New Classroom Tool Uses Laptops & Phones for Instant Assessment

Teacher Katie Rieser once purchased a $700 student response system, better known as "clickers," for her high school classroom with money she raised online. Now a new startup called Socrative is offering a way for teachers like her to create a similar tool with smartphones or laptops — for free.

Buying the clickers several years ago allowed Rieser to ask students an "exit" question at the end of each class that checked for both individual understanding of new concepts and common mistakes.

"It’s really helpful for me to have that right in front of me and be able to see what kids are understanding and what they’re not," she says. "Even if it just comes down to, ‘Did he understand directions?’ "

Now a new startup called Socrative http://www.socrative.com/ is offering a way for teachers like her to create a similar tool with smartphones or laptops — for free.

Sarah Kessler

Full Story: http://mashable.com/2011/08/03/socrative/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Mashable%2FStartups+%28Mashable+%C2%BB+Startups%29