Peachy: Live Learning

What We Built:

Peachy is a video-conferencing application focused on delivering a better live-learning experience. The app allows instructors to connect with students in real-time to interact, share class plans, and answer student questions. Peachy is publicly accessible, allowing any user to host their own classes while letting students interface with a variety of instructors they otherwise might not have access to.

Team:

Carl Scheller - Developer
Ali Foster - Developer

Why We Built It:

As with everything during this crazy time, the initial idea for Peachy was born out of the effects of COVID-19.

While there are an infinite number of resources for online learning (ebooks, videos, subscriptions, etc.), there wasn't a sufficient service for live, real-time online learning. We'd taken remote classes via Zoom and social media platforms, but they regularly felt out-of-touch, were limited by pricing and time restraints, and weren't really optimized for a student-instructor experience. As students, we found it difficult to ask questions, access class-related info, and stay engaged.

At the same time, we saw many of our friends in public-facing jobs get furloughed or laid off - jobs like chefs and fitness instructors. We wanted to play some small role in helping them by providing a tool that would allow them to share their skills remotely while still generating a small income. We eventually plan to integrate payments into the application so that instructors can choose to offer their classes for a fee.

Project repository: https://github.com/cjscheller/peachy

Live demo: https://peachy.carlscheller.com

Stack and Features:

• Python web server using Django
• WebRTC video conferencing with up to 50 participants using Twilio Video
• Front-end powered by Django templates and Vue
• Ability to manage classes and user profiles, invite users to join class, connect with a host/participants
• WYSIWYG editor using Quill
• Light & dark mode support

Development Notes

• Why we chose Django: Ali is a Python app developer with minimal web experience, while I'm a web developer with minimal Python experience. Django provided a good middle-ground as both of us could learn something while actively contributing
• The live demo is a serverless app deployed using Zappa

Highlights

• Video conferencing

Stay connected with feature-filled video conferencing

• Raise hand

Got a question? Raise your hand to get the instructor's attention

• Timer

Complete timed activities, synced across all participants

• Light/dark mode support

What's Next

While this app was created as a means for connecting instructors with students during this challenging time, we feel that this tool could serve as a useful means for helping people reach a wider audience by continuing to host live virtual-based classes post COVID-19. Not only could it be a means for supplementing income, but it could also serve as a way to build a small online business allowing instructors to build a brand with their virtual classes and their public profile.

Category Submission:

We're submitting this project to the COVID-19 Communications category