Highschol Software question

[Rodrigoz28]

Hey Guys,
We're brainstorming here for some funky ideas for services/software for high schools, what would you have liked to have as a student in a school?
For instance, a web site with all previous exams on all subjects you learn in PDF files for you to d/l and solve/print.
Or summarizations for all classes. Video Lectures, Audio play-back of what-was in the class.

GO!

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

None, let's keep life simple!

 

[ShotgunSteven]

Originally posted by: Rodrigoz28
Hey Guys,
We're brainstorming here for some funky ideas for services/software for high schools, what would you have liked to have as a student in a school?
For instance, a web site with all previous exams on all subjects you learn in PDF files for you to d/l and solve/print.
Or summarizations for all classes. Video Lectures, Audio play-back of what-was in the class.

GO!

Topic Title: Highschol Software question

Something with spellcheck?

Seriously though, I am not sure. I didn't use the computer much in high school except as a glorified typewriter or for doing online research. Stuff like being able to download past exams is really dependent on the teacher, unless a student gets the information and hands it over.

I am not really sure there is any one niche I can think of that was not filled in one way or another. The style of software was not so much an issue, it was mainly whether or not the software contained information useful to me.

If it was a lecture-intensive class, a site with recordings would be very useful. Again, that seems to be based more on what content is available though, and nothing more spectacular than a site with a bunch of MP3's to download is required.

I guess it mainly comes down to services over software. The software that is needed is pretty much out there, unless it were something to specifically run you through past tests as you said. The services like those you listed are what was in short supply.

 

[Rodrigoz28]

Alright Alright, so I missed a letter there It wasn't intentional (just like all spelling mistakes...). Anyways, come on, there must be Something(S)

 

[Rodrigoz28]

I guess it mainly comes down to services over software. The software that is needed is pretty much out there, unless it were something to specifically run you through past tests as you said. The services like those you listed are what was in short supply.

At this point, Any input would be nice, even if its already out there, just throw ideas in here, and we'll make the best out of it

 

[bandana163]

HD projectors are a must.
Even my pitiful little HS had eleven ordinary projectors and one HD-capable, so getting at least a dozen of them is absolutely necessary.

 

[Mrvile]

Probably a little off, but something that gets DVD players in schools working. Over the past few weeks we've seen multiple reports and presentations with DVDs, that even though they worked at home, the school DVD players wouldn't play them. It was frustrating and time consuming.

 

[Injury]

For high school?

-Check grades online for parental usage, for those little brats that don't bring their report cards home.

-A messaging center for students and teachers to use outside of class time. For instance, if a kid has a study hall but not at a time when a teacher is available, they can leave a message for help. Teacher can leave a message about the answer to the ENTIRE CLASS so that no one student is getting more advantageous help than others.

 

[ShadowBlade]

my issues werent w/ the software (my school had ms office, etc) its the hardware....
took me 30 secs to open word (the win98 version)

ohh, and CD burners in every comp!

 

[Rodrigoz28]

Originally posted by: Injury
For high school?

-Check grades online for parental usage, for those little brats that don't bring their report cards home.

-A messaging center for students and teachers to use outside of class time. For instance, if a kid has a study hall but not at a time when a teacher is available, they can leave a message for help. Teacher can leave a message about the answer to the ENTIRE CLASS so that no one student is getting more advantageous help than others.

Wicked stuff, I like ^_^ We also thought about creating internal communities per-school. That way there are ways to meet new people from Your school if its big enough, or if you're shy enough.

 

[BurnItDwn]

I would have liked it if the admins had some type of anti-virus software on their network. That way I wouldn't have gotten the Stoned Spirit Virus from the computer lab at school when Doing my comp sci homework back in late 96.

Also, Since I assume MOST high schools have already installed the above software, How about Online Sylabuses (sp?) for classes, perhaps a message board to organise study groups, or ask questions about schoolwork, homework ... etc. It would need to be moderated though I'm sure ...

 

[daniel1113]

I am in the proccess of finishing and marketing a similar piece of online software that can be used with any grade level to connect students, teachers, and parents. It is a huge market.

 

[Rodrigoz28]

I am in the proccess of finishing and marketing a similar piece of online software that can be used with any grade level to connect students, teachers, and parents. It is a huge market.

Be a good sport and mention a couple of the more interesting features?

 

[aswedc]

I hope your teachers are well trained. You can develop all the software and systems you want, but if they still click on Netscape 4.0 to get on the web it's not getting put to any use.

 

[FleshLight]

Very unlikely that any of those are going to be used. These are unmotivated high school students you're talking about and it's not like they even pay attention to lectures or much less even need to pay attention. High school is extremely easy and it's a waste of time and money to provide all of those academic related support things to students.

Hell, I'm a "motivated", top-50 college bound high school senior and I didn't do sh!t =). I doubt that any of my peers would use it either.

edit:

But I would have liked dvd players, DLP projectors, more ram, Firefox, more easily circumvented internet filters (i used to know the password to override filters), 32" tvs, 5.1 surround sound, better food, and better optical mice.

