Lock In Your Assessment And Assignment Security With LockDown Browser

@LisaBerghoff

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." I read A Tale Of Two Cities when I was in high school. It was required reading. I didn't love it. I also didn't really understand most of it until I decided to reread it as an adult. While we are not experiencing the French Revolution, we are certainly experiencing a time of contradictions in education. We have new AI tools coming at us at a frantic speed while also understanding the need for our students to have their own thoughts, ideas, and understanding of the new content they are learning. We want to be innovative, to encourage utilizing resources and maximizing what we have at our fingertips, while also clinging to our own experiences of teaching and learning. 

This duality can be frustrating when we need to plan for a group of eager and not so eager students in our classrooms everyday. Here is a perfect opportunity to practice dialectical thinking, a way of accepting that two things can be true at the same time, even when they seem to contradict one another.

I generally intend for this blog to push the boundaries and promote innovation and newness. Today, I'm pulling it back a bit to highlight a tool that I first wrote about in 2018 and haven't highlighted since 2021. I'm excited to share information about LockDown Browser in Schoology. 

What Is LockDown Browser?

LockDown Browser is a custom browser that integrates with Schoology to lock down a testing or assignment environment, preventing students from accessing other applications, websites, or files. When lockdown browser is enabled, students are unable to print, copy, visit other websites, access other applications, or close an assessment or assignment until it has been submitted. I say assessments AND assignments but in Schoology, it only works with the assessment tool on your materials page. However, you can use those assessments as assignments whenever you want, it's really a matter of semantics.

How Does LockDown Browser Work?

Step 1: Create your assessment in Schoology and deploy it to your course.

Step 2: Select the LockDown Browser dashboard on the left side menu of Schoology. You will see a list of your assessments. Here is where you can configure the LockDown Browser settings. 

Step 3: Have students click on the assessment. LockDown Browser will launch automatically.

Within LockDown Browser, there is a getting started guide, video tutorials, as well as guides and support. 

Here is the dashboard:

It is HIGHLY recommended that you have students use their school-issued chromebooks when using LockDown Browser. If you allow students to use their own devices, they will need to download the program. 

There are several options within LockDown Browser. If the choices seem confusing, just hover your mouse over them and an explanation will appear. 

Here is an introductory video for students that explains what they need to do.

I have many thoughts on students cheating. I have thoughts on why they cheat, how they cheat, and what would get them to stop cheating. I welcome any conversation about this topic. Until we have some sort of a solution, it's good to know we have LockDown Browser. The fact that it is embedded within Schoology makes it even more secure and easier to use.

Want some help getting started?

Just let me know. I am always happy to help.

Because Video Is How We Learn These Days:

EdPuzzle

@LisaBerghoff

Using video to learn is not new at all. Sesame Street has been around since 1969.  YouTube has been popular for its "how-to" content for many years. The idea of a "flipped classroom" became widely known in the early 2000's. The flipped classroom model is a learner-centered design where students are introduced to new concepts outside of school via videos or slide decks. This frees up classroom time for exploration of topics in greater depth. Teachers are able to use class time for answering questions and touching base with students on a more personal level. 

We all know that video has its merits, when it comes to learning, and the built in accessibility features are there for everyone's benefit. While the idea of creating engaging videos can feel daunting, with the vast number of video platforms, including YouTube, there is no real need to create your own. It can sometimes be hard to find exactly what you are looking for on YouTube. That's why I am so excited to reintroduce you to EdPuzzle.

 

On March 11th, 2020 we had a lovely woman from Edpuzzle who came and did some initial training with us and helped us understand how Edpuzzle integrates with Schoology. That was such a bizarre time to be teaching us about this tool that would get so much use in the coming year! I looked her up and I'm happy to say that she is still with Edpuzzle.  

Let's take a look at what EdPuzzle looks like in 2025. As always, think about what the learning goals are, and see how this tool can help support our students in meeting those goals. 

What Is Edpuzzle And Why Should I Use It?

Edpuzzle is a versatile online platform that allows you to transform video content into an active learning experience. It's a video editor and assessment tool rolled into one. You can use it with videos from popular sources like YouTube, TED, and National Geographic, or even upload your own. Edpuzzle also has its own library of high quality original videos. 
The magic of Edpuzzle lies in its ability to embed interactive elements directly into the video. As students watch, the video automatically pauses at points you've designated, prompting them to answer a question, listen to an audio note, or read a comment.

