This is a hypothetical venture that combine PLE and learning analytics. It is based on developing a platform for the GP registrar training program, so it is a bit context specific. Hope I have given you all enough background. Venture pitch – AnalyseLearning
Continue reading AnalyseLearning Posted in: Venture Forum
Welcome to KidTweet, a mobile and web-based platform for elementary and middle school teachers and students. Elevator Pitch “KidTweet” The Venture Pitch can be found and read here: JPatryA3VP(KidTweet) Thank you! Jon
Continue reading KidTweet Posted in: Venture Forum
Hi Jon
Thank you for sharing such an original useful idea for teachers and students. I can see the uses for this tool in and out of school. I enjoyed viewing your elevator pitch and venture pitch. The visual in the background of your elevator pitch was a good idea and your pitch was delivered with conviction. As you state in your venture pitch more research into startup costs would be needed to establish how much of an investment you would be looking for.
One suggestion I would make would be to include how this service would make money for me, the investor.
Again thanks for sharing
Valerie
Hi Valerie,
Thanks for the feedback! After viewing many others EP I noticed that they included the money bit. I know I should have included it in my pitch, or something to give it a more profitable boost. I think I got really tied up in the concept itself and how I see the potentials to be an effective tool in education.
But for sure, I know it missed that bit!
Thanks again!
Jon
Hello Jon,
Creative name and application. I do not use twitter and didn’t know of its age restriction. This would be great to implement/offer at the elementary level. I liked the idea you made about students being given a chance to use a more kid-orientated version of twitter to build up social responsibility at a younger age. I would invest in this. Great job. Great delivery.
-Regen
Regen,
Thanks for taking a look and throwing your support to the venture. I would really encourage you to take a closer look into joining the Twitterverse. It is a world of 24/7 PD and an expansion of ones current PLN. You don’t have to be contributor to use the tool, you have the flexibility to “follow” those that are worthwhile and have substance. Give it a go, I think you will be pleasantly surprised. You can always set up an account and follow my name @jtpatry and take a look at the educators and professionals that I follow and see what they have to say.
Cheers,
Jon
Hey Jon,
In response to my initial posting, here is some more for your idea. Again, I love the idea because I’ve seen a similar twitter page work successfully in the Surrey School district regarding the topic of technology. Thanks for the recommendation to join twitter verse, I’ll be sure to join.
Prior to your presentation I was not aware that students under 13 were not marketed for twitter use and were also not allowed to use the program. I think this is a great way to get younger students integrated into using these sorts of social media as a way to give them practice and responsibility to appropriately post to a site such as kidtweet. If students are not given proper access then they cannot truly practice concepts as ‘netiquette’. This idea will also give students access to communicate with students from within their district and beyond. So many times students do not get a chance to meet other students in the k-7 years prior to attending secondary school. I think this venture is a great way to build relationships between similar age students from different schools. Great idea Jon. Would like to see this idea up and running. Good luck.
-Regen
Hi Jon,
I think that you have came up with a great venture and concept and it sure fills in the gaps for the elementary/middle school level students and teachers. As an EVA, I think you did very well in articulating your elevator pitch, it was very convincing and you have provided all the details that would motivate and engage one to invest in your product. Also, you sounded very confident which added bonus points to your pitch! I have reviewed your venture proposition and see the benefits and gains for the educators and students but not so much as an investor. If I was to invest in this product what are my gains in revenue? Would it be increasing the registrations at my institution as this product will help my school prepare students who would be responsible individuals in the real/digital world and engage in the global community or would it help me make a profit in another way? I think if you can provide me with this detail then I would definitely be more convinced to invest in KidTweet.
Regardless, excellent effort and work on your venture.
Karon
Hi Karen,
Thanks for the feedback and questions. I know I really didn’t have much for the investor, I got really excited about the possibilities of the idea, and left that to the side. Probably not the smartest move in the Dragons Den. More thinking that I was going to invest the capital then anything. Some folks haven mentioned the idea of advertising, which I never really thought of, and the idea of licensing/subscriptions would be something valuable to include too.
Again, thanks for the feedback and questions. Really appreciate it!
