itsumo

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CertifiedEducation quality
09/2021
itsumo

itsumo

itsumo Inc.
SEL skills
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Online space for dialoging over questions for anyone, anywhere

itsumo is an online space optimized for questioning and dialoging by young students. Peer-to peer dialoging take place in an
anonymous way with different partners each time for a sense of safety and depth of learning from every interaction.
Questioning, seeing others’ questions and choosing to answer some of them in a relaxed environment helps students study
and collaborate better, with positive social and emotional learning impacts. itsumo is designed to let almost any student join
the process of constructive conversation. What students speak out freely on itsumo would also inform education.

Age groups 
Elementary
Middle school
Languages 
Japanese
English
Finnish
Platform 
Browser-based
Registration 
Required
Offline play 
Internet required
Pictures
Students interact by questioning, answering, and sending feedback.

Students interact by questioning, answering, and sending feedback.

itsumo supports constructive question forming.

itsumo supports constructive question forming.

The student can see their progression.

The student can see their progression.

The teacher can monitor the student discussion.

The teacher can monitor the student discussion.

Pedagogy
Educational Quality
Learning Goals

The pedagogical analysis covers how the product supports learning of the identified skills. The student’s role is assessed by four contrary pair parameters, which are selected to cover the most essential aspects on the use of the product.

Passive
Active
In itsumo, the students can ask questions and help each other anonymously. This makes the learning very student-directed and requires the learners to choose what and how to learn. Because itsumo is an open platform, it responds or adapts to learner's own activities and knowledge needs.
Rehearse
Construct
Because itsumo is a platform for independent learning, it requires utilizing learned in open-ended problem-solving - the students need to form questions and find answers to them. Having a platform like itsumo in use encourages taking responsibility for your own learning, and helping others is also a very effective way of learning. There are mechanics in place for learners to reflect their progression.
Linear
Non-linear/Creative
Potentially, itsumo is a platform for an unlimited learning process. When utilized well, it gives the students a safe space for being curious and asking about things they might not want to bring up in class. The whole process is student-led, the teacher can only set some parameters, like descriptions and topics for classes. Itsumo is also guiding towards constructive question setting and being polite.
Individual
Collaborative
Itsumo provides an open learning community to share information, thoughts, and experiences. It also guides on how to present questions, gives a good answer, and how to be polite to each other. Yet, the learners self-regulate all learning activities and that way take responsibility for their learning and individual behavior.

The following are the high educational quality aspects in this product.

itsumo is built for a very clear purpose for supporting student-to-student collaboration.
The platform guides towards constructive conversation and politeness.
The learning process is student-led, and the anonymity of the platform removes obstacles for asking for help.

The supported learning goals are identified by matching the product with several relevant curricula descriptions on this subject area. The soft skills are definitions of learning goals most relevant for the 21st century. They are formed by taking a reference from different definitions of 21st century skills and Finnish curriculum.

Subject based learning goals

Experiencing self-efficacy.
Examining prejudices and biases.
Recognizing how critical thinking skills are useful both inside & outside of school.
Learning to make a reasoned judgment after analyzing information, data, facts.
Identifying solutions for personal and social problems.
Demonstrating curiosity and open-mindedness.
Seeking or offering support and help when needed.
Showing leadership in groups.
Practicing teamwork and collaborative problem-solving.
Communicating effectively.
Recognizing strengths in others.
Taking others’ perspectives.
Demonstrating personal and collective agency.
Developing interests and a sense of purpose.
Having a growth mindset.
Showing the courage to take initiative.
Understanding and expressing gratitude.
Developing positive relationships.

Soft skills learning goals

Practicing to create questions and make justifiable arguments based on observations
Developing problem solving skills
Encouraging students to be innovative and express new ideas
Learning to find the joy of learning and new challenges
Practicing letters, alphabets and written language
Using technology for interaction and collaboration
Learning to plan and design own written content and textual representations
Practicing to find, evaluate and share information
Practicing to use information independently and interactively
Practicing communication through different channels
Learning to listen other people’s opinions
Practicing to argument clearly own opinions and reasonings
Encouraging to build new information and visions
Learning to face respectfully people and follow the good manners
Learning to combine information to find new innovations
Practicing to express own thoughts and feelings
Learning decision-making, influencing and accountability
Practicing to work with others
Understanding and practicing safe and responsible uses of technology
Using technological resources for finding and applying information
Using technology resources for problem solving
Practicing to notice links between subjects learned
Learning to build information on top of previously learned
Practicing to notice causal connections
Practicing to take responsibility of one's own learning
Practicing to find ways of working that are best for oneself
Practicing persistent working
Learning to notice causal connections
Practicing to give, get and reflect feedback

The Finnish Educational Quality Certificate

Our Quality Evaluation Method is an academically sound approach to evaluating a product’s pedagogical design from the viewpoint of educational psychology.

The method has been developed with university researchers and all evaluators are carefully selected Finnish teachers with a master's degree in education.

More about the evaluation