At Manor Independent School district in the Austin area, students have explored a book bonanza, learned about intergalactic travel, measured sources of energy, built companies, met flying foxes, and watched test tubes explode without setting foot outside their classroom. Thanks to a grant from Samsung Austin Semiconductor (SAS), these sessions and dozens more were made possible by Nepris, a cloud-based technology platform, which connects teachers with experts and working professionals for online live interactions with students.
Nepris is a community of teachers and professionals who want to collaborate with each other. Teachers can request a virtual session with professionals, researchers, experts and companies to bring abstract topics to life, to mentor students on projects or evaluate student work.
Angela Matthews, chief technology officer of Manor ISD describes Nepris as a way to “tear down the walls.” “Our students are able to experience the world outside Manor ISD. The real world is brought directly to them. The students, whether in first grade or seniors in high school, are able to see the connection of what they learn in the classroom to real world experiences. Having professionals interact directly with the students makes the curriculum come to life.”
