Keywords: Links, Share Settings, Share Permissions, Testing Links, URLs

Aliases:

Objective: This guide will help teachers ensure their digital links are functional and accessible for their intended audience, focusing on use within Schoology and communication with parents.

Understanding Your Audience

1. Identify the End User: Determine whether your primary users are students (2nd grade and up), parents, or both. This affects how you will share and check the accessibility of your links.
2. Student Access: Students typically log in through a portal using their school accounts.
3. Parent Access: Parents might not have school accounts and may access Schoology with personal emails. Consider this when sharing links for materials they need to access.

Sharing Materials in Schoology

1. Choose the Right Format: Decide if your material should be a read-only document, a worksheet, or another interactive form. This will influence how you share it (e.g., PDF, Google Doc).
2. Adjust Share Settings in Google Docs: For materials like Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides, ensure the share settings allow for the intended level of access. This might mean changing settings to “Anyone with the link” for parent accessibility.
3. Embed Links in Schoology: When adding materials to Schoology, use the “Add Materials” feature to include links. Ensure links are set to open in a new window for ease of access.

Creating Effective Assignments

1. Purpose of the Material: Clearly define why you are sharing each file or link. Consider the action you want users to take (e.g., read, complete, discuss).
2. Avoid PDFs for Interactive Needs: If the activity requires student interaction, opt for editable formats like Google Docs instead of PDFs, unless it's strictly for reading.

Tech Tips for Sharing

1. Use Incognito Windows to Test Links: Before sharing with students or parents, open an incognito window in your browser to test the link. This ensures you see what an end-user without direct access would see.
2. Educate About Bandwidth: For video materials or large files, consider the end user's bandwidth. Recommend times for downloading large files to avoid household bandwidth issues.

Adjusting for Accessibility

1. Google Docs Sharing Options: Make sure your document is accessible to those without school accounts by setting it to “Anyone with the link can view” for broader access, especially for parents.
2. Schoology Assignment Settings: In Schoology, use assignment options to specify actions like reading or watching. Add time estimates for video materials to set expectations.

Finalizing and Testing

1. Review and Test: Always double-check your links in different browsers and incognito modes to ensure accessibility.
2. Consider User Experience: Reflect on how each user will interact with the material, and adjust settings and formats to facilitate the best user experience.