Description
The Activity Feed Service provides the ability to use the Activity Feed homepage widget. The Activity Feed widget creates a unique "feed" or "stream" for a course. The feed is a way for instructors to provide access to activities learners need to complete, deliver the information they need to know and facilitate learner engagement using simplified workflows in an intuitive and friendly interface.
Instructions
Once the Activity Feed widget has been added to your homepage, you can create a message or an assignment.
To create a message:
- Select the plus icon (+) from the top left corner of the widget on the homepage. The default selection will be a message.
- Where it says "share something", type the text of your message.
- You can choose to attach a file by selecting the paperclip icon from the bottom left corner or to delete the message contents select the trash bin. To collapse the message, refresh your browser page.
- You can choose to allow the students to comment by selecting the Allow Comments setting or deselect it to prevent them from commenting.
- When you are ready to post, choose post later to schedule for another time, or Post to schedule right away.
To create (or post an existing) assignment:
- Select the plus icon (+) from the top left corner of the widget on the homepage. The default selection will be message, choose “Assignment.”
- You may choose to create a new assignment by typing a title where it says “Add a title or create a new assignment” or you can choose to post an already existing assignment by “Select Existing.”
- If creating a new assignment, you can attach files (bottom left corner paperclip), add a due date, and/or add it to grades.
- Once complete, select to schedule it to post later or post right away.
Notes
*Note: Activity feed “messages” CANNOT be transferred from term to term. If you have something that is formal and/or permanent in the course, use the ‘news’ tool. If you use the Assignment option within the Activity Feed tool and grade the item, it will be copied to the next class, and you can re-link them back to the Activity Feed.
Here are some of the benefits of activity feeds:
- Social-inspired activity feeds are aligned with familiar patterns, themes and functionalities found on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. This makes it easy to use and navigate.
- Regularly using an activity feed to share information is a much easier and more organized process than writing up a newsletter or sending out emails.
- An activity feed can grab and keep students’ interest and allow them to engage with teachers and their peers wherever and whenever.
- Teachers can delight students with timely feedback.
- Activity feeds put everything right in front of you; anyone can add anything at any time.
- With an activity feed, students can easily see what’s expected of them every day and get a jump-start on classroom work and easily access the resources they need.
Here are some different ways you can use activity feeds:
- Make announcements, post assignments, assign homework and add reminders about things like upcoming work, tests, labs, and assemblies. You can also share links to learning materials.
- Pre-plan by using an activity feed to get feedback from students around topics that will help to gauge how they will react to an upcoming lesson.
- Share videos and games from third-party providers in one place.
- Post quizzes as homework.
- Use an activity feed to poll students and use the results to invigorate engagement in the classroom.