A group of international student alumni from Trent University are helping simplify the experience preparing for English language proficiency tests for future international students and workers.

Graduates of Trent’s Applied Modelling & Quantitative Methods (AMOD) master’s program have launched a new app, ‘Winelts’, that seeks to simplify English language training for international students and workers preparing for the IELTS exam.

IELTS is recognized as a global standard for English language proficiency testing and is one of three language tests accepted by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). In 2023, more than four million people took the IELTS test, highlighting the demand for improved access to training resources.

Trent alumni Nasim Dadgar 23’, Mujaheed Abdulmalik 23’, Tife Olatunji 23’, and co-founder Alireza Mokhtari, created the app based on their shared experiences preparing for the IELTS exam and extensive knowledge of AI and big data analytics gained at Trent and abroad.

By reflecting on their experiences and reviewing survey data from international students at Trent, Nasim and her team found that time management and a lack of access to organized, structured online learning opportunities were among the biggest barriers to preparing for the IELTS exam.

“My team and I developed the idea for the app during my time at Trent, inspired by our journeys to Canada,” said Nasim. “As an international student from Iran, I have firsthand experience studying English for the IELTS exam and knew that the training process could be made much simpler and more accessible with the right platform.”

An app that uses artificial intelligence to understand the way you learn

The app uses artificial intelligence to develop training resources for every user. Based on the users listening, reading, writing, and speaking performance, the app develops learning materials and provides feedback to address their individual learning needs.

Some of the app’s major breakthroughs can be traced back to the team’s experiences in the Big Data Analytics stream of Trent’s AMOD program, where Nasim, Mujaheed, and Tife explored theories and applications of AI and big data alongside their professors, including Geoff Crane and Dave Riegert.

“As artificial intelligence continues to evolve, we’re seeing new opportunities for innovation in computer science and data analytics,” said Riegert, a professor in the Department of Mathematics & Statistics. “Trent’s AMOD program gives students the foundation to understand these technologies and apply them in meaningful ways. Winelts demonstrates the positive potential of artificial intelligence and how it can be used to support learning outcomes for students.”

“As a software engineer and app developer working with AI, this program definitely helped shape my career in data analytics,” said Nasim. “Trent helped me understand that clean and meaningful data only exists when you understand the problem you’re using the data to solve. The AMOD program taught me the fundamentals of working with big data, how data analytics is evolving alongside artificial intelligence, and how we can use these concepts to create tailored learning experiences that support international students and workers.”

The team launched Winelts on the App Store for iOS devices and hopes to increase the quality of English learning experiences and reduce confusion about IELTS testing.

Learn more about the Applied Modelling and Quantitative Methods (AMOD) program at Trent University.