This is the presentation that explains our app, GlobalShare and why it would be a good idea to take forward in the Apps for Good competition, as it solves a genuine problem in society.
Regards,
Callidus Forem
2. The Problem
Grades are falling
Many changes to secondary education and
curriculum are taking place, including changes
in GCSE’s. Grades are falling and with the
reintroduction of the English Baccalaureate, it is
even more important that students get higher
grades to achieve this award.
3. Problem
Video
Click here to
view
This is our problem video, that explores the problem
that was stated in the previous slide. Our video is in
two parts, one being the above animation and the
second being a real-time video that features part of
our group, sharing their thoughts as students on
teaching/learning methods.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gih0Gj5bH4A
4. The Question
Can we make learning better/more
effective in schools?
We explored many different aspects of the
problems of the general term ‘travel’ such as costs,
phobia, and medical reasons. We decided to focus
on the educational side to it as we are of the age
band within education. We felt that it is closer to
our hearts and an opportunity to explore our
peer’s opinions on modern day teaching methods.
5. Text books do not offer the best way of learning. They
are repetitive and can lead to falling grades; this can
mean big trouble for not only our society but lives of
the children who are our future.
We believe that consequences of our problem are
falling national grades, and what with the economical
problems of the recent years, the lack of jobs available
can lead to a rise in the numbers of the unemployed.
The problem in our society today, students are not
managing to reach their full educational potential.
This is because of the lack of interaction and
increasing numbers of kinaesthetic learners.
Is there a better way of learning?
6. Background Situation
Who: Students
What: Students want to learn more about the world we
live in, that will also help them in their Geography
lessons
Where: In school
When: Mainly in geography lessons, but also other
lessons that link in with it
Why: To provide an interactive and easy way that
students can learn and achieve higher grades
7. Mini Elevator Pitch
Our team, Callidus Forem, is developing a
mobile app to help students in secondary
education (11-18 year olds) achieve higher
grades in the targeted subject of Geography
by providing an interactive as well as
effective way to learn more and in a better
way in lessons at school.
8. Survey results
Average age is 13.46
61.11% male 38.80% female
100% student
74.56% of people would be interested in an
educational app
86.13% think an app would make learning more
interactive
96.45% enjoy learning about distant counties
Tours, maps and free use are the most popular features
with a average percentage of 49% of votes (multiple
votes per person)
People think its better than textbooks, fun, interactive,
the features are good and helps learning
9. GlobalShare
We decided to focus the app on Geography, as we feel that
everyone should be offered the opportunity to explore the
world that we all live in.
As students, we feel (as well as our peers) that Geography
is not the most loved subject. Not only that, but we also
believe that a more interactive and modern way of
learning will offer students a new approach to Geography.
While discussing within our group, we decided a key
element of our app would be a limited form of social
media, of which safety will be a priority.
Live Chats will only be allowed within school groups and
will be moderated, automatically blocking the use of
inappropriate language etc. We will also set up the
“OurPledge” page where terms and conditions are stated.
As well as this, we will include a report system through
which students can report anything they find
inappropriate.
10. Initial ideas
At first we focused on the other aspects, as said in the previous
slide, and after group contemplation we decided on the
following:
Schools will pay a small fee, thus enabling all students to be
signed up free of charge.
LiveStreams and instant messaging would be key and
interactive features of our app, however the messaging will
be internal for the schools to ensure the safety of students.
Professional and established companies (such as Airtours
and wildlife parks…) as well as celebrities such as Ben Fogle
would (after security checks) have access to upload and use
the app to expand the boundaries of student learning.
GlobalShare can also offer opportunities for schools globally
to communicate (with confirmation from the overall school
profile holder) and learn how other societies live their lives
and earn a living.
Access to Google maps would be extremely helpful and
enable the user to explore the globe without having to leave
the app, although we understand that if the app would be to
go ahead we would need to communicate with Google.
