The widespread use of technology has enabled the educators to get in touch with their community globally and make the best of their practices.
Though we have been using webcam and other video communication and collaboration platforms to cater to this need; this new tool Empatico has come out with a fresh way to make sure that students get in touch with each other and learn together time place no bar!
Empatico helps students discover what life is like for their peers around the globe by seamlessly matching classrooms through their easy-to-use platform. It creates a unique experience for students and saves teachers’ time by providing everything needed for a virtual exchange in one platform. It is the only virtual exchange program that combines live video technology, seamless connections by automatically matching teachers and providing tools for easy scheduling, and high quality activities that are research-based. The best part about the platform is that it is designed specifically for 8-10 year olds and so keeping this in mind the activities are children friendly moreover caters to the capability of this particular age bar.
Pain Points/Needs:
Common Core Standards; Lesson Plans; Scheduling; Social Networking; Teacher Collaboration; Video Conferencing
Platform Compatibility:
The tool is compatible with iOS, Android, Web and Desktop
Distinctive Features:
– Helps in creating a global community of educators that are working with students aged 8-10.
– Provides a safe online environment for students without keeping them away from the exposure they would love.
– Add more engagement to your regular lessons by collaborating over Empatico with another class sitting miles away.
– Explore a different set of people, pedagogy and culture without compromising on the educational needs.
– The activities on the platform can be explored before you engage in them. All the activities include a 30-40 minutes live video interaction. Each activity mention of the total time that will be needed to complete, subject it serves to and the learning goal. You can read the lesson overview before getting started as to make sure that it serves your purpose right.
Walkthrough:
The tool can be used in 6 simple steps. Once you’ve sign-up on the platform you are good to go.
1. Select your activities
2. Indicate your weekly availability.
3. Meet your matched teacher.
4. Choose one hour for your live video exchange.
5. Be guided through tech setup.
6. Meet your teacher and connect your classes.
Pricing: The tool is FREE OF COST!
Usability:
The tool is good for educators to introduce kids to the way other students study across the globe.
To make global exchanges a normal part of kids’ educational journey they are starting in English with 3rd and 4th graders, and will expand to other languages and ages from there.
They recently launched in English for classrooms with students ages 8-10, and are looking for passionate educators to try the product eagerly. To get started, teachers can sign up on empatico.org. They’ll need an internet connection and a computer with a camera. Matches happen automatically between classrooms at least 100 miles apart. They are based on the availability and activity preferences teachers share when they sign up.
Currently, Empatico offers four activities on universal topics – like play, weather, geography, and students’ contributions to their communities – to expand kids’ world view beyond their classroom and community. Over the coming months, they will collect feedback on the user experience, content, and features to continually improve the tool and release more content and features.
Our Review:
We see that Empatico is catering to a very important need of students early education years. It helps educators in introducing kids to global education which not only helps them in getting the better side of the education but also helps them cultivate other values like understanding of other cultures and acceptance of difference between them. As Empatico’s vision is to create a free, frictionless platform for connecting children all over the world. They are doing a good job in this direction.
We recommend educators give this cool tool a try as Empatico is a great way for kids to connect with one another and explore their similarities and differences.
Videos/Tutorials:
Get Started with Empatico! from Empatico on Vimeo.
