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Posts Tagged: James Colliander

Crowdmark successfully pilots two-stage exams in North America

TORONTO, Oct. 21, 2015 - Working with five leading universities in North America during 2014-15, Crowdmark Inc., a collaborative online grading and analytics platform, has demonstrated the benefits and advantages of using two-stage examinations in a number of undergraduate programs in post-secondary institutions across the world. Crowdmark has worked with universities to introduce two-stage exams as a way to integrate collaborative learning and assessment into the traditional exam format. In a two-stage exam, students individually complete the exam and then, working in ... Read more

Portfolio Snapshot: Minuum debuts on Google Glass, Crowdmark named most innovative at SIIA

There's been lots of activity in MI's portfolio this week (and it's only Wednesday). Read down for what you need to know about Whirlscape, Crowdmark, OtoSim, and ApneaDx. Whirlscape launches Google Glass demo video Whirlscape's Minuum keyboard nabbed a four-star review from CNET's editors only days before announcing their technology is now available for Google Glass. Watch the UTEST graduate's newest demo video. Reaction coverage: BNN, the Telegraph (U.K.), WPRO (radio), CNET, Mashable, TechCrunch, Mobile Syrup and Android Central, among various other tech blogs. Crowdmark ... Read more

UTEST co-founder Lyssa Neel on start-up success

The University of Toronto Early-Stage Technology (UTEST) program's second cohort is coming to a close, with applications for a third cohort open until April 17. The incubator program, a University of Toronto and MaRS Innovation joint partnership, helps affiliates of the university develop and commercialize their ideas. Successful applicants receive twelve months of mentoring to incubate their technology into a product, with access to immediate follow-on investment of up to $500,000 through MaRS Innovation. Access to provincial and federal funding resources is also available, ... Read more

UTEST grad Crowdmark profiled in The Globe and Mail article

Crowdmark, a graduate of the University of Toronto Early-Stage Technology (UTEST) program's first cohort, was the focus of a February 17 article by Ivor Tossell, The Globe and Mail's technology culture columnist. Created by U of T professor James Colliander, Crowdmark allows educators to quickly and efficiently grade large amounts of tests and exams. Tossell highlighted Crowdmark's innovation and ease-of-use for the grader. The product is cloud-based, meaning that a team of educators marking the same group of exams don't have to be in ... Read more

Huffington Post : MaRS Innovation among driving forces in Canada’s start-up landscape

In "Big-Brain Hunting: The Key to Supercluster Success," the Huffington Post's Pat Lynch investigates how and what makes start-ups successful. Attracting top-talent is listed as a major reason, but so is the environment required to give start-ups the tools they need to flourish. Lynch highlights MaRS Innovation as a driving force in sustaining the innovation industry in Canada by attracting big ideas and global talent, using former MI project manager Lyssa Neel as an example. Neel helped launch the education sector start-up Crowdmark, and ... Read more

Yonge Street Media: Crowdmark, moderated marking and helping teachers grade better

Yonge Street Media, a weekly online magazine that covers talent, innovation, diversity and quality of life stories in the Toronto region, covered Crowdmark's efforts to disrupt the way teachers grade and interact with students in their Innovation section on Wednesday, June 19, 2013. Crowdmark graduated from the UTEST program earlier this spring. Last week, the company announced it has raised $600,000 in seed funding and completed two successful proof-of-concept pilot projects. Its co-founders are from the University of Toronto. Here’s an excerpt from ... Read more

Crowdmark to save teacher marking time and government dollars

Ed-tech start-up completes successful EQAO and Canadian Open Math Challenge pilots TORONTO, Canada (June 11, 2013) — Crowdmark Inc., a Canadian education technology start-up, is positioned to save cash-strapped Departments of Education millions by making massive-scale testing more efficient. Crowdmark has raised $600,000 in seed funding through the University of Toronto Early-Stage Technology (UTEST) program, MaRS Innovation and U of T’s Connaught Fund, among others. This story was covered by Yonge Street Media, TechVibes, EdSurge and PEHub. The Crowdmark assessment interface, informed by decades ... Read more

Crowdmark’s grading software featured in EdSurge

Exam pain is not limited to students, notes Tony Wan of EdSurge in his profile of UTEST start-up company, Crowdmark. The article, "Crowdmark Lends a Helping Hand with Handwritten Assessments: How one savvy professor is scaling human grading capabilities for handwritten responses" appeared Mar. 17, 2013. Here's an excerpt: James Colliander, a Professor Mathematics at the University of Toronto, knew this pain all too well. As a grader for the 2011 Canadian Open Mathematics Challenge, he and a team of volunteers had to deal ... Read more

University of Toronto Early-Stage Technology Program (UTEST) opens applications for second start-up company cohort

Students, faculty and recent alumni with software ideas must apply by Feb. 22 Got a killer software-based idea? Are you passionate about turning that idea into a start-up company? If you’re a current student, faculty member or recent graduate of the University of Toronto, consider applying to the University of Toronto Early-Stage Technology (UTEST) program. Applications are now closed. Stay tuned for the third UTEST application call. Created as a pilot in 2012 to help the U of T community bring their software-based ideas to ... Read more

U of T, MaRS Innovation Collaborate to Launch Incubator for Student Software Companies

TORONTO, ON – A new program that provides nascent software companies with start-up funds, work space, mentoring and business strategy support, was launched today by the University of Toronto and commercialization partner MaRS Innovation, with support from the MaRS Discovery District. TechVibes has a profile page for UTEST and covered CoursePeer as part of their students start-ups series. The new program, called University of Toronto Early Stage Technology (UTEST), is part of a growing ecosystem of incubators and commercialization support services at U ... Read more