Thursday, March 10, 2011

LearnBoost: Too Good Not to Try Out

There are countless web-based tools for educators. I follow an outstanding blog called Free Technology for Teachers authored by Richard Byrne. It was in one of his posts that I discovered one of the most amazing web-tools I've ever used. It's called LearnBoost. LearnBoost is a free web-based gradebook, yet it is truly much more than that.

First a little disclosure. I am not paid by LearnBoost, but I am a "power user" and featured as a case study on their website. All that means is that I appreciate their product, and so will you.

LearnBoost just might be the best educator tool you've never heard of. It's a relatively new product that has earned a Top-Ten Web Start Up award for 2010 from ReadWriteWeb. If you're looking for an easy to use gradebook, lesson planner, grade reporting system, calendar, and/or attendance manager, it's all delivered by LearnBoost. To learn more about each feature take the LearnBoost Tour.

Here are some impressive highlights of LearnBoost:
  • Easy to use
  • Lesson plans can be linked with the national common core standards
  • The calendar feature is fully linked with Google Calendar
  • You can share student grades with your students and their parents
  • Customer service is top notch (see below)
  • Web-based, so LearnBoost works anywhere you have Internet access
  • Teacher-centered approach to product development
  • Free-free-free

One of the most amazing things I've experienced about the LearnBoost team is the customer service. They care about what teachers want. One example of their way of thinking is the feedback tab found on nearly every page of the LearnBoost website. The LearnBoost team uses teacher feedback as one of the main driving forces behind their product design.

The second example of customer support is how amazingly quick they are at answering any questions you have about their product. On a Sunday afternoon I asked a question about their newly released reporting feature. I didn't expect an answer until Monday because it was Sunday after all. To my surprise, the CEO of the company emailed me back in 5 minutes with a solution! On a Sunday afternoon!

The third example is their quick video tutorials that are easy to follow and informational--perfect for the busy teacher. Check out one of their videos below as a sampling of their dedication to making teachers' lives easier.

I really enjoy using LearnBoost. I'm proud to call myself a "Power User".  If you are searching for a web tool that will make your life easier give LearnBoost a look today.

Example of a LearnBoost Video Tutorial

2 comments:

Nate said...

Jason,

What grade program did you use before this and how do the two compare? We use PowerSchool and I'm wondering if I could make the case to switch to this. Thanks!

J. Kornoely said...

Nate,

I used MS Excel for my gradebook, Google Docs for my lesson plans, MS Access for report card, CIMS for attendance, and Google Calendar for a calendar.

I've seen PowerSchool. PowerSchool, to me, has too many things that get in the way of what I want to do and share.

LearnBoost is simple by design. Yet it's powerful. It does what I need it to do. And what I really like about LearnBoost is the customer service...it's hard to beat.

What are your experiences with PowerSchool?