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  • janetbar 8:18 am on July 28, 2012
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    Welcome to PL-Ease – a service oriented venture designed to help educators shift from traditional classrooms to Personal Learning Environments. Elevator Pitch for PL-Ease Venture Pitch for PL-Ease   Thank-you, Janet Barker

    Continue reading PL-Ease Posted in: Venture Forum
     

    • unclereg 10:50 pm on July 30, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Hey Janet,

      Very well delivered. Well organized and thought out. It’s great to see you reference the new BC education plan to give your pitch credibility and good timing. I would invest in this venture.
      Great job. I will read your view your entire venture pitch later on and comment more on your vision.
      -Regen

      • unclereg 9:30 pm on August 5, 2012 | Log in to Reply

        Hello again Janet,

        Sorry it took a while to get back to you……but again great pitch and great idea.
        I teach within BC and I guess this idea makes most sense and has the most value from a BC perspective as K-12 education is definitely going to be changing over the next few years. This is a resource that teachers will need to help create these personal learning plans as the bc government establishes their bc learning plan within the future. I think this idea would be best established on its own without any sort of support/control given to any school districts. This idea could easily be a stand-alone venture and does not need any decision making power given up to schools/districts/etc. That being said, it will be difficult to to get this program recognized prior to the BC educe plan being launched. This venture will need to wait until the expectations and learning outcomes are published for this idea to really the shape as a response to new BC Learning plans. All of these points considered, I still think this idea will be successful, and needed by many in the years to come. Nice work Janet. Good luck.
        -Regen

    • vawells 8:34 am on July 31, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Elevator Pitch:

      Hi Janet

      Well done! I really enjoyed your elevator pitch. The presentation of your elevator pitch was professional and clearly delivered. The images were informational and held my attention throughout the pitch. As Founder and CEO of PL-EASE, your voice exuded an air of confidence that gave weight to your pitch and inspired confidence in me as a potential investor. Overall your pitch caught and held my attention and made me want to delve deeper into your venture by moving on to your venture pitch.

      One suggestion to strengthen your pitch would be to include yourself delivering the pitch as you did in your venture. Your quiet confidence and obvious knowledge of your venture would serve to give your pitch even more appeal.

      Good luck with the venture

      Valerie

    • vawells 8:39 am on July 31, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      hi janet

      Venture Pitch Analysis

      Pain Point
      The problem that your company PL-EASE would be addressing is clearly defined and supported with sound research.

      Solution:
      The development of a venture to custom design PL-EASE to meet the customers’ specific needs and support for teachers, schools and districts sounds realistic.

      Differentiation:
      Your company has the clear advantage of offering the whole suite of services that gives you an edge.

      Marketing:
      Marketing strategy is thoughtfully and clearly laid out. I believe that with the shift towards 21st century learning and the move towards differentiation that a strong market base is possible, not just in the field of education.

      Championship:
      Your commitment, credentials, confidence about your product are clear and inspire confidence.

      The Ask:
      $75 000, clear plan of how this money would be spent. I would like to have a breakdown of specific expenditures as I am unsure that the investment you are asking for will cover your expenditures.

      The Return:
      I am unclear as an EVA how much return I can expect on my investment, and would need to have negotiated the percentage before agreeing to invest.

      Yes I would potentially be willing to invest in this venture at this time however I would need more financial information around my investment and return on investment before I could fully commit. The pitch is credible, concept is feasible, founder is credible and knowledgeable and the potential market is there for this venture to be successful.

      Valerie

    • janetb 10:08 am on July 31, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Thank you for your thoughtful analysis, Valerie. I agree with all of your suggestions for improvement – I should have included video of myself in the elevator pitch and the Ask/Return in the venture pitch were weak, which reflects my lack of business experience. I should probably have factored in business advice to the Ask!

      Thanks again,
      Janet

    • Deborah S 10:33 am on July 31, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Hi Janet,
      Great use of graphics in your elevator pitch. I thought you did a great job explaining your service and the benefits of it but it would have been a bit more personal if you had delivered some of the content yourself.

