sideby

Learning together, sideby side.

Most professional development is disconnected from daily practice, so it rarely changes what happens in classrooms. sideby replaces passive training with structured, peer-driven learning embedded in daily work, where educators share and apply ideas in real time—leading to meaningful improvements in teaching and learning.

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Shortlisted

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Overview

HundrED shortlisted this innovation

HundrED has shortlisted this innovation to one of its innovation collections. The information on this page has been checked by HundrED.

Updated April 2026

Web presence

2025

Established

400 2025

6

Countries

Teachers

Target group

We want to see a shift in how educators learn and lead. Educators are some of the most powerful professional learners, but they are not treated that way. Too often, learning is disconnected from practice and from each other. There is an opportunity to change that by building on what we already know works: learning with and from peers, drawing on the expertise already in the room, and applying ideas in real time. We believe educators should have more voice and agency in shaping how innovation shows up in their classrooms. This moment is not just about learning new tools, but about building the confidence and habits to learn, adapt, and lead together. Our goal is to make this way of learning the norm. Educators learning together in context, supporting one another, and growing their practice over time. When that happens, classrooms become more responsive, more meaningful, and better aligned to the needs of students.

About the innovation

Why did you create this innovation?

sideby is an AI-powered learning network for educators, including teachers, instructional coaches, and school leaders. Educators can join for free to learn how to use AI for deeper learning through guided, peer-to-peer conversations embedded in their daily work.

Educators join cohorts, engage in structured 1:1 conversations, and use curated prompts to reflect, share strategies, and apply ideas in real time.

In parallel, sideby partners with districts, state and national organizations, and education nonprofits to support team-wide professional learning. These partnerships create focused, cohort-based experiences that help educators learn together around shared goals and apply new practices in context.

AI supports the experience by surfacing prompts, adapting matches, and distilling insights from conversations, helping both individuals and organizations learn from real practice.

What does your innovation look like in practice?

Educators join cohorts, engage in structured 1:1 conversations, and use curated prompts to reflect, share strategies, and apply ideas in real time.

AI supports the experience by surfacing prompts, adapting matches, and distilling insights from conversations, helping both individuals and organizations learn from real practice.

How has it been spreading?

sideby is spreading through a combination of educator-led momentum and growing community engagement. Educators join the platform for free, invite peers, and share takeaways, creating organic growth through trusted, peer-to-peer connections. Many of these relationships naturally lead to conversations about bringing sideby into schools and organizations.

We are intentionally building community across both online and in-person spaces—through virtual learning experiences, national and global presentations, and conference engagement—to amplify educator voice and foster trust.

This approach has led to a mix of pilots and larger partnerships with districts, associations, and education networks, as well as continued growth within our open community.

How have you modified or added to your innovation?

sideby has evolved significantly based on educator and partner feedback.

From our open community, we learned that educators wanted more structured, time-bound learning experiences tied to meaningful outcomes. In response, we introduced badging—focused learning pathways that support skill development and can align with continuing education credits.

We also learned that connection alone was not enough. Educators and organizations engaged most deeply when learning was centered around a shared topic or goal. This led us to design cohort-based experiences that combine connection with purposeful learning.

In addition, we expanded from an open community model to include partnerships with districts, associations, and education organizations. While the open community remains central, these partnerships allow educators to learn with peers in their local context, increasing relevance, engagement, and impact.

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

Visit www.sideby.ai to join the platform for free and start learning with other educators, including teachers, coaches, professors, and education leaders. You can explore AI for deeper learning, join a cohort, and take part in guided peer conversations embedded in your daily work.

Organizations can partner with sideby to support team-wide professional learning through custom cohorts and learning pathways. To learn more, contact us at team@sideby.ai

Implementation steps

Step 1: Join the sideby Platform

Visit www.sideby.ai and create a free account. You'll complete a short onboarding process, set up your profile, explore your personalized dashboard, and get ready to match and learn with peers.

Step 2: Enter a Badge-based Learning Journey

Educators choose a short, time-bound badge within AI for deeper learning, such as AI-Powered Differentiation. They are matched with peers for guided conversations, reflect on their practice, and apply new ideas in real time. In organizations, badges are part of shared learning journeys, where teams build skills together and apply learning in their local context.

Step 3: Join a 1:1 Peer Conversation

Have a guided 1:1 conversation with another educator matched to your interests and goals in learning about AI. AI helps surface relevant topics, prompt dialogue, and support reflection. These personalized exchanges are the heart of sideby—deepening practice through meaningful peer connection.

Step 4: Exchange Ideas

After each conversation, sideby generates a personalized idea using insights from your discussion, including key takeaways, reflection prompts, suggested resources, and actionable strategies. These help you apply learning in practice and make your thinking visible. You can also add your own small wins or lessons learned, contributing to a shared pool of ideas across your cohort.

Step 5: Complete Your Badge

Educators continue engaging in peer conversations to complete their badge. Each session builds on the last, helping them apply new ideas in practice. As they progress, they complete the badge and can earn continuing education credits aligned to their learning.

Step 6: Apply Your Learning

Educators take ideas from their conversations and apply them in their classroom or leadership practice. This might include trying a new strategy, testing an AI-supported approach, or shifting how they support students or teams. Learning becomes part of daily work, not separate from it.

Step 7: Reflect and Continue Learning

At the end of each badge, educators reflect on what they tried, what worked, and what they’re still exploring. This reflection supports badge completion and continuing education credits. From there, they choose their next badge and continue learning, building their practice over time through ongoing cycles of learning, application, and reflection.