Jon
Hi Jon,
What a great idea and I thought your elevator pitch was fantastic – completely engaging and well done.
My only suggestions here, as has been noted by other peers is more details on how the venture can make money for the investor. Also, since I am not a teacher myself, it’s a little unclear how twitter can be integrated into the classroom – what are the benefits of having it incorporated in teaching with younger kinds. Maybe I missed this but it wasn’t really clear.
Cheers,
Lisa
Hi Lisa,
Thanks for the feedback and questions. I know I missed the boat on the “how I’m I going to make money” piece. I got really excited about the possibilities of the idea, and left that to the side. More thinking that I was going to invest the capital then anything. Some folks haven mentioned the idea of advertising, which I never really thought of, and the idea of licensing/subscriptions would be something valuable to include too.
The idea of KidTweet (or Twitter) being incorporated in the classroom would be to connect with other classes or students, post questions, share/summarizing learning in 140 characters or less. Pretty much the same way many of us utilize twitter now. Its all about connecting, communicating, and
sharing.
Thanks again,
Jon
Hi Jon,
Elevator Pitch: Strong elevator pitch. You present yourself very well, clearly and concisely. This appears to be a very useful product in terms of education, adaptation to social media and Internet safety for minors.
Venture Pitch: This pitch is compelling and well researched. I like the product as an educator and a parent, the concept is excellent for the contemporary social and educational arenas and having a service such as KidTweet could encourage schools to be more open to social media applications and BYOD programs.
Your market research was thorough, though I would have liked to know more about the competition (apps or Twitter extensions that could potentially supplant KidTweet by operating under the Twitter umbrella). I also wonder how KidTweet will make money – will schools purchase a license to use KidTweet? Will KidTweet include ads? Could children also get a KidTweet account under parent supervision at home, or is this service exclusively for schools? Is there a possibility of following existing Twitter accounts but filtering tweets through the teacher for moderation first?
I hope you move forward with this venture, as it is a brilliant idea and full of potential! I love the idea of allowing children to practice being good citizens online while protecting them and their future reputations from potential harm during the learning process. Excellent work!!
May
Hi May,
Thanks for some great feedback! The “idea” of KidTweet from what I searched out is one of a kind other than its older counterpart of Twitter. What I think takes this idea to the next level is that the concept is self-contained under its own umbrella, and you don’t have to worry about the security settings such as Twitter, and presently, if I wanted to use twitter in the classroom, the paper work needs to be completed and it would most likely get kiboshed for the potentials of inappropriate material from other postings. Twitter doesn’t provide the option for the filtering of tweets (teachers in the beginning would need to approve tweets and if there are inappropriate ones, it becomes a teachable moment. As for advertising, never thought about that. I know with many educational sites out there, half the time they dont’ even know what is being shown, and I have come across some pretty hefty religion promotions even in some of the sites my students use. If i know what is being advertised or promoted, can’t see why not.
If parents are wanting to take on the supervision of their own children’s accounts, heck yes they can sign-up. But again, teachers who are providing this service with their classes might not necessarily “follow” the student.
Never thought about the idea of following existing twitter feeds, I have no idea if that would work, would be something to look into as their are some really great teachers, educators and professionals to converse with.
If I had the payroll to take this seriously, I wouldn’t hesitate in getting the ball rolling. I know there is more to it, but the idea is there.
Thanks again May.
Jon
Hi Jon,
Impressive elevator pitch, and thorough venture plan! I like your idea, and the funny logo too. For students with mobile devices, the KidTweer is a good solution to link them together in a learning community. I mostly like your idea of experts online as consultants. I’ve thought about that myself. It would be a great learner-centered learning style to have students surrounded by experts anywhere and anytime.
My question is that how do you identify those experts in the virtual society, by their professional category or others? And how do you redirect questioning students to these experts? Will the students post questions on their own KidTweer pages, or will they find easy connection to the expert right have knowledge in his interest. I might need more market analysis as for how many partition of kids under 13 will be allowed to have a mobile daily, that would help me to ensure a market size and potential return.
