SassTA is an application that increases student motivation in online classes and reduces the teacher's workload. SassTA provides students with a "Motivator," a fully customizable character who pops up on students’ desktops to remind them about assignments and help them organize their time. The SassTA Motivator reminds students about due dates, tracks grades, and helps students stay on track. Students' SassTA Motivators offer sass, wit, caring, anger, encouragement - whatever the student chooses. Through continual interaction with their Motivator, the students develop an attachment to this personality; someone they don't see as a taskmaster, but as a friend. When students first start using SassTA, they fill out a profile, which asks them about their interests and habits. By learning about the students' interests, the Motivator bonds with the students, offers praise, and gives rewards for assignments completed on time.
SassTA reduces teacher workload and shortens the response time for student questions by answering "stupid" questions for the teacher. The teacher inputs the class syllabus, calendars and assignment specifics, and SassTA does the rest. SassTA also provides the teacher with analytics of student effort and involvement. The teacher can use these analytics to determine when students need extra help or deserve praise. The teacher can send group or individual reminders and/or helpful links.
SassTA reduces teacher workload and shortens the response time for student questions by answering "stupid" questions for the teacher. The teacher inputs the class syllabus, calendars and assignment specifics, and SassTA does the rest. SassTA also provides the teacher with analytics of student effort and involvement. The teacher can use these analytics to determine when students need extra help or deserve praise. The teacher can send group or individual reminders and/or helpful links.