Some staff explore new web resource before next year’s launch

English teacher Courney Lubs is a member of a high school teacher team assisting with integrating new technology, and she is exerimenting with the new Schoology account that will officially kick off for all staff and students in the 2014-2015 school year. Its portal for school work collaborations among all staff and students shares many features somewhat similar to Facebook.

With the majority of the Google Chromebooks already rolled out, there is another change coming to CFHS technology use. Schoology is a Facebook-type network, but for academics.

Schoology offers many more services, however,  including uploading and viewing grades; posting assignments; taking tests and quizzes; posting upcoming calendar events for assignments and such; and hosting a Facebook-like social network.

It also has a wide variety of apps on its app store, including Google Drive, Evernote, Dropbox and Khan Academy. Students can download apps and use them from their main Schoology screen.

This semester, some teachers will be encouraged to use Schoology, but for the majority of the teachers, Infinite Campus will be the norm. It is expected that Schoology will be used more widely across the district beginning next year.

Coordinator of Instructional Technology Brian Unruh is excited by the many ways that Schoology can affect students and the school in the long run.

“I think for students, it will be a nice way for them to stay organized and have one place to refer back to for all of their classes. It will be one place that has the latest updates from all of your teachers and looking to see what assignments are coming up,” Unruh said. “I can see it being a great way for teachers and students to communicate back and forth with each other about their learning.”

Schoology is most likely to be used along with Infinite Campus and not replacing it because the district uses the data that it collects from Infinite Campus to report to the state.

“An example would be like attendance would be taken through Infinite Campus, and there might be a classroom discussion or other assignment that would be using Schoology for the students. Grades can potentially be done in either program, but they will eventually all be put into Infinite Campus,” Unruh said.

Media specialist Kim Traw said she thinks that Schoology can only help students feel more comfortable while using their new Chromebooks.

“I think it will help students be more organized and help students and teachers make more efficient use of the Chromebooks that are distributed,” Traw said.