We are all tired of seeing our students looking like zombies staring at screens screens, but we aren't going to stop using video. By requiring students to interact with the content, Edpuzzle prevents passive viewing. Students can't just press play and zone out; they are held accountable for their attention and understanding. The platform's analytics provide real-time data on student progress. You can see who has watched the video, how much of it they've watched, and how they answered each question. This helps you quickly identify areas where students are struggling and adjust your instruction accordingly.

For our students who struggle, they can rewatch sections of the video as many times as they need to grasp a concept. You can also assign different videos to different students or groups to tailor the content to their specific needs. This fits in beautifully with our focus on access, belonging, and achievement. 

Edpuzzle isn't just for teachers. You can also have students create their own interactive video projects, demonstrating their understanding in a creative and engaging way.

How Do I Use Edpuzzle?

Ok, since Edpuzzle integrates with Schoology through something called an LTI application (Learning Tools Interoperability), you will go through a two-step process so your students will only have one step.

Here's step 1: 

• Find a Video: Log in to your Edpuzzle account. You can search for a video from a variety of sources directly within the platform, or paste a URL for a video you've already found. You can also upload a video you've created yourself.

• Edit the Video: Once you've selected a video, you'll be taken to the editor. Here, you can:

  • Trim: Cut the video to show only the most relevant sections.

  • Add Questions: Insert multiple-choice, open-ended, or true/false questions at any point in the video. The platform can automatically grade multiple-choice questions, saving you time.

  • Add Audio Notes or Narration: Record your voice to provide further explanations or emphasize key points. This adds a personal touch and makes the lesson feel more like a one-on-one conversation.

While it may be tempting to click on the "assign" button in Edpuzzle, don't! You will assign in Schoology in the next step. 

Here's step 2: 

• Once you have selected your video and you have your interactive elements the way you want them, go to Schoology.  Here are the steps to assign in Schoology. 
• Go to your materials page and click Add Materials, choose Add Link/File/External Tool.
• Select External Tool and choose Edpuzzle from the dropdown menu. Enter a title, select Enable Grading, and add your other assignment details like date, category, etc. Click Submit

Here's what that looks like: 

• Then, click on the Edpuzzle assignment you just created. You will be prompted to sign into Schoology and "create a class". The class is already autogenerated so just fill in the blanks. This is where you can adjust the controls. How many attempts are allowed? Do you want students to be able to speed up the video? Enable close captions? The next time you go to the assignment, you will see your students' progress and class analytics here. 

If it is set to auto-grade the grade will automatically go into the grade book. 

I know this seems like a lot to remember, but once you do it one time, the workflow makes a lot of sense.

Plus, that's what I am here for! Want some help getting started with Edpuzzle? Let me know. I'm happy to work with you. 
 

Let Them Show What They Know! 

Annotations Assignments In Schoology

@LisaBerghoff

We are nearing the end of the semester! It feels far away but it will be here soon. This is a very important time to be formatively assessing our students' learning in order to inform what the next few weeks will look like. Formative assessment, assessment in general really, can be exhausting when you have multiple sections and only a finite amount of time with them. This is where it becomes increasingly important to leverage technology to streamline things and make the workflow clear and simple for everyone.  This is also an opportune time to put accessibility at the forefront the goal should always be to remove barriers to learning, not to create barriers. 

What Are Annotations Assignments?

Annotation assignments in Schoology allow educators to provide any document type and have students annotate directly on their own copy of the document. Students can write, draw, and highlight.  The students have the ability to add a text box to type, add basic shapes, highlight parts of the document, or use the pen tool for drawing and writing using the touchscreen or trackpad. After they submit, educators are able to review the students' work, add their own notes or comments, even request that students resubmit. 

Once the assignment is created, all the students need to do is click START ASSIGNMENT. It will automatically open the document and the tools they need to complete the assignment. when they are finished, they just need to click SUBMIT.

Here is what it looks like as a student:

How Do I Create An Annotations Assignment In Schoology?

