Add as a preferred source on Google


Discovery Ed Acquires Ed Assessment and Feedback Company

  • By Dian Schaffhauser
  • 08/10/20

Education media company Discovery Education has acquired Spiral, a London-based company that supports collaborative learning and formative assessments. The terms of the deal weren't disclosed.

Spiral has five modules, each designed to engage learners in different ways:

  • Quickfire Lite lets the teacher ask verbal questions and get quick responses from students;

  • Quickfire provides a planned quiz with multiple format responses;

  • Discuss turns a presentation into a discussion thread for the class to participate in;

  • Team Up allows students to work together on presentations; and

  • Clip turns public videos into a live chat with questions and quizzes.

Activities can be saved for use in a live class online or posted as assignments for students to do on their own.

There's no need to run Spiral through a learning management system. Teachers can invite student participation with a code or email link. However, class rosters from Google Classroom can be integrated into Spiral.

Discovery Ed Acquires Ed Assessment and Feedback Company

According to Discovery officials, Spiral's product features complement its own curated content and existing assessment and student collaboration tools, adding that the acquisition will provide additional ways for customers to do their teaching.

"Discovery Education is focused on providing school systems outstanding digital services that connect students to learning in and out of the classroom," said Discovery Education Vice President of Corporate Development and Strategy, Philip Nanney, in a press release. "The acquisition of Spiral aligns with our strategy of adding features to our digital services that save educators time and increase student engagement.

"Discovery Education shares our commitment to connecting students to learning no matter where they are, and we look forward to working closely on that mission with our new colleagues," said Hamish Kennedy, Spiral's founder and CEO.

Spiral is based in London.

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • cloud with binary code and technology imagery

    Hybrid and AI Expansion Outpacing Cloud Security

    A survey from the Cloud Security Alliance and Tenable finds that rapid adoption of hybrid, multi-cloud and AI systems is outpacing the security measures meant to protect them, leaving organizations exposed to preventable breaches and identity-related risks.

  • teacher typing on a computer in a classroom on the left and a smiling parent using a smartphone on the right

    4 Keys to Building Stronger School Home Connections

    K–12 leaders know that strong family engagement drives student success. It leads to better achievement, fewer behavior issues, stronger relationships between schools and families, and a more positive learning environment.

  • hand holding globe and environmental icons in front of a green background

    CoSN, SETDA, UDT Release Guidelines for Environmentally Responsible Technology Purchasing

    CoSN and SETDA, in partnership with IT and telecommunications solution provider UDT, recently released a set of Sustainability Procurement Guidelines designed to help K-12 school and district leaders, procurement officers, and technology directors make purchasing decisions that are both environmentally responsible and operationally effective.

  • students raising their hands and participating in a classroom discussion

    Report Explores Link Between Student Engagement and Learning

    Over 90% of teachers, principals, and superintendents agree that student engagement is a critical metric for understanding overall achievement, according to a new survey report from Discovery Education.