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Video class assignment tips for instructors and students

• January 31, 2021
• Alex Martinez
• Digital Media / Kaltura (Video Management) / WeVideo

This article covers:

• For instructors
• For students
• Getting Started

Team Roles and Responsibility

Stock photos and graphics, video software, video tutorials, affordable and royalty-free audio clips.

Video assignments can be a research-intensive, collaborative, and highly engaging student activity. The video can demonstrate skills, knowledge, and communication strategies. View some student video projects to give you ideas for your next class assignment.

For Instructors

• Final videos should be between 2-5 minutes. A high quality 5-minute video can take about 5-10 hours to produce.
• Ensure that the project grade has the appropriate weight.
• Ensure that students keep you updated with their progress, require them to send you frequent project updates to avoid the project being done at the last minute.
• Create a “Group Planning” document for your student groups to help them plan, communicate, and organize. Spanish Skits ( http://goo.gl/hvaq4I ) Chemistry ( http://goo.gl/RpsPO2 ) B2B Marketing ( https://goo.gl/DsQef7 )  Why Make B2B Videos?
• For help with video assignments, contact [email protected] to get answers to your questions and support. We can give your students a workshop and a tour of the Digital Media Center.
• Give your students a few weeks to complete this project. Each week students should submit a progress report to ensure they are on track.
• Inform students that they can upload their videos into your Canvas course using My Media
• Create a video assignment in your Canvas course to make.
• Instruct students to submit their video assignments to make grading fast and easy using the Canvas speed grader tool.
• Science Communication Rubric
• Pecha Kucha Rubric (PDF)
• Infographic Instructor Grading Rubric
• Multimedia Science Activity Rubric
• Digital Storytelling Rubric
• Digital Video Project Rubric
• B2B Marketing Video Rubric

For Students

• Tips for students completing video class assignments (PDF)
• Spanish Skits
• Chemistry Educational
• B2B Marketing
• Take advantage of the DU Digital Media Center ; they have friendly staff and cool video software.
• Computer Screen Capture:  Jing (Free) and Skitch (Free)
• Prioritize recording high-quality audio. The further the microphone is from your presenter, the worse your audio quality will be. Recording indoor in quiet spaces or adding a voice-over track are the best options for capturing high-quality audio.
• Define a clear purpose and outcomes for the video .
• Establish teams and assign project roles and responsibilities.
• Research videos online that match your goals and expectations.
• Produce a video that is visually engaging to your audience. Scenes should be changing every 5-10 seconds.
• Create a storyboard shoot list and script .
• Create a project timeline and video team document to keep you organized.
• Tips for producing class assignment videos, “Before, During and After” .
• Have weekly team meetings.
• How to produce a video documentary by Adobe
• How to share final video securely to only class participants via Canvas Media Gallery
• Producer: Initiates and coordinates meetings and time management; has a high-level view of the project and timelines
• Script Writers: Responsible for creating the storyboard and script
• Researchers: Responsible for researching the topic, fact collecting and citations
• Videographer/Photographers/Audio Technicians: Responsible for video recording and still photos; ensures good lighting and audio quality
• Narrators: Provides audio or video commentary
• Illustrators / graphic artist : Responsible for drawing custom art work
• Video & Audio Editors: Responsible for video and audio editing software; will edit and share revisions with team members
• OpenVerse – 6 millions reusable objects
• Flickr Creative Commons
• DU Flickr Collection
• Science Images
• Archives.org
• Videvo.net – video b-roll clips
• ZOOM: Free video conference for all DU staff and students. Allows you to record your computer screen, webcam, interviews, and microphone. No editing features.
• Kaltura (Canvas My Media and DU MediaSpace): Free video conference for all DU staff and students. Allows you to record your computer screen, webcam, and microphone. Limited editing features. Kaltura is available within Canvas under My Media and DU MediaSpace .
• Kaltura Capture allows you to record your computer screen, webcam, and microphone.
• WeVideo – A web-based video editor designed for non-video professionals that’s easy to use. DU has a few student licenses.
• Adobe Creative Cloud software : DU Students, staff and faculty members now have access to this suite of Adobe software.
• iMovie – Mac 
• Camtasia Studio – Free video editor – 30 day trial for PC and Mac
• Blender : Free and open source 3D creation suite.
• PowToon – An online animated video software for both Mac and PC. Not free.
• Making a digital story video using iMovie
• Making a digital story video using WeVideo
• Vimeo Video School
• Video Story Guide
• Tips for marketing videos
• Videvo video clips
• YouTube Audio Library
• PartnersInRhyme
• Incompetech
• Global Sound Promotion
• Free Music Archive

