The Tech Edvocate

Top Menu

  • Advertisement
  • Apps
  • Home Page
  • Home Page Five (No Sidebar)
  • Home Page Four
  • Home Page Three
  • Home Page Two
  • Home Tech2
  • Icons [No Sidebar]
  • Left Sidbear Page
  • Lynch Educational Consulting
  • My Account
  • My Speaking Page
  • Newsletter Sign Up Confirmation
  • Newsletter Unsubscription
  • Our Brands
  • Page Example
  • Privacy Policy
  • Protected Content
  • Register
  • Request a Product Review
  • Shop
  • Shortcodes Examples
  • Signup
  • Start Here
    • Governance
    • Careers
    • Contact Us
  • Terms and Conditions
  • The Edvocate
  • The Tech Edvocate Product Guide
  • Topics
  • Write For Us
  • Advertise

Main Menu

  • Start Here
    • Our Brands
    • Governance
      • Lynch Educational Consulting
      • Dr. Lynch’s Personal Website
      • Careers
    • Write For Us
    • The Tech Edvocate Product Guide
    • Contact Us
    • Books
    • Edupedia
    • Post a Job
    • The Edvocate Podcast
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
  • Topics
    • Assistive Technology
    • Child Development Tech
    • Early Childhood & K-12 EdTech
    • EdTech Futures
    • EdTech News
    • EdTech Policy & Reform
    • EdTech Startups & Businesses
    • Higher Education EdTech
    • Online Learning & eLearning
    • Parent & Family Tech
    • Personalized Learning
    • Product Reviews
  • Advertise
  • Tech Edvocate Awards
  • The Edvocate
  • Pedagogue
  • School Ratings

logo

The Tech Edvocate

  • Start Here
    • Our Brands
    • Governance
      • Lynch Educational Consulting
      • Dr. Lynch’s Personal Website
        • My Speaking Page
      • Careers
    • Write For Us
    • The Tech Edvocate Product Guide
    • Contact Us
    • Books
    • Edupedia
    • Post a Job
    • The Edvocate Podcast
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
  • Topics
    • Assistive Technology
    • Child Development Tech
    • Early Childhood & K-12 EdTech
    • EdTech Futures
    • EdTech News
    • EdTech Policy & Reform
    • EdTech Startups & Businesses
    • Higher Education EdTech
    • Online Learning & eLearning
    • Parent & Family Tech
    • Personalized Learning
    • Product Reviews
  • Advertise
  • Tech Edvocate Awards
  • The Edvocate
  • Pedagogue
  • School Ratings
  • Kids’ Reading Comprehension Is Worse On Screen

  • How Remote Learning Is Taking A Toll On Teachers

  • What Giving up on a Student Says About a Teacher

  • The Machine Learning-Driven Future Of Learning

  • Developing Fluent And Reflective Reading In Children: Everything You Need to Know

  • Morphology Training Vs. Phonics Instruction: Everything You Need to Know

  • Developing Creative Young Children Who Can Communicate, Collaborate, and Problem-Solve

  • Home Literacy: Everything You Need to Know

  • How Machine Learning Will Transform the Classroom

  • Milestones of Development: Everything You Need to Know

Product Reviews
Home›Product Reviews›Product Review of StoriumEdu

Product Review of StoriumEdu

By Matthew Lynch
September 19, 2022
0
Spread the love

StoriumEdu is a web-based, collaborative writing platform that’s part card game and part role-playing adventure. Developed in partnership with the National Writing Project, it’s a school-focused version of a popular online collaborative writing game of the same name. In groups of up to four, learners write a story together that follows a scenario created by their teacher. Each student picks a character (using built-in pictures and character names, or by creating their own), and learners take turns writing brief scenes. On each turn, learners draw and play cards that give them a basic framework for what to write, including the scene’s goals, their character’s motivations, and their character’s strengths. While they wait for other learners to write, learners can write a “flashback” scene where they might further develop or explain their character’s background, their relationships with other characters, or other elements of the story. Teachers can access the platform for free for a 30-day trial period, and subscriptions start at $10 per month (billed annually).

