Setup your Classes in Schoology Now for Next Year

Setup your Classes in Schoology Now for Next Year

This Week’s Topic in Focus: Transitioning Schoology Courses

I know that most of you are super excited to start thinking about next year already! You have hopes! You have dreams! You have BIG PLANS! And now, you can begin creating your Schoology course for the next school year RIGHT NOW! Oh, happy day!

Acquired Image From: atomiclearning.com

Creating Your New Course

The required fields for creating a new course are

• course name (remember to title this according to the FHSD Schoology Common Agreements),section name (automatically defaults to section 1 if you do not edit)
• subject area
• grade level
• grading period

In order to select the proper grading period you will need to scroll down to the bottom of the list and select from the following options:

High School / Middle School

• HS/MS 2017-18 SY -  If your course is year long select this box
• Quarter 1
• Quarter 2 - Select Q1 and Q2 for Semester 1 courses
• Quarter 3
• Quarter 4 -  Select Q3 and Q4 for Semester 2 courses

Elementary

• ELEM 2017-18 SY - If your course is year long select this box
• Trimester 1
• Trimester 2
• Trimester 3

Additional Grading Period Info:

• You might notice that some grading periods are gray while others are black. You can still build a course within a grayed out period, but students can only access those grading periods that are in black because they are within the current date range. Gray grading periods will become black once they catch up to the current calendar date.
• “Summer Lead In” - This is a new option for those teachers who want to work with their next school year’s students during the summer months. This feature has been requested by several AP teachers who would like to assign work prior to our September 5th start but it is not limited to just them.

If you want to use some or all of the material from your current course in next year’s course, remember these following steps:

1. Create new course with correct grading periods.
2. Copy materials from 16-17 course to your new course.
1. Move all material by copying to “Resources” and then adding to your new course from your resource page.
2. Copy individual items or folders directly from the 16-17 course to your newly created course .

In both scenarios only materials are copied over; not due dates, students or student submissions.

*If you need assistance please see your DLS or view our previous blog post titled: Saving Course Materials to Resources and Using Archived Courses.

3. Unpublish any materials that you do not yet want the students to have access to.

Would you like to explore features in Schoology in preparation for next year?   See your DLS to kickstart a conversation - Cheryl, Melanie or Kyle.

Contributed by Cheryl Kemper @CherylLKemper @ Kyle Mack @ProfKyleMack   Melanie Zolnier @libary_techer

Take Your Classroom Discussions Online with this Schoology Feature

This Week’s Topic in Focus:  Schoology Discussion Feature

Each month our Digital Learning Team will take a look at a Schoology feature that will hopefully empower you to dive deeper into the use of this powerful tool.  

Classroom discussions have always allowed students to share their learning, gain a deeper understanding and have a voice in the classroom. Through classroom discussions, we often take a quick formative assessment of student understanding and then adjust our teaching accordingly. We also want our students to take in new ideas and add them to their current framework and understanding. But what about those quiet kids or the kids who need a moment to think and by the time they have gathered their thoughts, the class has moved on? Or, in this digital age, what about those kids that like to punctuate their ideas with video, audio, memes, or the writings of someone else? This is where the Schoology feature of “Discussion” can allow for content rich, interactive learning opportunities in your classroom.

Creating a Discussion Thread:

Discussions can be created in any course. Simply add a “Discussion” from the “Add Materials” drop down, create your discussion prompts and set your preferences for how students can see and respond to the discussion thread (more on that later). Students can then respond with text or internet links. Or, they can use the rich text editor to add videos, file, and images. For detailed instructions on how to create a discussion thread, click here.

Innovative Uses of Discussion Threads:

This discussion feature can be used in the exact same way an in-class discussion would be used. However, there are more innovative ways that this feature can be utilized. Here are just a smattering of suggestions - for a video description of these, click here:

• Artifacts of Learning and Peer Evaluation - Students share their work as a discussion thread and peers respond with feedback through the discussion feature
• Collaborative Space - Create a discussion where students can share thoughts and ideas
• Assessment Preparation - Create a “Study Hall” post with your study guide attached. Students can then ask and answer questions in relation to the content. Allows for peer-to-peer study moments with student ownership of content
• Unit Discussions - Create a discussion inside a unit folder that runs through the entire timeframe of the course. Students can then use it as a Q/A spot or sounding board
• Group Research - Use the “assign individually or to group” feature and create a collaborative space for students to work on group projects
• Crowdsource Research - Students respond to a discussion prompt by providing links or media that argue or illuminate their understandings and beliefs
• Scavenger Hunt - Using a program like Google Maps, students share images and screenshots and other have to post a response that identifies the what or where
• Math or Science Problem Solving - Pose a problem and then have students work through it and share their solutions - hide or lock responses so that students have to do their own work or are forced to revisit their work
• Predictions - Post a picture or a video and students predict what will happen next
• Goal Setting - Have students set goals, lock the discussion thread and then unlock and revisit it at a predetermined date in the future to evaluate growth.

