Since FreshGrade has been created it has gone through many updates and made changes. Like all technology and applications, updates are needed to keep the program relevant and exciting. FreshGrade continues to go through these updates and is constantly changing the ways the program has to offer clients. Moving forward, some suggestions to keep FreshGrade vital and accessible would be to allow for creating while offline. You currently need a network connection to be able to load the program. However, if you are a teacher you may want to work on it while offline. This has yet to happen. Another thing to consider is two-way conversations in private chat. Unlike other online platforms like twitter, Instagram or Facebook, FreshGrade does not offer a private chat room function. You have to post on the student’s wall to address the teacher. The teacher however, can send messages directly to parents, guardians, and students if needed. Another thing to consider before using FreshGrade is that it might take away from face-to-face time with parents and guardians. Parents will be able to see what is happening inside the classroom and not feel obligated to attend “meet the teacher nights,” or drop in for those after school meetings. One other thing to consider is that this is a tool that will need to be taught to first time users. This will take time to get the hang of it to the point where the teacher will feel like uploading documents, creating grade book activities is second nature to them. Not only do teachers need to learn how to use the program, but parents and students will also need time to learn how to log in, read and comment on activities and if you let them, upload documents. This all takes time, and if your district is not allowing workshops to run to teach you this it means you learn at your pace which would set people back from using this program. Also, the amount of technology in classrooms would have to be increased to allow for all students to have access to technology to capture learning. Another area that FreshGrade could improve or add would be allowing for cross connecting to other classes and teachers. For example if teachers are team teaching they could share students. These things to consider will be addressed from what I have been told in "FreshGrade Next" which is scheduled to be available to teachers this coming school year.
THINGS TO CONSIDER
THINGS TO CONSIDER
- lack of technology in the classrooms
- needs an instant chat area
- needs a network connection
- time consuming
- categorizing
- cross connections to other classes
Seesaw is just one of competitors of Freshgrade. Take a look above to see how similar they are and what another app has to offer.