Evolving Technology in the Classroom

Since its beginning, computing has aimed to save time. By taking care of small-scale, repetitive tasks, technology has enabled us to focus on the more thoughtful, creative aspects of our work.

In the classroom, the way students and instructors spend time proves especially important. Fewer hours completing organizational tasks equates to more hours engaging with class curriculum. Educational technology, or "EdTech", enhances the learning experience by decreasing the time instructors and students have to spend on administrative tasks. Furthermore, EdTech improves education quality by helping students apply abstract concepts in a concrete way.

This fall, Boomstartup, a mentor-driven investment program offered funding and mentorship to eight promising EdTech startups. Take a look at how these EdTech companies are improving public education through administrative assistance and personalized, competency-based technology.

These companies change the way students learn:

This company erases the line between gaming and education. By creating engaging, high-quality math games, 7 Generation Games offers young students a pain-free method of mastering Common Core state assessment material. Learn more at the 7 Generation Games site.

Circll simplifies the fundraising process by "making super fly apps to help you fundraise for your cause". By spending less time developing fundraising plans, educators can focus on more important subjects such as fund allocation and student enrichment. Circll believes that digital fundraisers are more accessible to students, and will therefore increase engagement. Sign up on Circll's site for more information.

Project-based learning closes the gap between real-world skill and academia, allowing students to understand concepts through application. CrowdSchool makes project-based learning cheaper and more accessible by providing a platform for teachers to create and share one another's classroom projects. By creating a platform for students and teachers to easily access classroom projects, instructors may find it easier to incorporate more hands-on assignments into their curriculum. Check out CrowdSchool's website and video for details:

Emotuit uses facial recognition and eye tracking to gauge student engagement and identify learning styles, providing information about how students learn. By offering learning data and curated content for individual students, Emotuit personalizes the educational experience. For details, see Emotuit's website and video:

Many college classrooms include texts which are used only a handful of times during a semester. iFlipd allows students to rent textbooks for only $2/week, allowing students to access material only when they need it. iFlipped also allows students to include and share book notes. Sign up on the iFlipd site and get learned for cheap.

Imaginie is a Brazilian startup which assists students with writing exam preparation. In other words, they've created an online platform which grades hand-written essays, giving students the feedback they need to excel on writing exams. Learn more at their site.

WriteWell helps structure your essays for you so you can spend your time thinking about what you're going to say rather than how to put your essay together. If writing assignments cause you trouble or simply consume your Sunday nights, WriteWell can help you finish your work quickly for just $5/month. For more info, take a look at the WriteWell website and video:

Achieve your polylingual goals. Zamenhof is a "white-label, online language tutoring service for brick and mortar language schools" with an impressive 8-month student retention rate. See how Zamenhof improves language learning through their site and video:

_{Stephanie Manova, August 2015}