Last night we had a great focused discussion with some leaders in Chicago EdTech. Companies from childhood learning to adult education came by BLUE 1647 to share what they were up to and explain their successes and challenges when innovating in the education space. There was plenty of good conversation, excellent presentations, and delicious pizza and beer delivered in under an hour thanks to Postmates.
To those who couldn't make it to the event, here's the lowdown on the nine Chicago companies that are changing how we teach, prepare, and find jobs for students.
Classkick is giving students more feedback on their work by incorporating iPad-based assignments in the classroom. Students do work on their tablets, allowing teachers to track the progress of each students and provide feedback in real-time. Students can "raise their hand" in the program to signal they need help, and the teacher can jump in to assist the student.
Packback - digital textbooks for $5 or less from Packback on Vimeo.
How often do college students really use their textbooks? Maybe two or three times a semester right before a big exam? If so, the $100+ price of the book doesn't make any sense, and Packback is trying to solve that problem for students. The Chicago startup, which appeared on Sharktank and landed an investment from Mark Cuban, lets students rent etextbooks for $5 or less per day.
The Startup Institute works by giving people who want to work in startups the tools they need to find a job. The company launched in Boston and has since opened in Chicago, New York, London and Berlin. Its full-time program offers courses in product and design, web development, technical marketing, and sales and account management, all designed around giving students real-world experience to land a job with a startup upon completion.
Semester Planner, founded by UIC student Marcell Purham, gives students the tools to create a digital school planner so everything can be paperless in one place, and notes are never thrown away. Purham said more than 15,000 students across 200 schools have already begun using Semester Planner.
Youtopia gives digital rewards to help motivate students. Students earn digital badges for hitting goals, creating a competitive and engaging learning atmosphere.
Forall Systems' product ForAllRubrics is a personalized digital classroom assessment for teachers. Located in 1871, Forall Systems' easy to use rubrics helps teachers track the progress of their students and it allows for sharing of rubrics between teaches, administrators and students.
Digital GroundUp teaches digital marketing through online courses aimed at teaching the best marketing practices and concepts. Digital GroundUp allows companies to improve their marketing efficiency, and save the cost of having to hire an agency or consultant.
Start your college success story with GetSet from GetSet Learning on Vimeo.
GetSet is an online platform where college students can connect with other college students. It allows students from the same university to find one another to study for an exam, ask questions to other students, and get answers almost instantly. GetSet recently partnered with Arizona State to allow students to access the software and start connecting with fellow classmates.
A Better Chicago is a nonprofit organization that works with other nonprofits to give them the resources they need to succeed. A Better Chicago supports organizations that are equipping people with the education, skills and credentials to compete in the 21st century economy.
