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So many people build an education product or service and then say, uh...now, what?

But not Bryanne Leeming, founder of Unruly Studios, and inventor of the company's signature Splat product.

No, Bryanne took a different approach. Through each step of her product-development process, she was doing something else.

She was building a community at the same time.

The results speak for themselves: 20+ iterations of the product, $40,000 raised on Kickstarter, and a legion of educators helping the company grow.

On the latest episode of The EdTech Startup Show Podcast, she explains how she did it all:

• Why You Should Build an EdTech Product & Community at the Same Time
• KickStarter Tips for EdTech Startups
• Instant-Listen Link for the full episode

College board writes absurd AP Bio test questions; hilarity ensues

One of the best parts of working in education is the fact that kids are hilarious.

This was on full display after this week's AP Bio exam.

Students shared a litany of Tweets about certain questions. Apparently, even professional pharmacists found some of the questions unreasonable.

Here are 3 of my favorite responses:

4 Silver Linings to Long-Term School Closures

This week, Jessica Millstone, Managing Director of Copper Wire Ventures, she raised an interesting question. She asked about what will "stick around" from this period of school closures.

In addition to the logistics (which will differ a lot between urban/suburban/rural school districts) what are the remote learning strategies that worked well and will stay in place ... maybe ongoing?

Here are some of the benefits that have come out of school closures:

+ Individuals teachers have reflected on inflexible instructional strategies, attendance & grades

+ Teachers teams have had the chance to align and share resources out of necessity 

+ Schools have been forced to decide on tech policies and expectations for staff

+ Districts have assessed students' tech access and worked to get more kids online at home

Out of darkness comes light. This doesn't diminish the pain and loss many still face. However, from an inside look at how schools are responding right, I've noticed these four benefits and more.

Thanks for reading,

Gerard Dawson

PS - Can you forward this to two people from your network working in marketing at EdTech startups?