Communication Tool Evaluation Task: Remind

Remind

https://www.remind.com/features

Rubric for Assessing Communication Tools

Kristen Cosgrove and Geoff Cyr

#umfedu568

	Does not Meet	Meets	Exceeds
Technology Details
Compatibility		Service or Application is browser/operating system agnostic (e.g., can be used in multiple Internet browsers, and/or on desktop and mobile devices).
Cost		Service is available at little-to-no cost for teachers and schools, AND/OR offers free trials of services to classrooms and schools with available educational discounts for purchase.  Additional features can be purchased outside of in-app purchase system for mobile devices.
Marketing		Service does not contain any advertisements or marketing.
User Safety and Privacy
COPPA Compliance		Service is COPPA-compliant and proof is prominently displayed on the developers’ website AND/OR Developer is a signatory to the Student Privacy Pledge
Controlled Content Sharing		Teacher is able to control level that students’ content is shared at (e.g., classroom-level, other people by invitation, open to public, etc.)
Content Monitoring		Teacher can monitor, filter, and approve student content to platform and comments from others
Appropriate Content		Built-in controls prevent users from stumbling--intentionally or unintentionally--on inappropriate content
User-Friendliness - Students
Use of Multimedia		Students can create, upload, and share content from multiple sources of media (text, images, audio, video, hyperlinks, etc.)
Navigation		Navigation is simple and obvious enough for all users understand
Saving and Revision History		Service saves users’ work automatically, while also maintaining a log or history of changes made by users over time
User-Friendliness - Teachers
Classroom- Level Accounts		Service creates a master account for teachers that connects to and allows teachers to monitor student accounts
Setup		Service can be set up by teachers with minimal assistance needed
Account Creation		Student accounts are created by the teacher or school, or can easily be setup by students using a class code, AND/OR students can create accounts using a common third-party service, like a student Google account
Accessibility
Design and Layout		Service uses large text or multimedia elements that allow for younger students and students who struggle with reading to navigate the page, app, or service
Accessibility Features		Service integrates accessibility features designed to help users with physical or developmental disabilities to use the product.

	Does not Meet	Meets	Exceeds	Comments
Technology Details
Compatibility				This tool is compatible with all devices
Cost				This tool is free
Marketing				The tool does not use advertising within the app
User Safety and Privacy
COPPA Compliance				COPPA Compliant
Controlled Content Sharing				Phone number do not have to be shared to use this tool.
Content Monitoring				There is a tool to allow parents, teachers and students to flag/report inappropriate messages
Appropriate Content				The only thing students see are messages sent by the teacher
User-Friendliness – Students
Use of Multimedia				Allows for the use of a variety of multimedia including presentations, photo’s, PDFs and documents.
Navigation				Easy to use
Saving and Revision History				Users can download chat history and announcements if needed
User-Friendliness - Teachers
Classroom- Level Accounts				Teacher uses codes to control who has access to the class account
Setup				Teachers can invite parents and students to the account through cell phone numbers and/or email address, set up is relatively quick.
Account Creation				Teachers can invite parents and students to the account through cell phone numbers and/or email address t.
Accessibility
Design and Layout				I did not find any information on ways to make fonts bigger for younger students.
Accessibility Features				I did not see any setting that could be adjusted to accommodate students with disabilities.

Additional Notes:

Features that it has:

• ·         Direct message parents and students engaging in a back and forth conversation
• ·         Teachers can send voice messages
• ·         Teacher can send out announcements that parents and students do not need to respond to

How it could be used in the classroom:

This tool could be used to send reminder about events and projects to parents and students.  I think it could also be used as a way for teachers to set up a segment of time to be considered virtual “office hours” so if they were working on homework during that time and had a question they could send the teacher a message.