12. User Stories
These are some examples of our user stories:
As a user, I would like to learn more in depth about
specific countries, to help with my geography case
studies.
As a student, I would like to enjoy my subjects more,
particularly Geography, so that I can achieve high grades
and be successful in life.
13. Competitors
There are not many apps that can offer the same diversity as
ours does.
The closest apps we have seen are the ‘Fotopedia’ series and
‘Geotrainer’.
These apps offer the chance to look at photos of different
countries and also have interactive quizzes.
There is another app called ‘Learn world geography – free’
which offers the chance to learn in the best possible way.
The only problem is it removes the fun aspects that every
other app brandishes and just gives you the facts in a simple
way.
14. Alternative Solutions
Although our app offers the same things you can find in a
textbook we offer it for a lower price.
The subscription fee being £17.88 per year, our app is better
value as the app is constantly updated with new material as
the curriculum is changed.
This means that the app will never be outdated compared to
textbooks that have to be bought anew every year.
We also offer features that textbooks don’t, such as our live
stream functions and our live chat.
There is also the fact that our app is not subject to the
damage that books can suffer; such as water damage and
wear and tear.
Other solutions are going to the countries, but our app is a
much more viable solution as it costs so much less to supply
an entire school for a year.
15. Pricing and Market Competition
Schools will be able to purchase the app for the price of
£17.88 per annum
This price will then enable an unlimited number of school
accounts within this yearly fee. DLCs possibly available
within an individuals account - we are still considering an
extra, but small, fee. However, we feel this may restrict
the use of our app.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
While developing our app we searched other similar apps
and websites, and we were surprised when we found
that there are not many apps that are similar to
GlobalShare. We noticed that many global and travel
apps only focus on a singular country or location and do
not feature an element of social networking.
16. Elevator Pitch
This is the link to our elevator pitch that explains the
features of our app in further detail:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaqQwUD6GLs
17.
18.
19. App prototype
Flowchart
This is the link to the flowchart that is shown on
the previous slide (if you would like to see it more
clearly).
http://www.lucidchart.com/invitations/accept/535
c0113-0ce0-42ef-9406-3b210a00cf0a
This is the link to our Appshed prototype design, which
displays the main features of our app and how it would
look on a mobile device.
http://appshed.com/appbuilder/preview/202522
20. Marketing Strategy
We will try to get our advert featured in
newspapers such as the Sun and the Daily Mail.
We will also try to get an ad for our app featured
on popular websites such as YouTube and
Facebook, since they are popular sites for our
target market
We will make a Facebook fan page so that when
somebody likes it everyone on their friend list will
see that they have liked it and they might want to
click on our page.
We will also go round schools and demonstrate the
app to show students how to use our app and how
it will help them for educational purposes and
geographical work.
21. Feasibility Study
Our app will be different because it will feature live streams
and uploads, original ideas that help construct future
knowledge of the world around us.
Our demographics are subscribing schools and educational
establishments.
Our stand out features is our safe- locked communication and
ability of identity protection. We provide an exploration of
the globe and its ever-changing cultures, beliefs and
landscapes.
We believe our app can compete in an established market
due to maturity and experience and if not create a new
branch to the tree of marketing.
We are extremely enthusiastic and involved in something we
are very proud and excited about as a group of youths.
22. Business Case
As a group we are aware, after advertising on twitter and a survey
that we had previously devised, that all students (of an average age of
13.46) are keen to have an alternative option of education within
class time. 86.13% of surveyed students agree that an app would
make learning more interactive and think that this alternative would
improve their learning and make lessons more fun.
This public research has proved to us that, as a collective, students, as
well as teaching and supportive staff, are very enthusiastic towards an
interactive educational and geographical app. (Interviewed
Teaching/Supportive staff work at Bradly Stoke Community School)
We have also researched apps that feature similarities to our plans
and noted the differences such as the following:
Only focused on a singular country/continent.
No elements of social networking.
No group/collective fees for education.
They are mostly aimed at people interested in travelling.