The DU Digital Media Center has professional video and audio software for students. They are located in the Anderson Academic Commons and are normally open when the library is open.

Related Articles

Canvas kaltura important updates (4/2/2024), how to access zoom recordings in mediaspace, how to obtain a transcript file when conducting interviews using zoom, kaltura or a phone, kaltura – adding a single video to your canvas course, adding kaltura video on a du drupal page, wevideo tutorials & resources.

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'Watch-Think-Write' and Other Proven Strategies for Using Video in the Classroom

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One of the first things I added to my teacher tool kit during my first few years of teaching was video. As a science middle school teacher, I saw using documentaries as an effective strategy. After all, the interviewees and talking heads presented in videos are experts in their field, often working with cutting-edge tools that I could only dream of using. They also often had animations and visualizations that helped clarify ideas. Not only that, but by showing those documentaries, my students and I could  journey to places we’d never be able to go. In those early days, my planning time was often spent finding that “perfect” video that I could simply plug in, play and be done with the lesson.

I soon realized, however, that there was a problem with this approach. First, my students would often see this time as simply a form of entertainment. They would enter what I started calling “TV mode,” and instead of focusing on the content that I was so excited to show them, they would focus on the expert’s accent or on the cuteness of the animals showcased. Second, the plug and play approach limited my sources of video to documentaries and educational shows. Although these are rich source of information, I also saw opportunities in YouTube videos and commercial films. I remember watching Spiderman and thinking how great it would be to show the movie and discuss the different chase scenes in terms of Newton’s Laws of Motion. Although the idea sounded great, I also knew that I would not be able to explain to my administration and parents the use of this commercial movie as an educational experience. Never mind that it would, for sure, be seen as mere entertainment by my students. I needed ways to be able to circumvent these problems and use videos effectively.

As I continued on my journey, I finally understood that the key to using video effectively in the classroom is preparation. I could maximize the learning opportunities videos offer by encouraging students to become active viewers using a few simple tools and strategies.

Preparing the video:

• Preview the video. It goes without saying, but you do have to watch the full clip that you’re interested in showing and make sure that, as you watch it, you are thinking about your specific students. Whether your selection comes from YouTube or PBS, you do not want to be surprised by inappropriate content or material that is way above the students’ maturity level. I learned this one the hard way while showing National Geographic’s “The Human Footprint.” As I was previewing I had my “teacher hat” on and failed to recognize that the section on Cleansing and Beauty Products would get my students tittering about the girl in the shower. Nothing is actually shown or inappropriate, but just the idea was enough to derail my middle schoolers!
• Edit the video. Cut the video into smaller sections, showing only what you need. Vibby allows you to break up a video into highlighted sections. Once you click play, the “vib” will play the highlights and skip over whatever was not highlighted. You can also add comments, which makes it easy to provide students with specific focus points. (I have used Vibby to show clips of commercial action films to explain motion and forces concepts to my 8th graders, engaging them immediately because they recognize the scenes, often leading to discussions of how these films misrepresent the laws of physics.)
• Insert pointed questions, comments and commentaries. I often insert the questions I want to pose to the class, using either Edpuzzle and PlayPosIt . Both tools work similarly, allowing you to add different question types (multiple choice, short answer, etc.) as well as comments and audio commentaries. The video automatically stops at question points, allowing for a more seamless discussion. Here is an example I use when discussing biogeochemical cycles in my 7th grade class.
• Prepare guided notes . As you are previewing the video, think about  the key points and concepts you want your students to learn. Create your guided notes, leaving blanks for the information you want the students to write down.

