A new teaching tool designed and marketed by students from Queen’s and the University of Toronto is helping professors across Canada better match their lectures to student needs. SharpScholar was developed in 2013 by Jawwad Siddiqui, BCom’15, Amin Nikdel, BComp’14, and U of T engineering graduate Tejas Mehta. Professors who use this teaching platform can create interactive lessons that students complete on their own time before they come to class. These complementary lesson plans prepare students for the in-class component and help professors maximize face-time with students. SharpScholar also provides an in-class polling system to gather real-time insights into students’ learning.
“We decided there had to be a better way for professors to understand their students so they could deliver customized lectures,” says Jawwad. “The combination of pre-class preparation and in-class polling gives professors an invaluable educational tool.”
The entrepreneurial team first engaged with professors at Queen’s and U of T, who could see the potential in this pioneering technology. “We partnered with innovative educators for our mutual benefit,” says Tejas. “That was essentially how we grew. By testing and verifying our ideas, they helped us build our company.”
Currently used by more than 20 professors at Queen’s, SharpScholar has spread to McGill, Western, Wilfrid Laurier, Ryerson, Waterloo and St. Lawrence College. To date, more than 15,000 students have benefited from the unique program.
While large classes make it impractical for a professor to check on every student individually, this software provides an overall snapshot of the level of understanding, explains Amin. “Then, if professors want to provide individual assistance to a specific student, they can look for the student’s personal data. It’s a win-win situation.”
Today, as SharpScholar enters the capital-raising stage, its team of seven (including six Queen’s grads) are busy refining the platform and promoting it worldwide. “Fortunately we have an amazing group of people and great community support,” says Jawwad, who graduated this spring and is the company’s educational manager. “We know it’s a risky landscape, but everything is really coming together now.”
