LB4U – get your learning badge for 522 here!
Imagine earning your gold level digital learning badge for your personal educational efforts in ETEC 522! Learn more about this disruptive, game changing technology and how learning badges will revolutionize open, online learning environments. See how LB4U will connect learners with opportunity.
The ELEVATOR PITCH is here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBbyzDwaEDc
The VENTURE PITCH is found HERE.
Posted in: Venture Forum
jtpatry 1:00 pm on July 30, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Good Day Helen,
Thank you for your pitches, you can hear and feel the excitement in the elevator pitch for this possible venture. Despite my own pedagogical and philosophical perspectives on “earning” badges to represent learning (are the learners learning, or just wanting to get that badge, what about those students who are aren’t able to achieve, etc) you are absolutely correct in stating that more demand is being voiced in regards to accountability. With social media becoming almost intertwined in daily life, I think your venture has great potential to be woven into this type of learning market. I haven’t joined the fourSquare world, but I do see how people become “hooked” into this type of activity and enjoy having the recognition for his/her accomplishments or achievements. Parents would also benefit from seeing what levels students have achieved and can follow along with their child’s learning development. From a business standpoint, I would be willing to invest in this company as I can see a dollar value potential (and return and profit from the original investment). Schools/boards I’m sure can’t wait to jump in and get in on this opportunity.
Thanks,
Jon
HJDeW 5:51 pm on July 31, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Thanks for the feedback Jon. I too have some issues on philosophical levels, but so many learners within ‘standard’ learning environments will work for extrinsic motivations as a step to gaining internal motivations. With social learning environments so tightly tied to student success, it is the disenfranchised and disengaged that need this type of support to succeed. Helen
janetb 8:32 am on July 31, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Helen,
Your elevator pitch is engaging and thoughtfully laid out. You made a good argument for the need for celebrating our successes and providing us with a visual reminder of what collecting badges used to be like. I think you are right that having a way to “display” one’s badges online could be trend that catches on.
Good luck with your venture!
Janet
HJDeW 5:53 pm on July 31, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Thanks Janet…. as a former special education teacher who worked with students who just needed to be able to show off some accomplishments, this product caught my attention.
Helen
Claire Burgoyne 4:32 pm on July 31, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Helen,
Your pitch for LB4U is well done. You sound excited about this venture and clearly explain its features and why you believe it’s beneficial. As I understand it LB4U supports extrinsic motivation which isn’t the trend in educational reform efforts. That said, some people do like to collect stuff and having the option to accumulate badges may appeal to some. I’m just not convinced that the opportunity to participate in LB4U will contribute to student engagement and lead to meaningful learning.
Claire
HJDeW 5:59 pm on July 31, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Claire, I respect that on philosophical grounds there may be many who would not invest or purchase this product. It provides and external symbol for something that should be internal and intrinsic. The mechanism for creating something that explicitly demonstrates what others have achieved, especially those whom a learner may respect and look up to, will give some students the goal and learning path to achieve more than they would otherwise. Just look at what is happening at the Olympics! I watched young divers watching the bronze medal winners today and aspiring to follow their path. Learning badges are just another way for ‘expert’ learners to model and show the way.
Helen
gregcamp 8:39 pm on July 31, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Helen, you can hear in your pitch that you are passionate about your venture and believe in it. I like the idea of the badges that can be displayed online to celebrate success. I think this is likely a market more targeted towards elementary school students and as an investor I need to know how I am going to make money and I need convincing that this product wouldn’t just be a fad and disappear within a short timeframe.
Greg
HJDeW 1:57 pm on August 1, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Greg, the market would not be limited to elementary students, but that would be part of the potential market. It would be marketed to individual learners at the adult, higher ed level first, and move cautiously into younger learners (with research and design being done to ensure that it is the right move, of course !!). I see this as being ‘sold’ to individuals just as the ‘certificate’ or ‘transcript’ are currently ‘sold’ to learners by their learning organizations. It would be a value-added to the ‘award’ for achievements gained. So, once I receive my certificate from MET, I can migrated my info to the secure LB4U site and there receive the digital images of my courses and achievements which I can then show and share to the world…. does that make sense?
It can also them be embedded into my resume when I go out job hunting for those elusive ed/tech jobs OR be incorporated into my CEO blog/web presence for all to view. Bragging a little, yes! Sharing my path of success for others to emulate, perhaps!
Four square is not a fad and look how people are flocking to earn badges and share their social activities with others. This is the leading edge of a potential tsunami! Jump in before you get swept away.
Have I convinced you to invest! Hope your funds are in transit! 🙂
Helen
chrisaitken 12:50 am on August 1, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
I think that with the increase of PLE style learning badges will become mainstream. The market probably won’t be for courses like ETEC 522 which are part of a credentialing program, but for learning that takes place through social participation on the web. There is the potential for people to learn anything they want on the web without the help of teachers and courses and this valid learning should be recognized somehow.