One thing I’ve discovered is that it is also relatively easy to create your own videos using tools like screencast-o-matic or screencastify . In fact, a couple of years ago, as I was working with Better Lesson (a lesson plan and curriculum resource site), I did just that. I started by creating a screencast of myself teaching the concept. Then I Edpuzzled it and prepared my guided notes . I invite you to see the lesson in action at Better Lesson – Cladistics .

Before viewing:

• Activate prior knowledge. To do this, I usually use a simple quick write, a chain note or a turn and talk. I want my students to start thinking about what they already know about the subject, which helps them make connections between the video and the content already explored.
• Give a purpose for watching. State it clearly: “As you watch, pay attention to….” “You are looking for …” or “After watching you will ….” In my experience, this is the most important part of using videos effectively. Giving a purpose for watching almost guarantees that the students will not enter the “TV mode” I mentioned earlier, and, instead, will focus their attention on what you want them to learn from the video.

During viewing:

• Pause often. Even when I decide not to embed questions or comments during the preparation phase, I find that it is important to pause the video to allow processing of the information,to address questions and facilitate discussions prompted by the video. I came upon this practice quite by accident one day after presenting a two-hour documentary on DNA (Cracking the Code). Some of the content was a little too much for my 7th graders, so I found myself pausing often to explain the finer details. Eventually, the students themselves started asking me to stop because they did not understand something. As I reflected on the day, I and chastising myself for “all the time wasted” that kept me  from moving  to  my next plan, I  realized that we had, in fact, covered what I wanted, and more! Not only that, but the kids had not even entered “TV mode.” The simple act of pausing had made the use of this video a more engaging and effective tool.
• Watch: Students watch the segment. No writing allowed.
• Think: The whole class or table group discuss the segment. No writing allowed. (The time given for this is adjusted depending of the class and content.)
• Write: Students are able to include the new information in their guided notes, and even summarize or pose new questions to address.

After viewing:

Once I had all the previous elements more or less in place, I found there were still times that “TV mode” reared its ugly head. That’s when I understood that even with all the video preparation, I still needed to provide a way for my students to  go beyond the guided notes they took. Here are some of the things that have worked for me:

• Turn and talk. Students can discuss key points in partnerships, using their guided notes as a way to explain the content to each other.
• Learning event. Using a “Did you know…?” format, students can create short sound bites to share with the class or with other classes.
• Concept maps. Students can create concept maps based on prior knowledge and new ideas gleaned from the video segments.
• Problem solvers. Students use information from the video to answer a question or solve a problem.
• Video curators. Students find a video clip that explains a specific key point not clearly discussed in the original video presented, and share it with the class.
• Video creators. Using the segment presented as a model, students develop their own educational videos or documentaries.

I still believe that using videos is a great way to engage students, and I continue to find myself looking for “perfect” videos. However, now that I have understood that there is a big difference between playing a movie and using videos as a teaching tool, I am a lot more strategic when including them. It does take some work, but your students and classroom will reap the benefits. Do you have other tools or tips to share? I would love to know about them.

Editor’s Note:

If you want to learn more about how to use media effectively in your classroom, take our free, online course  Using Media as Core Text  on  KQED Teach .

To learn more about how we use your information, please read our privacy policy.

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Submitting a Watch Assignment

This assignment requires you to watch all slides and comments in a VoiceThread that your instructor has created.

• Submitting on a computer
• Submitting on a mobile device

New VoiceThread

Legacy VoiceThread

• Sign in to your course.
• Click on the VoiceThread assignment link set up by your instructor.
• Click the yellow “Start Assignment” button on the right.
• Watch all slides and all comments in the VoiceThread from start to finish.
• Once you’ve watched all slides and comments, you’ll see a blue check mark next to the to-do list on the right. Click the yellow “Submit” button on the right to complete your assignment.

