Please take the time to view my elevator Pitch and Venture Pitch for 21st Century Online Professional Development (21COPD). Please note that this is a fictitious venture and the screen captures of the website and Moodle site are mock-ups and not actually populated. Here’s the link to my Elevator Pitch. I can’t seem to get it to […]
Continue reading Please take the time to view my elevator… Posted in: Venture ForumTagged: Elevator and venture pitch RSS Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts
-
gillian
-
Donna Forward
RENDEZ-VOUS – The Company For You
Rendez-vous is an on-line French Learning Management System and live communication company that is available 24/7 from any handheld device. Rendez-vous is an emerging market venture that will be the first of its kind, allowing French students access to mother tongue speakers around the clock. Here is the link for the Elevator Pitch included with my Venture […]
Continue reading RENDEZ-VOUS – The Company For You Posted in: Venture Forum-
jtpatry
Good day Donna.
Great job on your pitches, they were both engaging and well presented. I think your idea has potential not just in the education market but also in the private sector. There are any folks who are now not in the work-force anymore and are looking for things to do to occupy time. I know my mother has began taking second language coures and has really enjoyed them, but something like this takes it to the next level! By actually having real-time conversations with other French speakers just makes the experience that much more engaging and meaningful! When French becomes a success with this program, the potential to target other languages is endless! Investment made!
Thanks,
Jon-
Donna Forward
Hello Jon,
Thank you very much for your comments on my Venture Pitch.
I hadn’t thought of the private sector as an option for Rendez-vous, so that’s worth looking into.
I hope that your mother is enjoying learning her second language.Have a good week,
Donna
-
-
Meggan Crawford
Hi Donna,
I really like the idea behind Rendez-Vous, but there were a few questions that came to mind that would keep me from investing at this point. I really like the focus on mobile devices, as this is a strong approach to encouraging youth to become active language learners and there is no doubt that learning from native speakers is the best approach! I did wonder, however, about the student teacher ratio, as you mentioned aiming for 25,000 students, but hiring only 16 instructors…is each instructor really going to be able to have meaningful conversations with over 1500 students? As well, what does Rendez-vous do that makes writing in the target language on Facebook or Twitter any different? I can sign in and write in any language I choose without a program – does it have specific pages or links where conversations are going on? I wasn’t sure about that part, but you’ve definitely got my interest!
My only other comment is that I felt somewhat disconnected from your elevator pitch as the static image of an elevator seemed unrelated and lacked excitement. I understand why you chose it, but some variation might spark more interest!
Nice work, I would love to see where this idea takes you!
-Meggan-
Donna Forward
Hello Meggan,
Thanks so much for your comments.
I had thought about the teacher-student ratio at first and came to the conclusion that at first, the novelty of phoning would probably put the strain on the teachers but would then peter out later on and eventually, only those really eager students would call more often which would balance out for the instructors. It would definitely by something to seriously plan if the company is to take off.
For Facebook and Twitter, I know that my students don’t choose now to write in French. However, if the francophone instructors from Rendez-vous and the other students in their cohort are on special groups on Facebook, they will only be writing in French. Also, the teachers can recommend people to follow on Twitter as well.
For my elevator pitch, I was trying to set up the atmosphere of stepping into an elevator and having to listen to what was being said. However it didn’t come across as I had hoped. Next time I will definitely do things differently.
Thanks again and have a good week.
Donna
-
-
Allan
Great idea, Donna. I really like this pitch. Even the name of the company, Rendez-vous strikes me as very catchy. I like that this company is a French on-line Learning Management System and live communication company that is available 24/7 from any handheld device.
It’s also unique that Rendez-Vous that will be the first of its kind, allowing French students access to mother tongue speakers around the clock. I don’t think there’s quite a product like this.
As a mobile user myself, I think what catches my attention is your thorough analysis about the telecommunications media companies involved. I find your analysis of Telus as an example of thinking ahead and allaying my concerns about how this intensive use of mobile technology will cost for those who will require larger smartphone/cell phone data plans since there will be constant use of text and data. Great job over all, and I look forward to seeing how this venture will progress!
Allan
-
Donna Forward
Hello Allan,
Thank you so much for your comments.
My analysis for the telecommunications media companies involved may only work for B.C. However, I would need to do more of an investigation with other companies such as Bell Canada in order to see about package deals with the rest of Canada.
I do think that this is a unique product that provides acces to native speakers 24/7, so I believe that there is a market for Rendez-vous!
