CirQlive, the complete integration system for learning management systems (LMS) and teaching technologies such as web and video conferencing, and Sibme, the coaching and collaboration platform built to empower teachers and instructional leaders, today announced a partnership that will allow real-time video training and coaching by districts, continuous education programs, or mentors and coaches. Click to Tweet.
In disbursed school districts, or where teachers may be removed from teaching preparation programs or where in-person observations of teachers are otherwise impractical, the process has been slow and cumbersome. Even when aided by technology, an observation often required a teacher to record classroom sessions, then share files in a separate system at a later time, receiving feedback or engaging discussion delayed and disconnected from the classroom teaching experience.
By integrating CirQlive’s seamless video integration technology into Sibme’s online teacher coaching and training platform, those crucial teacher observations and engagements can now happen live, in real time. Live observation and feedback will improve the efficiency and impact of teacher coaching, the reach of teaching mentors, improve the quality of teaching and, consequently, help improve student achievement.
“Allowing the observation and feedback loop to happen synchronously, in real time, from anywhere, may sound insignificant, but it has the power to do a great deal to significantly elevate teaching skills and strategies, drastically boosting the power of teachers everywhere,” said TJ Hoffman, COO of Sibme.
The agreement and integration will be able to immediately reach about 50,000 teachers in 1,500 schools where Sibme has been implemented and will be fully available in February.
For CirQlive, this partnership with Sibme’s technology will make it easier to connect to a district’s resources. “It’s a very good match, we align on vision, need, opportunity and impact,” said Dov Friedman, co-founder and SVP of CirQlive. “It enables us to expand what we’re doing into the K-12 system, and into professional development where we’d previously served mostly educational institutions in higher education.”
The CirQlive/Sibme partnership includes additional benefits for school districts. “In addition to not having to drive to visit far away schools to watch a teacher lead a classroom, this new tool will help districts meet their certification and documentation requirements around continuing education, share best practices, implement new instructional strategies, or add new curriculum, as examples,” Hoffman said.
Leaders from both companies plan to debut the highlights of the partnership during a luncheon presentation on the future of professional learning at the Texas Association of School Administrators Midwinter Conference, January 27 in Austin, Texas.
“It’s a revolutionary way of thinking about professional development and a fantastic use of the video, scheduling and system integration we’ve developed for education,” Friedman said. “We designed it to help teachers teach students, and now we know with the partnership it’s going to be amazing to use CirQlive to help teachers and districts share best practices.”
About CirQlive
CirQlive is the premier provider of reliable, secure software solutions enabling efficient use of the world’s leading web conferencing services for education institutions and corporations. CirQlive is the provider of MEETS (Media Enhanced Education and Training Suite), a platform-independent, unified communications software product that seamlessly integrates third-party platforms with industry-leading web conferencing services such as Cisco Webex®, GoTo®, Zoom Video Communications, Inc®, and BlueJeans. MEETS makes it easier to schedule and manage online learning, courses and office hours for your district https://www.cirqlive.com/
About Sibme
Sibme’s mission is to impact student success by combining innovative, user-friendly technology solutions, implementation expertise, and ongoing support and partnership to connect educators and transform the way they learn and grow professionally. Sibme was founded in 2013 by David Wakefield, a Houston-area teacher. Since then, Sibme has helped thousands of current and future teachers in schools throughout the world. As a Texas company built by Texas teachers, Sibme is proud to support the work of schools in major school districts and charter networks around the state, including Houston ISD, Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, and KIPP Houston Public Schools, to name a few. http://sibme.com/
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200115005790/en/