Yacapaca

Sunset: Yacapaca will cease service at the end of August 2023, after a 20-year run. I want to briefly explain why, what users need to do about it, and what’s coming to replace it.

Why shut down?

Over the last few years, Google and Microsoft have come to dominate educational technology, squeezing out the independent providers. And in the last two months, new AIs such as ChatGPT have opened possibilities that every teacher will want to grasp – but that Yacapaca is structurally unsuited to supporting.

Do you need to do anything?

Download your records before the end of term, if you need them for next year. If you are a quiz author, export your quizzes; I will write a separate post on how to do that. If you are a subscription customer (thank you!), don’t worry, refunds will be available for anyone who does not want to cross-grade to the new system.

Yacapaca 2.0* is coming – want to try it?

Sunrise: I have spent the last few weeks feverishly building prototypes of a new assessment service for you, and it is ready now for the first few users to start experimenting with it. Here is what it’s like: when you see the process, it is quite magical.

1. You set up assignments through a simple chat interface. Just tell Y2.0 the topic, syllabus and class to be assessed. It will do the rest. Really.
2. Students see short-response or multiple-choice questions in a matching chat interface. They get instant marking and feedback, written for them personally by the underlying AI.
3. You get the results through your Google Classroom or Microsoft Teams for Education account, or by email if you prefer.

Be the first to try it out

Express your interest here, and I will add you to my email list. I can only work with a few teachers initially, but will progressively open out to new participants as the project matures. A few mockups of the student view below, to whet your appetite.

*it won’t be called that. Feel free to suggest a new name.