WOOF

WOOF: Empowering Students, Empowering Teachers - one WOOF at a time.

WOOF addresses the urgent need for student wellbeing by empowering teachers to create inclusive classrooms. Our unique digital solution combines real-time data insights & student-driven approaches, fostering tangible positive change. As a highly scalable SaaS-platform with tangible impact on student wellbeing, WOOF is ready to impact millions of children and change the way we work with wellbeing.

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HundrED 2024

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Overview

HundrED has selected this innovation to

HundrED Global Collection 2024

Web presence

2018

Established

30K

Children

2

Countries

Target group

Students lower

Updated

May 2023

WOOF aims to transform education by prioritizing student wellbeing and creating a student-centered approach. Through data-driven tools, we support effective and preventive wellbeing efforts with a high focus on the collective feeling of a classroom. We wish to make WOOF accessible to as many teachers and students as possible, equipping as many as possible with the skills and support to thrive.

About the innovation

Why did you create this innovation?

As teachers, we faced challenges addressing student well-being and class dynamics effectively. Existing efforts often fell short, leaving problems unaddressed or worsening. We needed a tool to listen to all students, take early action, and make a genuine difference. By prioritising collective well-being and creating tools and structure to work with wellbeing we aim to break this circle.

What does your innovation look like in practice?

WOOF is an innovative solution that prioritises student well-being by utilising regular digital check-ins, known as "WOOFs," where students anonymously share their mood and contributing factors. This data-driven approach forms the basis for meaningful class discussions, collaborative efforts to enhance well-being along with a data metric to ensure impact and positive development.
WOOF goes beyond data collection by providing tailored recommendations for activities and mini-courses based on the student inputs. Students actively contribute their thoughts and experiences, becoming active participants in developing strategies for positive change.
WOOF draws on theories of behavioural change, self-efficacy, self-determination theory with a high focus on student autonomy and agency.
Preliminary results show that 80% of classes experience better self-reported mood within one month of working with WOOF (based on a sample of 30 classes).
WOOF is developed for school children age 6-15.

How has it been spreading?

Within the past 2 years we have developed our own (Software-as-a-Service) SaaS-platform, making it possible to go from a few handheld WOOF-classes to a fully scalable solution. Teachers from more than 670 schools in Denmark are already working with WOOF, impacting approximately 30,000 students in Denmark alone.
Recently we onboarded the first Norwegian schools.
As only one of three Danish startups in the Impact Startup Nordic program of 2022, we have a strong focus on documenting our impact, making it tangible for both users and stakeholders.
Looking ahead, the goal for the next 2-3 years is to expand WOOF's reach to the Nordic countries, encompassing more than 2.8 million school children, and from there on to Northern Europe, making WOOF accessible to even more students and teachers.

If I want to try it, what should I do?

WOOF is currently launched in Norway and Denmark, where teachers can easily create a free user and start working with their classroom on www.wooftech.dk
If you are outside Denmark or Norway and interested in working with WOOF, please contact the WOOF team (woof@wooftech.dk) . We are eager to set up partnerships that can work as an entryway into new contexts and greater impact potential.

Impact & scalability

HundrED Academy Reviews

Teenagers themselves say that if teachers asked about their mental health more often, they would feel more secure and seen. WOOF seems to be doing exactly that - checking in with students on a regular basis.

WOOF's highly scalable SaaS-platform, driven by its innovative digital solution, has the potential to impact millions of children by revolutionizing the way we work with wellbeing, making a significant and lasting difference in education.

- Academy member

Academy review results

High Impact
Low Scalability

High Impact
High Scalability

Low Impact
Low Scalability

Low Impact
High Scalability

Media

Hvordan har I det i dag, 5. X? Åbn jeres iPads og svar. Humørmålinger er det nye klassens time

Article in Danish newsmedia, Zetland, exploring digital tools to monitor and develop student wellbeing - and in this process visiting two WOOF-classrooms, and talking to their amazing teachers, Tanja and Thomas. You can also listen to the article - which I would recommend, if you are able to understand just a little bit of Danish. https://www.zetland.dk/historie/sOPAVjkL-a8RVB0BV-ad661

Arenaskolen med ekstraordinær fremgang

Article about one the amazing WOOF-schools in a local newspaper (sn.dk) The school has created an extraordinary improvement in student wellbeing, as measured in the standardized national wellbeing audit while working with WOOF (among other initiatives) Full article: https://www.sn.dk/greve-kommune/arenaskolen-med-ekstraordinaer-fremgang/

Teachers in Denmark are using apps to audit their students’ moods

Article in MIT tech Review featuring WOOF. WOOF is a unique tool in Denmark for assessing and developing student well-being. WOOF goes beyond data-collection, offering class-specific recommendationsl and empowers students to actively engage in positive change. What sets WOOF apart is its anonymity and collective approach to wellbeing. Full article: https://shorturl.at/agvwM

Implementation steps

Create a WOOF-account (1 min)

Begin by visiting our website (www.wooftech.dk) and sign up for a free account using your email address and choosing a password. This will serve as your login credentials for future access.

Set up digital classroom (2 min)

Once logged in, create a digital classroom for each of your classes. This will allow you to manage and track well-being initiatives for each specific group. You can add your colleagues to the class, so you can all work together and keep track of the class' development.

Introduce WOOF in the classroom (5 min)

Bring WOOF into the classroom by displaying it on the main screen or projector. Click on the "WOOF"-button, which will generate a unique QR code and link for today's WOOF session.

Student participation (3 min)

Each student scans the QR code or access the provided link using their devices. They will be directed to a WOOF survey where they can anonymously indicate their mood and factors affecting it.

Class overview and discussion (5-15 min)

Once all students have completed the WOOF survey, the system will aggregate the inputs to create an overview of the entire class's well-being. Initiate a class discussion based on the results, addressing the collective mood, identifying concerns, and exploring ways to improve well-being together.

Recommendation of mini-courses and activities

After conducting WOOF-sessions for at least three different days, there will be enough data to provide recommendations. WOOF will suggest mini-courses and activities based on the student input. These resources are designed to support the class in developing their classroom and learning environment. Each mini-course is 3-4 lessons across 3-4 weeks, where the class tracks their development along the way.

Regular WOOF-sessions and mini-courses

To maintain an ongoing focus on well-being, we recommend conducting WOOF sessions 1-2 times per week. Additionally, aim to work through 2-4 mini-courses within each school year, allowing the class to continuously enhance their well-being and classroom dynamics.

Monthly report to the school leadership

WOOF provides school leadership with a monthly usage and progress report, enabling them to optimise implementation, allocate resources effectively, and proactively address well-being development. This valuable information empowers school leaders to make informed decisions, optimise resource allocation, and actively promote the overall well-being of the school community.