5 Steps to Get Started with Spaces EDU
We are all looking for better ways to engage and interact with students. I not only want to engage students I want to see that they have actually learned! I’m personally not a believer that grades show growth. What does a C mean? They did all their work but struggled with the content? They are masters at the content but don’t do the busy work? Spaces is an assessment platform that makes it easy to capture, assess, and share student growth. Here are 5 steps to get started with Spaces EDU.
Sponsored post by Spaces EDU
1. Create a Class
After creating an account and logging in, I log in with my Google Account, you will want to “Add Class.”
Spaces is not a replacement of Google Classroom, it works with Google Classroom! You can select to invite your Google Classroom class to your Space.
Select Your Settings
Spaces is about GROWTH. You will want to keep the settings that you are wanting to add curriculum tags and set curriculum goals for students.
Students must accept the class invite to be loaded into Spaces.
2. Get to Know the Class Feed
Students instantly “get” Spaces. It is similar to many social media spaces. However, this is for education! On the left side is the list of students who have joined the class. On the right side is where you can define your curriculum goals. Along the top are different ways to engage with students using Spaces.
- Feed – Where you and students can interact and share.
- Activities – Create assignments and tasks for students to complete
- Spaces – Engage students in group discussions, project-based work, self-reflection with a particular SPACE for these types of interactions.
- Messages – Connect with PARENTS, Students, and Families.
- People – Students, Parents, and Teachers.
Create a Post
Start by making a post! This is not something students are required to do or is evaluated. Just create a greeting welcoming students to the space.
3. Post an Audio Recording
Getting started with any EdTech tool… start small. Help your students get acclimated to Spaces Feed and encourage them to share. Notice the options when creating a post. Use the Camera to post a selfie or video. Use the Audio option to record your voice right into the Post. This is a fun and easy way to connect with students personally.
Students can also respond with video, audio, text, or add a file! For a class post, the student responses are visible to everyone the post is shared with. However, a Spaces class is private to your class. This creates a safe place for students to share with their class.
4. Connect Your Standards
Spaces very likely has your standards already pre-loaded. Use the sidebar to select a curriculum set. After selecting the set of standards you want to use with the class, choose the one or two you are focusing on this week. This makes it easy to align your activities to standards.
When creating a post or an assignment, easily select the “Curriculum Tag” you are working on.
Here is the standard I chose: “CCR.LL.1 • Engage in literacy learning through a collaborative and community effort and in an integrated fashion rather than as discrete skills in isolation.” Spaces is perfect for this standard! Spaces builds communuty and allows students to engage around literacy learning.
Of course, Spaces is great for math as well.
5. Invite Families
Spaces allows you to connect with parents and guardians. Click on “People” along the top to add the email address of a family member.
As a teacher you can leave messages for the class, for the student, or for families. This makes it really easy to keep clear communication with everyone.
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