Thanks again,
Donna
-
-
gregcamp
Hi Donna,
Great job with your pitches. I think this is an incredible completive market you are entering and if you are successful the reward could be immense. Outside of the public education system there are many individuals who are interested in learning French from native speakers and so there is the opportunity to expand into other markets which I like as an investor. Additionally, if you are successful you could consider expanding to include other languages (spanish, chinese, etc) I am concerned about the ratio of students to teachers (25,000 to 16?) and not sure how that will work especially if you are operating 24/7. Your management team seems to have the necessary background to make this venture work, however, after much consideration I am going to pass on the investment.
Greg
-
Donna Forward
Hello Greg,
Thank you very much for your feedback. I also questioned myself about the student-teacher ratio. Meggan also had the same concerns so if you read my comments to her above, then it will explain a little about how I was thinking out my plan.
I believe that this company could work and also expand to other languages such as Chinese and Spanish as you mentioned. When I was learning my second, third and fourth languages, I discovered that the hardest thing to do was to talk on the phone, since you don’t have the face or lips of the person speaking in front of you.
I’m sorry that I can’t count on your $500,000. A bit of a disappointment:)
Cheers,
Donna
-
-
janetb
Hi Donna,
I think you have a great idea for a venture. There is certainly a huge market for second language learning and providing students with an opportunity to converse in another language outside of class would be a huge selling point.
One suggestion for your elevator pitch, though. The enthusiasm in your voice is compelling, but a few images other than the elevator would have made it a little more engaging. Something like VoiceThread where your narration could have been accompanied by changing images might work well.
All the best on your venture,
Janet-
Donna Forward
Hello Janet,
Thank you so much for your feedback.
I agree that my elevator pitch was weak. I had originally wanted to give the listener the impression that they were riding the elevator and listening to my pitch. However, it does need some more images and a bit more pizzazz!
Thanks again and have a great week.
Donn
-
-
Claire Burgoyne
Hi Donna,
Your venture certainly addresses a need for French language learners to use the language they’re learning. The ability to access French speakers 24/7 is a definite bonus. I’m not clear on how options to converse on Facebook and Twitter are unique to Rendez-vous. My main concern though is the teacher to student ratio of 1:1562. This ratio means that in a 40 hour work week each teacher will have approximately 1.5 minutes to speak with each student. In order to be of value there should be sufficient time for teachers to get to know the students and encourage meaningful dialogue. A ratio of 1:80 would allow for 30 minute weekly conversations.Claire
-
Donna Forward
Hello Claire,
Thank you so much for your feedback,
The teacher-student ratio has been a common concern of others too. I agree that 30 minutes weekly would be best. I first planned that at the beginning, many students would phone teachers but then when the novelty wore off, things would settle down and there would be less students calling in general. It is definitely a major point in my venture that would have to be re-visited if it is to come to fruition!
Thanks again and have a great week.
Donna
-
-
HJDeW
Donna, I love the connection and thought of ‘teachers without borders’. Perhaps, in this time of fiscal restraint and union unrest, it’s an idea that will take off. Second language learning is certainly on the upswing, but the demand for French would be a limiting factor to the potential growth of your venture. I struggled to see how you would make money on this venture, but then saw the data on the slides, outlining potential return on investments.
You outlined a plan for moving from the BC environment into other provinces, but since education is a provincial mandate, did you consider how you would make contacts and customer base in provincial environments that may not be as open to the opportunities you would provide to their students? I know that Ontario has a program of instruction for french language learning that may close the door for potential profits in this province.
Your elevator pitch provides passion in your tone but this is lost in the absence of engaging images or personal ‘presence’ of the CEO. The details in your venture pitch are extensive and compelling. There is potential in the concept, but the market potential beyond BC borders (for teachers without borders) may hamper the business goals.
Helen-
Donna Forward
Hello Helen,
Thank you so much for your comments.
Yes, moving into the other provinces would be a challenge and I would need to do more homework to see if other programs of instruction such as in Ontario would be open to a program like this. Maybe I would need to takes Jon’s advice and move to the private sector.
I agree that my elevator pitch needs my presence and a few more engaging images. My first plan of giving the listener the impression that they were riding an elevator didn’t come across as I had planned.
Thanks again for your comments and have a great week.