Before your learners get to writing, you’ll need to do some thinking. Step one is to create a storyworld and select cards for the world’s setting, beginning,  and ending as well as the successes and setbacks learners will face. Step two is to create a scenario that broadly outlines the story arc learners will follow. It might take an hour or more to set it all up, but there are lots of resources to help you get started. Take a spin through the setup videos and PDFs included on the developer’s website. There’s detailed guidance for setting things up, plus there are ideas for using StoriumEdu for ELA, social studies, project-based learning, social-emotional learning, and more.

Perhaps most importantly, consider how you’ll structure class time with StoriumEdu. The on-screen prompts during gameplay make it pretty easy for learners to get started and know what to do next, but keeping learners engaged while other learners take turns may be tricky. Some learners will inevitably write faster than others, so encourage your speedy players to take advantage of the “flashback” feature and write more about their character or the setting while they wait for their next turn. Consider having learners take turns together or brainstorm in pairs to help move gameplay forward and keep learners motivated and engaged.

This platform hits a rare and fascinating sweet spot between free and constrained writing. The familiar card-based game mechanics help make writing approachable and offer just enough structure. Between the on-screen prompts and game cards, learners see a clear purpose to their writing, freeing them from potential writer’s block and usefully challenging them to develop their characters and push the story in interesting new directions. Students will be building core writing skills, working with their peers collaboratively, and also having fun imagining their character and seeing where their story goes. The addition of “flashbacks” is also a smart way to offer an outlet for learners who might otherwise get frustrated by the turn-taking style of writing.

This isn’t a one-size-fits-all experience, though, and that’s a good thing. There are tons of ways for educators to customize their learners‘ experience, and a lot of guidance for how to set up and run the experience, from built-in cards to instructional videos and PDFs. Still, it would help to have more guidance about how to introduce this tool to learners and how to integrate its use into the classroom. Examples of how other educators have used the platform would be a welcome, helpful addition.

The biggest concern with this tool is time, both for setup and gameplay. It may take an hour or more for educators to customize their storyworld and scenario, and it may be challenging to structure class time, as some learners write much more quickly than others. Teachers will need to consider how StoriumEdu aligns with their classroom’s learning objectives and then craft the scenario and its instructions to match. Teachers might also indicate how — and how much —  learners should write.

Website: https://storiumedu.com/

Overall User Consensus About the App

Student Engagement

Students customize a character and take the lead on storytelling. The well-designed interface makes it easy to play and dive into the story.

Curriculum and Instruction

Clever game mechanics help make meaningfully focus and inspire writing. The cards and scenarios offer just the right amount of scaffolding. Collaboration is the cherry on top.

Customer Support

Detailed videos and user guides help educators get started and customize. During gameplay, helpful pop-ups tell learners what to do and where to go next.

0
Reader Rating: (0 Rates)
0
Previous Article

Product Review of Doceri Interactive Whiteboard

Next Article

The Psychology of Student Outcomes

Matthew Lynch

Related articles More from author

  • Product Reviews

    Product Review of Paper by WeTransfer

    October 16, 2022
    By Matthew Lynch
  • Product Reviews

    Product Review of Engineering.com Games

    October 13, 2022
    By Matthew Lynch
  • Product Reviews

    Product Review of Studytracks

    September 25, 2022
    By Matthew Lynch
  • Product Reviews

    Product Review of Noisy Book

    September 22, 2022
    By Matthew Lynch
  • Product Reviews

    Product Review of MyScript Calculator

    October 15, 2022
    By Matthew Lynch
  • Online Learning & eLearningProduct Reviews

    Product Review of Learnbeyond LMS

    June 7, 2022
    By Matthew Lynch

Search

Login & Registration

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Newsletter

Signup for The Tech Edvocate Newsletter and have the latest in EdTech news and opinion delivered to your email address!