      I thought your venture pitch clearly articulated your service and you effectively explained the problem that your service was addressing. I liked the fact that you are offering three levels of service for your customers; a great example of differentiation! You did a great job establishing your credibility as the CEO of the venture.

      Although you mentioned your venture had competition, I would have liked more information on who they were, what services they provide and their cost structure. In addition, as an EVA, I would need more detailed information on exactly how large the potential market is and what portion of it you were targeting.

      Good job!

      Deborah

      • janetb 8:04 pm on August 1, 2012 | Log in to Reply

        Thank you for your comments, Deborah. I agree that I needed to spend a little more time on competition and your comment about including video of myself in the elevator pitch is a common theme. I was worried that there would be too much of me between the elevator pitch and the venture pitch, but in retrospect, I should have added video instead of the picture.

        As to your question about market, the end-users would be teachers/administrators, but the buyers might be school districts. The intent would be that individual subscriptions could be inexpensive enough for individual teachers, but districts coudl buy at a bulk rate. I found the marketing and finance part of it hard to work out as I have no real frame of reference or experience in that area. Definitely something I would seek advice/help on if I ever decided to move the venture from hypothetical to real.

        Thanks again,
        Janet

    • karonw 6:58 pm on August 1, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Hi Janet,

      Great venture! Your elevator pitch was well articulated and you have showcased the current problem, the solution, what you have to offer, and the future market growth all in a short well-organized pitch. As an EVA, in reviewing your elevator pitch I thought that you have did an excellent job in narrating it, you have kept it short and simple yet getting to the point and hitting all the specifics. Throughout the elevator pitch you also remained calm and kept a confident and convincing voice which really persuades your investors to invest in your venture. However, I felt a bit disengaged in viewing your elevator pitch, I think if there were a bit more motion over a slide show style would have really made it a lot more lively and engaging. I think that your venture pitch itself was fantastic and I think if you kept your elevator pitch in the same format would have been excellent. Regardless, you did a great job and as an investor, I would love to invest in this venture of yours.

      Karon

      • janetb 8:14 pm on August 1, 2012 | Log in to Reply

        Thanks for your comments, Karon. I agree that the elevator pitch (and the venture pitch, for that matter) could have used a little more pizzazz. Definitely something to remember for next time! These were my first attempts at movie making (and first ever uploads to YouTube) so the learning curve was pretty steep. I think I was so focussed on making it work that I lost some of the focus on making it catchy. The artistic, marketing aspect is a whole other learning curve I haven’t conquered yet – something to work on in the future 🙂

        Thanks again,
        Janet

    • troos 12:45 pm on August 2, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Hello Janet:

      You have developed a great venture that would fill a desired service for teachers. The group presentation on Personall Learning Environments convinced me of the value and reality of PLEs. Your company provides the needed support in implementing them. You speak with a clear voice throughout your elevator pitch and present a defined purpose and offering for your company. You come across as a competent CEO who is confident that PL-Ease is a viable product. Great job. After viewing your elevator pitch, the questions I come away with are:
      1. Who are your clients? Will you sell directly to educators or will you market to institutions?
      2. What is your target market area? Is it BC? Other provinces?
      It is possible your venture pitch answers these questions.

      Tim

    • Leonora Zefi 7:21 pm on August 2, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Hi Janet.
      What a carefully crafted and well delivered message for your venture. The stats and statements between your pitch were very impactful.

      CEO and Team
      As the CEO you represented yourself extremely well as an expert in the area of PLE and an entrepreneur.

      Concept and Marketability
      Effective use of PLE-s in the education sector is an excellent concept with a very promising market reach. You have obviously done your research and identified your target market.

      Venture Plan
      Your plan is very well thought out and your willingness to work for free quite a refreshing concept. You made your plan sound more credible by supporting it with not just clear financial requirements but also with clear and promising ROI for the investor.

      Great work Janet.