Step1: From your course materials page, click ADD MATERIALS

Step 2: Click ADD ASSIGNMENT

Step 3: Under format options, click ANNOTATIONS ASSIGMENT

Step 4: Upload a file from your device.

 (Docx,HTML,JPG,PDF,PNG,PPTX,RTF,TXT,XLS,XLSX,XML)

Step5: Finish adding the details to your assignment and click CREATE

What Does It Look Like When I Am Grading?

In the submissions area, when you click NEEDS GRADING, you will see the students' responses. You can enter a grade in the grade box that will go to the Schoology gradebook. You can also enter notes and comments and then submit or post. 

You AND your students have the ability to print or download submissions. You can also view revision notes if there are any. 

When Would I Use Annotations Assignments In Schoology?

There are many obvious applications for this tool. Here are a few that you may or many not have thought of.

• Filling in a map
• Completing or creating a diagram
• Highlighting and annotating a section of text
• Students reviewing and assessing exemplars
• Permission slips or other forms that need to be signed

Since these annotations assignments are all housed within Schoology, students won't lose track of them and neither will you. The immersive reader that is housed within Schoology will be available to your students to use on anything that you have in the instructions. 

Have you used Annotations Assignments in Schoology?

I would love to hear your other uses!

 Let's Get Our Students Talking!

Audio/Video Tools In Schoology

@LisaBerghoff

It's "TalkTober" everyone. This is the time of year when we have settled into our routines. The excitement of the start of the school year has worn off. We know a little bit about our students and we know that we need everyone to be participating, sharing their voice, and engaged in learning. There are so many reasons why a student may not be talking in class, and those are worth exploring. In the meantime, there are some tools that are built into Schoology that help get students sharing their thoughts and ideas in a way that doesn't require them to raise their hand and speak in front of a group.  This is a wonderful option to make sure you hear from everyone in your class and not just those who have their hands in the air.

What Are Audio/Video Tools In Schoology?

The audio and visual tools allow both course admins (teachers) as well as students to post or respond via audio only or video in lieu of or in addition to text. 

From the teacher side of things, this is a fantastic option for students who benefit from hearing your voice and seeing your face as opposed to just reading text. When you add an assignment, page, discussion question, even a calendar event, you can generate audio or video. Just look for the microphone icon. 

You can also create "assessments" that require an audio response or a video response from students. This is the best option when you don't want the audio/video tools to be optional. 

For students, it's the same microphone icon and they will see it in the upload section when they submit an assignment. They will also see it when contributing to a discussion question.

If you ask your students to submit an assignment using audio or video, here is what it will look like on your end once they have submitted. All you need to do is click to watch or listen, and provide feedback. All of the recordings are in one spot, making them easy to find and assess. 

How Do I Use Audio/Visual Tools In Assessments?

Remember, just because it's called Assessments doesn't mean it needs to be a quiz or a test. It's just a great tool that you can use so students can show you what they know in different ways.  I love to use the assessment feature for assignments when I want to make sure my students use the correct tool. 

When you use assessments, just like when you use assignments, you can incorporate audio/video recordings as the teacher and also accept audio/video recordings from your students. Both have benefits.

• From the edit questions page in your assessment, choose audio question type or video question type. This ensures that the students will record and submit.
• To add your own audio or video into the question, click the tools icon and record your audio or video using the audio player or video player tabs. 
• Click record to start and click stop when you are done. You can watch it and re-record or click ok to insert it into your question.

Here is what it looks like from the student's point of view. The question has an embedded video with instructions. There is an audio recorder below it where the students click to record their response.

Allowing students to record a video or audio recording is a fantastic way to hear everyone's voice. Whether you are looking for them to share reflections, practice explaining a concept, or make an argument, this will make sure that everyone gets a chance to talk in a way that is safe and private. What a wonderful stepping stone to helping students then share their thoughts an ideas in front of a class.  Also, providing audio/video instructions can be an important accessibility tool that our struggling students can benefit from. 

Want some help getting started with these tools? Please reach out to me. I'm happy to help!

