Announcing eLocker 2 for iOS

Upcoming Studywiz product developments

Our programmers are going full steam ahead, with lots of new Studywiz developments on their way.

Last month we released Studywiz 9.4.5 which included improvements to the Assignment and Resource Activities, and introduced a new time saving feature called Quick Create. We also introduced the first iteration of our marking interface module for tracking and sharing assessment information.

9.4.5 has been a major release and the feedback we’ve had is that users really like the new usability and tools. However our developers are not slowing down and we’re now in the final stages of testing a new update which will, amongst other things, introduce Quick Create to Studywiz Primary so that educators using those interfaces can also enjoy the new time saving way of authoring Activities.

For those using iOS devices, you’ll want to check out our soon-to-be-released update to the Mobile eLocker app. This update will bring native iPad support and a number of improvements such as the ability to open files in other applications and send files from supported 3rd party apps to your own eLocker and Shared eLockers. Studywiz eLockers are a great way to share learning materials with students on a class and personalised basis. Whether you’re using iOS devices in a 1-1 environment or simply making use of your own personal device, this app is well worth installing. Follow us on Twitter to be notified when this free app is available for download from the Apple App Store.

Finally, our marking interface module is being updated and will be available after summer with new features making it possible to use it for parental reporting. As part of this we are working with Bryanston School to develop a meaningful interface to make it easier for teachers to write formative and summative comments whilst having historical data and dialogue readily at hand. We’re very excited about the possibilities that this new marking interface version will offer schools for assessment, feedback and parental reporting.
2011 is turning out to be an exciting and productive year at Studywiz and we hope that you enjoy the new tools and products.

Season’s Greetings from all the team at Studywiz!

We have been extremely busy over the past six months, and are all looking forward to a very exciting 2011. The team has been working overtime to put the finishing touches on 9.4.5, and the response to our new marking module has been fantastic!

It’s still not too late to order the marking module and receive the bundle discount/priority update, so if you are interested, please let us know!

Our move to the new office in Melbourne is also complete, so please note our new address AND our new Accounts / General Enquiries number:

Suite1, Level 2/55 Walsh Street
West Melbourne VIC 3003
ph: +61 3 9328 8237
fax: +61 3 9329 0193

We have some very exciting new development initiatives planned for the new year, and are looking forward to continuing to work with and support your school!

Wishing you all a happy and safe new year!

All the best from the Studywiz Team.

Handheld Pilot Program Shows Early Success with Studywiz!

Fulton County Schools, USA are piloting a handheld computing program using the iPod touch combined with Studywiz Spark and are already seeing the benefits. “Handheld devices reach children where they are and engage their playful nature while in the classroom,” said Kathy Politis, Director of Instructional Technology “We’re seeing improved student engagement”.

The pilot program gives students access to iPods during class time, and Studywiz allows teachers to distribute content to the students for different classes. “We believe the students will study more if they find it enjoyable,” said Teacher Mark Schuler of Roswell High School “We’re  designing – not re-inventing – the wheel for this generation of learners. It’s the way these kids are wired.”

Fulton County Schools now have a third school getting involved with the program and many more of their schools are now interested in joining the program.

Original Article: Handheld pilot program shows early success.

Studywiz 9.4.5 coming soon to a school near you!

The Studywiz developers are working furiously to get the finishing touches ready for the release of Studywiz 9.4.5 in October!

With this release come some features requested by our long time users, including Quick Create and Crumbtrails, and overhauls of existing features such as FastFile and Assignment.

Quick Create – Users can now create new activities from any screen in Studywiz and your choice of activity is never more than one click away. Quick Create remembers your location and creates the new activity there by default, but also allows you to change the location as required. Quick Create dramatically speeds up the time it takes to create a Studywiz Activity so if you need to get a quick eBulletin out to your class, with Quick Create your students will be reading it within just a few seconds.

Crumbtrails – Crumbtrails help you to navigate through your class folder hierarchy and ensure you will never get lost again. Even when you are editing an activity you can see exactly which class and folder it is assigned to and you’ll be able to easily jump back to the class page.

FastFile – Upload any file quickly and easily in just two steps. Plus FastFile now gives you the ability to upload multiple files simultaneously.

Assignment – Improvements to the Assignment feature include

• a new interface, making it easier for teachers to manage and students to use
• better submission process for students
• improved tracking of student submissions
• easy and quick submission grading and commenting
• integration with Studywiz marking module

Studywiz marking interface

The big news though, is that with 9.4.5 comes integration with Studywiz marking interface. Set to revolutionise grading throughout schools, the marking interface is an add-on feature that can be purchased to work in conjunction with Studywiz. For those wanting to see it firsthand there will be demo accounts available shortly, so email your interest to clientservices@studywiz.com and we’ll get back to you with more info.