Roadblock Rescue: StrongMind Speak Decoded
Making sense of common terminology that may be used during a training session:
Native Canvas - Content or tools created in Canvas or by Instructure with standard universal features. We often refer to this as “out-of-the-box Canvas”.
LTI - Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI) is a standard developed by 1EdTech Consortium, which allows tools to reuse content and technology across multiple platforms, like Canvas and other Learning Management Systems, or LMS's. StrongMind both delivers assessments and curriculum via LTI, and offers customers on our Canvas LMS access to custom created LTI’s.
Published/Unpublished - Published content on Canvas is content that exists and is visible and accessible for users. Unpublished content exists within the course, but is not visible or accessible to users. Unpublishing content allows teachers to hide content without deleting it entirely.
User Instance - A unique URL that users would visit to access StrongMind curriculum for their school or organization.
Courseware Users - Customers who use StrongMind Canvas and curriculum. These users have access to StrongMind’s custom LTI’s, often referred to as “lightbulb” items such as Distribute Due Dates and Snapshot.
Content Only Users - Customers who import StrongMind curriculum into their own LMS.
NCAA & StrongMind
The topic of NCAA eligibility is a complicated one that is often misunderstood. It is also one which we take very seriously at StrongMind. Common in the industry is the misconception that courseware is approved. This is misleading phraseology. In reality, it is the combination of a vendor’s instruction/instructional hours as well as courses/content and instructional models. Any district or school division using their own teachers to deliver instruction have the opportunity to submit StrongMind courses alongside their brick and mortar annual programs of study for NCAA approval. In other words, if a district is partnering with StrongMind for content but using its own teachers to provide instruction in an online or blended setting, StrongMind courses can be used.Additionally, StrongMind would be pleased to partner with districts to support their annual submission to the NCAA and have worked collaboratively with districts around the country successfully. Fortunately, given the breadth of resources and experiences that comes with 20+ years in the industry, StrongMind is also able to provide courses inclusive of instruction through our Bridge School. In this option, both content and instruction could be provided.
In summary, StrongMind has two options districts can choose from at this time in order to ensure they are meeting NCAA approval guidelines:
Implement StrongMind content with district teachers and leverage StrongMind support to submit courses to the NCAA for approval.
Partner with StrongMind to provide both content and instruction through our Bridge School.
To learn more about StrongMind and NCAA, please see our Knowledge Base at success.strongmind.com
Teacher Tip: Confetti mode in Native canvas applications
Did you know that you can enable a celebration feature for any teacher created assignment in Canvas? Watch the how-to video below to view the steps to take to enable this feature and what to share with your teachers about how to use it.
Must Have’s to Consider with this tool:
This will only work with teacher created assignments. StrongMind delivers assignments through LTI which is not supported with this feature.
Celebrations must be enabled on an admin and teacher level.
The assignment and any module it exists within must be published.
The assignment must indicate an online submission.
The assignment must have a due date.
Partner Shoutout: Congratulations, Holly Brzycki!
The Individual Excellence in Digital Learning Award was recently presented to Holly Brzycki, Supervisor of Online Learning at the Capital Area Online Learning Association and StrongMind partner. This incredible honor was for her work to provide and advance high-quality digital learning opportunities for Pennsylvania's K-12 students over the last decade.
Holly was recognized at the Digital Learning Association Conference in Austin, TX Digital Learning Collaborative. StrongMind offers our most sincere congratulations for a well deserved honor!!
