Productivity

Free Collaboration Platform Updated with Student Workload Estimates

• By Dian Schaffhauser
• 01/26/15

The latest release of Chalkup includes improvements to the user interface, a course calendar and a way for students to estimate their workload.

What makes Chalkup unique in the learning management system segment is its integration with Google Apps for Education. Students save work to Google Drive, and teachers can grade assignments using a "MarkUp" document annotator. The new release lets teachers share videos, links and flashcards, among other files, directly through Google Drive. When a teacher makes an assignment, students are reminded on their devices through notifications, texts and e-mails.

"We feel like we've made the class collaboration tool that students and teachers have been waiting for," said CEO Justin Chando. "I believe that learning doesn't stop when class is dismissed, and learning management systems weren't creating an environment for classes to stay organized, share information and truly keep talking. That's why we made Chalkup."

The product is free for individual instructors and students to use. The company also offers "pro" and "enterprise" plans for schools that choose to standardize on the platform. Those editions include analytics on usage, bulk data import and integration and school-wide messaging.

"Chalkup is helping me transform my teaching," said North Olmsted Middle School science teacher Lindsay Sereika. "There is so much potential for how to use it and I see the benefits for both teachers and students."