Ping
Hi Ping,
Those are really great questions. I think to establish those experts its by doing research before hand. Similar to showing any links to students, teachers must insure that the material is appropriate and kid-friendly.
Yes indeed it would be great to have more market analysis of how many kids do indeed use the mobile devices. I know from what I discovered, the number keeps going up. This particular service would be offered in a web-based platform as well, allowing for all to contribute somehow (in or outside of the school environment)
Thanks for the questions and feedback,
Jon
Your elevator pitch message is very clear and to the point Jon. You touched on all the key elements pertaining to this venture. By posing questions and providing answers to them, you kept me engaged.
You did an excellent job in differentiating between kidtweet and tweeter.
Your vision for the venture was clearly conveyed
Concept and Marketability
Kidtweet is a very original concept and your research shows the growth potential due to the large market for kidtweet. Capitalizing on strategic partnerships with ScuttlePad gives the venture a competitive edge.
Venture Plan
You have given a lot of thought to the implementation plan. I like your approach to appealing to the investor highlighting the economic and social benefit of the venture.
Thank you for sharing Jon.
Leonora
Thanks Leonora for the comments!
This is a very good idea. Twitter is an excellent place to learn but most schools block Twitter and sites like it. I think KidTweet would give students an opportunity to connect with other students and teachers around the world – exciting! I actually quite surprised there isn’t already something like this out there. If there isn’t I’m sure there will be soon.
Thanks Chris for taking the time to view the pitch! I have had my eye on the social media market for a platform like Twitter for kids, but no dice. You never know, KidTweet might just be it 🙂
Thanks,
Jon
Terrific idea, Jon! I like the idea of giving students a Tweeting practice ground to explore what makes an appropriate tweet, and develop their understanding of follower, following, and mundane vs. relevant. I’ve heard of a few versions of Facebook for schools, but not of kid versions of Twitter. Thank you! Chelsea
Thanks Chelsea! I think at some point very soon there will be a platform like Twitter for kids, maybe this is the one 😉
Thanks for taking the time to view the pitch!
Jon
Hi Jon.
What a great idea – despite some of the risks you so openly identify, I think you would have a fairly easy time of it getting this idea off the ground!
I thought your venture pitch was perfect. It was simple and straightforward, allowing the viewer to focus (visually and aurally) on what is important, you and your message and the venture itself. I found the pitch and the presenter to be very professional and definitely would get me to want to know more as an investor.
Your venture pitch was equally impressive and what’s more … honest. I thought the overall presentation was well researched and logical. The focus on security measures was important to sell this venture to both teachers and parents of your target age group. You also demonstrated some practical uses for the product in a classroom setting which is also important for the buyers of this product – who is not the user.
Finally, I appreciated your honesty in your self-evaluation. I think many of us circled around the cost factor – I know I did!
gillian
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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!
HI,
it is an amazing site and all based on donations and some vounteers.
Denise
Personalized Learning has been been a dream of educators forever, one that is reaching a tipping point in terms of the technologies available for realistic implementations. This marketplace opens to data-driven evaluation enabling learning experiences that cater to individual students learning styles and needs. Opportunity Statement While the venture prospects for Personalized Learning are awesome […]
Continue reading Personalized/Adaptive Learning Posted in: Emerging Markets Poll
As the school I teach at caters to students with learning difficulties, each student has a different learning profile and as well this it the direction the ministry of education is shifting, so by having strategies in tools in place a school can shore up their section of a market, and as an individual it gives room for development as a consultant.
As an Administrator in post-secondary, there is more and more demand for us, as an academic unit to be as accommodating to all people as much as possible. I think that, with this demand, there are lots of opportunities (venture-wise) for technologies to address this.
Some companies are employing algorithms (Grockit, Khan) to create a highly adaptive and individual learning experience. Great market potential and lots of room for discussion as the idea could promote test mania.
The ever-evolving affordances of technology have the capability of moving online education from “read this, answer that” status to truly interactive, personalized opportunities. As the demand for online education grows, this area has the potential to grow exponentially.