However, with Mozilla Foundation already establish an open framework for badges I wonder where the revenue stream would come from. Is funding possible through a Canadian government agency? Perhaps. But without detailed information on the business model I might wait and see what transpires with badges through the open source movement.
HJDeW 2:04 pm on August 1, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Chris, waiting could potentially leave you out of the windfall once this product hits mainstream. LB4U is positioned to make the most of the OBI by working in partnership with learning organizations (such as UBC) and with learners to provide secure, transfer of data and achievements -rather than each individual applying to UBC for their learning badges on completion, this will be streamlined and design of the badges would be done by LB4U (with approval and control of brand by the learning organization). We are the ‘go-between’ just as Facebook is social media. OBI is the mechanism, hence the proposed partnership with Mozilla in R&D, but our proprietary work in display and design would be where the actual money to be made resides. Hope you don’t miss this ‘boat’. Invest in learners today!
Helen
lisamallen 11:07 am on August 2, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Helen,
It’s clear that you are passionate about your venture and you have really backed up the ideas presented with theory (which is comforting as an investor). I would have liked to have seen more information on your competition and what sets you apart from them.
Overall, great pitch!
Lisa
HJDeW 5:24 pm on August 2, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Thanks Lisa, your feedback is appreciated. There are a few competitors in this ‘business’ in the US, but none in the Canadian marketplace, that I discovered. But cross-boarder, internet based businesses are not uncommon so it is worth investigating further.
I guess what really sets LB4U apart is our knowledge and experience in the Canadian education field. Hope that is enough to keep Canadians buying and supporting Canadian ventures.
Helen
maybacon 11:45 am on August 2, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Helen,
You make an excellent presentation and exude enthusiasm for your venture. Although some may have philosophical reservations about this type of venture, several people could benefit from having markers for signaling and commemorating their achievements. As an investor, I would be concerned with the philosophical issue, which has already been cause for criticism among existing reward systems (such as the one available through Khan Academy). Nevertheless, I believe that this kind of motivation will play an important role in the future of education.
Excellent pitch and good luck with this venture!
May
HJDeW 5:25 pm on August 2, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Thanks for the feedback May. I appreciate your honest opinion.
Helen
Leonora Zefi 7:44 pm on August 2, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Your enthusiasm and confidence in this venture came through your pitch Helen. You clearly articulate what B4U plans to do and what it needs to be successful.
Concept and Marketability
I think the concept of B4U to validate and celebrate learner success is a good one. I can see market opportunities for this venture in being incorporated in electronic portfolio applications and as you have pointed out, strategic partnerships are absolutely crucial for venture success.
Venture plan and financials
Your plan is well thought out and your venture analysis is very thorough.
Thanks,
Leonora
HJDeW 8:20 am on August 3, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Thanks Leonora, your feedback is helpful. I’ll look forward to our continued venture relationship when we meet to ‘share the funds’. 🙂
Helen
Leonora Zefi 10:10 am on August 3, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Sounds good to me Helen 🙂
Leonora
ping 9:49 pm on August 3, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Helen,
Great pitch! Your idea is totally innovative to me, for I’ve never heard about such kind of service in my country, but I believe there is a sure market waiting there. Online badge service could be provided cross-country depending on their international reputation, therefore I believe your venture has a prospective potential in global market, with global competitors as well as you have pointed out.
You elevator pitch is very engaging, which instantly catch my attention. I can’t help imaging how much children and other learners will like these lovely badges shown on their websites. Your venture plan is very informative, with professional demonstration of your solution, marketing strategy and financial consideration. I like the “For Profit” chart in the financial overview section, only with a little confusion of what the numbers represents: do they mean the number or users, or the number of badge you plan to release, or the estimated revenue in $million?
From an investor’s point of view, I think your early awareness of Canadian DLB market is a great advantage, but for a long-term competition, I would hope to find more differential advantages on both technical and marketing level. The use of Mozilla OBI platform can be copied by other ventures, what will make yours different relies on your post-developed innovations upon the platform. The postion of LB4U in the DLB ecosystem is somewhat not anchored a little bit.
I think you have an excellent awareness of partnership, that shows how you qualified to lead this venture. I just wonder how you will weave these partners within your framework. Your services are 2-sided, both to badge issuers and to badge displayers. That give you double chances of profit. But how about the 2 sides connect directly? I know many universities hold a system of their own to serve degree badge (and other details) inquiry. You need to make more differences to intercept in these services and redirect both sides to the LB4U platform.
Excellent job for a hopeful venture!
Ping
danishaw 9:43 am on August 4, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Helen,
I found the idea behind your venture to be unique and interesting. You provided a great deal of content based on sound research. As is evident from most of our peer’s presentations, this can be a difficult feat; well done!
Good luck with your venture,
Danielle