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ConnectYard helps universities harness the power of social and mobile media to expand the learning environment
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-- company connects.
College kids and their instructors be -- texting.
It does is that I think texting as -- social media -- -- FaceBook like FaceBook and Twitter OK yes so you go into the universities with your products yes.
And do what.
So we go into the university and then we provide them with the service that typically you will integrate with their existing learning platforms.
And then it would extend out communications.
To FaceBook or Twitter or -- small while devices.
And that basically is -- they have a fundamental problem or challenge that universe -- are facing today.
Which is a growing communication gap between instructors and students why out of think that email for some -- that problem.
Right that's it except that this to today's students don't -- -- -- more so they'd so what's happening is yoga instructors are still sitting emails.
But the other students are checking them or not -- frequently enough but they're constantly on their phone they're living on FaceBook.
As well as Twitter and so what our service does it enables the instructor to reach students where the -- Without having to change.
That we that they teach so they can continue using email continue using their existing learning tools.
And still connect with students in their most popular -- Spiritual -- blast email out to -- Twitter or FaceBook it does it will take that email and it will basically converted into what we.
Or to attacks and the beautiful thing is that the instructor doesn't have to be on FaceBook right they don't have to be on Twitter.
And that they are they don't have to friend the student on Twitter companies won't see you need to pictures from last night's -- right.
My -- so.
It's almost like you're taken legal world in a new world and bring him together that's exactly what we're doing because I'm not -- -- great but if I were teach seeing.
You know my kids who are -- would either have to jump on the bandwagon right right where are you something like you're offering.
Exactly.
And then when the next big thing comes out -- -- -- may be Google plus.
You know we integrate that into our system as well.
You can kind of think of our platform.
Mike has spoken hub model.
So you know we're the -- the center of -- all.
And then He spoke as a communication channel which plugs into our platform which might be FaceBook might be Twitter might be Google plus might be email.
Might be a learning management system.
And so you can communicate using what -- technology you feel most comfortable with -- reits -- the person.
You started this in 2007 I did so that is really ahead of the curve.
What leads you see the need back then.
We know this is so funny you asked that the the original idea I see came from my wife.
-- was taking some all my courses.
You know it being a you know mother.
You know going back to to school really challenging.
You know that.
Can't stay on campus -- and connect with the students.
Over the isolated that the deal with all the social media this is happening to must be awaits a better connects you know with classmates.
And so you know I began looking into that with there -- co-founder as well we started actually you know working first with Cornell University.
It's been about a year and a half the year doing you know pilots.
With faculty and instructors.
Focus groups as well trying to understand how they wanted to leverage social media.
And in some cases how -- didn't write.
Which is -- who is important.
Right right.
So did you find that they revered receptive to this because.
Near you receive it -- -- justices well -- anybody else knows it is a plus offer product like this or is this something that it's out of the budget.
So for the university's.
It's actually applause and part because they're focuses on student retention.
And -- graduation rates.
