One area that I’m particularly interested in exploring is WordPress’ potential in a classroom environment.  Teachers have an incredibly important job, but are faced with a great deal of friction that makes it difficult to spend an adequate amount of time doing the most important thing– teaching the kids.

So, as someone who is very passionate about optimizing workflows and removing friction to allow people to do what they’re passionate about as smoothly as possible, I spent some time brainstorming various uses for WordPress in the education, ranging from direct use by students in a classroom, to school-wide and even district-wide usage.

Core

Core functionality for classroom/student management

• Scope: School/District
• User: Admin/Teacher

Features

• Student info
• BasicName, Parent contact information, etc.
• Schoolwide
• Grade/Teacher (Updates student history over the years)
• Attendance

Benefits

• Track student history (classroom, teacher, etc.) throughout years in system
• Centralized location for essential student information (emergency contacts, etc.)

Gradebook

Track assignments/grades on per-student basis

• Scope: Classroom
• User: Teacher

Features

• Create assignments
• Set grade levels (A, B, C, D, F, etc.)
• Set student grade for an assignment
• Bulk management: Add assignments/grades for multiple students at once
• Automated reports

Benefits

• Efficient grade entry
• Streamline reporting/aggregation of grades
• Easily track assignment status of a student

Library

Manage classroom book collection

• Scope: Classroom
• User: Student/Teacher

Features

• Manage collection of books in classroom
• Add/Delete books
• Set status of books (borrowed, on shelf, etc.)
• Allow students to borrow books from library
• Manage borrowing period (3 days, 1 week, etc.)
• Manage/track overdue books
• Allow students to comment/rate books
• Browse collection of books
• Search
• Filter by taxonomies (category, tag, author, etc.)

Benefits

• Enables students to track their own borrowing and returning of books
• Creates discussion of books based on student comments and ratings
• Facilitates tracking of library inventory

Homework Manager

Allow students to view/review assignments in class and at home

• Scope: Classroom
• User: Student/Teacher

Features

• Teacher
• Assign homework assignments to students
• Description
• Instructions
• Due date
• Student
• View list of assignments via web browser at home
• Check off completed assignments like a checklist
• Review notes from teacher (instructions, etc.)

Benefits

• Removes inconsistencies student writing down daily homework assignments
• Enables parents to take part in homework completion (they can see what was assigned and what has been completed by their child)

Student Notes

Documentation tool for notes about students

• Scope: Classroom
• User: Teacher

Features

• Document notes in regards to a student (good/bad behavior, subjects to work on, etc.)
• Document action taken by teacher in regards to a student (praise, warnings, etc.)
• Document communication with parents

Benefits

• Easily track notes on per-student basis
• Quickly provide documentation to administration, parents, etc. when needed

Jobs

Manage classroom jobs

• Scope: Classroom
• User: Student/Teacher

Features

• Students are assigned jobs/roles in classroom
• Different jobs have different tasks/responsibilities
• Awards (virtual) for completing responsibilities
• Points
• Badges
• For consecutive completion of responsibilities (1 day, 1 week, 2 weeks, 1 month, 1 quarter, etc.)

Benefits

• Encourage/motivate students to consistently complete tasks/responsibilities
• Empowers students to self-manage (review and work on tasks)
• Creates game-like atmosphere to engage student involvement