Adaptive learning seems to fit in with the idea of universal design for learning. If you’re not familiar with the concept, it means that learning materials are adapted for use by many, not just those with special needs. That means it’s more likely to get used in a class room than technology that has to be implemented for a single student. The need for adaptive learning seems to be immense. However, one major obstacle I see is the huge amount of time needed to develop content that is sufficient for a broad range of knowledge levels (developmentally disabled to gifted).
Finding ways to appeal to every student presents a challenge that technology may be highly able to meet, if the right people are at the wheel. Presenting education as a one on one relationship catered to individuals turns it into more than an assembly line and creates a dynamic opportunity for advancement.
The ability to be more selective and autonomous as a student is appealing in today’s world. This opening of educational choice through the use of technology can be a motivating factor for many of our high school students who seem to lack it under the (often) straight-jacket opportunities they have. Self-paced opportunities will allow more students to be successful in more challenging areas.
The classical approach to learning has failed to give a chance to learners to choose the way they like to learn and as a result of that many educators feel they are ready to adopt any different approach that can break this rigidity in education. I think this project is important.
Hussain
It would be my dream job to design and work on a project\program that provides personalized adaptive learning. Although I am presently a FSL teacher, my interests are not limited to teaching languages, but I would be interested in developing a program that caters to adult individuals.
In researching e-portfolios for another course, I discovered Personal Learning Environments (PLEs). PLEs go far beyond e-portfolios as they include the integration of a whole host of web 2.0 tools for students to reach learning goals and present evidence of their learning through a variety of multimedia tools that suits their particular learning style and their educational interests. PLEs are definitely something I would be interested in exploring further.
For more information see the following websites: http://edutechwiki.unige.ch/en/Personal_learning_environment and http://www.educause.edu/Resources/7ThingsYouShouldKnowAboutPerso/171521.
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jtpatry 6:22 pm on July 29, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hey Denise, your video is set to private FYI
Denise 6:35 pm on July 29, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Thanks- youTube and I have been having a bit of a fight over this pitch! I hope it is fixed now.
denise
jtpatry 6:43 pm on July 29, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Good to go now!
jtpatry 3:19 pm on July 30, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Good day Denise,
Thank you for sharing your elevator and venture pitches. With the push for personalized learning environments, it seems to make sense to have one that is catered for the learning environment, and in this particular case the GP learning space. Your use of graphs provides a good visual for what the PLE would look like and how it will be incorporated. One suggestion maybe would be to compare (if there is any data) how similar PLE’s are effective in other marketplaces and how this specific venture PLE can utilize the current market and make it better.
Thanks for sharing
Jon
Denise 5:48 pm on August 1, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
HI Jon,
Thanks for the advice. I think a good international search would be useful as there isn’t anything like it in vocational training or with unis here at pesent. Agree that including other success stories woudl have been good for the pitch, but also to inform the venture.
Thanks
Denise
janetb 10:57 am on July 31, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Denise,
Personalized learning and analytics are certainly trends in the educational technology marketplace and I think you have presented a great idea in combining them. You have identified a market niche in GP training as well as identifying how your product is unique. Something that might add to your pitch is some information on dissatisfaction with the current system. Something that would indicate that your product is highly needed or can solve a problem in the way GP training is currently done.
A really interesting idea – best luck on your venture.
Janet
Denise 6:00 pm on August 1, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
HI Janet,
Thanks. This was really a hypothetical but I found myself wondering if I could in fact roll something like this out, especially integrating actual patient data information.
I thought about pain points and there really isn’t one – we could keep doing what we are doing for a while longer! But as an innovator I think the PLE and analytics would add real education value for the learner and then ultimately our RTPs. So i agree that I need to pitch more to why this prodiuct is needed than I did. Thanks for the feedback.
Denise
gregcamp 4:44 pm on July 31, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Great job Denise. PLEs are definitley growing in value and we are seeing more of them in the educational market. I enjoyed your pitches and venture idea.
Greg
Claire Burgoyne 5:16 pm on July 31, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Denise,
Analyze Learning is well described in your elevator pitch. While you’ve described the features and niche market you don’t identify the gap that Analyze Learning addresses. Who is the competition and what does Analyze Learning offer that is currently unavailable?
