Pindex Promises Pinterest for Educators

Although Stephen Fry has left Twitter, the popular British actor and writer hasn't given up on social media altogether. Numerous sources have reported that Fry is involved in an education start-up being pitched as a "Pinterest for education." Pindex allows teachers, students and anybody else to create online pinboards for collecting "the best educational material."

A "board" in Pindex parlance is a collection of content  —  images, video and documents. To add content to their boards, users get a bookmark button from the site and then click it as they browse the Web to capture a specific image and link. Educators can post quizzes to their boards or "completion awards" that visitors can earn by getting 100 percent on the test or checking each post on the board

The site's founders also expect to create original content, which is where Fry comes in. The actor stars in a popular British comedy TV show called QI, where panelists get points for "being interesting." Now he'll be narrating videos for the site, such as a series of short segments on the Large Hadron Collider.

Pindex Promises Pinterest for Educators

According to recent coverage in UK-based The Telegraph, Fry is one of four people involved in the site. This isn't the first tech venture he has participated in. Previous investments have included Summly, created by then-15-year-old wunderkind Nick D'Aloisio, which was acquired by Yahoo; and Pushnote, a now-defunct service that allowed users to add comments on any Web page.

Fry recently made headlines when he chose to deactivate his highly popular twitter account after facing major online criticism for comedic comments made during a British awards show. The experience didn't turn him off online activities altogether. As he told The Telegraph, "At a time when it is easy to lose faith in an online world that seems to center around trolling, bullying, hating, trivializing and belittling, it is worth remembering the incredible power of the Internet to inform and educate, lucidly and entertainingly. We'd like to welcome teachers, professors and anyone with a passion to share the most engaging and captivating material at pindex.com."

About the Author

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

Featured

  • tutors helping young students with laptops against a vibrant abstract background

    K12 Tutoring Earns ESSA Level II Validation

    Online tutoring service K12 Tutoring recently announced that it has received Level II validation underneath the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The independently validated study provides evidence of K12 Tutoring's role in creating positive student outcomes through effective academic intervention and research-based solutions.

  • pattern of icons for math and reading, including a pi symbol, calculator, and open book

    HMH Launches Personalized Path Solution

    Adaptive learning company HMH has introduced HMH Personalized Path, a K-8 ELA and math product that combines intervention curriculum, adaptive practice, and assessment for students of all achievement levels.

  • computer science classroom featuring a desktop setup with code on the screen, a large wall display with charts, and a labeled book on a clean desk

    McGraw Hill Expands CTE Offerings

    Education company McGraw Hill has announced a host of new career and technical education courses, designed to help learners gain professional, technical, and academic skills for workforce success.

  • DreamBox Math

    Discovery Education Announces Updates to Experience, DreamBox Math

    K-12 learning solution provider Discovery Education has announced enhancements to its Discovery Education Experience and DreamBox Math products, designed to create a more personalized, engaging learning experience for students.