Donna
-
-
mariefrancehetu
Hello Donna,
Indeed our two ventures are similar . . . it never occurred to me anyone would have anything close to the same idea as my Converse-A-Long idea. The type of enterprise you propose however is more ‘course’ oriented, offering clients the possibility to learn French through your program, focussing on writing and speaking.
I found that you covered all the important point san investor would want to know concerning your venture. You elaborated your plan for short-term and long-term goals well, but felt that for investors they might think the endeavour a bit risky at an international level. Perhaps once your enterprise is well established in B.C. and can show some steady growth, then it might be a good idea to propose to future investors the idea of extending it to Europe.
The information you provided for your venture pitch was quite complete, but perhaps your powerpoint presentation could have been a bit more engaging visually, it felt more like a slide show.
Does this enterprise really exist or like me is it fictive? It certainly shows that you have researched the idea very well, thinking of every last detail. If it doesn’t exist yet, perhaps this is something you are truly thinking of starting up?
Marie-France
-
Donna Forward
Bonjour Marie-France,
Thanks you so much for your comments,
Rendez-vous is indeed fictive. However, the idea of running a company is fun so it will be an idea at the back of my mind. There are so many things to think about in order to make a venture become a reality, it’s crazy!
I agree that my presentation came off as a slide show. That was my biggest challenge with this project, choosing the best type of media to use. I need to work on this aspect in the future.
Hope that you have a great summer.
Donna
-
-
lisamallen
Hi Donna,
I really like the concept of your venture, I think its a great idea and very practical. It’s clear that you’re an expert in this field, which is attractive as an investor – you “know what you’re doing” here.
I wonder though, because there are so many language learning products on the market, how does render-vous compare? Is this technology more expensive than what is currently used today – or ? More information on the competition and how you plan to dissolve the competition would have been good to include in your pitch.
Cheers,
Lisa
-
Donna Forward
Hello Lisa,
Thank you for your comments.
You asked a very pertinent question about how Rendez-vous would compare to other language learning products in price. I would have to do some further research on this since when I was originally looking up the competition, I was concentrating on the quality of the products and not the $$$.
Have a great week.
Yours,
Donna
-
maybacon
Elevator Pitch: Wonderful idea, compelling elevator pitch and I love your slogan! I love how you’ve covered all elements in this brief pitch. As a bilingual student and teacher, I’ve always found languages, accents and language learning to be very interesting. Your venture provides a real and useful service and you present it well. Having more than one image to depict the venture might have enhanced the presentation, but since the narration was excellent, it was not an issue for me. My only concern is that the venture is in its incubation/idea stage and already the valuation is $2M. While this valuation might be reasonable after the business has made some sales, it is a gamble for investors at this point. However, because of the usefulness of the product, especially in Canada, I would still consider investing in this venture.
Venture Pitch: The Rendez-Vous concept is impressive, comprehensive and the proposed language learning tools are excellent and interesting. I particularly like the idea of allowing students to recognize accents, as I have met many FSL students who attempt to speak Parisian French in Quebec, or students who disregard the need to work on accent altogether. One of the points that is somewhat concerning, however, is the idea that instructors must be available 7 days a week. While being “on call” 6 hours a day might not be incredibly demanding (since these instructors arguably wouldn’t be interacting with learners during those 42 hours a week), routinely working without a single day off would most likely be problematic for most individuals.
I really appreciated your inclusion of the Telus package, since it gives a good idea of how much the technological costs might be (though it might be possible for Rendez-Vous to negotiate a deal with a service provider because of high volume). An honest description of Rendez-Vous’ potential obstacles was also an excellent addition to your pitch, as well as an idea of the return on investment.
I did wonder, however, about the statement that Quebec does not have French Immersion, as I have worked as a student teacher in a French Immersion classroom (see http://www.rsb.qc.ca/?C61913D1-512F-4C81-B3EA-94B479D68D81) in the Montreal area a few years ago, though perhaps the schooling structure has changed since Bill 104 and national French Immersion and Quebec French Immersion are not equivalent programs.
Overall I love this idea, and with a bit of restructuring for employees’ sake, I believe this would be a very useful and potentially lucrative venture. Great work!
May
-
Donna Forward
Hello May,
I’m glad to see that you would be interested in investing in Rendez-vous.
It is interesting your comment about French Immersion in Quebec. I had questioned it when I first read it on a site which told me that there wasn’t any in Quebec. However, I realized that I should have done further research because after you mentioned it, I looked it up and found the same “incorrect” site but also found out that it does, indeed exist on other sites. Shame on me for not researching into more depth! That’s what happens when I live in lotus land for so long and Eastern Canada seems far and disconnected.