Accessibility Features 

(For EVERYONE) 

In Schoology

 

@LisaBerghoff

Some of you are familiar with Universal Design For Learning. I found the UDL framework from CAST about the same time I became interested in Design Thinking and the intersection of the two led me to believe that much of the way I thought about teaching students who struggle with learning was just plain wrong. In case you're new here, let me catch you up. Universal Design For Learning is a framework, based in neuroscience, that emphasizes the need for options for students in the areas of engagement, action and expression, and representation. The UDL guidelines 3.0 are being unveiled in July of 2024 and I am so excited to see the updated version. To see the current version, click here. The basic gist is that as educators our job is to try to remove barriers to student learning by providing multiple means for students to be engaged, take in information, and show what they know. Universal Design is a design principle that states that environments should be accessed and understood by all. 

It is through these ideas that I have come to understand that when we design for the edges, everyone benefits. Accessibility tools may be created for people with specific disabilities, but by allowing everyone to use them, there will be advantages for all. 

With spring assessments coming up, this seemed like a good time to take a look at the accessibility features found within Schoology.

1. Immersive Reader

Immersive Reader is built in to all Schoology assignments, pages, and discussion boards. It rolled out a few years ago but it's kind of incredible to me how few people have actually clicked on it. When you open immersive reader, you will notice that the text loads in a dyslexic friendly font. You have the ability to have the text read to you, and of course the ability to adjust the reading settings, including the reader speed and voice. In addition, you can have the text translated into many languages. You can also have the syllables separated and the parts of speech color coded. There is also a line focus feature which only shows a small amount of text on the screen and a picture dictionary. 

Here is what it looks and sounds like:

Check out the other features here:

2. Accessibility Checker

In case accessibility is not in the forefront of you mind at all times, there is a built in accessibility checker that will help you make sure your content is accessibility friendly.

When you are in the editor, just click on the accessibility icon and it will walk you through any issues you may have and what to do to rectify them. Take a look at how it works:

3. Assessment Settings

The assessment toolbar settings can offer many options to students that can help keep them on task and lower anxiety. As the teacher, you need to adjust the settings to make these features available. 

Allow students to be able to flag questions so they can go back and review them later.

Allow students to eliminate answer choices in multiple choice questions.

Allow for the use of a calculator, ruler, or protractor.

Allow students to highlight text.

Provide a notepad for students. 

4. Create Pop-Up Content In Assessment Questions:

Did you know that you can add pop-up content in your assessments? Help your students help themselves by including clarifying information for them. If a student asked you during the assessment, you would answer, so why not provide it to all and let them click instead of calling you over for help. When you are editing your question, highlight some text and then click the icon to add pop-up content. You can then type in clarifying text or you can even add an image. Click on preview to see how the question appears to students. Here is what it looks like when it's done.

5. Allow Students To Submit In Text, Audio, Or Video. 

Discussion questions are a wonderful way to continue the sense of community you create in the classroom. It can also give opportunities for students to participate in ways that they might not when you are in class together. When you create a discussion question in Schoology, all students have an equal opportunity to share and be heard. Students can respond to Schoology discussion prompts by typing text, recording audio, or recording video. What is nice is that the recordings happen right in Schoology so there's no saving, downloading, or uploading to do. You and your students can also respond to each other in the same manner. All your students need is permission from you to give it a try.

When you click in the discussion box to respond, all you need to do is click on the microphone icon. 

Then, choose the recording type.

Click to begin recording.

Click again to stop recording and then choose insert audio/video. If you don't like it, you can always rerecord.

By allowing students to choose the mode in which they respond, you can make your online discussions more accessible to all students.

Ok, these are my top five favorites. Which ones do you love that I missed? Which ones will you try? Want some help? I'm here for you!

Tools For End Of The Year

Feedback And Reflection

@LisaBerghoff/@MrKimDHS

It is the last week of classes and all we want to do is make it to the last day of school. I have always described the end of the school year as running full speed into a brick wall. Last week a teacher gave an even better analogy. She said the end of the school year is like we are running in a race, we can see the finish line, but new hurdles keep showing up and we don't have the energy to jump over them so we just plow through them.  Unfortunately our students indicate that they feel the same. 

My hope is that this post will encourage you to pause for a moment along with your students and reflect and also get some valuable feedback that can be used to make next year even better. 

