Top 5 Things to Do in ClassLink

-

by Debbie Ray, Office of Instructional Technology Teacher  Specialist

Many of you may remember the Office of Instructional Technologies’, Splash Page. This was great as it helped users access approved applications in one place. The problem was that users had to sign-in to all those applications which took up very valuable instructional time, and you could not customize your page. So the county needed a customizable application that would provide a way for all users to access applications without having to login multiple times. ClassLink provides that single sign-on solution that enables teachers and students to access web-based applications on any device. There may be some applications that need a login, but ClassLink is the portal that opens the door to all of the applications in AACPS. 

Believe it or not, we have had ClassLink for about five years now. What an asset it has become for teachers and students! I know as I accessed ClassLink each day, I wondered if I could change my page to reflect what I used most vs what is laid out on the page for me. Did you know that you can change the color, theme, size of the icons, and the order of applications on your ClassLink page? What about those applications that you don’t use? Can you hide them? I wondered how I could better organize my ClassLink page. Below you will find some tips that may help you gain a better ClassLink experience. 


Tip 1: Organizing the Applications

The applications on ClassLink are in alphabetical order. That is fine for most of us, but I really wanted quick access to the applications I use daily. I didn’t want to go all the way to the end of the alphabet to find Wixie. So I discovered that if I drag the icons, like I did on my phone, that I could order the applications in the order I wanted them to appear on my ClassLink page. Did you know that students can do this too? Many teachers have the students organize their ClassLink pages so that the apps they use most often appear on the first couple of rows. All users  have to do is click and drag the icons to where they want them to appear on their page. As you can see, my ClassLink page is not in alphabetical order. 


Tip 2: Organizing Applications into Folders 

On the ClassLink LaunchPad you will see folders. Folders allow for the organization of resources. For example: An orange folder named Instructional Technology Resources includes: Digital Take-Out, ES Tech Connections, Multimedia Resources and Paper to Digital. This folder is visible on the student LaunchPad as well. Another important folder for teachers is purple and contains information about the Review and Evaluation of Materials of Instruction (MOI) for our county. Check here for evaluated resources and for information on how to evaluate materials of instruction. 

So why would you organize resources into folders? Perhaps there are applications on the LaunchPad that you do not use or they have similar topics. If you drag an application on top of another it will create a folder. If you right click on the folder, you are able to edit the folder so that you can change its name as well as change the background color. If you decide that you don’t want the apps in the same folder or you mistakenly added one, just drag it out or right click on the app and select remove from folder. 

Another way to add a folder is by selecting the edit button at the top left of the LaunchPad. You will then be able to add a folder. At this time, you may name the folder and change the color. Once created, applications may be dragged into the folder. To remove an application right click and remove the app. Note: There may be some applications that will not move into a folder. This has been determined by the district. Folders may not be added to folders. 

Students are able to edit their LaunchPad and add folders as well. 


Tip 3: Adding Applications to the LaunchPad 

Teachers and students are able to add applications to their launch pad by selecting the plus icon at the top left of the launchpad to access the App Library. The library for teachers is more extensive than the student app library. The AACPS library for students reflects many requests to have them added to the student ClassLink page. These apps include: National Geographic, Google Earth and Google Arts and Culture. 


Tip 4: Changing the Appearance of ClassLink

Now that you have the apps organized the way you want them and have added some other applications you may want to change the theme, app size, font style, color color or add a custom wallpaper. Select the edit button. You will then see the options to change these features. 


Theme has three options: Classic, Primary, and Professional. I prefer the Classic theme. The App Size is defaulted at Medium but could be changed to Small or Large. The Font Style is Text Background or

Text Shadow. Palette allows the user to change the LaunchPad’s menu color at the top of the page. Custom Wallpaper allows the change in the background color either by a picture or solid background as well as selecting a custom color. As you decide on how you want to customize your page, think about how you use ClassLink with your students. Will the students in the back of the room be able to see the Apps, etc.Is the background distracting? Students are also able to change the appearance of their ClassLink page as well. 


Tip 5: Change Profile Picture

Another way of customizing your ClassLink page is to add a profile picture.  At the top right you can see Profile. Here you are able to add a picture of yourself or add an avatar from Classlink. Select Settings in order to upload your own picture or one from ClassLink. Students can add a ClassLink avatar but not their own image. 

Hope you find these tips useful as you customize your ClassLink page. 


Popular Posts

Book Studies in Brightspace

-
Image
By Melissa Connelly, Behavior Specialist & Brightspace Campus Champion at Belle Grove Elementary, and Stacy Langhirt, 1st grade teacher and former eCoach, Severna Park Elementary Books clubs about technology, really? Yes! It was an awesome experience. When asked to facilitate a class during the summer of 2021, feeling a little burned out on technology we asked if we could try something new. Guess what the answer was a  resounding, YES. That is how a five week technology book study came to be using our new LMS, Brightspace. Facilitating a book study about tools and technology that we have available to us everyday and that our students are familiar with just made so much sense. We were able to share a wonderful text, Eric Curts' Control Alt Achieve: Rebooting your Classroom with Creative Google Projects ,  that was rich with ideas on using Google Workspace for Education in the classroom and we had conversations centered around those ideas that helped all of us to grow as e...
Read more

Computational Thinking: Its really not that scary!

-
Image
By Kerri Lambert, Instructional Technology Teacher Specialist Computational thinking. It’s one of those current, hot educational phrases that leaves most teachers scratching their heads and thinking, “Does this really apply to me?” Especially when most articles and books stress its relationship and importance to computer science.  However, the more I read, the more I’m convinced that computational thinking extends to all content at all grade levels. After all, at its most basic, computational thinking is all about the process of problem solving. And let’s face it, that’s something we all do, all day long!  So what exactly IS computational thinking? By definition, computational thinking is the process of breaking down complex problems down into parts, recognizing patterns, and devising a solution. It has four pillars or processes: Broken down into the processes, computational thinking seems a lot less intimidating. I mean, even cleaning the house can be broken down into comp...
Read more

Who to Follow on Social Media

-
Image
by Kerri Lambert, Instructional Technology Teacher Specialist In OIT, we are often asked how we learn “all this stuff” and how do we keep up with all the changes across our platforms. There are several ways, but one of our favorite ways is to peruse Twitter when we have a moment. This allows us to get information from one place and in the small snippets of time- and it doesn’t fill up our inboxes! If you are on Twitter and looking for people to follow, here are a few that we recommend. It’s no secret that OIT supports a variety of instructional applications and yes, sometimes it can feel overwhelming! But, many of the programs we subscribe to are active on Twitter. Not only do they tweet out updates or upcoming features, but also showcase ways educators across the country are using their products with students. This is also a great way to find out about learning opportunities such as webinars or conferences. Following the companies gives you the best of both worlds- updates and inspir...
Read more