• Open the VoiceThread app.
• Tap on “Find my Institution.”
• Search for your institution by title or custom domain, and tap on it.
• Make sure your LMS or course system is selected as your sign-in method.
• Tap “Sign in.”
• Sign in to your LMS as you normally would.
• Navigate to your course.
• Tap on the VoiceThread link provided by your instructor. This will take you to the assignment.
• View the details for the assignment, and then tap “Start Assignment” to begin. To dismiss the instructions, tap on the arrow in the top-left corner.
• Watch all slides and comments on the VoiceThread in their entirety. You cannot skip any or scrub through them and still receive credit.
• After you’ve finished watching the VoiceThread, the “Submit” button will pop up automatically. If you need to pull it up manually, tap on the menu icon in the top-right corner, and select “Assignment Details” from the menu that appears at the bottom of your screen.

While assignments should work seamlessly most of the time, you might occasionally encounter an error message that you need help resolving. Some of the most common ones are detailed here.

This assignment is currently being edited by your instructor.

This means your instructor currently has the assignment in edit mode. You won’t be able to work on it until they publish the assignment again. Please reach out to them if you continue to see this message for a prolonged period.

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8 Ways to Help Students Watch Video Critically (Instead of Zoning Out)

Because classroom “movie day” doesn’t mean turn off your brain.

Learn more about teaching critical video viewing at Common Sense .

The old classroom stereotype is that when a teacher cues up a video, it’s zone-out time on the part of the teacher and the student. Not so anymore! There is so much great video content available, and it has never been more accessible. But there is a fine art to using video in the classroom in order to maximize comprehension and develop critical-thinking skills in your students. The goal is for kids to be engaged, active viewers. Students should understand the videos they watch and be able to formulate opinions about the content. As for teachers, it may take a bit of additional prep time, but these eight tips will help set the scene for a blockbuster learning experience.

1. Choose wisely.

Make sure that the video resources you choose are relevant, specific to the topic you’re teaching and engaging. No kid wants to sit through 20 minutes of a boring movie for one minute of crucial information. A good rule of thumb to follow is to use high-quality, high-interest video from a trusted source. In addition, make sure the video is accessible for all of your students. Consider making written transcripts or using closed captioning if it is available. If you have English-language learners in your class, review vocabulary before viewing.

2. Keep it brief.

There has been much research conducted that shows the average adult attention span lasts anywhere from 8 to 20 minutes. For kids and teens, it’s even shorter. So it’s a good idea to keep educational videos brief. If you can, crop and edit content to highlight the most relevant pieces. By showing one or two short sequences, you will actually cover more ground, in more depth, than showing a longer sequence without a break.

3. Set the stage.

Before the viewing, introduce the video by giving a brief synopsis of what they are about to view. Lay out the purpose for watching it and highlight specific information you want them to look for as they watch. This will up the engagement and get your students invested in the topic before the film even rolls. Most importantly, formulate an essential question that you want your students to focus on. Write it on the board. Have them write it in their journals or on a note-catcher. In order for them to be successful, you’ve got to give them something to grab onto.

4. Create accountability.

Make it clear to your students that during the video, their role is not to sit back and relax, chat with their neighbor or check their phone. Set the expectation that while the video is rolling, they will have work to do.

One technique to try is called WSQ (pronounced “whisk”), developed by teacher-blogger Crystal Kirch. The three tasks involved are:

• W atch: Students take notes while they watch the video. Keep in mind that this is a highly developed skill, so be sure to provide enough structure and support around this task. Use a note outline that is pre-populated with some content, laid out in the order of the video. Or use a graphic organizer like this video/audio response sheet.
• S ummarize: Asking students to write a brief summary after viewing will reveal whether or not they understood what they watched. If not, some partner work or a class discussion is in order, or perhaps even a second viewing.
• Q uestion: After viewing, students write a question about the video. Check out Kirch’s blog for guidance on three types of questioning.

