Back in September, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation launched a contest that aimed to challenge entrepreneurs and app developers to build awesome, innovative education apps on Facebook’s platform. The so-called College Knowledge Challenge kicked off with an EdTech hackathon co-hosted by the Gates Foundation and Facebook, located at the social network’s headquarters in Menlo Park.
As Josh Constine has noted, "The contest called on developers of all ages to create apps that “build pathways to college, build peer groups for in-coming college students and assist with college admission and securing financial aid.”
Some of my favorites from the winners list are listed below with a brief description. A link to the full article is at the end of this post.
Favorites:
1. "I'm First by The Center for Student Opportunity"
Center for Student Opportunity (CSO) is a national nonprofit empowering first-generation college students on the path to and through college. The organization’s project aims to collect pledges and stories from first-generation college graduates to inspire the next generation of students who will be first. The I’m First web app features tools and resources to help aspiring first-generation college students and their supporters take the steps necessary to pursue and succeed in college.
2. "What's Your Road by Roadtrip Nation"
Roadtrip Nation started in 2001 when a group of friends took a Roadtrip with this simple idea: Talk to people who do what they love, and you’ll get a better understanding of how to build a life you love. What started as a Roadtrip sparked a documentary series, live campus events, a video archive of hundreds of interviews and, most recently, curricula and resources to help at-risk students in disadvantaged communities gain access and exposure to life pathways. Roadtrip Nation’s latest endeavor, “What’s Your Road?” is a virtual roadtrip experience (in Facebook) where youth explore pathways aligned with their aspirations and connect with mentors in those fields.
3. "Applyful"-
Currently in private beta, Applyful is a collaborative college selection platform, designed for college applicants to collect and share information with one another on the road to choosing a college. As applicants use Applyful to manage research during the application process, Applyful surfaces trends and insights to encourage more informed decision-making, while developing peer groups to offer support and interaction.
Read more about the contest and the other winners here:
Techcrunch- 21 Winners of the Gates Foundation/Facebook Education App Contest
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