FreshGrade, a Learning Collaboration System for teachers, has released a new mobile app that gives teachers more freedom to work in a busy classroom.

Studies have shown that "ongoing, meaningful parent engagement is a critical factor in the academic success of a child; the classroom, however, remains a mystery for many parents," according to a press release.

FreshGrade, however, "is addressing this issue by giving teachers a more robust toolset to capture and document learning that can be shared with parents in real time - opening a window into the classroom for parents and providing a platform by which teachers and parents can more effectively support a child's learning," the release said.

"The launch of the new mobile app will allow teachers to capture and document even more learning in the classroom, thus enabling greater collaboration and engagement with parents," said the release. "New features of the FreshGrade app include:

• Tangible Parent Engagement: In-app notifications of portfolio views and comments
• Three-way Collaboration: Comment and respond to posts on ePortfolios
• Capturing Learning: Via picture, audio, video or anecdotal note and tag individuals, groups or the whole class
• Continual Capturing: Content can be saved and tagged to students later, to keep up in a busy class
• Mobile Account Management: Ability to update/add class and student profiles

"We understand that teachers are already using a variety of methods to track and report on students' progress and communicate with parents," said FreshGrade CEO Lane Merrifield in the press release. "FreshGrade simplifies and enhances this process, and offers a more efficient and impactful way to approach these tasks. We're excited that through our new mobile app, we'll be able to alleviate even more of the workload that teachers endure on a daily basis."

According to the release, "traditional report cards are static, periodic evaluations of student learning and have not caught up with today's mobile, digital and interactive platforms that allow for real time, meaningful connections and engagement. FreshGrade is changing that approach and providing better information to parents, sooner."

"I usually see parents after school or at parent-teacher meetings. FreshGrade allows me to create a bond with parents that hasn't been there before. I can share instantly what's going on in my classroom with parents – samples of reading, video, performances. Everything that sparkles in the classroom," said Los Angeles teacher Max Schafer in the release. "In the past, it's been difficult to do but with FreshGrade, the design is so eloquent and simple you can catch the spontaneous moment."

FreshGrade, the release said, "has already been widely adopted in select regions of Canada, including the Surrey School District, the largest school district in British Columbia and one of the largest in Canada, which has implemented FreshGrade as its standard reporting tool for the 2014-2015 school year."

"The company also announced $4.3 million in seed funding from leading education and venture capital firms in August 2014 and has a growing adoption rate in progressive regions of the U.S. and Australia."

Click here to learn more about FreshGrade. 

Article by Kassondra Granata, Education World Contributor