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What is Schoology?
Schoology is a web-based learning management system (LMS) that creates a unified classroom for in-person and at-home learners. Teachers can create tasks/assignments, assessments, and discussions for students (or even other teachers). Teachers, parents, and students can easily communicate with one another through the Schoology messenger. Schoology allows for interaction and engagement for students while completing time-tracked assignments within the system. The integration possibilities are endless with other applications. Schoology is also an online gradebook with the ability to create assessments and rubrics and keep track of student performance. In addition to the web-based experience, there are apps available for iOS, Android, and Chrome.
Schoology LMS vs. Google Classroom
Iola ISD has become very accustommed to Google and its wide array of applications. Teachers and students have learned and adapted quickly to the ever-changing world of technology and Iola ISD has kept up with hundreds of updates and improvements in the Google Education setting. Google Classroom is a classroom management tool. In Google Classroom, teachers are able to piece together multiple resources, applications, assignments, live social streams, and more to allow students that are in the classroom, and sometimes remote, to engage with others in their virtual classroom. Schoology is an overall LEARNING management system. The resources and assignments are available all in one location, the LMS is consistent from Pre-K through 12th grade, and many textbooks, softwares, and programs integrate seamlessly with Schoology.
Schoology is an upgrade from Google Classroom, thus allowing for the level of rigor that we expect at Iola ISD to be attained, a seamless tranisition from in-class to at home to occur, and for parents and students to have one single location to access materials, resources, assignments, and communication for all grade levels.
According to a recent presentation from the Texas Education Agency, Schoology is considered a "high-end solution that monitors student progress" while Google Classroom is a "middle solution that manages classroom tasks." Iola ISD feels that it is important that all students, parents, and teachers have the best opportunity possible to be successful during these unprecedented times.