      Thanks,
      Leonora

    • chrisaitken 1:04 am on August 3, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Hi Janet

      With consideration to the PLE movement now, I believe your venture concept is at the scale to be profitable. When I was involved in professional development, I found that faculty were completely mystified and intimidated by the practical use of PLEs. In many schools and college, the investment in professional development has not been enough to keep pace with the developments in the digital world. Now we are at a state where students are learning constantly in these chaotic environments without the qualified mentorship of a teacher. As school administrators begin to realize this, there will likely be a rush to invest in professional development giving a consultancy like yours with your strong background in PLE-based education a wonderful opportunity.

      Your proposed three levels of support offers the flexibility to capture a larger market share. I am interested however, in the consulting fees and subscription fees, that will provide the return you outline.

      I would invest in this venture.

      Chris

      • janetb 1:04 pm on August 4, 2012 | Log in to Reply

        Hi Chris,

        Thank you for your comments. I thought different levels of support would be useful as teachers range so widely in their technology expertise and comfort level. I didn’t include fees because, quite frankly, I had no idea what would be appropriate! I think that is where an investor with some business savvy could be very helpful.

        Thanks again,
        Janet

    • ping 7:45 pm on August 3, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Hi Janet,

      Love your pitch! It’s a great idea to help teacher with their PLEs. Knowing the market with your own experience of pain points, you pitch give a through plan of solution, market and finance for your venture. You deliver the venture pitch with passion and confidence, that impress me deeply, and make me believe that you are the right person to lead this venture, and you’ll do a great job to make it successful in the targeted market.

      As for suggestion, I’d like to know more strategy of your services. You proposed 3 levels of services, ranging from free website and paid mentorship. Do your plan to help teacher at the beginning of the PLE, i.e. to establish it, or do you plan to continuously serve them in the life cycle of their PLEs? I think that makes different scope of your venture, and will make a different business model as well as revenue at the end. Personally I think the life-span services will ensure a more stable subscription and will monetize your research of the market to a wider extent.

      In addition, I would have asked for more analysis of the cost & gain services, especially the face-to-face ones. How much will you charge for a f2f workshop or mentorship? In my impression, that would be costly, both for your venture (the flight travelling maybe) and your clients. I would suggest you think about online workshops, or just base them on the available social community platforms.

      I would invest in this venture with these enhancements. You’ve done a great job, Janet!

      Ping

      • janetb 1:09 pm on August 4, 2012 | Log in to Reply

        Hi Ping,

        Thank you for bringing up a few issues – I definitely think the plan would be to support teachers past the initial start up of the PLE phase and continue on through the life cycle of the PLE. With the ever evolving role and capabilities of technology, I would think that having someone do the research, find new things and provide some solid evaluation of them would be worthwhile to many teachers, so I think the venture could continue to grow and support over time.

        I don’t know how much to charge for the various levels of service. Currently, our rural district often pays a small fortune to bring in specialists for pro-d events, so I think the money is out there for f2f workshops. Certainly, there could be a tiered plan though, so a workshop via elluminate or something similar could be arranged at far less cost than a f2f workshop that would involve travel costs. I do think that part of my plan is to reach those teachers who are not actively involved in technology, so the f2f option would be important to include, though.

        Thanks again for your great questions!
        Janet

    • gillian 9:32 am on August 4, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Hi Janet,
      Very well done – and I’m not just saying that because I was part of the PLE team! Both pitches were clear, straightforward and honest in their approach.
      Your explanation of the market and the pain point speak to me on a professional and personal level as a teacher in BC who is currently facing the implementation of the BC Ed Plan.
      I was most impressed by your approach or rather your commitment to meeting teachers at their level with three offers of support. In doing so, I believe you hit on one of the key resistance factors to implementation of new technologies and new ideas into practice.
      My only criticism is in your cost analysis. I think you have undervalued your start-up costs even if you don’t pay yourself. I also think it’s important to show your value to your investors and should therefore include your salary in your “ask”. I would give you more!
      gillian

      • janetb 1:12 pm on August 4, 2012 | Log in to Reply

        Thanks, Gillian – I definitely struggled with “the Ask”. I estimated two part time salaries at about $20,000 each and then another $35,000 for marketing and site design advice/support. Estimate might be too strong a word … more like wild guessed 🙂 Definitely an area to work on and/or get help on for a real venture!

