This summer, I went on a mission to get technology for my classroom, and along the way I established relationships with programers and CEO’s who are currently developing the latest educational technology. I got free access to the educational technology of tomorrow, and helped shaped it to meet the needs of my classroom this fall. Now, I’m looking for other teachers to work with me, no previous experience with technology is necessary.
I had the privilege of working with rock star entrepreneur Sam Chaudhary before the rest of the world stormed the stage. [Check out Sam's latest post to the Beta Classroom site!]
Beta testing this incredible program allowed me to recognize its extraordinary potential and award it the title of “Teacher Approved Technology” months ago (you can check out the review and original beta test video here).
While beta testing, Sam and I realized the importance of documenting the benefits of successful collaborations between ed. tech. entrepreneurs and teachers. In honor and celebration of Class Dojo’s victory, I proudly republish the thoughts we put down while collaborating via google doc. sometime before dawn in early July. For full explanation of what it takes to have a successful symbiotic collaboration between ed. tech. and teachers, here-> Best_Practices If you are a teacher interested in checking out other programs like class dojo, you should join our team of teachers who help shape the ed. tech. of tomorrow!
Benefits Sam Gained From Partnership with Beta Classroom
2) Explicitly told us what was important to you, or what you’d expect. I think your ‘stream of consciousness’ narration throughout the video really helped us understand what you wanted to do, and therefore what we need to do to fit with your work patterns.[1]
4) At numerous points through the video, you highlighted a lot of bugs! This is fantastic because as we are following the lean startup philosophy of ‘release early, release often’ – and the fact that we’ve been going for just 4 weeks! – we frequently don’t have enough time to catch all the bugs – which is why it’s important to have an engaged group of beta testers like you to say ‘hmm… that seems weird!’
6) Thoughts on product deployment: as startups, we make assumptions about the environment in which our products will operate. It is awesome to hear from you what actually happens in the classroom, e.g. ‘my wireless used to slow down when multiple people at the middle school accessed it’.
[1]For example, at one point you said that ‘all programs we use ask me to re-type students names one by one (other than the one which is mandated by the school), so I don’t mind doing it again… I do think that there’s got to be a way to just paste in a list’. This made us realize that if we’re going to be better than other programs, we’ve got to make something as simple as adding a class list be a really awesome experience. We’re now building in a ‘copy and paste a list of names’ feature, as a direct consequence of your feedback.
[2]A second example of this was when you logged in with your phone, and it took ages to load – you filled in the silence with conversation – you were praising us, which was great haha :p – but which suggested to me that the performance of the web app is too slow.
Benefit of working with Sam and Class Dojo:
+ Added Value – Freedom of movement! I will no longer will I be forced to choose between standing near my keyboard or using a paper seating chart to record student participation points. This application allows me to be where I need to be-with my students, and easily keep track of class participation points. Additionally, the program provided me with an analysis of the feedback I give my students which will help me make better decisions about how I encourage my student’s to succeed.
+ Time Saved – 3 hours/week (at least) that I usually would have spent deciphering, entering and analyzing participation point charts at the end of the week! Saves me time in my efforts to contact parents to let them know of their child’s successes in class.
+ Improves Teacher’s Efficiency and Practice: Gives parents and students access to technology so that parents can access their child’s data and see how they performed in class each day.
+ Optimizes Student Learning – Helps make learning more fun for my students and provides them with a better understanding of positive/productive behaviors and choices
Hey Team,
I’ve posted the lesson plans I’m using this week to introduce Class Dojo to my students. I actually had a student say to me “I really appreciate this”. I’m still in shock to say the least. I’ve received so many AMAZING emails from the team and can’t wait to have time to respond to all of them this weekend! I’ll have more information and updates on everything from Chromebooks, to feedback, to new Betas by Sunday and will send out an email to let everyone know when I make the post. Thanks for being so supportive and letting me know so much about your incredibly innovative practices and insightful ideas about educational technology. (sorry bout the alliteration on that last bit). To access the lesson plans use the link “lesson plans” that’s in the first sentence of this post.
