This article outlines LMS features with which to be familiar as a parent or guardian.
Some curriculum features are dependent on the learning management system (LMS). As a parent, you must know in which LMS your student is working in order to support them in their academic success.
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Learning Management Systems
A learning management system (LMS) is the online environment for the delivery of academic courses and the documentation, tracking, and reporting of a student's course performance.
NOTE: Click the linked LMS to see the Lincoln Learning student experience video.
Each LMS is unique in the features it provides. Click on the item below to learn more about its availability and function in your student's learning management system.
Observer Account
An observer account is a read-only experience allowing parents and guardians to view their child's course material, due dates, announcements, and more. Observers can view the courses but cannot participate in the courses.
Buzz
If your child's school is using the Lincoln Learning instance of the Buzz LMS, you will have access to an observer role. For more information on the permissions you have with this role, please visit our The Buzz Observer Role resource.
If your student's school is using their own instance of Buzz, they have the option to enable the observer role. Please reach out to your school contact if you have questions about this role.
Additional Buzz Resources
Get started with Buzz: Parents and Observers
Buzz user manual: Parents and Observers
Canvas
As an observer, parents can link their Canvas account to their child's account and monitor their progress, view course content, and read announcements. For more information, see the How do I sign up for a Canvas account as a parent? resource.
Additional Canvas Resources
Account Registration and Student Pairing
Schoology
Parents can observe their students in Schoology with a Parent account. With a Parent account, you can access Schoology from your child's point of view and receive updates about their activity. For more information, see the Parents category from Schoology.
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Monitoring Progress and Accessing Grades
It is important to monitor your student's progress and review their grades periodically to ensure your child is producing quality work and submitting their assignments on time.
Note, though, that passing grades do not necessarily mean your child is appropriately engaging with their course's material. Talk with your child about their classes and what they're learning. Ask them questions about their grades and the feedback their receiving from their teachers.
Review our Viewing Your Grades and Progress Monitoring in Your LMS resources to learn how to view your student's grades and monitor progression through the course in their LMS.
Buzz Resources
How do I view a student’s progress?
How do I view my progress (Grades screen)?
Canvas Resources
How do I view the Grades page for a student as an observer?
Schoology Resources
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To-Do List
The To-Do List tells the student when they have an assignment due. Our student resource, Understanding the To-Do List, explains more about this feature.
Buzz
In Buzz, the To-Do List shows all activities with due dates coming up within seven days in addition to past-due assignments. It is a reminder for students to see when graded Assess Its are due.
Buzz Resources
How do I use the Activities tool and Course Home pages?
Canvas
In Canvas, To Do items are those on which the student or teacher have placed a due date.
Canvas Resources
How do I use the To Do list and sidebar in the Dashboard as a student?
Schoology
The To Do section of your home page displays events, assignments, tests and quizzes, and discussions with an associated due date.
Schoology Resources
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Assessments
Lincoln Learning Assessments, whether in question-answer form (multiple choice, multiple answer, matching, ordering, etc.) or project-based (worksheet, original student work), are used to measure students' understanding and mastery of content within our courses.
Depending on the course(s) in which your child is enrolled, they can experience formative assessments known as Assess Its or summative assessments such as Checkpoints, Mastery Assess Its, and Semester Finals. Read our Assessments Overview resource for more information.
Our Submitting Online Assessments and Submitting Upload Assessments resources provide helpful information for students to submit their work.
Buzz Resources
How do I review course activities?
Canvas Resources
How do I view Assignments as an observer?
Schoology Resources
Course Materials: Assessments (Students)
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Announcements
Teachers may send announcements to students about a change in the content or schedule or as a reminder of an upcoming due date. Teachers may also send a message to individual students; these messages may be a statement or question about an assessment performance, progress check-in, or a follow-up to previous communications.
NOTE: Schoology's version of announcements are called Updates.
Buzz Resources
Canvas Resources
How do I view Announcements as an observer?
Schoology Resources
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Please note the images found in this resource may not match your screen. Access and/or features may vary based on client contract.
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