        Janet

        • gillian 2:16 pm on August 4, 2012 | Log in to Reply

          This was an area I would have liked more information and/or resources on as well. Maybe an activity that involved the whole cohort would have been beneficial – or at least something to cut our teeth on.
          gillian

    • Chelsea M Woods 9:35 am on August 4, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Wow, I love your idea, it is timely and relevant! You have made clear the pain point, particularly the BC education plan, but also the general evolution of education as well as the challenge of time and overwhelmed teachers. Your ideas about potential markets are solid. Starting ‘small’ with BC will provide time to develop the program and systems for your venture. You sold yourself well as a champion, although I wondered why you offered to work for free: perhaps instead you could delay payment until the venture becomes financially stable. It seemed from your ‘ask’ that you want to start with Humanities and Elementary, but I would add Science, Math, and an integration specialist because as PLEs take off I think we will see single subject studies fading out because they aren’t practical in a real world context.

      You did not go into depth on competition: were you able to find companies that are providing similar support? Another area to search would be developments in the IB Programmes: are they addressing PLEs? Would IB schools be a potential market?

      You seem to be planning on being the sole support employee in the beginning: what is your plan for providing the support you are offering considering the size of your market?

      Overall I would support your venture after you thoroughly review the competition, develop your organizational structure to include more specialists, place the CEO (yourself) in a more executive position, and clarify training and expertise of your staff.
      Chelsea

      • janetb 1:18 pm on August 4, 2012 | Log in to Reply

        Hi Chelsea,

        Your question about including science/math brought up a pretty big miss in my venture pitch … my teaching area is math/science, so I would be that specialist! Totally should have included that – yikes. I didn’t even notice it was missing until you mentioned it. Oops.

        I couldn’t find any competition that directly related to helping classroom teachers. There were lots of sites about setting up your own ple, or specific courses that were offered that incorporated ple’s, or tools that could help organize a ple, but none that provided help to classroom teachers, used to a f2f environment, who didn’t need a ‘canned’ course, but help reorganizing their own courses towards PLEs. Well, none that I could find – it doesn’t mean they don’t exist. I found a few inspiration speakers that would come and do key note addresses about PLEs, but not any that provided personalized support.

        Thank you for your helpful questions – if I were to move ahead with this, they would be very valuable.

        Janet

  • janetbar 10:11 am on July 6, 2012
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    As Tim commented in his post, this is the first time that I have seen mind maps used as a teaching tool rather than as a learning tool (although I realize the two things are linked!).  Great job, Week 9 Group, for using your topic to present your topic!  It was very innovative and interesting.  […]

    Continue reading The Pros and Cons of Mind Mapping Posted in: Week 09: Visual-Intensive Learning
     

    • ping 1:45 am on July 7, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Hi Janet,

      Thank you for sharing this insight of mind mapping with us! Your points of Pros and Cons are very conclusive. For that point of “(mind map) does not assess details nor student ability to implement concepts”, I think we could use layered hierarchical mind mapping, i.e. to allow concepts in a mind map to encapsulate sub-maps, with easy hide & show options. That could give spaces for students to attach details they know to fulfil the assessment. Do you think it’s feasible?

      Ping

    • janetb 9:08 am on July 7, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Hi Ping,

      I think it is feasible, but not necessarily the best approach in all situations. For example, if a teacher was using problem-based learning, a mind map might help a student tie the elements of the problem and solution together, and be used for assessment along the way, but the solution to the problem would be the final assessment.

      I think mind maps can be extremely valuable tools, and can be used for assessment, but that doesn’t make them the best option for assessment in all situations, nor do they need to be. A screwdriver is an excellent tool for removing a screw, but not the tool of choice for hammering in a nail (although the butt end could probably be used in a pinch).

      Having said that, though, I have realized this week how much more there is to mind maps than I had previously considered. So I might be totally missing the boat on the assessment aspect, too 🙂 I guess I am just trying to say that SOME kinds of assessment might be tricky with mind maps, but that doesn’t make them less valuable in general.

