GlobalEd Connector

Online teaching platform connecting teachers, administrators and classrooms from around the world to collaborate on lessons, program development and exchanges.

15 years ago, when I was a French teacher at a school outside of Washington, DC., I wanted to start an exchange with a school in France.  I tried to find that school without the benefit of knowing what schools would also be interested. I contacted schools I picked randomly or through word of mouth via email and phone but could not get through to the people I needed to connect with.  It was a painstaking and frustrating process. I did find a conference to attend in Paris however, and my school was in a position where they could send me there. Off I went. I spent a week there. The conference lasted three days. I did meet a number of schools and spent the remainder of the week on a train travelling around and visiting their campuses doing my due diligence. I ended up finding the school I was looking for and was able to start an exchange.  After about $10,000 and a week of preparation and research followed by a week of travel, I succeeded in what I had set out to do. Though the experience was a success, it was only because I had a strong will, it was summer and my school had a budget.

The GlobalEd Connector was born from this experience. There is so much we would like to accomplish in such little time and resources. School culture takes everything we have out of us. The students are our first priority and everything else gets pushed aside.  We have many ideas on how to enrich their learning experience but, due to limited resources and time constraints, we often just keep everything within the confines of our walls. It is a very insular experience being a teacher. But if you ask any teacher whether they would appreciate having a resource like the GlobalEd Connector at their fingertips, all would say ”absolutely”. The platform provides the type of enrichment they look for with limited effort and resources from their end. All of a sudden the walls of their classrooms disappear and their students have immediate access to the world. The platform facilitates working on language skills with native speakers, learning first hand about the lives of students from across the world, having debates, sharing data, starting exchanges, finding a mentor, helping a fellow teacher, sharing thoughts and ideas.  All of this can be accomplished through the GlobalEd Connector. All that is needed is access to a computer and the internet. Then fill out a profile and start searching for like minded teachers and administrators.

This platform will revolutionize education. Classrooms in Ghana, Ethiopia, Israel, France, Paraguay, Thailand and more will be collaborating with one another.  Students will share their diversity, whether language based, cultural and/or socio-economic. As a result, as they move on in life and assume more leadership roles, they will be more effective in areas such as Business, International Relations and Public Health.  The public discourse will be much improved.

This is a new application using existing technology.  It is a classroom teaching/program development tool that allows members to connect directly using video technology and simple email.  Connections can evolve from there to become permanent fixtures in curriculum. It solves the challenge by connecting schools and classrooms from developed countries with those from less developed or developing countries. Students can learn first hand about parts of the world they know nothing about.  It will make them more empathetic and informed citizens when they assume their roles as our future leaders.

Without technology, the GlobalEd Connector cannot exist.  First, educators need to find eachother.  Therefore there needs to be a search capability built into the platform.  Second, educators need to make introductions which they can also do by using the site's email capability.  Once the introductions are made and there is a level of comfort, the connection can evolve into live and recorded video lessons between classrooms.  Finally, the connections need to be evaluated using a feature similar to Yelp.  To complement the classroom experience, virtual technology will be introduced into the platform.

My solution's goal over the next twelve months is to build two creative and forward thinking teams.  One team will be increasing membership by contacting schools directly, attending conferences and using digital marketing. They will also be increasing traffic onto the platform by providing incentives to join, building a space where educators can post articles, announcements and topics encouraging dialogue. The second team will be comprised of educators who will assist users so that they have productive and fruitful experiences regardless of the nature of the connections. For instance, they could help with developing lesson plans or organizing exchanges.

Within 5 years, the Globaled Connector will have enrolled 1610 schools and 810 school districts. Classrooms in the US will be connecting with classrooms in Europe, South America, Asia, Africa and the Middle East.  Teachers will plan projects, discussions, experiments and more with colleagues spread out across the world.  Administrators will share best practices and will build programs that connects their schools with others.  Students will experience study abroad and exchanges.  Teachers will participate in their own exchanges. Over time, schools will become base camps with a global reach. The notion of distance learning will be revolutionized. 

My team will contact schools directly.  They will also attend national and international educator conferences organized by associations like the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS),  Association of International Educators (NAFSA), School Superintendents Association (AASA) and the International Society of Technology in Education (ISTE). The schools will register as members.  Each school will provide their CSV templates which will give us access to their teachers. My team of educators will make sure that each user’s experience is a smooth, rich and productive one. As a result, schools to renew their membership and write positive reviews which will attract additional schools.

Membership includes individual teachers, administrators, and homeschool educators.  Membership will also be made available to schools and school districts. Currently, I have teachers from across the US and in countries such as France, Romania and Brazil.  Total number of users is about 20. I have only been targeting individual teachers but will have the ability to enroll schools by end of July.

In 12 months, we will serve 20 schools and 10 school districts. In three years, we will serve 180 schools and 9 school districts.  Educators will no longer be limited to the confines of their schools and classrooms. The efficiency and ease at which lesson are made and programs are built will have a positive effect on the student experience.  Within three years, The GlobalEd Connector will be present in enough schools where membership will start spreading on its own. Within ten years, it will become an essential tool in educating all students across the world.  

I have spent my entire career as a teacher and as an educational consultant. I am familiar with school culture. I know that teachers want quick and easy access to more first hand resources for their students.  Only the more seasoned educators are able to provide this and that is after years of trial and error. The other person involved in this project has also spent her entire professional career as a teacher.  In addition, she has a digital media company which is useful in marketing the platform and adding features to the site to increase traffic.

The first revenue source is an annual membership fees. The value per student is $1.  For a school of 500 students, the annual fee is $500. The fees will rise as the value of the student rises.  The value of the student is based on an algorithm that is connected to number of overall memberships.

The second is the Exchange.  Video connections uploaded onto the Exchange begin at a flat rate.  The price fluctuate based on an algorithm tied to reviews. Members are charged 5% for each connection sold through the Exchange.  Non-members are charged 10%.

There are 25,780 secondary schools in the US which represents up to $28,976,720 in annual revenue. Internationally, there are 190 sanctioned American schools representing up to $217,750 in annual revenue. These figures are based on $1 per student and average student body size of 1124. They also exclude the vast number of foreign schools who represent a significant amount of prospective paying members. Schools who are not able to pay but are in desirable locales, are exempt from annual fees and have access to all the benefits of being a member. There is also revenue generated from the Exchange.

I am in the process of applying for grants, searching for partnerships and a knowledgeable advisory board.  The Solve challenge matches up well with what the GlobalEd Connector is positioned to accomplish. We are bridging the gap between developed and developing nations.  We are connecting classrooms so that our students are more informed and knowledgeable about each other wherever they might be. The Solve challenge can provide us with resources to further our goals in the areas of product development and digital marketing as well as networking opportunities.  

The user list needs to be significant.  For it to generate the type of connections that would allow students to have truly transformative experiences, the reach needs to extend to classrooms where the differences outweigh the similarities.  Therefore it is necessary to build relationships with organizations that give access to such schools. Solve can help by providing funds for attending events where these organizations are present. Solve can also help open doors through its broad networking reach. Finally, Solve can provide the needed technology support and consultation to fully develop the platform.