What is a Mode and when Should I use it?
A Mode is a feature that allows a teacher to restrict your class content and activities to your choosing during an active class. This means that your students will only be able to access your desired Material, Sites, and Applications during the duration of the mode.
Modes can be used to run a quiz or an exam during your class or simply run a focused class session for your learners.
#Note: A Mode does not replace a class but can be used in conjunction with an active class.
Let's start looking into more details about Modes with the initial setup
Creating a new Mode
A Mode is created inside your selected Class. This means that the Mode is automatically linked to this class.
A Mode can be created in numerous places, before a class begins (For those teachers who would like to prep), at the start of a class, and during an active class.
Let us start with creating a new mode before your season.
- Once logged into your edMesh Teacher Dashboard, Click on the “Plan Class” button on the selected Class.
- On the navigation panel click on “All Modes”
- Select “Create Mode”
- Ensure that you give your Mode a Name. The Mode customization also allows you to link any other of your classes to the mode.
#Note: The class you are creating the mode in will automatically be linked.
- Once you have clicked Create Mode, you will be presented with your Mode setup. Here you can add your class content, allowed apps, and sites.
The Mode content can include various materials. You can add existing Class Material to the Modes, this allows you to share any PDFs, YouTube links, etc. which you have already configured for your class.
The Mode can also include applications that you will allow during the Active Mode.
- Go to manage apps then click Add apps then in the Search apps field, type in the application you would like to allow during your mode and add it to your Allowed list. All the Apps on the allowed list will be accessible during the Mode.
#Note: Modes will only block Chrome applications configured from the school admin using Google Chrome Management, this means apps installed manually by students using Play Store will not be blocked. Web applications will need to be allowed using the Allowed Sites.
- Finally your mode also has an Allowed Sites section, simply add a specific URL or a wild card to allow access to the select sites for your mode.
- Once you have completed your Mode setup you are ready to use your mode.
- When you are ready to Start your mode, simply go to your class and click on the Modes drop-down to activate your newly created mode.
Selecting an Existing Mode
Once you have set up your Modes, they are now available for you to activate at any time during your class.
- At class start, you can decide to start your class in a mode. You can do this by clicking Start Class, configuring your class settings, scrolling down to Class Mode, and selecting your Mode from the list displayed.
- Then simply click start class, this will start your class automatically in the mode selected.
- You can also activate a Mode during an active class, on your dashboard, navigate to the Modes drop-down menu. Select the Mode you would like to activate and select it.
- This will automatically start your selected Mode. The dashboard will display the selected active Mode.
Switching Modes in Active Classroom
Modes can be turned on during your active class, this also means that you also switch between different Modes during your class.
- If you have activated a mode during your class and you wish to switch it off or switch to another Mode, navigate to the Mode drop-down menu on your Dashboard.
- Here you can select to switch the current mode off or select one of your other configured Modes. Once you have selected our Mode, it will automatically activate on your dashboard and your class devices.
FAQs about Modes
Multiple Teachers in Class
Your class might have more than one Teacher or tutor in it, if this teacher has access to the edMesh dashboard they will also have access to the Modes.
The additional teachers in your class will have access to all the class content and settings as well as the modes and therefore can also activate the Mode during the class.
#Note: These teachers can edit the Mode in any of the classes it is linked to. If a Mode is edited or content is removed, this will change the Mode for all linked classes.
Therefore when a Mode is edited we do need the teacher to confirm the changes to the Mode so that they are aware of the impact of the change.
Unlinking a Mode
You can link a Mode to numerous classes and therefore unlink any of your classes from your Mode.
- Navigate to All Modes and click on the eye icon to edit the mode.
- In the Link Classes section, you can unlink the classes by clicking on the trash bin icon.
Now that you have all the information about setting up and running your class Modes, Please go ahead and try setting one up on your Dashboard.
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