FreshGrade is an online portfolio and assessment platform that helps educators, parents, and students have deeper conversations about learning. One of the founders of FreshGrade is Lane Merrifield, the co-founder and CEO of Club Penguin, one of the largest virtual worlds for kids. Disney later acquired club Penguin for 350 million dollars, which provided the capital used to create FreshGrade.

FreshGrade was created to reduce teacher workload, improve learning outcomes, and engage parents and students. Specifically, it is used in schools as a digital portfolio; teachers provide feedback and track progression, parents are given ongoing communication about their children’s learning, and students are given the opportunity to self-reflect on their growth.

In my own opinion, I believe that Freshgrade is extremely valuable. As a student teacher I have learned that assessment is ongoing and FreshGrade is one way that holds us accountable to that. Although this app has downsides as described in the cons list below, I believe that it is an extremely useful tool to use.

Some common Twitter hashtags with regard to #FreshGrade have been #needbetterreporting #portfolio #parentalengagement #education #edtech #beyondtheteach #studentdrivenclassroom #innovation. Most posts show how the app is being integrated into the classroom, although right now there is a buzz about Lane Merrifield joining the cast of Dragons Den for season thirteen.

Pros of FreshGrade	Cons of FreshGrade
Helps teachers, parents, and students track learning.	Need an email.
FreshGrade is integrated with Google translate so that teachers, parents, and students can read and write in the language of their choosing.	Not all parents and children will have access to a computer or smart phone.
Online portfolios can be printed if needed. It is green, as less paper is being used.	Teachers need to have a device readily available to capture moments in the classroom. This can be a privacy concern, as teachers need to be using school electronics, not personal devices to capture moments.
Individual profiles are available for students, teachers, and parents.	Consent needs to be established before posting anything about a student. What happens when certain students can’t be photographed for safety concerns? How do these concerns affect their learning if everything is done on FreshGrade?
It is an ongoing assessment tool, which saves the teacher time.	Lacks some tools for creativity, like drawing tools.
It is an extra way to check in with parents. Parents no longer need to wait for report cards or parent teacher interviews to be informed about their child’s learning.	Some schools have a no cellphone policy.
Can lead to increased parent participation.	FreshGrade is an American app – some privacy concerns with it not being Canadian, as there is a difference in privacy laws.
Helps parents to better support their children in their learning. Further, it allows parents to see their child’s learning as it is happening.	One form of assessment does not fit all. Some parents, students, and teachers may be reluctant to use FreshGrade. Need a familiarity of technology.
Allows children to see what they are expected to learn, which improves student ownership and self-directed learning.	There is no clear notification for due dates of assignments. There are no notifications or alerts that can be set up to alert students of approaching or past due assignments.
Students receive immediate feedback.	In the free version, e-portfolios do not carry over from one year to the next.

There are many more pros and cons of FreshGrade but I am only uploading ten for this Tech Tool Review. If you would like more information please keep up with my weekly blogs and review my tech inquiry assignment at the end of the year.

Have a look at FreshGrade for yourself before then! https://www.freshgrade.com/

Here is a helpful tutorial if you need any help navigating the site https://youtu.be/UbHiGi7_Hi0