Schoology

Schoology provides users with an online learning community. To use Schoology, users will need to first create a user account, and user accounts can be designated as either teacher or student accounts. If a user creates a teacher account, he or she will be able to create a class. Once a course is created, it will provide users with an access code. This access code is needed by student users to join the class. Once teacher users create their class, they will be able to post course materials, assign students learning activities, record student grades, track student attendance, and create discussion forums. To post course materials, users will need to access Schology’s companion website (www.schoology.com) and login into their class. They then will be able to upload documents, links, and external tools to pre-existing folders (e.g., assignments, test/quiz, discussion, and media album folders). If teachers want to use the grade book feature, they can create an assignment and Schoology will create a grade column for it that allows teachers to quickly input grades. With the attendance book, teachers can open this feature and tap if a student is present, absent, late, or excused. The discussion forum allows teachers to post a discussion prompt to which students can respond.

Instructional Ideas

1. After reading a text or discussing a topic in class, teachers can post a discussion prompt using this app’s Discussion feature. Students can then be required to respond to the prompt. 
2. Teachers can create a folder named for a specific topic, and upload documents to it that students can explore. To add another step, teachers can create an assignment for students to complete that is related to the materials they uploaded to the folder. For example, students can be required to read through the documents and answer questions, construct summaries, or critique them. Together, these steps will provide for the basis for an online learning activity.
3. Teachers can post images of student work or activities (these files must be image files) using this app’s Album feature to celebrate student accomplishments achieved in their classroom.
4. Teachers can post an assignment or quiz/test that students are to complete using this app.

Screenshots