I appreciate all of your comments, thank you.
Cheers,
Donna
-
-
danishaw
As french is not my forte, I do appreciate your potential venture as a unique and worthy en-devour. I liked how you narrated the presentation for it added a degree of authenticity. To make this more powerful, I would have liked to see more of the dialogue included in point form, for I am a highly visual learner. At times, I found myself pausing and replaying the video so that I was able to gain an understanding of the details. Features such as a table to outline the features of the competition would have been of benefit. In addition, the inclusion of theory on achievement and social interaction in language learning would have persuaded potential investors. Also, referencing the BYOD movement and increases in access to mobile technologies would help support the need for your creation. Overall, a very good, engaging presentation!
All the best,
Danielle-
Donna Forward
Hello Danielle,
I appreciate your comments.
I agree that now when I look back at my Venture Pitch, I should have put some more dialogue in my slides. However, I was trying to avoid the typical Point Point presentations of reading exactly what was on the slides. Maybe I went a bit too far the other way:
I also could have incorporated more of the BYOD movement into my presentation, especially since I was involved in the BYOD week 10 group presentation!
Thanks again and have a great week.
Donna
-
-
Jody McKinnon 3:55 pm on July 30, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Gillian. I’m supposed to look at your elevator pitch. I don’t see it linked here. Am I missing something?
gillian 10:30 pm on July 30, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
sorry Jody – It was embedded when I posted it last night. I have linked it for you instead.
gillian
Deborah S 6:48 pm on July 30, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Gillian,
I wasn’t able to locate your elevator pitch, so my comments only refer to your venture plan. I thought your document looked very professional; the logo and use of colour throughout were great! You did a good job outlining the competition for your venture and how it would operate.
I can certainly see the need for your venture to address the gaps you identified. I currently subscribe to an online service for PD in accounting and auditing that delivers four new segments every month. Have you given any thought to how much new content you’re planning to offer to your customers on a monthly basis?
Deborah
gillian 10:36 pm on July 30, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Deborah,
Sorry about the video – it was embedded last night and then disappeared?? I have added a link instead if you would still like to take a look.
Thank you for your comments on my venture pitch – I carried the colours throughout the video as well. It sure was tough to stay within the 1 minute limit on video and 2000 words on the written.
As for your question – The plan was to have 2 webinars per month on emerging trends like new technologies – new tools or new strategies like flipped classrooms etc.
As for new courses … when I was doing the mock up for the Moodle page I had endless ideas – the hope was also to draw on ideas and submissions from the CoP – hopefully adding more than one new course per month – starting at a beginner level and then adding more advanced as people become more familiar with tools etc.
gillian
unclereg 8:20 pm on July 30, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hey Deborah,
I couldn’t find your pitch either, so the comments that follow are in regard to just your venture pitch. First of all, Great idea. I really think this will eventually take off but the part that scares me is the ‘who is the buyer’ section. The BCTF will definitely be supportive of this with their stance that PD should be autonomous. The one party that would be difficult to persuade is the District/BC Ministry of EDUC. As teachers I like the idea of anytime/anywhere for PD (especially if employees are at home sick on PD days and can’t get out) but I worry about the district allowing PD days to be conducted off of school property outside of the hours of 8-3pm.
unclereg 8:25 pm on July 30, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hello again Deborah,
Sorry I didn’t give any suggestions for the idea. So here they are…..
If you can get the District/Ministry on board then this idea is money-in-the-bank. Teachers will love this and it will revolutionize pro-d. You will also have to be patient to see what the BC Ministry decides on its idea to ‘mandate’ pro-d so that your told where to go, and do not have the option to choose your pro-d activity anymore. Good luck.
-Regen
gillian 10:47 pm on July 30, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Regen,
(it’s gillian actually 🙂 – ). Sorry about the absent video – it was there … I swear! Anyway, I have linked it above.
I agree that the BCTF would likely be supportive of such a venture – even if it would compete with their workshops – as for the Ministry … you’re right on that one. IF I could get them on board – I’d be set. When I found out CEET was part of LearnNowBC and funded by the Ministry, I was surprised and a little more hopeful about getting funding from the Ministry for my venture. They are quite a busy little CoP and are launching a “university” in the upcoming months – you should check them out. I was also encouraged by 2Learn.ca – which is the Alberta PD website – which is funded by BOTH the union and the government as well as a few other partners. They have some OPD available, but nothing on the scope I was hoping to achieve.
