set out to “reduce the labor coefficient” and make academic interventions more approachable and effective.

The Vana Learning software uses daily tracking and data analytics. It has various display methods. For example, students can display graphs on how they are doing with various skills such as organization or how they are behaving in class. Rob states that the software makes this information more accessible to students, but it also shows how they are progressing by generating weekly reports and trend alerts to keep students informed on their progress.

Vana Learning and Rob were voted by attendees as most likely to make a positive difference in the world at the Celebration of Learning. Rob hopes to get his educational product into more schools as soon as possible and was happy to present it at the Celebration of Learning.

For those interested, they can learn more about Vana Learning at vanalearning.com.