Pear Deck Learning's Innovation Incubator: Shaping the Future of Education Together
At Pear Deck Learning, we're driven by a vision where learners are prepared and inspired to tackle any challenge that comes their way. Central to this vision are the educators and students who inspire this work and innovation.
Recognizing educators as experts in their fields and communities, we created the Innovation Incubator program, a testament to our commitment to partnering with educators. This program is designed to meet educators where they are, enabling us to collaboratively build tools that are genuinely for educators, by educators.
What is the Innovation Incubator program?
The Innovation Incubator elevates the current educator experience and perspective, allowing us to co-create and build tools aligned with the unique needs of today’s classrooms and schools. This program fosters partnerships with educators, university schools of education, school districts, and education organizations to co-create products that redefine digital learning.
"It's important for you all to include our voices because we are the boots on the ground. We are in the trenches, and we know what will work best for students as well as educators alike, so just being able to be a part of that experience is truly rewarding." - Cecelia (Teacher, Edweek Webinar)
Starting Innovation Incubator
The journey began with a simple invitation to educators: "You’re invited to co-create our newest product!" This call to action marked the birth of Pear Practice.
The inaugural cohorts of the Innovation Incubator saw over 100 educators and 5,000 students join forces in a collaborative effort that placed educator feedback and student input at the forefront of the product development process.
Using educator feedback to improve Pear Practice
Through each iteration of the Innovation Incubator program, the Pear Deck Learning teams engage in focus groups, interviews, surveys, and classroom observations, responding promptly to the needs of educators.
One of the first examples of this is, when Pear Practice was in its very early beta stages, a teacher indicated on a survey that the timer options needed to include a no-time limit to ensure all students felt they had the time they needed to answer. The Pear Practice team built the feature into the product 24 hours later.
This is just one of hundreds of examples of changes and features made in Pear Practice that set it apart from other digital learning experiences.
Pear Deck Learning and teacher-guided innovation
In the summer of 2023, the Innovation Incubator recruited educators to join the fourth cohort. In this cohort, both teachers and administrators focused on answering the question: "How can Pear Deck, Pear Practice, Pear Assessment, and Pear Deck Tutor work together to better support the instructional experience and improve student outcomes?"
Educators shared their insights about using multiple products and the desire for a seamless experience. In January 2024, Pear Deck Learning was launched as a comprehensive solution informed by educator insights.
Voices from the Innovation Incubator
The offboarding surveys from our Innovation Incubator participants provide valuable insights into the impact of the program. Here's what teachers had to say about their experiences:
“Overall, I thought this was a tremendously beneficial opportunity for myself and my students. [Pear Practice] made my students VERY excited about learning and collaborating as a team, and the results were evident in their assessment scores and interpersonal relationships.” -Kerri Furtado, 6-8 Grade Teacher
“This was a wonderful experience seeing the program change and continue to get better every week!”- Nicole Rogers 3-5 Grade Teacher
"I am so happy to have participated in this opportunity...They enhance what I do in the classroom and I'm proud to have been a part of the making of [Pear Practice]."- Nicole Massenzio 7-10 Grade Teacher
“Thank you for this amazing opportunity. I am as big of a fan as they come – first with Pear Deck and now with Pear Practice! I am so appreciative of opportunities to engage with this company and integrate its products into my classroom. Thank you!” Katie Bulman, 12 Grade Teacher
Interested in being a guiding voice for Pear Deck Learning? Sign up for the next Innovation Incubator cohort.
Educator-informed products for the classroom
In January 2024, Pear Practice was awarded the Practitioner Informed Design Product Certification by Digital Promise, validating our approach to co-creating impactful educational tools.
The Innovation Incubator program engages a diverse group of educators and learners, emphasizing feedback and adaptability. Over half of our participating educators come from Title 1 schools.
As we continue to grow, the Innovation Incubator remains a vital part of Pear Deck Learning's commitment to developing educational technologies that are as diverse and dynamic as the classrooms they serve. By valuing and incorporating the voices of those at the heart of education, we ensure every learner is equipped for the challenges and opportunities of the future.
Ready to engage your students during practice and review? Bring Pear Practice to your classroom.