Special Features of the Discussion Feature:

• Rich text editor - you can create your discussion and include images, videos or external links by using the rich text editor. Students can include links, images, and embedded material in their responses
• Post Before View Requirement - When creating a discussion, you can initiate the setting that requires the students to post a response before they are able to see responses from the rest of their classmates
• Lock - Discussions can be locked at any time. Students will not be able to post, but will still be able to view the discussion once it has been locked. Lock times can be set for a future date and time
• Individually or Grading Group Assigned - Discussions can be assigned to individual students. If you use grading groups, the discussion can be assigned to specific grading groups
• Shared Discussions - If you are working from courses that are not linked, you have the option of sharing a discussion across multiple courses
• Align Learning Objectives - as with the assignment and assessment features in Schoology, you can align specific learning objectives to a discussion. These learning objectives can then be tied to mastery objectives
• Moderate Posts - As the course admin, you have the option to create moderation guidelines so that all posts have to be approved by you before they appear to the students

There are so many ways that you can use this Schoology feature to inspire your students and create a community of collaboration. FHSD Educators, if you would like some guidance and assistance with using the Discussion feature in Schoology, contact your building’s Digital Learning Specialist.

All educators: Feel free to use the comment feature to share how you are currently using the Discussion feature or ways that you envision using the tool in the future.

Contributed by Melanie Zolnier @libary_techer

Schoology Test Banks and Learning Objective Alignment Take Assessment to the Next Level

This Week’s Topic in Focus:  Schoology

Test Banks

Each month our Digital Learning Team will take a look at a Schoology feature that will hopefully empower you to dive deeper into you use of this powerful tool.  

Assessment should be a tool in our classrooms that not only informs educators and students of the learning that is taking place but it can also empower learners as a part of the learning process. If you want to learn more about how to design effective assessments and want to know how to develop assessments as learning, Assessment that Matters by: Kim Meldrum is a great read worthy of your time.

Typically the three primary reasons why assessment stays affixed as an of learning rather than an as learning process are 1) Formative assessment is not used frequently enough, 2) Assessment results are not processed quickly enough for just in time learning 3) There are not enough banked questions to provide variation within any given assessment where the assessment can be used repeatedly and still remain reliable.  

Schoology provides a solution to all three of these typical roadblocks by combining its online Test/Quiz feature with its Question Bank feature.  Schoology’s Test/Quiz Feature allows educators to quickly build assessments that provide learners with immediate and customizable feedback.  When combined with the power of the test bank feature assessments can be built that strategically pull from banks of questions that are aligned to learning targets or sets of questions that all revolve around a specific skill.

Test Banks are an underutilized but super helpful feature in Schoology.  To learn how to create and use test banks check out the Test Banks Tutorial on Schoology.  Once you’ve learned how to create test banks for your classes, the next step will be to decide how to organize your test banks in order to best serve you as you build your assessments.  I suggest that you create your test bank in packets specific to each learning target (by objective or specific skill) so that when it comes time to create an assessment (or a checkpoint/formative assessments and a then a culminating assessment) using your test banks you can set the assessment(s) to randomly select a certain number of those questions from each of your test banks that are strategically aligned to the skills and learning targets you want to assess.

By creating assessments this way, you provide your learners with a strategic assessment within targeted skills and can allow learners to take the same assessment multiple times if necessary while still maintaining valid because of the variation from the test banks. Allowing multiple attempts at proving skill acquisition is one of the first steps toward as learning assessments.

Speaking of learning targets.  Did you know that you can use the Align Learning Objectives feature to tag your questions with specific learning targets (Common Core and all state standards are already pre-populated in Schoology)?  This allows you to use the Mastery Tool to see how your students are performing on each of the learning targets you have aligned.  

FHSD educators:  Contact your  building’s Digital Learning Specialist for assistance and coaching.  

All educators: Feel free to use the comment feature to share how you are currently using assessment in your classroom especially if it relates to Schoology’s Test/Quiz , Test Banks and/or Align Learning Objectives Features.

Contributed by Kyle Mack @ProfKyleMack

Marry Google Classroom to Schoology for Maximum Success!

This Week’s Topic in Focus:  Google Classroom

Each month our Digital Learning Team will deep dive into a specific feature or tool in Google. Since our district is a Schoology district, we decided to show how a marriage between Schoology and Google Classroom can make you the most efficient teacher ever!

One of the biggest complaints that we hear from our teachers is that using Google tools for assignments can be an organizational and logistical nightmare. Setting up permissions, having material shared back, or managing copies of Google Docs has led to a quagmire of a Google Drive. Google Classroom takes away that angst and makes creating and sharing assignments a breeze!

What is Schoology?:

Schoology is a robust Learning Management System with a full arsenal of tools and capabilities that allow for complete digital classroom integration.

What is Google Classroom?:

Google Classroom is also billed as a Learning Management System. It is not as robust as Schoology, but it is an amazing resource management tool that makes digital sharing and Google Drive integration a breeze!

Schoology vs Google - The Fundamental Differences:

We have created a line-by-line analysis of the features of both Schoology and Google. Take a look! Click on the link for the full table.

Schoology vs. Google 

As you can see, each system has its own drawbacks and benefits. Each one used in isolation would give a fine learning experience, but if you were to use them in conjunction with one another you will become unstoppable!. The Google Classroom features that allow you to share resources, streamline your workflow, and organize materials for students along with the assessment features and special tools in Schoology that create a complete digital classroom make for a rich and manageable online learning environment.

