Teacher Class123

Class 123 is essentially a neat little application that gamifies the interactions occurring in the classroom, however this underestimates the programme because it has many other features that will prove to be invaluable for the busy teacher. Perhaps the most important is the link it offers to the parent, a vital part of the teaching process.

Registering the app as a teacher is very easy with pleasant mobile friendly screen that gets you up and running quickly. When Class 123 is set up on your mobile you can do a number of things, however the app is best worked in conjunction with the web based application, which could be displayed on your classroom whiteboard or TV.

The mobile app launches you to the home screen which lists the classes you have set up on your web based application. The Class screen is a summary screen listing the number of Wow and No-No’s, positive and negative behaviour types respectively, that you have awarded in the class. A number of options are available from this screen. You can set up a number of bulletin boards, with various setting, that can invite students and parent to comment; take an attendance register; also adjust the settings for the class, changing the name of the class, adding or deleting students and set more behaviour types or ‘Cards’.  The view reports and message facility are to be released soon.

From the home screen of the class on the mobile app is the “Start Class” button, this reveals a colourful, well laid out, screen full of avatars representing your class students, with their names beside them and a tally of the Wow and No-No’s. Clicking on the individual avatar lets you reward the student with a behaviour type, this is very quick and when you are logged onto the web based application, projected onto a whiteboard, the student is rewarded with a place in the cloud animated on the screen with a little flourish of notes, or listed anonymously on the screen if negative!

Also on the “Start Class” screen, are two very handy facilities: ‘Lucky Draw’ and ‘Timer’. The ‘Lucky Draw’ facility will randomly select a number of students, set by your choice, which again can be revealed on the whiteboard. The ‘Timer’ has a very useful countdown and stop watch facility that can time sections of the lesson or tasks. The animations for these are delightfully engaging and accompanied by an embellishment of notes at the end.

The web based app is the power behind the application and from here you can set up the students in the class, assign them and their parents with a key code to download and access their own customized Class 123 app. Further facilities include your very own digital chalkboard which can be saved and reused, a bells feature to call the class to order and goal setting feature within the lesson.

Class 123 is a commendable application brimming with a number of excellent features that ‘hard pressed’ teachers will find extremely useful. The layout and intuitive design will not get in the way of teaching and a really splendid help facility at every stage, linking to a video simulating of all features will help you get you working with the app straight away. This is an application that is worth watching for future enhancement.