 

[ShadowBlade]

Originally posted by: Injury
For high school?

-Check grades online for parental usage, for those little brats that don't bring their report cards home.

edline.com

 

[Rodrigoz28]

Very unlikely that any of those are going to be used. These are unmotivated high school students you're talking about and it's not like they even pay attention to lectures or much less even need to pay attention. High school is extremely easy and it's a waste of time and money to provide all of those academic related support things to students.

If you force it, they will use it.

Plus, These things can be off-springed into the Academy later on, or various academic communities. The idea is to provide useful tools, not just academic but social. Social usually brings people together

OOW, This one is important, Ignore Technical limitations (HTML or Whatever), go Wild, throw ideas, regardless on whether they can be implemented online or not, Anything goes...

 

[Injury]

Make schedules viewable online by teachers and parents.

I recall that on the first day of school, I'd fill out 7 different index cards with my name, phone number, school schedule, my parents names, and all sorts of dumb crap... only to do the same thing next year with the same teachers or have my schedule moved 3 days later and have it be wrong. However, you may want to prevent students from filling out TOO much information, for protective reasons. It would be a lot easier and more acurate to have this taken care of.

You could also make online features for the various clubs and activities that the school has.

I can't count the number of times that I forgot what the homework was for a class and just ASSUMED there wasn't any. What about a place for teachers to add in assignments as a reminded to students... both for long-term projects and next day assignments.

You may want to add in a "note pad" feature so kids can leave notes or reminders of sorts to themselves...

 

[Rodrigoz28]

Originally posted by: Injury
Make schedules viewable online by teachers and parents.

I recall that on the first day of school, I'd fill out 7 different index cards with my name, phone number, school schedule, my parents names, and all sorts of dumb crap... only to do the same thing next year with the same teachers or have my schedule moved 3 days later and have it be wrong. However, you may want to prevent students from filling out TOO much information, for protective reasons. It would be a lot easier and more acurate to have this taken care of.

You could also make online features for the various clubs and activities that the school has.

I can't count the number of times that I forgot what the homework was for a class and just ASSUMED there wasn't any. What about a place for teachers to add in assignments as a reminded to students... both for long-term projects and next day assignments.

You may want to add in a "note pad" feature so kids can leave notes or reminders of sorts to themselves...

Super Helpful. You're a bag of SMARTS!

 

[SaturnX]

Not to sound like a d!ck or anything, but it seems to me that this whole "brainstorming" thing is you job.. meaning you get paid to do this. I don't know about you, but frankly asking for ideas here and then claiming them as your own is ridiculous.

If you want ideas, hire people, their time, ideas and critiques are all worth money. Or have focus groups and what not. But I mean if you're looking to develop some kind of system, do you own work.

Better yet, why not ask the end-users what they want.

Don't expect us to give you all the answers.

--Mark

 

[Rock Hydra]

Originally posted by: Injury
Make schedules viewable online by teachers and parents.

I recall that on the first day of school, I'd fill out 7 different index cards with my name, phone number, school schedule, my parents names, and all sorts of dumb crap... only to do the same thing next year with the same teachers or have my schedule moved 3 days later and have it be wrong. However, you may want to prevent students from filling out TOO much information, for protective reasons. It would be a lot easier and more acurate to have this taken care of.

You could also make online features for the various clubs and activities that the school has.

I can't count the number of times that I forgot what the homework was for a class and just ASSUMED there wasn't any. What about a place for teachers to add in assignments as a reminded to students... both for long-term projects and next day assignments.

You may want to add in a "note pad" feature so kids can leave notes or reminders of sorts to themselves...

Our school has something like what you described. It has great uses. But the ammount of utilization, by both teachers and students is nil. My math teacer's assignment page hasn't been updated since May 2003.

 

[Rodrigoz28]

Originally posted by: SaturnX
Not to sound like a d!ck or anything, but it seems to me that this whole "brainstorming" thing is you job.. meaning you get paid to do this. I don't know about you, but frankly asking for ideas here and then claiming them as your own is ridiculous.

If you want ideas, hire people, their time, ideas and critiques are all worth money. Or have focus groups and what not. But I mean if you're looking to develop some kind of system, do you own work.

Better yet, why not ask the end-users what they want.

Don't expect us to give you all the answers.

--Mark

The Process of getting good ideas does not neceserally mean i will be copy/pasting your ideas into code. Obviously some ideas are good, but the point is to make something amazing, and whats being mentioned is usually Normal, we simply take it from there to unbelievable extents...

And if its bothering you this much, if we wind up building such a system, we'll include some credits (party killer, weak.. )

Anyways, any other ideas?

 

[SilentZero]

Would have liked computers!!! All we had at that time was Apple IIe's.

 

[Yossarian]

no idea, my idea of a computer when I was in high school was a Commodore 64. I had to learn FORTRAN in computer science

 

[ddwbi0]

doesnt webct do most of whats been suggessted so far