Inner-city high school teacher and best-selling education author Larry Ferlazzo recommends using this student question and answer sheet , particularly with English-language learners. Before the video, students make two predictions based on the video title. After viewing the video, they report whether their predictions were correct or not. Then, they each compose three questions about the video. Students swap questions and grade one another’s responses.

5. Use a back-channel tool.

A back-channel tool is an online discussion board that runs concurrently with a face-to-face activity. Tools like TodaysMeet, Chatzy and even Twitter provide students with an outlet to engage in conversation while watching the video together. Kids can react to the video and to other students’ comments, and the teacher can introduce deeper questions as the conversation unfolds.

For more tips on using tech to get the most out of video, check out this page on Common Sense Education , including the Cheat Sheet.

6. Pause and interact.

Keep students focused by peppering in moments to pause the video and ask purposeful questions. Make them fact-based questions aimed at comprehension and make sure your queries always point back to the essential question established in the preview. You can also pause the video at a suspenseful point and have students make predictions or form hypotheses. This will help them be invested because they will want to see how it turns out.

7. Take time after the video to reflect.

A well-chosen video is a great resource for stimulating a structured discussion, and it can make more efficient use of classroom time. Divide students into two- or three-person groups to answer discussion questions. Or create a whole-class summary by calling on students one at a time to retell a section of the video (in chronological order) from their notes.

8. Rewind and watch it again.

Multiple viewings are key to comprehension, but most teachers will admit that students don’t always like revisiting something they’ve already spent time on. One way to tackle this is to assign a project, ideally something creative, that requires multiple viewings in order to rehash the details. This assignment should challenge your students to think critically and synthesize what they have learned. For example, students could create a poster or mini-book. Or they could reenact the video as a play. Older students could use online tech tools to annotate or even remix the video by adding notes, changing the dialogue or creating a mash-up.

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Watching Film Analytically

You’re probably here because you’ve been assigned a film to watch. Perhaps you’ve also been asked to write a film analysis. The good news? You are already more prepared than you might have guessed! If you are familiar with movies, television shows, YouTube videos, magazines, billboards, or advertisements, you can use your visual literacy to your advantage when watching film as part of an assignment.

Often film techniques are easiest to notice when they’re clunky or overly obvious. For example, have you ever watched a video on YouTube and noticed the “bad editing”? What about a “whodunit” that makes its clues all too obvious by showing them in close up? In both these examples, the choices of how to present a sequence of shots shape our understanding of what happens on screen. The challenge when watching a film analytically is to notice and name these techniques—even when they are being used more subtly.

Before watching the film

Here are some steps to help you get started on watching an assigned film for the purpose of analysis:

Start with your assignment. Review your assignment and identify any tasks you’ve been asked to perform and any questions you’ve been asked to address. Highlight these or list them out as a prompt for note taking.

Decide when, where, and how many times you will watch the film. How long is your film? Have you seen it before? It can help to watch any film once without taking notes, and then watching it a second time for analysis and note taking. If you take notes without pausing, you may miss things (including the timestamps relevant to your observations), but pausing itself interrupts the film and the viewing experience. Watching a film straight through allows you to experience it as intended, while watching it a second time provides an opportunity to analyze.

Make a research plan. How much background information about the film, its director, history, or context will you need for your assignment? Whether the source is a lecture, a course reading, or your own research, when will you obtain this information? Another advantage of watching a film twice is the opportunity to research a film between viewings. You may find this research more interesting after you have seen the film once, and this information can inform your second viewing.