One of my favorite parts of my job is when I get to work 1:1 with students. Sometimes students who are struggling will come to me looking for digital solutions that can help them manage school better. There are times when those students look at me and say something like- Can you talk to Mr./Mrs. _____ and please tell them to set up their Schoology page like____. Or, can you please talk to my teachers and ask them to ____ with the Schoology calendar. You get the idea. The reality is that our students get 8 (or more if they are in activities and sports) different ways of doing things. They see a lot and they know what works and what doesn't. However, they like/respect/are afraid of you to tell you. 

The solution? Ask them. The end of the school year is a wonderful time to get some honest feedback from your students. You just have to ask them the right questions to get the answers that will be helpful to you. 

Here are a few digital ways to get feedback from your students:

1. Use a Google form- can be anonymous

2. Use a Schoology assessment- will not be anonymous

3. Give them a prompt and ask them to respond via video using Screencastify or Flip- also not anonymous but might get more detail with a video response

4. Use Answergarden to ask a single question and their responses will be turned into a word cloud- anonymous

5. Padlet is an amazing tool for crowdsourcing of information. You can choose if it's anonymous. Everyone will be able to view what is posted. You can use the shelf layout to organize by specific topics. This also allows students to post in multiple ways and not just typing text.

You can use this feedback as much or as little as you like, but you can't use it at all if you don't have any. Think about what you want to know from them. 
Here are some suggestions.

1. Ask about how you communicated with them. Did you use Schoology announcements? Send emails? Remind texts?

2. Ask about how you organized your digital classroom resources. Did you use the materials page with folders? Did you primarily use the Schoology calendar? Ask them what worked and what didn't and why.

3. Ask them how they would describe your class to a student one year younger than them. Does this match with how you want your class to be described?

Along with feedback comes reflection. We want our students to realize how much they have learned and how far they have come. It's good practice for you to also reflect on the year.

Here are some digital tools that make reflection simple:

1. Google slides: These are linear so it makes sense to use slides to show progression over the year.

2. Canva: This is a fantastic tool for slide decks that you can also turn into short videos. You can also use Canva to make an infographic, social media post, or a meme explaining the journey of the school year. There are tons of templates to get you started. 

3. Flip or Screencastify: Don't let writing be a barrier to meaningful reflection. You can set Flip videos so the only you can see them. Have your students (and you) just click record and talk for a limited period of time talking about how the year went. Give specific points you want them to discuss. 

4. Google docs Voice Type: Have students open a Google doc and ask them to use the voice typing tool (probably not in the same room all at once). The speech recognition is really very good and you are more likely to get an authentic response if the students are speaking to you. 

Don't let this time slip by without getting valuable feedback from students and reflecting on all that has been accomplished this year. What tools will you use for feedback and reflection? Want some help setting up some of these tools? Reach out. I'm always happy to help.

 

 

 Let's Wrap Up The Year!

 Schoology/IC Checklist (May 2023)

New IC-Schoology Sync Regime

OK, year one of the Manual IC-Schoology sync is drawing to a close. Hopefully, by this point, we've taken our licks and figured out most of the sync issues, and are ready to finalize our gradebooks. There's nothing quite like being able to click "POST" and close out all of your tabs at the end of a semester. So to get there, where do we start?

STEP ONE: Sync Verification

Make sure that your scores in Infinite Campus match the scores you see in your Schoology Gradebook. If there are discrepancies between these two scores, here's what you should do:

• Check Infinite Campus Grade Calculations. Category percentages, Weighted Grades, and Final Exam information need to be identical between IC and Schoology. Here are the updated instructions.
• Make sure you are SYNCED in Schoology. It's the easiest mistake to make. Click on the Infinite Campus button in Schoology.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

STEP TWO: Entering Final Exams/Projects

Do you have a final exam that lives outside the in-progress semester grade? 

For example, here is a breakdown of how my semester grade is calculated.

 Two Options- Enter In Schoology And Sync Or Enter Directly Into IC

   

For either option, do this first:

• Go to your IC gradebook and click on Settings -> Grade Calc Options and make sure it is set to calculate correctly. As an example, here is what mine looks like.
  

  
  

Option 1: Enter in Schoology and then sync to IC

• Enter your assessment/assignment in Schoology. DO NOT click the box that says "Set As Midterm/Final". Just make sure your grading task is set to Final Assessment. You can enter multiple parts to your final. As you enter each part, just make sure the Final Assessment grading task is chosen. 