      Hope that makes sense,
      Janet

  • janetbar 7:45 pm on May 30, 2012
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      Salman (Sal) Khan is the Founder and Executive Director of the Khan Academy, an online personalized learning site that began with mathematics and has spread to sciences and humanities.  The Khan Academy is a non-profit organization with the fundamental goal of providing “free, world-class education to anyone, anywhere”.   Students, parents, and teachers are all […]

    Continue reading Salman Khan and the Khan Academy Posted in: Week 04: Entrepreneur Bootcamp
     

    • Dave Horn 8:12 pm on May 30, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Hi Janet,

      Well I definitely feel like a bit of slacker compared to Sal, I’ve only got two and half degrees and no MBA. I do really like the mantra behind Khan Academy and I do have several students who make use of the videos. The videos can be a bit dry, but I think they can serve as useful tool for creating flipped classrooms, which will engage students better than sending them home to read notes.

      Dave

    • vawells 1:24 am on June 1, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Hi Janet
      The Khan Academy is an interesting study. It truly illustrates how entrepreneurs need to be able to recognize the the market for their idea. What started out as helping a relative has turned into a venture with growth potential.

      Thanks for sharing
      Valerie

    • Allan 3:42 pm on June 1, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Great person to examine and profile, Janet. I have followed Salman Khan’s academy for a while now. I’m really impressed by the resume Salman has; more impressed, however, with his acumen and foresight for open education. He is certainly one of the people who is trying to make a push for revolutionizing education through the social web.

      Allan

    • Bridget 4:36 am on June 2, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Hi Janet,
      I use Khan Academy frequently with my grade 7 students, especially for practicing operations with fractions and integers. We watched with excitement when we heard about the donations by both Google and The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundations. It was interesting what happened post-donation. The format for earning badges changed and it lost what students thought was one of the most challenging and fun aspects…the streak bar. With streak bar challenged students to answer as many questions as they can in a row (speed earned badges). I wonder if it will get too big too fast and lose its focus. I certainly hope that it does not become only a repository for videos since it was on its way to becoming more powerful than that. I have (and still have) students addicted to it and learning well above their years.
      Bridget

      • janetb 12:33 pm on June 2, 2012 | Log in to Reply

        Hi Bridget,
        It certainly has grown quickly. I have used it a few times – often for students who have been away or who need extra help/instruction beyond what I can provide. Some like it, some don’t, but it is a great resource. I haven’t had students sign up, specifically, so I am not familiar with the “streak bar”, but I share your concern. A repository for videos isn’t a bad thing in itself, but certainly nothing like what the site has the potential to become.
        Janet

    • gillian 10:25 am on June 2, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Hi Janet,
      I have used the Khan Academy videos as additional links when appropriate for my courses. I agree with Dave that they can be a bit on the dry side, but they do hit the salient points for review puposes. I certainly respect the goals of the company and like Bridget, I hope it stays true to its original values.
      gillian

    • mackenzie 1:16 pm on June 2, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Hi Janet,
      Very engaging and well written post! Thanks for the introduction into Khan academy, I wish I had heard about them earlier. I like how you recognized the qualities of a great venture capitalist, one that takes opportunities when they arise and surrounds themselves with great team members. Sal’s humble beginnings are inspiration to all of us as potential venture capitalists. I will be looking into this venture to gain further insight into his success and look for ways to leverage the affordances of his videos in my classroom. Presently my students are doing review and this may prove to be a great resource for them.
      Thanks, Steve

      • janetb 2:00 pm on June 3, 2012 | Log in to Reply

        Thanks, Steve. And yes, the videos can be very helpful for review – if students are willing to take the time and watch them. They are also great for enrichment. I have a very gifted student in Calculus 12 and he watches them for fun!

