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An app makes things easier for shy students

It’s called Undesrtoodit and allows students to get over their fears and anonymously communicate with their teacher when they do not understand something in class

di Staff

We’ve all been told that asking questions is the right thing to do when we don’t understand something, but do you remember that awkward moment when you were the only one who dared to raise her hand in a class full of people? Not a nice feeling, huh?

 
Things might get easier now, thanks to Understoodit, a new app which helps students get over their fears, allowing them to anonymously communicate with their professors when they do not understand something.
 
To use Understoodit in class, the teacher just have to set up an account and grant students access to log in through their smartphones, tablets or laptops. During the lecture, students give the professor an anonymous feedback by clicking on two options, "understood" or "confused". The teacher’s laptop receives real time data, which gives her the chance to understand what she needs to re-explain. 
 
The app was specifically designed for university students, as they have an easier access to laptops, tablets and smartphones and they don’t have to switch off their phones in class. Understoodit was created by Liam Kaufman, a Toronto-based software developer who used to be one of those students who was often too shy to raise his hands and tell everybody that he didn’t understand. 
 
The app is being tested out on first-year computer classes at the University of Toronto. 
 

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