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Wow, it does sound like the school board and staff are pushing out work for students quickly and efficiently as possible. A few other concerns colleagues have brought up include not only students feeling overwhelmed by the sudden change in lifestyle, but also teachers who are facing a very different work environment and having to learn and adapt quickly. While the profession involves being flexible and adapting to change, these are unusual circumstances for online learning to take precedence and it may not be fitting for many who have not had any training or experience with the technology to support an online learning community. I'm sure everyone is just trying their best, and it seems like taking it slowly and ensuring both staff and students are not overwhelmed by all the sudden changes are more important at this point (at least in BC). I agree that some students will fall behind more than others due to accessibility and availability of support at home, which needs to be addressed to the best of our ability; however, even with semi-quarantine policies in place, it may be hard to track down students when needed and work schedules for everyone are going to be strange for a while. This is just the new "normal" we'll have to adapt to for the next few months, I guess.

Hi Kevin, Thank you for the feedback! I found this assignment to be quite challenging, as it forced me to take on a very different perspective about educational technology than I am used to. I like the idea of having a short and extended version of the elevator pitch - as I was recording it, I knew I was going over time but anything less felt like it wasn't informative enough. I could make the short version a bit more dynamic by driving home some key points rather than laying everything out there. The video from Slide 4 is from Symbolab, which is an actual real-life company; the venture I made up, SymboLearn, is an extension of their existing work.

[REVIEW]: It is important to understand the needs and pain points of the target market before developing any kind of product or service, and Hive does just that by targeting the current need for educators to have an integrated system for interacting with students online. Hive has a few interesting features that distinguish it from its competitors, namely the personality test and AI that can assign users recommended tasks and schedules according to the built in analytics in the system. I have personally not been able to find something similar to this feature, other than AI personalizing content for online courses (but not necessarily distributing work within a group). Recommendations to improve and take this venture pitch to the next level would be greater detail in product description (e.g., What does the Personality Test look like? What is Truity and IBM Watson?), a more thorough analysis of competitors, and a financial breakdown for investors on cost of investment and estimated returns. While many competitors were listed (e.g., Microsoft Teams, Google Suite, Mattermost), the three advantages listed did not address what competitors were lacking (or it was not clear). As a potential investor, it would be important to see how much funding the venture is expecting to accrue, what that funding will be used for, and how/ when investors should expect returns. Overall, Hive seems like an intriguing idea that is using the hype of AI technology to its benefit. The elevator pitch was well done, very polished and concise; a more detailed analysis of Hive’s benefits over its competitors and financial breakdown in the venture pitch would instill a greater sense of confidence in investors for this venture.

[REVIEW]: Of the ventures I had the pleasure of reviewing, MeLearn had the most intriguing and disruptive idea. Both the elevator pitch and venture pitch were concise, well articulated, and compelling. Your narration and intonation made for a great sales pitch! As for the venture itself, I believe the Venture Pitch could have been more detailed in two areas: 1) explaining how administration would be replaced and on what scale, and 2) identifying and resolving potential counterarguments to your points, such as alternative education programs already in place or how this would be different from hiring tutors. The investment proposition near the end of the video was delivered with great conviction and straightforward numbers and visuals; however, I would suggest providing more information about your company and expertise as well as identifying sources of your data to convince potential investors why they should put their money into this venture. Overall, a dynamic presentation and idea with potential. While this venture is targeted at K-12 and higher education, it reminds me of other web-based companies that connect people who want to learn a particular skill or trade with experts and professionals (e.g., Skill Share: https://www.skillshare.com/?via=header).

[REVIEW]: Well developed and convincing argument for why Concierge is an excellent investment for businesses. The main pain point - the stressful nature of onboarding - is elaborated on with key subpoints, including both the employers’ and employees’ perspectives of the process. Target markets (HR Department & Enterprises) are focused and their needs are clearly identified and described. Clear competitive advantages between Concierge and other similar platforms were stated; this section could have been elaborated on by introducing a few features of these competitors and how they contrast with Concierge. The opportunity forecast of Concierge in relation to the “gig” economy and future of businesses moving towards more employees working remotely wrapped up the pitch nicely. The one main improvement to this venture pitch would be the addition of a financial overview for investors on funding, benefits of investing, and estimated returns. Overall, this venture was probably the most convincing in terms of actual implementation and solving a real problem in today’s economy. Great job!

Thank you for your refreshing presentation on wearables, Carlo, Emily, Miguel and Scott! I think this topic was the one I had the least prior knowledge of, and I learned a lot! Of interest were the types of wearable technologies that expanded my conception of what a wearable could look like (e.g., I didn't consider implanted devices as a type of wearable before!). The ethical concerns of wearables are very similar to Big Data & Learning Analytics, as the collection, management, and security of data are high priorities for people as well as governments. Wearables seem to link in very well with immersive experiences, as mentioned in the example of the Meta Park. Virtual and augmented reality applications can also be more readily implemented with the help of thoughtfully designed wearables that can remove the need for bulky equipment. Overall, well made OER with a good pace and activities that were easy to understand and not too overwhelming.

The micro-learning experience delivered through short Prezis was an innovative and creative touch to your OER. The information was not too overwhelming, although there were six modules to complete. The topics were focused and on point. It seems like the target audience was more for corporate training since it seems like there are not that many options specific to education (in the K-12 sector, at least). Good distribution of audio-visual, text, and diagrams and no technical issues. Overall, job well done!

With regards to online education, I have heard several teachers in certain districts speak about how that will look. Many emphasize that education, in the form of taking classes and learning subject-specific material, should not be the priority for our students at this time. Our most vulnerable students are the ones who often do not have access to technology (e.g., internet, computer) at home, and with public facilities like libraries and schools being closed, they cannot be expected to continue their learning with a "business as usual" attitude. Instead, they are advocating ways to provide greater emotional and social support during this pandemic crisis. As well, teachers and administration are considering absolving official grades during this period of uncertainty, since issuing assignments and grades will only make the gap between our performing students and at-risk students even greater. Any thoughts from educators on what you think should be done with our students' education? I'm from a K-12 background, but I'd also be interested in hearing what professionals from other fields have to say about this issue.

Hi Matt, I was just working on Module 2 and wanted to let you know that the quiz's second question (option A and B) doesn't quite make sense since choices are not listed with letters. Thought your group might want to change the wording of that one. Otherwise, I'm loving the format so far!

I agree with your statement on how educational institutions at all levels need to consider developing and supporting a robust online education system in parallel with face-to-face instruction. Not to make any absolute claims, but it is possible that dangerous novel viruses are going to pop up periodically - possibly at least once per decade; therefore, it is important that we plan for events like epidemics and pandemics just as much as we plan our response to earthquakes and other natural disasters. Pandemics and epidemics are different from other natural disasters in that they do not impact our infrastructure (i.e., no buildings or towers are destroyed); this makes online education (and online services in general) essential in supporting communities in isolation because of widespread disease.