Reasonal: Micro learning app for critical thinking

PROBLEM

A major MIT study found that false information spreads six times faster than true news on social media. The problem has only grown worse with AI, which can now generate convincing misinformation at scale. Governments try to restrict access or moderate posts, but you can't fact-check everything. The only real solution is giving people the tools and knowledge to tell what's actually true.



At the same time, our ability to reason through information is declining. Most schools and universities barely teach critical thinking. And when they do, it's usually through dry, hypothetical examples disconnected from real life.



SOLUTION

Reasonal teaches critical thinking through peer-reviewed research and real-life examples, not made-up scenarios. You learn about obedience by examining why 65% of ordinary people administered potentially lethal electric shocks to strangers simply because an experimenter told them to. You learn about false analogies by exploring how "data is the new oil" influenced actual tech policy.



The app uses branching narratives. Your choices shape what you see next. If you already understand something, you skip ahead. If you have a misconception, the content addresses it directly. Each lesson creates multiple paths based on how you respond. Everyone learns the core concept, but the path depends on what you already know and what assumptions you're making. Branching paths require active engagement, not just passive reading and consumption of the material.



Everything is built and optimized for mobile and learning on-the-go. Short blocks, usually 3-4 sentences. Definitions get visual emphasis. Expert quotes provide context. Research findings appear in callouts. Custom illustrations break up the text.



Reasonal is critical thinking training that works: mobile-first, research-backed, flexible, immersive, and personalized.



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Source: The spread of true and false news online (2018, Soroush Vosoughi, Deb Roy, Sinan Aral, published in Science)