Recently, a new teacher user asked a question about what we would recommend for sharing a document with her students. She noticed that she could add a file to an assignment as well as upload that file into the class group and was curious what the pros and cons of the choice were.
First, let’s review the choices. When an assignment is loaded into Connected.info from a teacher’s gradebook software, it appears in the list of assignments for a particular course section. Depending on the gradebook, the ability to attach a document, such as a worksheet, to the assignment may not be present. Connected.info allows the attachment of any number of documents, video files, etc. to an assignment for this reason. By editing the assignment and uploading the file or files she wants, a teacher may then post the assignment to the system.
Connected.info also has a feature to allow document or file sharing within the class section group. This “document locker” is not dependent upon an assignment and as such represents a convenient place to share files which may be applicable to a number of tasks during the school term.
Which makes more sense to use? As is sometimes the case, the answer is “It depends”. Attaching a document to an assignment provides access to the document to students and their parents when they wish to work on the assignment. And, it also allows historical access to the document. What does that mean? Suppose next school year, a parent or student wants to review some of the assignments worked on this school year. The assignment is available for viewing, but the document storage for last year’s course section group may have been cleared out since the class section is no longer meeting. Also, attaching the document to an assignment provides for an in-context use of the document, whereas the document sharing feature may be less convenient.
However, document sharing does have its advantages as well. Suppose the document is applicable to more than just one assignment. It would be less convenient for the teacher to have to attach the same document to many assignments. Storing the document in the document sharing locker and referencing it in the various assignments may be more efficient for her.
The nice thing is that both features can be used when needed. Also, I would point out that both features support Connected.info “multi-post” capability where the teacher can easily add the same document to multiple course section groups at the same time, saving her from having to repeat the task for each course section.
Please keep the questions about Connected coming!