Why You Should Use the Tools Together:

Schoology allows you to create a data-rich environment for your class. With Schoology, you can create a blended learning environment by using the tools at your disposal. In addition to the ability to create assignments and assessments that are linked to content standards and mastery objectives, you also have access to features that allow your students to work in groups and at their own pace. Your Schoology course also becomes a complete digital classroom for students and parents to access your teaching materials. There are tools that allow you to create multi-media assignments and activities. Schoology also acts as an excellent communication tool at a classroom, building and district level. Google Classroom allows you to create assignments for each student that will show up right in their Google Drive. There is no need to “Share” materials with each individual student because Google Classroom does the work for you. It also allows students to turn-in materials to Classroom directly, eliminating the 100’s of “Shared with You” emails. Students all receive their own personal copy of an assignment, so you never have to worry about forcing copies. Because students are working within the Google Classroom folder, you also have to ability to monitor their work, view their revision history and collaborate with them on an assignment. In addition, Google Classroom has several extensions, apps, add ons, etc. that provide ways to share resources and streamline the real-time classroom workflow process. When you use the two platforms together, you can create the assignment in Google Classroom, post the link directly through the assignment feature in Schoology, and voila, you are able to have your students working seamlessly in both places.

How To Create a Blessed Union of Souls - Teacher Steps:

1. Go to classroom.google.com and create a Google Classroom.
2. Use the “plus button” and select “Create Assignment” in Google Classroom.
3. Name the assignment and provide instructions for the students.
4. Attach your Google Doc using the Google Drive icon.
5. Once the Google Doc has been uploaded, decide how you want students to interact with your document by clicking the down arrow to the right of the file. (Make a copy for each student)
6. Click the blue “Assign” button.
7. Create an assignment in Schoology
8. Post link to Google Classroom stream page in Schoology assignment.

How To Create a Blessed Union of Souls - Student Steps:

1. Go to Google Classroom
2. Find "Assignment" (as you have named it)
3. Click Open
4. Click on the Hyperlink to access the Google Doc (notice the naming convention)
5. Complete all of the tasks requested of you in the Google Doc

Turning Into Schoology:

1. Use the assignment submission tool and Google Drive App to submit this assignment in Schoology.

Turning Into Google Classroom:

1. Click the “Turn In” button when you are ready to submit in Google Classroom
2. Google Classroom will provide a second prompt screen to verify that you do in fact want to turn in the assignment. Click the “TURN IN” button again.

Features in Google Classroom that we love!:

• Assign materials to the whole class or individual students
• Assign videos or embed videos into assignments
• Use the 'Share to Classroom" tool to grab web content to share directly with students.
• Use Google Cast for Education to allow students to share their screen with you in real-time.

FHSD educators:  Contact your  building’s Digital Learning Specialist for assistance and coaching.  

All educators: Feel free to use the comment feature to share how you are currently using Google Classroom and/or Schoology.

Contributed by Kyle Mack @ProfKyleMack and Melanie Zolnier @libary_techer

Saving Course Materials to Resources and Using Archived Courses

This Week’s Topic in Focus:  Schoology Resources and Archived Courses

Each month our Digital Learning Team will deep dive into a specific feature or tool in Schoology.  Check out what we have for you this week.

Saving Course Materials to Resources and Using Archived Courses

As we approach the end of a grading period, courses that are 1st semester and 2nd quarter only classes will be automatically archived.  This means that your course will “disappear” from your list of current courses and move into the archive list along with all of your other courses from previous grading terms.  If you intend on using the content/materials from courses that are about to be archived, you have two options to choose from.

Proactive Option

Save a copy of your course materials (in part or in whole) to your personal resources.  By saving your materials to your resources you can copy the content to one or more new courses.  Resources never get archived and can be easily modified if needed.  This option allows for you to save and import a clean copy of your course without class rosters and assignment due dates that were associated with the original course.

Video Tutorial - How to Save Your Courses to Resources

 

Reactive Option

You can allow your current courses to be automatically archived and then access that course by clicking on the “See All” option in the courses drop down menu.  To access your old courses click on the archived courses button.  From this point, you can use the gear next to a section to copy all of the content from this old course to a current course.  You can also click on the blue hyperlink text of the desired section and save the materials to your personal resources if you neglected to do this prior to the end of term date.

Accessing Archived Courses

NEVER DO THIS

A teacher should never take an old course in Archive with established due dates and student enrollments and change the date to a current grading term. A common practice at Forest Hills among some teachers is to pull courses out of archives, delete all due dates for assignments, and remove all previous students from the course.  Not only is this extremely time consuming, it also compromises the end user experience and deletes analytics data from that previous course.

Oops I did what I wasn't supposed to! How do I fix it?

   

If you would like help with getting started or digging deeper into your use of this tool please contact your building’s Digital Learning Specialist for more assistance.

Also feel free to use the comment feature to share how you are currently managing your content in Schoology from one grading term to the next.

Contributed by Kyle Mack @ProfKyleMack