Startup Spotlight: Edsy


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Submitted by Kate Meersschaert on Wed, 05/30/2012 - 10:48am.

The Details & Back-story:
Launched earlier this month, Edsy allows students to access free, live-streamed test prep and homework assistance. Registered students can participate in webcasts, ask questions, and receive real-time feedback from highly vetted instructors.

One of the founders, Reuben Kerben, is a startup vet with both Spiral Universe and the video-based Encameo (coming soon!) under his belt. Fun note: Edsy is listed as a soon-be announced "stealth startup" on Reuben's LinkedIn profile.

Unique Point-of-difference:
Live-streaming to a non-paying audience. Most test prep online is 1:1, restricts login to Facebook-only, or is fee-based. Edsy seems to break the mold by incorporating live-streaming, charging students no fee, and allowing for Facebook-optional access.

Edlab Relevance:
What role could live-streaming play on EdLab platforms like Vialogues? What are the costs & benefits of adding live-streaming to an otherwise asynchronous platform? Is live-streaming simply a way to "dress-up" traditional teaching? Could a live-stream option be a part of the mentorship experience on Ednode?

Our Takeaway:
Free and live, Edsy offers a unique take on test prep.

Posted in Public | Kate Meersschaert's blog | login or register to post comments »

Janice Joo Says:
Tue, 06/05/2012 - 10:31am

How many "teachers/tutors" are broadcasting on Edsy? Is there just a single channel, therefore a single lesson at each hour, or are there multiple lessons (i.e. for different courses) available at a time?

How did they determine 8pm EST as the broadcast time? I suppose it's prime time for evening television anyways, so perhaps it was a good move... or maybe competitive?

With the live-streaming, is there also a RECORD function? For example, record the lecturer, and his/her interactions on-screen with the audience. So if this were Vialogues, the video would then be recorded for future viewing, and time-stamped with comments/questions throughout... Would teachers appreciate the flexibility of potentially teaching a day's class from home, or from the beach?