Sapphire Updates

August 22nd, 2014

Goal: For all of us to become better acquainted with updates made to sapphire in the past year and to work on the community class portal page

Agenda:

  1. Community Class Portal Page
  2. Student Backpack, Class Activity Page and other updates to sapphire
  3. Work Time on Sapphire

*Please feel free to comment on what you have completedon sapphire. We will all enjoy the input. I will probably not have every answer for you, but will try to help to the best of my ability.*

PartI.Community Portal Pages:This is a page on the sapphire system that shows information from your class. You create what goes into your community portal page(s).

How do I get there?

  1. Go to your normal grade book in sapphire.
  2. Click on My Class on the top toolbar.
  3. Click on Community Portal Class Page.

You have three tabs on the Community Portal Class Page:

Full Class Page: This page shows information for the entire class.

Student Page: You can view the last time each student or each student’s parent/guardian logged on to sapphire. Also, you can post information to an individual student(s) rather than the entire class.

Student Group Pages: Students can be organized into groups and you can post information to that group of students rather than the entire class.

You may use the tutorial video and manual to help with each part of designing your community portal class page:

How do I get there?

  1. In your normal gradebook, click the Help button on the top toolbar.

The tutorial video is the first link. Click it. Creating Virtual Classrooms and Managing the Community Portal Class Page (tutorial_video)

  1. The manual is the second link. Click it. Creating Virtual Classrooms and Managing the Community Portal Class Page Manual (manual)

What can I create on the community portal?

  1. Class information
  2. Announcement messages and due dates for homework, quizzes, projects, etc.
  3. Hyperlinks for websites
  4. Discussion boards (forums) where students can communicate with you and other students in your class.
  5. Dropbox for students to turn in an assignment. This can also be linked to your grade book.
  6. Page(s) that act as a normal webpage for web-quests or other online assignments
  7. Sub-header(s)to classify your information
  8. Folders to classify and organize information
  9. Glossary of key vocabulary words
  10. Video’s, surveys and other widgets that assist in your instruction.

Part II: Student Backpack and other Features:

Student Backpack: The place where students’ can see information you post on your community portal page

How do I get there?

  1. Click on any student name from your class roster. (This is in your main grade book)
  2. Click on Community Portal Information

3. Click on Click to View the Student’s Community Portal Record

Class Page Activity Log: Shows all student activity on your community portal page.

How do I get there?

  1. In your main gradebook, click on My Class on the top toolbar
  2. Click Class Page Activity Log (near the bottom)

Part III: Work Time

What do I need to do?

1. You may work on exploring and updating your community portal pages.

2. You may work on other sapphire tasks such as setting up class rosters, assignments, seating charts, etc.

3. You do not need to turn in any “homework” of what you completed. You are all professionals. 

*Thank you for coming in today. Please make sure you complete your evaluation using this link:

EHMIS Jumpstart

August 22nd, 2014

Goal: To “jumpstart” into the new year by taking time to review, maintain document and create using technology.

Agenda:

  1. Highlight three technologies (~20 min)
  2. List of technology options (~5 min)
  3. Individual work time (~3 hours)

Part I: Technology Highlights

  1. Remind

Website:

What it does: This is a very easy way to send text/email alerts to students and parents about anything involving your class.

Positives: Very easy to set up. Very easy to send out reminders. You do not need to give your personal phone number. Parent feedback has been positive.

Negatives: You can only use so many characters per message. Another reason to give students’ less accountability.

  1. Kahoot

Website:

What it is: You can create quizzes, surveys and discussions for your class and receive instant feedback from every student.

Positives: Easy to create quizzes, surveys and discussions. Gives instant feedback. Questions can be timed. Great formative assessment tool and can be used as a warm-up, activator, summarizer or during the lesson. Great for BYOD.

Negatives: If you want every student to participate, you will need to sign-out the computer carts (or labs) if there are people who do not have a cell phone.

  1. The New Scantron Machines

What it is: The machines work in the same way as the old ones, however, they can be plugged into your computer with a USB and a program will keep track of your test data for you.

Positives: This makes checking multiple choice tests MUCH easier. It tracks data so you can view questions that were frequently missed or correct. You can save spreadsheets to your computer. You can easily spot questions that students forgot to answer.

Negatives: You need to install the software and type in the name of each of your students. You also can only use this for multiple choice, matching or true/false questions. There are only 2-3 machines, so please use the machines only when you need them. Hoarding a machine is not cool.

Part II: Technology Options

  1. The above highlighted technologies
  2. StudyIsland or 6th grade pilot (create your tests or update your class lists)
  3. Sapphire (Update your gradebook or work on your community portal class page)
  4. Discovery Education (Look for videos or create quizzes)
  5. Google…. (Documents, Sites, Spreadsheets, Presentations, Surveys, Classroom, etc.) * Melissa Wilson found a way to create a google form that will grade itself! I have copies of the directions on how to do this, just ask!*
  6. Your Website
  7. MyBigCampus, Moodle or other classroom platform
  8. PowerPoint, Word, Excel for class projects, activities, etc.
  9. Khan academy, youtube, teachertube or other platform to search for relevant videos, etc.
  10. Social Media (For your classroom of course )
  11. Another relevant technology for your classroom!

Part III Work Time

1. You may work on one or more of the technologies above to enhance your classes. You do not need to turn in any “homework” for this workshop.

You are all professionals. 

*Thank you for coming in today. Please make sure you complete your evaluation using this link: