(NAPSI)—Good news for teachers and those with a thirst for knowledge: A social learning company that has helped to prepare students for success in higher education has created a new social media learning platform meant to help anyone learn something new.

Since a site called Learnist was launched recently, tens of thousands of online experts have curated the Web’s best resources into “learn boards”—multimedia mash-ups of videos, podcasts, e-books, blog posts, pictures and quizzes.

The topics covered on the learn boards range from how to multiply complex fractions to how to play the guitar. Visitors to the site can browse and learn about subjects in categories such as Art & Design, Education, Food & Drinks, Travel & Places, Sports and more. The emphasis is on social learning, so users collaborate and help each other learn through comments and recommended learn board additions.

Influential experts are adopting Learnist, including fashion designer Melissa Fleis, contestant on reality TV series “Project Runway,” and best-selling author of “The Lean Startup,” Eric Ries.

“The Lean Startup movement has spread around the world through social learning and Learnist helps that by leveraging the wealth of Lean Startup content online and using that to create sequenced resources to help people learn more from and with each other,” says Eric Ries.

Reaching the Online Learner

The site offers an innovative way to reach a social media−savvy learner both inside and outside the classroom. Several university instructors have created learn boards with multimedia postings that reinforce their classroom material. The site has focused on creating Common Core State Standards content for students in grades 7−12. Lifelong learners of all ages explore and share information on a variety of academic and nonacademic topics.

For example, a learn board on wave theory might start with a definition of the theory, then move into a video of a lecture from an expert in the field, then into slides being displayed in the video lecture, all in an effort to explain a topic. English teachers might take a similar approach by creating a board for a class on “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.”

The site also functions as a DIY resource, so cooks who want to master a recipe can get step-by-step instructions with helpful videos while handymen can learn how to build and stain a bookcase.

Like other social media sites such as Facebook, visitors can interact with learn boards by asking questions, leaving comments or “liking” posts, increasing the social aspect of the learning experience.

Whether it’s to meet academic standards, brush up on existing knowledge or learn a new skill, the idea behind Learnist is to organize the world’s information online in a way that encourages the sharing of knowledge and learning.

Going Mobile

Additionally, the company created Learnist for the iPhone and the iPad so users can create and curate content from anywhere at any time, making it easier to learn and share information on the go.

To request an invitation to Learnist, please visit learni.st or download Learnist for the iPad or Learnist for the iPhone on the Apple App Store.

On the Net:North American Precis Syndicate, Inc.(NAPSI)