• Enter the grades and click on the sync button to move over to IC. You should be able to see those grades appear in the Final Assessment task in Infinite Campus.
  
  

Option 2: Enter directly into the Infinite Campus grade book

•  In Infinite Campus go to your grade book, choose a section, and then choose Final Assessment as the grading task.
• Click Add (top left, above settings) and then enter the details for your final. If you have a final with multiple parts, you can click Add and enter as many parts as you need.
• Click Save or click Add Sections to add it to other course sections.
• Enter the grades in the IC grade book and click Save.

STEP THREE: Finalize, Post, and Save Your Grades.

• Take a look and make sure the grades look accurate. Go to your Infinite Campus grade book and select a section. Choose the Semester grading task. 

• Go to Grade Book.  Under the Semester task, click the orange "Post" in the "In-Progress" column.  After you click "Post", a window will open to the right to confirm details.  Make sure you are posting to the Semester Task and click OK.  This will put all grades in the "Posted" column.  Lastly, make sure to click "Save", which will turn orange from grey after you post.  Repeat for every section.

• IF YOU NEED TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO THE GRADE: You will do that in the Posted Column and then click SAVE. 

And that's that? Hopefully, there are fewer issues this time around. As always, let us know if you have any questions or need additional help!

 

Mix It Up With Different Question Types In Schoology Assessments

@LisaBerghoff/@MrKimDHS

 It is getting to be that time of year when we focus on end of the year assessments. The whole notion of "show us what you know" often is in direct opposition to teachers' needing a quick way to grade because we want to get that grade book signed sealed and delivered in time for us to go on summer break. Would I ideally like to sit with every single student and have them go through their growth and progress on all of our learning targets? Absolutely. Unfortunately our schedule does not allow for that and so we are forced into other means of assessing student learning. According to Rick Stiggins, high quality assessment must satisfy five specific quality standards: 1. Clear Targets, 2. Focused Purpose, 3. Proper Method, 4. Sound Sampling, and 5. Accurate Assessment Free Of Bias and Distortion. 

As you are crafting your summative assessments, I thought it would be helpful to bring back into focus some of the assessment features that can be found baked into Schoology, our learning management system.  These features help customize your assessments to go beyond the typical multiple choice and true/false test. There are also lots of options within the setup that can help personalize the experience so you can get the best out of your students. As we know from the TPACK framework, many parts need to come together in order to best integrate technology in our classrooms. With your knowledge of the content and pedagogy combined with how well you know your students, you can utilize technology to effectively assess your students in a way that hits all five of Rick Stiggins' benchmarks for high quality assessments. 

Let's Get Into It:

The Setup-

When you click to add an assessment to your class, you will see the instructions box on the setup page. This box is often overlooked and I would encourage you to use it. Here, you have a rich text editor menu that allows you to add images or other media, links, and tables. You can also bold, highlight, and change the color of your fonts in order to draw attention to specific text. You can choose how you want to set the tone for your assessment. This is a spot where you can remind students of often missed details, and offer words of encouragement.

In the assessment toolbar you can allow students to flag questions so they can go back and review them before they submit. You can also allow them to eliminate answer choices if you do have multiple choice questions on your test.

Question Types-

There are 18 different types of assessment questions you can choose from. I am going to highlight the 5 that I think are most interactive and get kids to demonstrate their learning in different ways. 

1. Label Image

Upload an image and have your students label it by dragging and dropping from a list of potential answers. This can be a wonderful option for timelines, labeling models, cycles, or systems, describing parts of a work of art, or parts of an equation. Here are detailed instructions for using Label Image questions in Schoology, including how to align learning objectives. 

2. Highlight Hotspot

Upload an image and have your students identify an area or region that is determined by you. Use this option with maps, geometric shapes, data charts, scientific diagrams,vocabulary questions, and more. Here is an example using basic Spanish vocabulary. Here are instructions for using Highlight Hotspot. 

