October saw a lot of great features and quality-of-life enhancements added to the NextGenMath.com platform! On My Collection and Assignment Data, we added folders for better organization, made some minor improvements to the side info panel that slides out on the right when you click on an assignment, and in the Results view of Assignment Data you can now reopen or restart an assignment for students en masse. For district admin accounts, we have enabled a "School Admin" tab on the Schools page.  Additionally, Procedural Fluency presets can be shared and favorited. Lastly, Subitizing has been upgraded to include double frames. With these new features and enhancements, we hope you find your user experience a bit more seamless!

Folders

My Collection & Assignment Data

You can now create folders to organize your assignments both on My Collection and Assignment Data!

The use of folders will help you manage your assignments in NextGenMath.com efficiently. Here are some tips to help you create an effective folder structure:

Tip 1: Plan Your Folder Hierarchy

Before you start creating folders, take some time to plan your folder hierarchy. Think about the types of assignments you have and how you want to group them. Consider what will make it easy for you to find and access your assignments in the future.

Tip 2: Create your main folders

Start by creating a few  main folders that will serve as the top-level containers for your relevant assignments. These folders should have clear, descriptive names, such as "Assessments" or "2023 Q 1 Homework" 

Tip 3: Subfolders

Within your main folders, you can create subfolders to further categorize your assignments. For example, if you have an "Assessments" main folder, you can create subfolders like "Quick Checks" or "Domains," and so on. 

You can also create subfolders within a subfolder. Let’s say you have an “Assessments” folder with a “Domains” subfolder. You could create further subfolders for each domain, like “Counting and Cardinality,” “Operations & Algebraic Thinking,” and “Measurement & Data”. The key is to be specific and use descriptive names.

Tip 4: Sort Assignments into Appropriate Folders

When you save a new assignment, place it in the most relevant folder within your hierarchy. This should be a straightforward decision if you've planned your structure well.

Tip 5: Avoid Overcrowding

Don't put too many files in a single folder. If a folder becomes too large, it can become difficult to navigate. Create subfolders within it if necessary.

Tip 6: Keep It Simple

Avoid creating too many nested levels of folders. A balance between simplicity and depth is essential. If your structure becomes too complex, it may be counterproductive.

Tip 7: Regular Maintenance

Periodically review and clean up your folders. Delete or move files that are no longer needed. This will help prevent clutter and keep your organization system effective.

Remember that the key to effective organization is consistency. Stick to your chosen system, and don't be afraid to adjust it if you find it's not working optimally for your needs.

Info panel improvements

My Collection & Assignment Data

We've made important enhancements to the info panel! Now, beneath the start and due dates, you can easily see the 'Available From' and 'Available Until' times. We've also improved access to various actions by keeping the top and bottom rows of buttons always visible in the info panel.

Mass reopen and mass restart for assignments

Assignment Data - Results

Now, you have the ability to reopen and restart an assignment for multiple students simultaneously, directly from the Student Results table. To select all students, simply click the checkbox in the leftmost column header, as indicated by the red arrow. Then, with a click of a button, you can choose to either restart or reopen the assignment for the selected students. Efficiency at your fingertips!

New "School Admin" tab

Schools (District Admin only)

We're excited to introduce a valuable addition for district administrators: the new 'School Admin' tab on the Schools page. When you click this button, you gain access to a table displaying school administrators in your district, including details such as their last login date and the number of times they've logged into the NextGenMath.com platform during the current school year. What's more, by selecting a specific row, you can easily view the usage data for that administrator. It's a powerful tool to help you monitor your school administrators effectively.

Sharing and favoriting presets

Procedural Fluency

These actions can be performed from My Collection and Assignment Data; however, sharing functions differently on these two pages. Sharing an assignment from Assignment Data will share the results of that assignment, while sharing an assignment from My Collection will share a copy of the assignment itself.

Sharing from My Collection

If you're in My Collection, you can find these icons in the assignment card header. Keep in mind that sharing an assignment from My Collection will share a copy of that assignment. Click on an assignment and locate the section labeled Shared to in the info panel, then click the Manage Access button.

Relevant tutorial: Sharing assignments

Sharing from Assignment Data

If you're in Assignment Data, you can find these icons in the Details column of your assignment. Keep in mind that sharing an assignment from Assignment Data will share the results of that assignment. 

Relevant tutorial: Sharing assignment data

Favoriting a Procedural Fluency assignment

To mark an assignment as a favorite, locate the desired assignment from My Collection or Assignment Data. The star icon indicates whether an assignment is favorited or not, which also provides you with a way to filter assignments and assignment data. Clicking the star will allow you to favorite or unfavorite an assignment. A light gray fill indicates that the assignment is not favorited, while a yellow fill indicates that an assignment is favorited. 

A yellow star indicates an assignment that you have favorited,  while a grey star indicates an assignment that has not been favorited.

Subitizing "Double Frames"

Conceptual Understanding