With the news breaking late last night that Pinterest will be shut down for good within the next 7 days, art teachers around the world have been scrambling to download their necessary files and searching for alternative methods of saving and sharing their favorite lessons, links, and inspirations.
In a surprising announcement yesterday evening, a Pinterest spokesperson stated that the scrapbooking site has gone too long without making any kind of real money, and they have no choice but to cease operations. Plans that would begin to produce revenue have fallen far short of projections, and despite the company’s impressive valuations, investment money has dried up. “With a lack of funds comes a lack of innovation,” she said, and added, “we have made the difficult decision to close up shop rather than face the danger of becoming stagnant.”
Jessica Balsley, founder of the Art of Education, was not surprised. “Just knowing what I know about online business models, I’ve always wondered if the Pinterest business model was sustainable with so many millions of users.” She elaborated on how Pinterest has never actually turned a profit, or even begun to take in significant revenue, which is “an eventual death knell for so many online sites.”
Though Balsley is a Pinterest user, she said there were plenty of good alternatives out there for art teachers. When we spoke by phone, she was busy moving her necessary files to Evernote. “It’s taking forever, though,” she said. “I wish [Pinterest] would have given us at least a little bit more notice.”
Art teachers around the country have been shocked, and even disheartened, by the site’s coming disappearance. “It’s just tough to know that all of the work and all of the time I’ve put into my boards is now gone. I mean, I’ve been at it for years,” said Shana Thorpe, an elementary art teacher from Caryville, Florida. “It’s a wonderful resource for sharing and receiving information and ideas. I’ll be okay without it, but like I said, I’m just really upset with this announcement.”
Other teachers were disappointed, but not nearly as upset. “I’ve never been one to completely rely on Pinterest for my teaching, but it’s a nice resource for both school and home,” said Jen Carlisle, a middle school art teacher and Art of Ed writer from Norfolk, Nebraska. “I’ll definitely miss it.”
Along with the aforementioned Evernote, many users have been going to Juxtapost and VisualizeUs to begin again with their social bookmarks. Though there is a widespread feeling of frustration as teachers begin to deal with Pinterest’s imminent shutdown, there are still plenty of options and alternatives to use. Just make sure you find them quickly.
Happy April Fools’ Day!
How are you feeling about Pinterest shutting down?
Where will you go now with your posts and bookmarks?
Magazine articles and podcasts are opinions of professional education contributors and do not necessarily represent the position of the Art of Education University (AOEU) or its academic offerings. Contributors use terms in the way they are most often talked about in the scope of their educational experiences.
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