Digital Resources: Remind

The Remind dashboard

According to the Pew Research Center, only 12% of teens (age 13 - 17) report having no access to a mobile phone of any time (1). That means that 88% of middle- and high-school aged students have access to a cell phone in some form. That is a powerful tool, and Remind (nee Remind 101) helps teachers to leverage that tool to help them keep students on track and up-to-date during out-of-school hours. They offer a one-way communication tool that teachers can use to text students and their parents to keep them in the know about things like homework assignments, upcoming tests, or materials requests. Remind can be used to mass-text a group of users, or it can target specific users (which has come in handy when those five kids are late for a check-in or departure time during a field trip). There is also a chat feature, which can be turned on or off by the teacher.

An example of text messages
received from Remind

Remind is also a great way to alert parents to all of the things that are happening in a school. According to another Pew Research Center study, 64% of Americans own smartphones (2). Remind can be used to deliver content (or, perhaps more appropriately, links to content) straight into a device that its owner probably has close at hand. Whereas emails are easy to avoid and ignore if a user chooses, text messages are less avoidable and more immediate.

Text messages can be scheduled through the web-based platform or through the Remind app, so teachers have the option of scheduling messages to be sent in advance or sending out an update from their own mobile device. Users have to subscribe to the service by texting a request to a generic number, so neither party ever sees the mobile number of the other. 

Where: remind.com

Cost: Free

What: One-way communication platform

Teachers! Try Remind if you want to...

send texts without revealing your personal contact information

schedule notices about upcoming events and assignments

have a way to safely communicate with students during field trips, athletic events, etc.

(1)  Smith, Aaron. "U.S. Smartphone Use in 2015." Pew Research Center. Pew Research Center, 01 Apr. 2015. Web. 11 Nov. 2015. <http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/04/01/us-smartphone-use-in-2015/>.

(2)  Lenhart, Amanda. "Teens, Social Media & Technology Overview 2015."Pew Research Center. Pew Research Center, 08 Apr. 2015. Web. 11 Nov. 2015. <http://www.pewin

ternet.org/2015/04/09/teens-social-media-technology-2015/>.