WelcomeAventa Teacher Training

Getting Started

Introduction:

Jane Sparkman

Instructional Services Team Instructor

jasparkman@k12.com

1-888-228-3682, Extension 5137

Take a moment and write down those questions you wish to have answered today.

Agenda• Keys to Success

• Monitoring Students:

• Aventa Front Office – AFO

• Progress Reports

• Blackboard –

• Student view

• Teacher view

Keys to Successful Online Teaching

Communication: Build relationship with students and parents

Organize – use folder system in email for both incoming and sent communication

Knowledge of Course

Comfortable with Blackboard navigation to support students.

Understanding your school’s policies and procedures.

Understanding your expectations for the students and their expectations of you.

CommunicationCommunication is key to success-

Timeliness

Tone

Types

ALL CAPS – considered yelling

Too little/ Too much

Greetings and salutations are very important – you don’t want to slip into chat language.

Don’t forget a phone call may get you further than 20 emails back and forth.

Keys to Successful Online TeachingBe organized – 3-ring binder or virtual file system Create pacing chart for students

Communication log

Student login information

Exam passwords if used

Rubrics

Supplementary materials Graphic organizers

Presentations

Website resources

podcasts

Monitoring Students

Weekly Progress Reports

Reports in Blackboard

• Performance Dashboard

• Early Warning System

• Course Statistics

Aventa Front Office

Pacing Guides

Excel Charts

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Aventa Front Office

• Delayed time frame – important to understand that it is not live data. (refreshed daily)

• Access Student Logins• Reports

• Progress reports• Activity reports• Inactivity reports

https://office.aventalearning.com/login/

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Student View within Blackboard• Tour of Student View

https://aventa.blackboard.com

• Every course has an Orientation button.

• Students tend to skip – however the background information can be key to success.

• Schedule – allows students to create individualized pace charts

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Teacher View in Blackboard

Every course has an Orientation button..

Students tend to skip – however the background information can be key to success.

Schedule – allows students to create individualized pace charts

Blackboard Set-up

• Grade Center

• Reduce Clutter

• General Concepts

• Staff Information

• Announcements

• Banner/Buttons

Grade Center SetupGrade Center – clean up Calculated Columns (handout)

Cumulative Total – Set as External Grade – must have green check.

Cumulative Total

• Primary – percentage

• Secondary – score

• Check “No” so that total points are used in calculation.

Grade to Date

• Primary – percentage

• Check “Yes” so that this grade is based on assignments attempted to date.

Remove all Weighted columns or extra Totals

Initial Course Set-up

Staff Info./ Announcements/ Banner/ Buttons/ Clean-up unused items

The little things do matter

Banner – Create with PowerPoint (handout)

Change buttons to coordinate with banner

Clean up tools and navigation bar – don’t leave links to nowhere.

Staff Information Staff Information:

Control Panel – Course Tools

If Staff Information button does not appear (handout):— Control Panel

— Course Tools – Building Blocks – check Item and Tools

— Manage Course Menu - +Tool Link (Staff Information)

Announcements Announcements:

Control Panel – Course Tools

Informational/Course Related/Current Events

Use time release so that announcements don’t become impossible to manage.

Banners and Buttons

Banners and Buttons:

Control Panel – Course Options – Course Design

Reduce Clutter Course Tools and Communication Tools:

» Hide unused tools – can be a school decision» Items like glossary may be very helpful but if they are

not going to be used it is best to hide.» Communication is key – create navigation button for

whichever method is preferred email vs. message» To hide unwanted Items:

Control Panel – Course Options – Manage Tools – Tool Availability (uncheck unwanted options)

Blackboard Grade Center – Grading/Feedback/Exemptions

Discussion Boards

Multiple Choice – computer graded assessments

Papers/Projects/ oral assignments

In Blackboard 8.0 – you can exempted one student from any individual assignment.

Overriding Grades

Clearing Grades

Feedback – how is it visible?

Altering Course and Default SettingsContent – Xen Desk

Test Questions – Xen Desk

Test Settings – Yes

Navigation Buttons and Resources - Yes

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Blackboard

Grade Center – Emails/Reports/Downloads

If using email as communication mode you can access email from Grade Center directly.

Reports – can be created for group or individual –points possible will not be visible.

You can export a copy of the Grade Center to an Excel document

Oral Assignments

Wimba Voice Board• Students can use to record oral assignments

— Two options:— students leave on voice board and let teacher

know it is there through the assignment link.— Email it to themselves – download wave file

and upload.• You can use to send messages to your students.• No voice board message is private

Questions