Class Tools

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Hi, everyone:

Class Tools include Random Picker, Random Events, Timer, Stopwatch, Boss Battles, Volume Meter, Grade Converter and Kudos. The availability of these tools will vary with a Premium or Free account.

Feel free to ask any questions you have about Class Tools!

- Mélysa Fréchette, Community Manager, support@classcraft.com

39 comments
Date Votes

I have the students added, in teams, and their characters are created.  Now what?  How do they begin playing and using their points, fighting battles, going on quests, etc?

 

Hi Sherry,

Now you can begin playing in your class, rewarding/removing points as needed. 

These resources should be helpful:

Quick, essential Classcraft 101 videos: https://help.classcraft.com/hc/en-us/sections/204016697-Classcraft-101
Common gaming terms and benefits: https://help.classcraft.com/hc/en-us/articles/226347087-Games-101-Understanding-gaming-benefits-and-terms
Typical Day in Classcraft video and Quickstart Guide: http://www.classcraft.com/intro
Free weekly training PD webinars: http://game.classcraft.com/webinars
Help Section (9-4 chat support, tutorials, and more videos): help.classcraft.com

The new "Introduce" feature for each class should help you explain the game to students: http://giphy.com/gifs/classcraft-26ufbEWr1TowhtSiA

What is the new quest going to do? What do you mean by measuring class volume? Also, any idea when we will be seeing this new quest?

Hi Kyle,

The Hidden Treasure quest will use the computer's speakers to measure the volume of the class. If students are being too loud, they might lose HP; if they're quiet, they might find some treasure!

Oh my god that would be a life-saver!  Noise is the BIGGEST issue in my classroom.  Kids are respectful and on-task, but they just get too loud.  And those sound monitor things are toooo expensive for me. 

Hi! I'm a first time user of Classcraft, so I'm still wondering if I should go Premium or not. Mainly, because there is no information (at least I haven't been able to find it) that will tell me what certain features would do, in order to consider it feasible.

For example: I have already tried Adventures in the Wild (or Boss Battle), so now I know it is a way to apply a quizz as if students were battling with a boss. Ok. Would love a 1:1 as a homework for them, and not during class, but worked fine.

And now: what do The White Mountain Trek (countdown) does? Is it only a countdown? For what? To answer a question, but with a timer?

And the Forest Run (stopwatch)? What does it do?

If I had more information it would be great and extremely helpful ton consider buying.

Besides, my class will only last 6 months. Do I have to buy an entire year?

I would like answers here, too.  I have had a hard time using this in the classroom and I have a very chatty, disruptive class.  I would like to use ClassCraft in a way that is not time consuming or causes further distractions to a class that is already incredibly difficult for me to keep on task.  Thanks!

Hi Sherry,

My best suggestion for a chatty class is to have the chattiest students get hit hard on health each time it happens. I have found that when students see another student losing health for behavior issues, especially when they lose health a few times in a row, it can get the rest back on track. The biggest risk with this is that a student won't care if they fall in battle, but the penalty to their teammates can add a social element to not wanting to fall in battle. In addition, my policy is that students cannot use powers or interact with the "game" in any way until they serve their sentence (usually a short writing assignment) to bring them back into the game. This also seems to be effective because these students who are "out" can see the advantages that the powers bring to their peers.  As long as your powers are worthwhile and students want to use them, they will strive to stay "alive" in the game, which in turn gives the loss of health weight as a behavior modifier.

I hope this helps!

Hi Delia,

Here's some information about our Premium features.

Quests:

  • Boss Battles are meant as a way to review for formative assessments during class. We will eventually be adding individual quizzes that students can do from their accounts. :-)
  • The countdown and stopwatch can be used in various ways. For example, where I am, a lot of classrooms don't have clocks. A teacher could use the countdown to allow students to manage their time more efficiently during exams (students can get anxious if they don't know how much time they have left!). Both tools could also be used for timed challenges in class.

Interactive Class Content:

  • This LMS allows you to share lessons with students (text, videos, or images).
  • You can enable comments to host discussions and have students share their thoughts. Here's a great example!
  • You can collect assignments from students and give them feedback on their work.

Gradebook:

  • You can enter test or quiz results and convert them to HP and XP in the game for every point below or above the passing grade.

Analytics:

  • This feature is meant as a behavioral scorecard that enables you to see a student’s performance in comparison with the rest of the class.
  • This information can be very useful for parent meetings: you can share data showing what students struggle with or where they shine in class.  

