Welcome Aventa Teacher Training

1. WelcomeAventa Teacher Training

2. 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.

3. Agenda • Keys to Success • Monitoring Students: • Aventa Front Office – AFO • Progress Reports • Blackboard – • Student view • Teacher view

4. 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.

5. Communication • Communication 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.

6. Keys to Successful Online Teaching • Be 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

7. Monitoring Students • Weekly Progress Reports • Reports in Blackboard • Performance Dashboard • Early Warning System • Course Statistics • Aventa Front Office • Pacing Guides • Excel Charts

8. 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/

9. 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

10. 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

11. Blackboard Set-up • Grade Center • Reduce Clutter • General Concepts • Staff Information • Announcements • Banner/Buttons

12. Grade Center Setup • Grade 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

13. 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.

14. 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)

15. Announcements • Announcements: • Control Panel – Course Tools • Informational/Course Related/Current Events • Use time release so that announcements don’t become impossible to manage.

16. Banners and Buttons • Banners and Buttons: • Control Panel – Course Options – Course Design

17. 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)

18. 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?

19. Altering Course and Default Settings • Content – Xen Desk • Test Questions – Xen Desk • Test Settings – Yes • Navigation Buttons and Resources - Yes

20. 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

21. 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

22. Questions