We recently went to an edtech conference where a keynote speaker said there was an “abundance of technology in our classrooms today”. When you think about all of the hardware and software involved in teaching and instruction, that may just be the understatement of the year. How are teachers managing all of this technology?
Showbie Helps Teachers Simplify Their Digital Classroom
A platform called Showbie helps teachers manage annotations, gradebook, parent sharing, collaboration, assignments, portfolios, voice notes, discussion and more, in a platform that allows teachers to focus on teaching and students to focus on learning. Classroom technology should be a tool not a distraction.
“Showbie combines all of the essential tools for assignments, feedback and communication in one beautiful, easy-to-use app. This means less time spent struggling with your tech setup, and more time for teaching and learning,” the company says on their website.
“All too often, apps and technology promise a richer learning experience, but end up burdening the teacher facilitating it,” said Showbie CEO and Co-Founder Colin Bramm. “We designed Showbie to be simple to use and make classrooms more efficient. Now we can offer more flexibility and additional platforms for teachers to provide quick, engaging and, authentic feedback to their students.”
Showbie has a variety of ways for students to interact with their teachers. For instance teachers can assign an oral reading assignment that students can record in the privacy of their own homes and teachers can listen to it while they’re on a jog or on their way to work. There are several ways that assignments can be annotated. Showbie has also made it possible to write, right on top of the assignment, meaning that teachers and students don’t have to change apps for feedback.
Teachers can create an assignment in Showbie and share it with the entire class. Then students can collaborate with one another in small groups. Teachers can easily see where each student in the class is with the assignment allowing them to give feedback immediately.
“Showbie speeds up the coursework process and enables teachers to provide more personalized feedback to their students,” said Kathleen Johnson, teacher at Iron Horse Middle School in San Ramon, CA. “The app’s expanded availability on iPhones and web browsers allows me to quickly update homework, grade assignments and check student progress from anywhere, with or without Wi-Fi.”
Showbie Gives Parents Transparency
More and more classrooms and schools are becoming dependent on technology. At the same time parents and teachers are becoming more and more pressed for time. In a lot of circumstances teachers spend the first 10 minutes of a 15 minute parent teacher conference explaining the technology in the classroom. Showbie has created parent accounts which allow parents to view a students work in real time as they are getting assignments. Parents can stay abreast of what’s going on in class. Then, when the parent teacher conference comes up, the parent and the teacher are on the same page.
Teachers, students and parents know what to expect when their classroom is a Showbie classroom. Find out more today at ISTE 2018, June 24-28th, Booth #2158 and online at showbie.com.
