Birds of a Feather

As we begin to move into the next grading cycle, it is important to revisit your folder structure. Remember, folder structures should be organized in a way that is easy for all students to navigate. Should a student be moved from one class to another, having a consistent and streamlined system in place will make the transition easier.

The first thing you will want to do is rename your Past Assignments folder. Click on the gear, select "Edit" and rename the folder to the "1st Grading Cycle." All of your "Past Week" folders will now reside in the 1st Grading Cycle folder. Easy, right?

Now, let's create a new Past Assignments folder. Navigate to "Add Materials", select "Add Folder", and name your new folder "Past Assignments". Click and drag or use the "Move" option to move your 1st Grading Cycle to your new Past Assignments folder. All of your "Week of Folders" will now be out of view and tucked away in the 1st Grading Cycle folder. With just a few clicks and edits, you and your students are ready for the 2nd Grading Cycle. You will want to remember to repeat this process at the end of each grading cycle.

The Edpuzzle App is now available for teacher and student use in Schoology! Edpuzzle allows you to insert questions within a video to check for understanding. You can create your own videos or use YouTube videos, Khan Academy, or National Geographic videos. You can easily edit videos to only show the most important parts. I would recommend keeping videos under 8 minutes (even less for younger students). Edpuzzle even has a bank of lessons that other teachers have created ready for you to use. You can edit the questions to adapt them to meet the learning needs of your class. Want to learn more? View this Edpuzzle playlist to learn how you can get started utilizing this tool.

Because Edpuzzle is integrated with Schoology, you can create a lesson that gauges student understanding. The grade will automatically populate in Schoology! All you need to do is remember to "enable grading" when posting the assignment. Before getting started, take a few minutes to review this click sheet, Utilizing Edpuzzle in Schoology.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this app. The possibilities are endless!

We are excited to be offering several asynchronous learning opportunities this fall. Need teacher choice hours or are you just looking to add a few new tools to your toolbox? We have something for everyone. At the elementary level, we will be offering six courses focused on Schoology Assessments and the different options available. Each course will cover the basics and focus on best practices.

Want to expand your Schoology toolbox? We will also be offering a few sessions focused on Schoology apps, like Newsela and EdPuzzle.

Our Teaching and Learning Family will also be offering additional opportunities for learning. You can learn more about all of the different PD opportunities here: Teaching and Learning Fall PD Offerings.

*Registration for the Elementary Academic Technology PD offerings will open in ERO on Monday, October 26th, 2020 at 7:30 am.

Elementary Academic Technology Coach

Email: michelle.fikac@nisd.net
Location: 6632 Bandera Road, Building E Leon Valley, TX, USA
Phone: 210.397.9404
Facebook: facebook.com/NISDAcadTech
Twitter: @TechCoachFikac

October 12 Edition

• Accessing a Student Grade Report in Schoology
• Attendance Matters - Zoom Attendance Reports Can Help
  

October 1st Edition

• Using Grading Columns in Schoology
  
• Zoom Scheduler
• Schoology Assignments and Due Dates

September 21st Edition

• Utilizing Grading Groups to Differentiate Instruction
• Sharing Lesson Resources with your Team via Schoology
  
  

• Reordering Your Schoology Courses Dashboard and the Course Switcher
• Zoom Anyone?
• Zoom Reminders
• Lights, Camera, Action and a Screencastify Upgrade Just for You!