  • Recent

  • Popular

  • Comments

  • Kids’ Reading Comprehension Is Worse On Screen

    By Matthew Lynch
    February 2, 2023
  • How Remote Learning Is Taking A Toll On Teachers

    By Matthew Lynch
    February 2, 2023
  • What Giving up on a Student Says About a Teacher

    By Matthew Lynch
    February 2, 2023
  • The Machine Learning-Driven Future Of Learning

    By Matthew Lynch
    February 2, 2023
  • Developing Fluent And Reflective Reading In Children: Everything You Need to Know

    By Matthew Lynch
    February 2, 2023
  • 7 Ways Technology Is Impacting Modern Education

    By Matthew Lynch
    March 4, 2017
  • 20 Top Virtual Reality Apps that are Changing Education

    By Matthew Lynch
    March 11, 2017
  • Why Mobile Technology Enhances Instruction

    By Matthew Lynch
    December 14, 2016
  • 7 Roles for Artificial Intelligence in Education

    By Matthew Lynch
    May 5, 2018
  • Digital Literacy is the Most Important Lifelong Learning Tool

    By Matthew Lynch
    December 30, 2017
  • Where to Find Dyslexia Support for Adults - Case Training Services | Registered Charity #1051587
    on
    August 2, 2022

    11 Must-Have Apps and Tools for Dyslexic Students

    […] recorders Electronic flashcards ...
  • What Types Of Posts Can You Make In Google Classroom? - The Tech Edvocate - Gossip ...
    on
    July 31, 2022

    How to Integrate Google Classroom with the Power of YouTube

    […] of your posts. ...
  • Answers to Frequently Asked Questions About Google Classroom - The Tech Edvocate - Gossip Buz
    on
    July 31, 2022

    Answers to Frequently Asked Questions About Google Classroom

    […] Answers to Frequently ...
  • 10 Important YouTube Channels For Teachers - Kiiky Wealth
    on
    July 29, 2022

    10 Incredibly Useful YouTube Channels for Teachers

    […] Thetechedvocate.org – 10 Incredibly ...
  • Teaching Learners Digital Content Curation Skills - Fab Lab Connect
    on
    June 30, 2022

    Teaching Learners Digital Content Creation Skills

    […] Read More… […]

EdTech Policy & Reform

  • Curriculum & InstructionEdTech Policy & ReformEducation Leadership

    Why We Should Leave Behind the Cookie-cutter Education

    Spread the loveChange appears to be the only “constant” factor in the educational field. However, what happens when a more significant shift becomes necessary? To provide students with the best ...
  • Adaptive LearningCurriculum & InstructionDigital & Mobile TechnologyDigital Age TeachersEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformInstructional Technology

    Exploring New Ideas: Student-Driven Remote Learning

    Spread the loveRemote learning is taking its toll on our students. They miss the social side of school. Not seeing their classmates or teachers is leading to nervousness, anxiety, and ...
  • Digital & Mobile TechnologyEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & Reform

    Implementing Education Technology by Pursuing Technology Education

    Spread the loveTechnology is used for many great things in our world. It’s a powerful tool when used correctly. As such, this powerful tool can be used to transform learning.  ...
  • EdTech Policy & Reform

    How Much Bias Is Okay in Your School?

    Spread the loveThe algorithm has proven itself to be a handy tool when it comes to solving education problems. It’s also not without bias.  You may be wondering how some ...
  • EdTech Policy & ReformFeaturedFresh

    Edtech Should Complement Good Pedagogy, Not Attempt to Replace It

    Spread the loveThe newest generation of edtech is downright amazing; it’s no wonder that various education stakeholders might be a little excited about its potential to transform education. However, edtech ...

EdTech Startups & Businesses

  • EdTech Startups & Businesses

    Trends That Will Help Your EdTech Startup Succeed

    Spread the loveIf you want to thrive in the destiny of learning and self, shorten, tailor, and gamify. The bulk of EdTech businesses believes that digitizing conventional learning methods and ...
  • EdTech Startups & Businesses

    How to Sell Your Edtech Product

    Spread the loveDevelop a profile of the perfect consumer, target clients that meet that description, and plan on a long sales cycle. Selling to schools takes a different sales process ...
  • EdTech Startups & Businesses

    Edtech Companies Can Learn What Not to Do From Delta Airlines

    Spread the loveIt seems that edtech companies still have a lot to learn about their business models and practices. With that being said, there is a lot they can learn ...
  • Digital LeadershipEdTech Startups & BusinessesProduct Reviews

    Product Review of Collegix

    Spread the love This is a comprehensive ERP solution for colleges and universities that provides modular, totally integrated learners services, finance, HR, and advancement. Collegix provides online and offline workarounds ...
  • Early Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech Startups & BusinessesProduct Reviews

    Product Review of Discovery Education

    Spread the love Discovery Education is a big player in EdTech. The company has established itself as the leading provider of digital curriculum resources, digital content, and professional development for ...