Claire
Denise 6:10 pm on August 1, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Claire,
Thanks for the feedback. I did try and indicate there was no competition in Australia at least. If it was missed this then my pitch didn’t highlight it well! I also agree that I may not have clearly articulated the benefits. Sometimes one gets embedded in an idea and doesn’t think about how others are seeing it.What is offers that isn’t anywhere yet in our market
– increased learning and involvement of the registrar througha PLE integrated witht an LMS
– visual analytics for the learner but ones that encompass all of learning and trianing ie the educaiton they do but also the actual patient exposure they have (and where the gaps would be).
Thanks for identifying that I wasn’t as clear as I ahd hoped.
Denise
lisamallen 10:53 am on August 2, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Denise,
It’s clear that this is your area of specialty. Knowing that you’re experienced in this niche market, as an investor, it’s comforting that you’re so well vested here. I would invest for sure. The only weakness with your pitches, as other have already noted, is the comparables: What’s out there already? Who are your competitors?
Well Done,
Lisa
maybacon 11:13 am on August 2, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Denise,
I like the idea of combining PLEs and Visual Analytics, especially in your area of expertise. I am certain that this venture would provide vital statistics and deepen understanding of a variety of elements in the medical arena. I also liked the examples of the interface, which really helped to clarify the venture for me. However, I would need to know a bit more about the existing competition to make a decision about investing in such a venture. It’s great to know, however, that you have the expertise to pull off this venture and have a good idea of your market.
Best of luck!
May
chrisaitken 12:13 am on August 3, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
The combination of learning analytics and PLEs got me very interested in your venture.
The growing interest in PLEs typically presents a problem for educators in measuring and tracking learning for the purposes of assessment and ultimately granting a credential. A venture that is able to adequately address this issue is likely to find success albeit an ambitious one.
Your venture pitch describes a very specific market group of vocational training in Australia – approximately 1100 positions. Initially I thought that an idea like this would have traction also in the general adult education and post secondary area. However, your paper details how AnalyseLearning will pull specific data from an LMS related to this specific training program. At this part, I begin to get confused. I think of a PLE as an open and often chaotic mix of digital learning tools and content existing largely outside of an institutional LMS and at times, outside of a standardized curriculum. For instance, a PLE could be comprised of annotated bookmarks, RSS feed, blog conversation, twitter feeds, etc which could all be very valuable to the overall continued learning of a student. AnalyseLearning appears to be specific to a particular learning program in pulling data from an LMS and presenting it in a tidy visual format.
However, I do believe in your venture plan and you as an expert in your field. given the opportunity I would be interested in investing in this venture with the hopes that the intellectual property could spin off into further ventures in the analytics/PLE combination.
Denise 3:53 am on August 3, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
HI Chris,
Yes I can see how the term PLE woudl cause confusion. As you identified this I wondered if I would have been better to call it a hybrid PLE. The idea being that some of the PLE links are predetermined within the setting that the PLE is integrated into and some are whatever the indivdiual wants. So in the GP training field there would be some organisation decided links, some individual decided links to education material/activities in the site and then totally random individualised linkages (like the classic PLE). If we developed this product well well then any industry could use the portal and link through to what they wanted the learner to focus on as well as what tools the learner wanted.
Not sure I have stille xplained it well?!
Denise
danishaw 7:42 am on August 4, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Denise,
I found your venture analysis to be quite thorough as it outlined the general learning structure for general probationers in Australia. In addition, I believe the concept of AnalyseLearning is well rooted in theory for you draw on both emerging technologies of personal learning environments and visual learning. The use of diagrams aided in the description and the plan of the venture for it enabled the viewer to see the need for such an en devour; well done! To enrich your venture more so, perhaps you could include potential barriers to the program and strengthen your pitch so that it is straightforward and to the point. I found it a tad bit confusing as to what the product was and why I should want to invest in it. Overall, your venture is well researched and seems to serve a real need. Good luck with the next steps!
Danielle
Denise 4:23 am on August 5, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
HI Danielle,
Thanks for the feedback esp that it wasn’t clear what the product was! Missed the pitch here then!
Denise