The PD off school grounds is another concern that I had – my understanding is that there is concern with regards to coverage from Worksafe BC if you do your PD from home. I suppose teachers could do courses and attend webinars from the school – but where’s the fun in that? PD in PJs I say! – It looks as if Alberta has it over on us on this one as well as I have had colleagues in other MET courses in Alberta who have used their ProD to work from home on their MET projects.
Thank you so much for your comments. I hope you have a minute (and 4 seconds) to check out my elevator pitch.
gillian
Danielle 12:57 pm on August 1, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Gillian,
I think you have done an amazing job with your elevator pitch and venture pitch. I think this is a viable venture and certainly one I would consider investing in. Probably one of the main reasons I would just because the market research you have done!
What I also find attractive about your proposal is that it includes opportunities for both self-guided learning as well as an opportunity to take part in a community of practice.I personally prefer to have the choice. Sometimes I want to embark on a new learning experience on my own, and other times I would prefer to learn within a community of collaborators. I also think it is fabulous that you have included UBC graduates on your team. I have included the same on my team, great minds think alike!
As for marketing, I would suggest giving teachers an opportunity to trial the site in order to fully appreciate it. Word-of-mouth is the best kind of advertising.
The resistance you mentioned would be interesting to see. I am not familiar with PD opportunities in British Columbia but from what I hear, a venture such as yours would offer teachers much more flexibility. I recall a classmate of ours in my first course in the MET program doing her final research proposal on online professional development opportunities for BC teachers. So I think they’re most certainly is a market for such a venture, and how you have presented it indicates to me that you not only have the knowledge and expertise as a CEO but you have also done your homework.
Well done!
Danielle
gillian 8:48 am on August 4, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Danielle,
Thanks for your time and kind comments; they are much appreciated.
The opportunity for a community of practice appeals to me as well and the research certainly supports the fact that if given the opportunity learners are more likely to put what they learn into practice if they have the continued support of such a community.
As for marketing, the site and its courses are free to all who subscribe and I would hope that through PD chairs and regular PD opportunities, teachers would be inspired to give it a try.
As for resistance … I believe that is the real pain point in this venture. I believe ProD in BC requires systemic reform itself. K-12 teachers are afforded only 6 days and in Adult Ed we are granted only 3 (some other districts afford their adult ed teachers 0 – which is atrocious). F2F proD simply doesn’t provide the opportunity or the time to offer much choice or application of what is learned and there is little incentive to go beyond what is paid. I could go on, but I am afraid I will just rant.
Thanks again,
gillian
Danielle 8:21 am on August 5, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Gillian,
Wow, your passion will most certainly ensure the success of this venture! I really like your idea and it’s one I’d like to model for PD opportunities where I live.
I find that where I live, we are never truly satisfied with government or instituitionally led PD programs (even when they are very well done, lol! We are a bit spoiled!) So I think another important strength of your venture, which I should have mentioned in my previous analysis, is your team of teachers. No matter where your venture is marketed, teachers are going to appreciate and respond to PD that is based on experience on the ground. Once again, well done!
Danielle
Bridget 5:40 pm on August 2, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Gillian,
Thank you for sharing your pitches and after reviewing your elevator pitch I have the follow comments.
I like the hook that you created with the first slide stating that “it’s coming”. I found myself wondering what was coming but unfortunately, I could not quite understand the audio to hear what it was. I would suggest something visual be inserted along with BC education. Seeing as I did not quite understand this part I had difficulty is seeing the connection link between the change in education and the online PD. I suggest using an exterior microphone for improved audio.
The logo is great, well designed and catchy. However, the acronym COPD is commonly known as “chronic obstructive pulmonary disease” and is the first thing that came to my mind. In the education field this might not be a problem.
Bridget
gillian 8:57 am on August 3, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Bridget,
Couldn’t agree more with your comments regarding the audio on my elevator pitch – but you have to work with what you’ve got … and unfortunately a crappy microphone is what I got. I tried to mask the pings and echoes with music – but apparently to no avail.
I didn’t think of the “COPD” connection you mention – I guess I should have gone with the lower case ‘c’ after all.