Digital Equity

  • Digital Equity

    How to Create an Equitable Digital Culture in K–12

    Spread the loveDigital equity is vital in our schools. After all, it can help close the achievement gap. However, there is one prevalent problem concerning digital equity. That is the problem ...
  • Digital & Mobile TechnologyDigital EquityDigital Literacy

    Teaching Learners Digital Content Creation Skills

    Spread the loveContent curation is nothing new and has always been a coveted skill. It has been this way for hundreds of years — think of art galleries, museums, or ...
  • Digital & Mobile TechnologyDigital EquityEdTech & Innovation

    Promoting Online Access With Hotspots, Laptops, and Planning

    Spread the loveWhen becoming a leader in the field of education, it is important to consider equity. Some students may not have access to devices or the internet from their ...
  • Digital EquityDigital Leadership

    How Can You Assess the Tech Needs of Your Students Outside of School?

    Spread the loveToday, I received an email from the middle school principal in Los Angeles. She explained to me that the school that she ran was in one of the ...
  • Digital Equity

    It Is Time for the Edtech Industry to Stop Denying Its Equity and Race Problem

    Spread the loveThe EdTech industry is dominated by white employees, white leaders, and white entrepreneurs. If you doubt this statement, just attend an Edtech conference. Admittedly, educators and others don’t ...

EdTech Futures

  • EdTech Futures

    The IT Investments Securing the Future of Higher Education

    Spread the loveThe future of higher education still seems uncertain after the massive disruptions of the last two years. Universities and colleges are struggling with budget difficulties amid cybersecurity threats. ...
  • Adaptive LearningAssistive TechnologyEdTech FuturesInstructional TechnologyTeachers

    Will AI Replace Teachers?

    Spread the loveThrough the years, robots have taken over many jobs. First, they replaced horses and wagons and horses and plows, then they started to replace people. A few examples ...
  • EdTech FuturesHigher EducationHigher Education EdTechUncategorized

    The Future of Higher Education Must Avoid Returning to the Past

    Spread the loveColleges and universities can make higher education safer, smarter, and more accessible through automation and collaboration technologies – if they commit to it. Author: John Hulen, Director of ...
  • EdTech FuturesOnline Learning & eLearning

    IT Trends To Watch As Higher Education Moves Into a New Decade

    Spread the loveEdtech couldn’t have hoped for a better launch into the new decade than the push the industry received from COVID-19. Even the most tech-resistant institutions and individuals have ...
  • EdTech Futures

    4 Emerging EdTech Trends in 2022

    Spread the loveCovid-19 has not only changed education as we know it, but it has forced education technology (EdTech) to up its game. EdTech has been crucial since the start of this ...

About Us

Since technology is not going anywhere and does more good than harm, adapting is the best course of action. That is where The Tech Edvocate comes in. We plan to cover the PreK-12 and Higher Education EdTech sectors and provide our readers with the latest news and opinion on the subject. From time to time, I will invite other voices to weigh in on important issues in EdTech. We hope to provide a well-rounded, multi-faceted look at the past, present, the future of EdTech in the US and internationally.

We started this journey back in June 2016, and we plan to continue it for many more years to come. I hope that you will join us in this discussion of the past, present and future of EdTech and lend your own insight to the issues that are discussed.

Newsletter

Signup for The Tech Edvocate Newsletter and have the latest in EdTech news and opinion delivered to your email address!

Contact Us

The Tech Edvocate
5322 Markel Road, Suite 104
Richmond, VA 23230
(601) 630-5238
[email protected]

Follow us

Copyright © 2023 Matthew Lynch. All rights reserved.