3. Chart

This question type enables students to review, create, or manipulate different kinds of charts in response to a question.  I actually recently saw a teacher use this as a self reflection tool which really appealed to me. I created one for an instrumental performance. I uploaded an image of the rubric so the students can refer to it. Then, I set the parameters so students can interact with the chart. They can assess themselves using the chart and then write or record a reflection explaining why they chose what they did. You can see lots of ways this would apply to your class. Here are detailed instructions for using the Chart question type. 

4. Highlight Image

This question type offers so much more than the name implies. Upload an image and your students are given multiple color options to highlight the image. But they don't need to only highlight. You can use this as a drawing tool as well. Since many of our students have touch screen chromebooks, this can be a fantastic option for marking text, circling or drawing arrows for vocabulary. My example below shows how to use the Highlight Image question for graphing in math or science. The image that I uploaded is just a basic graph. Once you create one question of this type, you can easily duplicate it and just change the equations.

5. Audio/Video 

I often have students who don't do well on a test or a quiz just come in and tell me what they know. It's remarkable to see the difference when they can just talk to me. While I can't do that with every student in person, I can have them respond to an audio or video question. You can upload an image or other media to add to your question prompt. The students then click to record their audio or video, depending on the question type. It's very easy to listen or watch once they submit.

Are you ready to start exploring the various options within Schoology assessments? Want some help getting started? Send an email and I'm happy to partner with you!

What's New With EdPuzzle?

@LisaBerghoff/@MrKimDHS

On March 11, 2020, two days before school and the world shut down, we had a representative from Edpuzzle come to district 113. She was here to teach us how to use this new tool that integrates with Schoology and will help us make videos more interactive and engaging for our students.  We already knew a little bit about Edpuzzle, but we just started paying for the premium license. At that time, I had no idea that video was going to be the primary way many of our students would get their educational content and I remember feeling excited to share the new things I learned about Edpuzzle with our staff. 

Fast forward three years and Edpuzzle is still a wonderful tool that we have available to us. While we are now back in classrooms and can see our students' faces there is no denying the power of learning through video. I have personally completed many household projects and have fixed several appliances in my home from watching YouTube videos. I know that this is different from learning concepts or understanding complex ideas but so much of our and our students' content is now taken in from video and so educators need to keep video on the table as a means for sharing ideas and information.

If you have not used EdPuzzle in a while or if you have just been using it the same way since 2020 (no judgement!) you might not know about the many new features that Edpuzzle has rolled out. Here is a summary of the new things you will want to try with your students.

1. Edpuzzle Originals

Edpuzzle is now creating its own content. They are professionally made videos that are made by a team of expert teachers. They are aligned to learning standards and they even have questions already embedded. You can copy and assign them as-is or you can edit and add your own questions. This is great because YouTube can really take you down a rabbit hole if you are searching for videos that you can use. At least with Edpuzzle originals, you know that there is a level of quality and content that will be appropriate and useful. They are adding more and more content at a furious pace and they are prioritizing middle and high school topics such as literary devices, algebra, biology, and more. Check out this Edpuzzle original lesson on Pi Day. 

 

2. Student Projects

While Edpuzzle is fantastic for making sure students watch and understand videos, there is nothing more powerful than having students create. Edpuzzle now has a student projects feature that allows students to create their own Edpuzzle video lesson. As the teacher, you will click Add Content and then choose Student Project. You can decide if you want students to search for videos or upload their own. Here is a 1 minute video showing 7 ways you can use Edpuzzle student projects.

3. Audio Responses

When students have open-ended questions to answer, they now have the option to respond via video. Some students are better able to show what they know verbally and this gives them the option to do so.

All they need to do is click under the answer box where it says Answer With Audio.  They can record their audio response and submit it without leaving Edpuzzle. 

4. More Languages And Closed Captions

You can now use Edpuzzle in languages besides English! And there is Edpuzzle original content available in Spanish. Click on the profile logo and go to the settings tab. From there, you can adjust the language.  They are working on adding new languages in the near future.

5. Multiple Attempts

You can now allow students multiple attempts at answering questions and viewing videos.  Want your students to have unlimited attempts so they can practice for an upcoming summative assessment? No problem! When you are on the assign page, just indicate the number of attempts you are willing to allow. 

How are you using Edpuzzle? Have you forgotten about it? I think it's time to bring it back. Want some help getting started? Feel free to reach out or book a time with me.