ClassTablet vs WhatsApp and Messenger groups
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A WhatsApp group is enough for quick news and open conversation with parents, and everyone already has it. ClassTablet is the better fit when you need homework handed in, a list of who has not submitted, marks recorded, and notices that do not sink under the chat. Many institutions keep both.
In Bangladesh most batches have a WhatsApp or Messenger group. Notices, photos of homework, questions and greetings all go there. Groups are simple and free, but tomorrow's exam notice is hard to find under a hundred messages, and nobody keeps count of who handed in their homework.
ClassTablet and a WhatsApp group compared, job by job
| Job | ClassTablet | a WhatsApp group |
|---|---|---|
| Send a notice to the whole class | YesPost an announcement to the classroom; students get it in their inbox and by push, and it stays on the page. | YesPost it and everyone sees it, until other messages bury it. |
| Set homework and collect it | YesTeachers set an assignment, students submit, and the list shows who has not. | PartlyStudents post photos of their work; matching who has not is done by hand. |
| Mark homework and give feedback | YesGive each submission a grade, written or voice feedback, or send it back for revision. | PartlyFeedback by private message; the marks are not kept anywhere. |
| Remind students before a deadline | YesStudents get a reminder as the due date nears and a note once it has passed. | NoThe teacher has to remember to post again. |
| Talk to one parent privately | YesTeachers, parents, students and admins hold separate conversations in the ClassTablet inbox. | YesEasy in a private chat, but the teacher gives out their own number. |
| Reach everyone by SMS | YesSend an SMS to a whole classroom or chosen students, and their parents if you want. Credits are bought separately. | NoAnyone without mobile data misses the group message. |
| Open chat and quick questions | PartlyAnnouncements and the inbox allow replies, but it is not an open group chat. | YesThis is what group chats are for, and everyone already uses them. |
What ClassTablet does automatically
Automation
Announcement notifications
When a teacher posts an announcement, ClassTablet sends it to every student in the classroom as an inbox item and a push notification. Nobody has to tag anyone.
Automation
Homework reminders
Students hear when an assignment's due date is close and again once it has passed. They are also told when work is graded or sent back for revision.
When a WhatsApp group is enough
A WhatsApp or Messenger group is enough when:
- You only share news and short notices, and do not collect homework.
- The batch is small and you know who handed in what without a list.
- Open conversation with parents is the main point.
- You do not need a record of marks or attendance.
How to move over
- 1
Keep the group
Leave the group for conversation. Move only notices and homework to ClassTablet, and post in the group that notices will come through ClassTablet from now on.
- 2
Bring students into the classroom
An admin imports the student list in one go from a CSV or Excel file. Students then sign in and find their classroom waiting.
- 3
Set the first assignment
Set the next homework in ClassTablet with a due date. The submission list shows who has not signed in yet, so you can nudge them in the group.
Frequently asked questions
Does ClassTablet send messages on WhatsApp?
No, class notices do not go out on WhatsApp. Announcements reach the ClassTablet inbox and push notifications, and an admin can send an SMS when needed.
Do parents see announcements?
Announcement notifications go to the students in the classroom. Parents can see their child's classrooms and progress from their own account and message the teacher in the inbox.
Do teachers have to share their personal number?
No. Teachers and parents talk in the ClassTablet inbox, so a teacher's own phone number never needs to go round the class.
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