Edited to add: Students also have access to more gear and to pets that they can train to earn GP. 🙂

I hope this helps!

Any update on the HIdden Treasure quest?

Hi, Mr. Minton!

"Hidden Treasure" should be released this spring.

I have created a quest for one of my classes.  How can I copy that quest or assign it to my other classes?  Also, how do I assign a boss battle to the end of the quest?

Hi Robert,

The "Import" feature isn't part of the beta version, but rest assured, the team is working hard on it!

You can't assign a boss battle to the end of a quest as those two features aren't linked. However, you could definitely launch a boss battle in class once the whole class has completed a quest!

Hi Anne-Marie,

Is the plan for the self-paced boss battles to link up with quests eventually?  Thanks!

Hi Jared,

We definitely plan on integrating self-paced quizzes into Quests! We're be adding other types of objectives as well, such as fun "random encounters."

How about the assignments in the Interactive Classroom Content? Can we integrate those into the quests? Thank you.

Hi Oguz,

That will be part of the "Import" feature we're planning.

Hello!  I am having a problem with my Quests.  I LOVE the feature (seriously, thank you!)...but I just spent 2 hours setting up a quest and it is only available for 1st period.  How do I allow it to be seen by 2nd through 8th, as well?

 

Edit: I think this question was asked above, but I did not understand the answer.  I don't want to import things from another program.  I just want to use an already-created quest in more than one class period.

Hi Rosemary,

We're happy to hear you like Quests! Importing is not part of the beta version. However, it will be possible to clone a quest from one class to another in the official release – our team is working on that feature.

Thanks for your patience!

Another important feature I would like to see in Quests is for once a student has completed a step in the quest and we have clicked the green check mark indicating that they have done so, the system should automatically assign the XP and GP prize to the student.  It would also be good if it told the student why they were being rewarded.  For example, after Johnny completes the first stage of the quest, Mr. Andrews checks his work and clicks the box indicating Johnny has finished stage one.  Johnny automatically receives 100 XP and 10 GP!  He receives a message stating, "Congratulations Johnny on completing stage one of Mr. Andrews' Quest!  You have earned 100XP and 10 GP for your efforts!  Keep it up!"

As of right now, I have to apply both XP and GP manually for each student and explain why each time.  Kind of a hassle!

 

Thanks!

I have just set up a quest for my students to complete, and I would like to set up a second quest. I can't figure out how to do that - the screen won't let me begin again on the same map, and it won't let me choose a new map. Am I only allowed to make one quest?

Hi, everyone!

It's now possible to import a quest from one of your class to another! When you create a new quest, you'll find the "Import" button in the bottom left corner.

@Robert: Thanks! I'm making note of your comments.

@Erin: You can create an unlimited number of quests. To create a second quest, click the green "+" icon in the bottom right corner of the page. Let me know if you're still having issues!

Anne-Marie, 

 

When creating quests, are the tasks to be done by computer or can they be done by let's say in a math workbook?  Hope this question makes sense. 

 

Kevin

Hi Kevin,

As I understand and use it, you really do not need it to be a computer-based task. For example, I set up quizzes on Moodle for the students, and check each student as "completed" under the progress tab when they pass the quiz, so they can move on to the next step of the quest.

Therefore, I think it is perfectly fine to give them a paper assignment, and check them out manually on progress.

Anne-Marie,

Import feature is really very helpful. Big thanks to all the team.

Pleased to hear it, Oguz!

@Kevin: Oguz is right: You can give students a paper assignment. You have to access the Quests Progress Center and mark the objective as complete manually either way.

Can I create a quest for just certain students, or do they have to be visible to all?

My quest tasks look to me as though they are connected by the arrows,but the students tell me they can not view the tasks. I can't figure out what I did wrong.

Rhonda, they won't be able to see the tasks until you click the green check mark on your teacher account "Quest Progress Center".  You will find that by opening up the map and clicking on the objective.  There you can advance students to the next 'task' by clicking the check mark.  Then they go back to their map and they will see the next task.

Hi Rhonda,

Sandra is correct! Once you've selected an outcome for your students in the Quests Progress Center, the path will open in their student accounts.

@Sandra: To answer your previous question, quests are visible to all students. However, I can pass along your suggestion to the team. Thanks!

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