It seems impossible to imagine a time when grades were not a click away, and homework assignments were written in planners and not virtual portals. And while most of us have managed to move on from those dark and desolate days, there are still teachers on campus who, evidently, hesitate to live in the now. I am referring of course to those that continue to ignore the existence of Schoolloop.
When FUHSD first introduced Schoolloop to the district, it provided a means of communication for three distinct groups in the community: students, parents and teachers. Since then, students have used the site feverishly to check grades, keep track of their homework and email teachers with any questions they have. It has also provided teachers with the opportunity to organize grades and post assignments, links and calendars, allowing students access to anything they have missed, and potentially giving them a constantly updated picture of how well they are doing in each of their respective classes. Provided these indisputable assets the program has to offer, there is no valid reason for teachers to not embrace this “new” technology.
Above all Schoolloop is most valued for its ability to monitor grades. Through tracking and extensive calculation students know exactly where they are struggling, and are able to ask for help immediately, rather than wait until the end of the semester. Progress reports keep students from being completely ignorant of their grades, but a six week update is hardly a replacement for a day to day machine. Using Schoolloop eliminates the undoubted frustration and stress that students and teachers face at the end of the semester.
Perhaps some teachers believe inputting scores into a virtual gradebook is time consuming, but if teachers were to use Schoolloop more frequently it would save time and make their lives easier by providing a jump start on the end-of-the-grading-period crunch. Others may prefer discussing a student’s grade face to face, believing that any direct communication is much better than virtual communication. And while that may be true, it comes at the cost of valuable class time, and there’s really no excuse for wasting that.
Back in the day when planners had higher significance than acting as drawing pads and chatrooms were the best thing social networking had to offer, in other words, before the era of Schoolloop, teachers faced the challenge of keeping grades and students’ concerns about their grades up-to-date. Teachers would use their personal grading system programs to calculate grades and every three to four weeks print them out and post them on the wall for students to see. This method may have been effective but it most certainly was not efficient. The idea of doing that today is almost laughable, made more so with the irony of the obvious technology resting at our fingertips, Schoolloop.
Contrary to popular belief, Schoolloop is not a free service. Beginning with the implementation of Schoolloop a few years ago, the FUHSD school district made an agreement with Schoolloop, which offered the service for a paid amount. If our school is paying for it we might as well put the money to good use.
Schoolloop has proven to be far too beneficial and expensive for teachers not to use it. It’s the Facebook for school and it’s about time they get with the program. Literally.
