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SchoolCloud: Revolutionizing Parent-Teacher Meetings with IoT
Technology Category
- Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) - Virtual Private Cloud
- Sensors - Camera / Video Systems
Applicable Industries
- Education
Use Cases
- Time Sensitive Networking
- Visual Quality Detection
Services
- System Integration
The Challenge
The traditional model of parent-teacher meetings in schools has been fraught with inefficiencies and logistical challenges. These meetings, typically conducted in-person, often involve inaccurate scheduling, overrunning of meetings, and long waiting times for parents. The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent closure of schools further exacerbated these issues, necessitating a shift towards virtual meetings. However, the existing video conferencing platforms were not equipped to handle the unique requirements of parent-teacher meetings, such as tight scheduling and the need for visual cues to indicate the next parent waiting. SchoolCloud, an edtech company, recognized these challenges and sought to develop a solution that could streamline the process of conducting parent-teacher meetings in a virtual environment.
About The Customer
SchoolCloud is an edtech company that has been helping schools reimagine and recreate their administrative and operational efficiencies outside the classroom since 2006. The company was founded by Marcus Fields and Robbie Beattie, who began their partnership over a school technology project when they were just 15. Their first product was a Room Booking System, designed to solve the issue of room double booking in their school. Over the years, SchoolCloud has expanded its offerings, focusing on improving operational efficiencies beyond the classroom. Their products include online scheduling tools for parent-teacher conferences, extracurricular clubs, field trips, and more.
The Solution
SchoolCloud, in partnership with Twilio, developed a virtual parents’ evening solution that supported video conferencing. The solution was designed to automate and control the video call, ensuring that a parent and teacher speak for their allotted appointment time before immediately moving on to the next meeting. This was achieved by building on top of Twilio’s Quick Deploy ReactJS Video App, which allowed SchoolCloud to quickly launch a product that felt like a part of their existing offerings. The platform also included features such as a countdown timer to prevent meetings from overrunning, and the ability for parents to invite others into their appointments. The solution was launched just one week after UK schools closed due to the pandemic, and quickly gained traction, hitting one million participant minutes within a short span of time.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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