Dennis Pratt 8:33 pm on August 2, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Gillian;
I think this is a great idea and would be a useful resource as some of us help plan PD for our staff and are always looking for solid resources. it is vital that your resources are free for teachers as I don’t know that I would pay for online resources, unless they came highly recommended by a colleague with the guarantee that they would work well for my plans as a professional development coordinator. I see the gap that you are trying to fill and don’t see any easy solutions. I don’t know if teachers will take time to complete even free online courses or modules because they do not have time, unless there are credits involved. If there is a way to offer these modules and have them fit directly into the daily routine of teachers or have them fit into their planning I think they would be quite useful. As mentioned earlier if the product is good, word-of-mouth will take the venture to the top.
Dennis
gillian 9:06 am on August 3, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Dennis,
Thank you for your comments. You bring up some very practical points and they are ones that I struggled with in outlining my venture. One conclusion that i came to is that the pain point is not just with available PD for BC teachers, but also with the overall approach to PD. I see a systemic flaw – in the lack of incentive for teachers to engage in ongoing PD. However, I saw this as more a political issue and not really appropriate for the venture plan.
Hopefully, enough teachers will be inspired if the courses are integrated into the standard PD opportunities provided by non-instructional days.
Thank you again for your comments.
gillian
troos 2:01 pm on August 3, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hello Gillian:
Count on me as an investor in your venture: 21COPD. I think you have made an excellent business proposition in both your elevator and venture pitch. You explain clear pain points and provide matching solutions that sound effective and relevant. You appear well researched and confident in your video presentation. I found the background music to be a little loud; somewhat overwhelming. It would have helped to have some facial presence in the elevator pitch. You could have provided some more market information such as potential client numbers and expected revenue that would have appealed to investor interests.
I think your idea of professional development in the area of educational technology is an excellent idea and needed service. This is very similar to my venture proposition so I have some biased interest here. Your venture pitch is quite thorough in covering all the aspects of a venture and your self-analysis using the cube analysis is effective and helpful. I like the hosesty in your self assessment regarding the “ask” and “return”. I had the same problem – couldn’t really find anything online that was similar enough to the venture while providing this information. In your competition section, do you not feel that the BCTF as they support and provide professional development would be part of your competition along with universities?
Overall, I think you provide a convincing pitch for a possible venture.
Tim
gillian 8:57 am on August 4, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Tim,
Thank you for your time and feedback on my pitches.
Your comments on my elevator pitch are very true – one I can explain due to technical deficiencies and the other – well … shyness. I included the music to hopefully cover up some of the feedback and pinging in the narration – it was hard to find a balance … I guess I missed it.
In reference to competition … I do agree that the BCTF itself could be competition which is part of the reason why I would target them directly as an investor. The BCTF PD offerings do not focus on 21st century skills, nor do they provide any online offerings. In regards to the universities … well, I suppose you can’t beat free.
Thanks again and I will have to take a peek at your venture – gotta keep an eye on the competition :P.
gillian
sheza 7:38 pm on August 4, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Gillian,
I think your have a great idea here – there is definitely a market for some reliable, well-resourced PD that can be accessed cheaply (or freely as you suggest) from home! I think you would want to pitch this venture to your BC College of Teachers or to your school district and get them to put in the money to fund it and then run it for the members who are BC teachers or the school board’s employees. That would be the best bet – if I were on a board of either of those two groups, I would make the decision to invest in this venture.
I am currently at a private school that does little to no PD because they don’t put value in it (sadly) and therefore don’t budget for it. There are teachers working at my school who are completely out of the loop of what the current provincial focus is regarding educational, technology, assessment etc, only because they have been at the school for years and there has been no PD to keep them up to date. This would be something that this type of market could greatly benefit from were it a free resource available to certified teachers. Maybe something our annual fees could go towards paying for?
Another drawback someone else mentione din the comments above I think was the lack of motivation you might have for teachers to use this online PD even though it’s free due to lack of time. There are certain professional designations for which you need to complete a certain number of PD hours a year in order to maintain your qualification – perhaps if this were an endeavour taken on and supported by the BC College of Teachers you could be looking at a guaranteed market of users. This could be one of the places you could earn yoru PD points for the year, for example.
I think the focus here is a strong one – your venture pitch is a sound one – and that you could seriously think about presenting it to the key players and get a response!
Good job,
Sheza
toddpowell 10:26 pm on August 5, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Gillian,
All I can say is that, coming from another BC teacher, this should certainly be pitched to the BCTF! Really well done and well thought of. Where you thinking of Christie Clarke when you created this?
Cheers,
Todd