        Janet

    • Dennis Pratt 1:45 pm on June 2, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Janet;

      Thanks for bring up the Khan Academy as it is one resource that I have recently started using in my classes. I plan to model some of my teachings after the setup of the Khan Academy. Free, quality education is something that we should strive for. I know some people fight desperately to protect what they have developed which leads to it never being shared beyond a certain small and qualified audience. With modern technology I think we can do better at sharing ideas and teachings than we currently do. I see the infrastructure in place and a tipping point close at hand for even more open sharing of resources.

      Dennis

    • dubiend 6:13 pm on June 2, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Hi Janet,
      Great description of Khan Academy! I didn’t know that he was living off his savings for a while to focus on this project. I wonder whether he had any plans for financing at that point or whether he knew how big this would become. When a product is good enough and fills a great need, sometimes the project speaks for itself!

    • Denise 4:06 am on June 3, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      HI,
      it is an amazing site and all based on donations and some vounteers.
      Denise

  • janetbar 4:17 pm on May 17, 2012
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      I scanned through a couple of Educause’s “7 Things You Should Know About …” and found them engaging, easy to read and to the point.  I chose 7 Things You Should Know About Organizing Files in the Cloud as it is a topic that I have been investigating on my own.  I currently do […]

    Continue reading 7 Things … About Organizing Files in the Cloud Posted in: Uncategorized
     

    • vawells 1:16 am on May 18, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Hi Janet
      Thanks for a good analysis of this report. I briefly scanned through the series of 7 things you should know, and agree they are very user friendly. You make a very good point when you say “As the trend to store data in the cloud increases, providing online access to new technology rather than having the purchaser load it directly on to their computer may be an important selling point for many new applications.” I agree this trend will change the way consumers access new prepackaged applications and store their own files. I also think that it will impact price and choice in computer purchase as you will no longer need technology with outrageous storage as you can store it in the cloud.
      This is a set of reports I would definitely share and go back to and if interested would find more in-depth information on relevant topics.

      Valerie

    • Claire Burgoyne 10:56 pm on May 20, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Hi Janet,
      I appreciate that your review focuses primarily on one of the topics included. In taking this approach you clearly describe how the article is structured.

      It’s interesting that reading about cloud technology led you to speculating about thin computing. Seems there may be another plus with this site. Do articles lead the reader to recognizing the interconnectedness of technologies?

  • janetbar 5:33 pm on May 7, 2012
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    Hello All, My name is Janet and I am a math teacher in Northern BC.  I am currently enrolled in my 7th and 8th MET courses.  My husband and I have two children –  a boy (11) and a girl (14) – and, while I have thoroughly enjoyed my MET courses so far, I am […]

    Continue reading Greetings from Janet Posted in: Uncategorized
     

    • Leonora Zefi 5:43 pm on May 7, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Nice to “meet” you Janet. Looking forward to learning with you.

    • Donna Forward 8:37 pm on May 7, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Hello Janet. I’m in the Cariboo, how far North are you? I’m a bit nervous about taking this course too. I just started the MET program in January, so I still have a long ways to go! Looking forward to working with you.

    • Dave Horn 9:04 pm on May 7, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Hi Janet,
      Looks like we have another course together.
      Getting near the end though 🙂

      Dave

    • Meggan Crawford 9:31 pm on May 7, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Hi Janet,

      I am at the same point in the MET program and have much the same feelings, both about nearing the end and about the challenge this course may present! It’s good to know others are thinking the same things 🙂 I look forward to working with you!
      -Meggan
      p.s. Love the photo!

    • dmcinnes 10:57 pm on May 7, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Hi Janet,
      Great photo! Trevor was/is one class act. I am an ever-hopeful Canucks fan as well. I agree with you; with them out of the playoffs, I suddenly find a lot more time on my hands! I am just up the highway from you in Whitehorse.
      Dave

    • Danielle 8:56 pm on May 8, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Hi Janet,

      Nice to meet you! Sometimes the most unlikely courses turn out to be the best! Hopefully this one will be the same! Looking forward to working with you!

      Danielle

    • lisamallen 2:06 pm on May 9, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Great photo Janet!

      Looking forward to working with you this term!

      Cheers,

      Lisa

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