This project builds on fundamental research about an innovative pedagogical tool, moving that tool toward being an attractive, reliable, commercially-viable product available to educators worldwide. This project determines the optimal path for transitioning the tool to a greater market. The tool has been shown to have a positive effect on improving learning in undergraduate STEM courses and elsewhere. With broad theoretical foundations, technology-enabled tool provides revealing glimpses into how students think as they struggle to master new material. These insights into how students learn STEM concepts and processes could have far-reaching implications in educational research and classroom practices.
This discipline-independent pedagogical tool allows inclusive classroom communication, blind to student gender, ethnicity, disability, age or skill level, and encourages otherwise reluctant participants to be more actively engaged in the classroom, even with larger (>60) enrollments. By implementing classroom practices that embody what is known about how students learn, actively engaging students in higher-level thinking skills, and informing instruction, use of the product will help create a workforce better prepared to meet the challenges of the 21st century.
This I-CORPS project explored pathways to sustainable financial support for enhancing, marketing, and delivering an innovative pedagogical tool, InkSurvey. InkSurvey is web-based software designed to instantaneously collect graphical responses to open-format questions. Students use digital ink (on pen-enabled mobile devices such as iPads and Android tablets or smartphones) to draw, graph, or write responses to questions posed by an instructor. InkSurvey’s use in the classroom or in homework assignments promotes active learning, facilitates differentiated instruction, and provides an immediate glimpse into student understanding and misconceptions. This discipline-independent pedagogical tool allows inclusive classroom communication blind to student gender, ethnicity, disability, age, or skill level. This project provided an environment that cross-pollinated the pedagogical, technical, and business backgrounds of the participants. Scaffolded by the support provided by the I-CORPS business innovation workshops, webinars, and resource personnel, the team interviewed potential customers (primarily educators) and used the insights they gained to further refine InkSurvey. A company has been formed to commercialize the product, a diverse team of professionals is now on board, and the company is currently in discussion with potential investors. Through the I-CORPS program, this project has helped the entrepreneurial team move an innovative pedagogical tool, InkSurvey, toward an economically sustainable model to positively impact 21st century learners and teachers.
