Skyward To Add Game-Like Rewards to SIS

  • By Dian Schaffhauser
  • 02/26/13

An education technology company with a student information system (SIS) used by 1,500 districts globally has said it intends to integrate a "student reward system" into its software to promote student engagement. Skyward, which sells a number of education applications, including the Skyward Student Management Suite, said the addition of this gamification feature is intended to "connect positive, real-life behaviors with rewards."

Students will be able to select an avatar and earn points for academic-related activities and game play. As they accumulate points, they'll be able to use them to customize their virtual identities, advance to new levels within the system, and gain other incentives, such as redeeming virtual points for actual purchases in a school store. The avatars and the point totals will be shareable with friends and family members.

Schools that use the functionality will be able to customize the program under their own brands and to set reward parameters and point allotments. Teachers can choose how to allocate points, such as reaching a specific score on an assignment, improving grades, attending class regularly, and exhibiting other positive behaviors. Reporting will allow teachers and parents to monitor progress and enable administrators to analyze usage data by school, grade, or class.

"Because our student information system is the focal point for daily school operations and student progress monitoring, it provides an ideal platform for education leaders to implement a student reward system that promotes positive reinforcement," said Skyward President Scott Glinski. He added that several customers will be testing the system this summer with the expectation that it will be ready for the 2013-2014 school year.

The company said that future releases will expand to add educational games that supplement classroom lessons in partnership with game developers and providers.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • tutor and student working together at a laptop

    You've Paid for Tutoring. Here's How to Make Sure It Works.

    As districts and states nationwide invest in tutoring, it remains one of the best tools in our educational toolkit, yielding positive impacts on student learning at scale. But to maximize return on investment, both financially and academically, we must focus on improving implementation.

  • MakerBot Nebula

    UltiMaker Launches Differentiated Learning Platform, Announces New MakerBot Grants

    UltiMaker, a provider of 3D printing solutions for education, has launched an AI-powered differentiated learning platform designed for STEM learning.

  • diverse business people using laptops overlaid with data processing textures

    Microsoft Copilot Gains Context‑Aware Agents for Teams, SharePoint and Viva Engage

    Microsoft has unveiled a public‑preview of its collaborative agents in Microsoft 365 Copilot, bringing a array of "always‑on" agents grounded in context for channels, meetings, SharePoint sites, Viva Engage communities, and Planner workloads.

  • stylized illustration of a desktop, laptop, tablet, and smartphone all displaying an orange AI icon

    Survey: AI Shifting from Cloud to PCs

    A recent Intel-commissioned report identifies a significant shift in AI adoption, moving away from the cloud and closer to the user. Businesses are increasingly turning to the specialized hardware of AI PCs, the survey found, recognizing their potential not just for productivity gains, but for revolutionizing IT efficiency, fortifying data security, and delivering a compelling return on investment by bringing AI capabilities directly to the edge.