The numbers of teachers on our team is increasing! Special Shout Out of thanks to those like Matt Crosbie and Shawn Storm who took it active initiative on this first mission! By completing the second survey and recruiting more teachers to our team, we can make the ed. tech. world understand our potential to provide them with a new channel for the distribution of technology.
Don’t know much about this one but it sure looks sweet!
If anyone feels like creating a review of the beta technologies below PLEASE DO! I would love to see what some of your ideas are! If you want any ideas about creating a review, you can check out the ones I did over the summer. Be creative, make it your own, and most importantly provide these guys with ACTIONABLE feedback-feedback that tells them what action they need to take to make it optimize your practice and improve student outcomes. ***Let the team know what you think! Email your reviews to betaclassroom@gmail.com***
+1. Today, I had the pleasure of meeting with Learn Boost’s Co-Founder Rafael Corrales. Learn Boost is what happens when a beta technology listens actively and empatheticly to teachers AND gets it 100% right. This isn’t a program, its a masterpiece.
+Looking for a way to make an elegant visual? Who isn’t? Cacoo has stencils, a history feature that lets you undo and redo, collaboration features, and the ability to export your diagrams into PDF, PNG, and other formats. Great for classrooms! And for mapping out your classroom set up. The beauty of this program is something you have to see for yourself.
Like I said, today is short and sweet, but its only because I’ve got another packed day tomorrow, and can’t wait to report back to the team! You guys rock and I can’t wait to see your reviews! Please email them to me at betaclassroom@gmail.com.
~Whew I’m tired!~
I GOT LEADS ON CURRENT AND FUTURE EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY THAT IS IN NEED OF HIGH QUALITY FEEDBACK! YAY!
*** Those who have voiced their interest in providing feedback will be able to choose your first beta-technology to test in over the next four weeks.***
Whether they are tech-savvy, tech-curious, or tech-phobic, EVERY teacher can be a member of Team Beta Classroom. There’s got to be others out there who want this opportunity! How can we let them know about joining Team Beta Classroom? -Listserves? Ning communities? Department Meeting Announcements? State Education Websites? Sky Writing? TELL THEM THEY CAN SIGN UP AT: betaclassroom.wordpress.com/teachers-wanted/
If you have ideas or already taking on this mission. PLEASE let me know! I want to tell everyone about the actions take, success you have or frustration you encounter. Contact me using the reply box below or emailing me at Betaclassroom@gmail.com.
If you have not already completed “The Shape of What’s to Come” survey PLEASE do so! See reflection below for further inspiration. I will be analyzing the survey results and reporting back on the future dimensions in next post.
We have an opportunity to redefine the way technology is developed and distributed, but no chance in heck if we don’t increase the size of our team. Let’s show them that we’re not the only one’s who want technology for our classrooms! You can use the same post I made to edmodo (see blog post below) or come up with one of your own! If you have ideas or ready to take on our first mission. Please let us know what you do by either writing into the comment box below or emailing me at Betaclassroom@gmail.com
“It is not difference which immobilizes us, but silence. And there are so many silences to be broken.” Audre Lorde
Being here and writing these words, is my attempt to break that silence. Too often I planned to someday to speak, or waited for someone else’s words.
We can no longer accept historically imposed separations between teachers and the field of ed. tech. as inevitable
Today I spoke with leaders in the field of educational technology. Every one of them shared a commitment to education, to the power of technology, and to reclaiming of a system which has been made to work against us.
The words of teachers and students are desperate to be heard, and the individuals I spoke with today, recognize their responsibility to seek those words out, to read them, share them and apply to the development of educational technology.
“What is most important to you must be spoken, made verbal and shared, even at the risk of having it bruised or misunderstood.” As we transform silence into language and action, we must learn to build and maintain ourselves and our community together-to recognize and solve our problems together. By staying silent, we rob ourselves of ourselves and each other.
“It is not our differences which immobilize us, but silence. And there are so many silences to be broken.”
