Schoology

Schoology
Name	Schoology
Developer	PowerSchool
Released	2009
Operating system	Cross-platform
License	Proprietary

Schoology is a proprietary learning management system used by K–12 schools, higher education institutions, and corporations. It serves as a platform for course management, assessment, and communication among teachers, students, and administrators. Schoology competes in a market alongside platforms used by institutions such as Harvard University, Stanford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of California, Berkeley, and corporations like Google and Microsoft.

Overview

Schoology provides tools for course creation, assignment distribution, grading, and communication, connecting users across districts such as New York City Department of Education, Los Angeles Unified School District, and Chicago Public Schools. The platform intersects with standards and frameworks referenced by organizations such as Common Core State Standards Initiative, International Society for Technology in Education, and assessment consortia like Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium and Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers. Administrators and educators from institutions including Columbia University Teachers College, University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education, National Education Association, and American Federation of Teachers evaluate Schoology within technology stacks alongside products from Blackboard Inc., Canvas (Learning Management System), Moodle, and D2L Corporation.

History and Development

Founded in 2009 by developers with backgrounds linked to startups and educational initiatives influenced by entities like Y Combinator, Schoology grew during a period marked by increased venture investment from firms similar to Accel Partners, NEA (New Enterprise Associates), and Intel Capital. The product’s evolution paralleled policy shifts influenced by No Child Left Behind Act and Every Student Succeeds Act that emphasized accountability and digital assessment. Mergers and acquisitions in the sector involved companies such as PowerSchool, which acquired various educational technology firms, and transactions reminiscent of deals involving Pearson PLC and McGraw-Hill Education. Adoption rose during responses to crises involving closures similar to the COVID-19 pandemic, when districts turned to platforms also used by organizations like Microsoft Teams and Zoom Video Communications.

Features and Functionality

Schoology includes course pages, gradebooks, assessment engines, and communication feeds comparable to features in Google Classroom and Canvas (Learning Management System). It supports integrations with identity providers and directories modeled after SAML, OAuth, and services like Google Workspace for Education and Microsoft Office 365. The platform’s assessment functionality is analogous to item banks and platforms used by Pearson PLC and ETS (Educational Testing Service), while collaboration tools echo practices from Slack Technologies and Dropbox. Learning analytics and reporting capabilities relate to initiatives from IMS Global Learning Consortium and standards like Learning Tools Interoperability.

Adoption and Usage

Schoology is used by public systems and private institutions similar to Boston Public Schools, Miami-Dade County Public Schools, and charter networks such as KIPP. Higher education deployment can be compared to implementations at campuses like University of Michigan, Ohio State University, and University of Florida, and corporate training parallels offerings by firms such as LinkedIn Learning and Coursera. International contexts include comparisons with national deployments in regions represented by ministries like Ministry of Education (Ontario), Department for Education (United Kingdom), and multinational educational groups like Cambridge Assessment. Adoption decisions often involve procurement processes similar to those conducted by entities including U.S. Department of Education, OECD, and regional authorities like European Commission.

Criticism and Controversies

Critiques of Schoology focus on data privacy, security, accessibility, and pedagogical impact, echoing concerns raised by organizations like Electronic Frontier Foundation, ACLU, and Privacy International. Controversies around student data usage recall debates involving companies such as Facebook, Google, and incidents linked to breaches investigated by regulators like Federal Trade Commission and agencies modeled after Information Commissioner's Office (United Kingdom). Accessibility and compliance issues reference standards from World Wide Web Consortium and legislation analogous to Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and Americans with Disabilities Act. Educators and unions, including National Education Association and American Federation of Teachers, have debated the pedagogical implications in forums similar to conferences hosted by International Society for Technology in Education.

Integration and Technical Details

Schoology integrates via APIs and standards comparable to Learning Tools Interoperability, Common Cartridge, and specifications advocated by IMS Global Learning Consortium. Technical deployments often involve directory services like Active Directory (Microsoft), authentication schemes used by Okta, and cloud infrastructure similar to services from Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud Platform, and Microsoft Azure. Scalability and uptime considerations parallel those addressed by companies such as Netflix and Facebook, while code management and DevOps practices reflect workflows popularized by GitHub and GitLab. Interoperability efforts align with research institutions and standards consortia including SRI International and Carnegie Mellon University.

Category:Learning management systems