Study the film terms you will need to name what you observe. What film terms have you learned and how will you practice applying them while watching the film? For note taking, will it help to develop abbreviations or shorthand (for example, “CU” for “close up”)? It can help to study terms before you begin, or you may find yourself searching for words. This tip sheet will use the following film terms:

• Track: Tracking shots occur when the entire camera apparatus moves along with the characters on-screen—literally “tracking” (following) their movements.
• Eyeline match: An eyeline match shot is an editing technique that shows a character looking and then shows the object of their gaze in the following shot, as if the camera follows the character’s line of sight.
• Tilt: A tilt is a camera movement in which the camera itself “tilts” upward. It may be helpful to think of the camera as a human head—it can move in the same ways our own heads can move!
• Zoom: A zoom is a lens adjustment that means an object on screen is brought closer to us, making it appear larger and take up more of the screen.

While watching the film

Let’s practice with this clip from Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo (1958). After watching the clip straight through, try taking notes starting at 25 seconds in the following clip and going until 1:08.

As you take notes, ask yourself:

• When and where do you see the camera tracking ?
• When and where do you see the camera tilt and zoom ?
• How many eyeline match shots do you observe?
• What is highlighted by the eyeline match shots in this clip?

Include timestamps in your answers so you can find scenes later on. These questions focus primarily on camera movement, but you could also ask yourself about framing, lighting, lens choices, the score, or whatever stands out to you.

After watching the film

Now that you have some notes on this film clip, think about how films create meaning. Just as your literature professor may have written “don’t summarize !” in the margins of your essay, your film professor is likely to want you to say more about the film than just “what happened.”

Your next steps are to ask how the film’s formal elements that you’ve observed contribute to your understanding of the film. How do these formal elements relate to the plot, themes, or other aspects of film that have come up in your class?

• For example, you could ask yourself: How does the film position you as the viewer? Through lens choice and framing, do you inhabit the viewpoint of the protagonist or are you rather positioned as a spectator, watching or observing what unfolds on screen? (Perhaps the perspective or point of view even shifts throughout the film, confusing your position as spectator or changing your allegiance halfway through the movie).
• For another example, you could ask yourself: How does camera angle impact your understanding of on-screen relationships? For example, if one person is always shot from a low angle, making them appear larger than they actually are, what might this visual choice communicate about their role in the film?

These are just two examples of the kinds of questions you can ask as you watch. Use what you have been learning in your course to brainstorm additional questions.

To return to the clip shared above, it may help to know that the man portrayed is a detective who has been hired to investigate the troubled behavior of the woman portrayed. She says that she is possessed by the spirit of the woman in the portrait, who she says is her grandmother—but all is not as it seems. Review your notes to ask yourself how the formal elements of this scene may reflect or convey the progress of the detective’s investigation or the themes of this kind of detective story.

Next time you have a film assignment, take notes on your second viewing and ask yourself how the formal elements might complement, corroborate, or even subvert the narrative’s development. These observations can then serve as the foundation for a written film analysis .

Works consulted

Bordwell, David, et al. Film Art: an Introduction. McGraw-Hill Education, 2020.

Hitchcock, Alfred., dir. Vertigo . 1958; Los Angeles, CA: Paramount Pictures. https://youtu.be/d-kcczAff40

Metz, Winifred. “Film Terms & More.” Film & Cinema Research. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University Libraries. Accessed August 1, 2020. https://guides.lib.unc.edu/c.php?g=711231&p=5060435

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👩‍🎓 'Watch lesson' assignments

In this article we look at how to set 'watch lesson' assignments..

Why do we need to do this? Setting a 'Watch lesson' assignment allows a teacher to assign students a specific tutorial or tutorials to watch and track their completion.

What comes before? You must be a Teacher, HoD or Admin on the site and be set up as a teacher in the groups you want to set an assignment to.

Your groups must be set up ready (see here for how to set up groups).

Setting the assignment

1. Login to your account and click on the 'Assignments/Exam' button at the top of your page.

2. Click on the 'Create new assignment' button.

3. Select 'Watch lesson'.

4. From the dropdown menus, select the group or groups you wish to assign this task to and the course that the tutorial is from.

5. Input the start date and time, as well as the end date and time.

6. In the pink text box, write your assignment title and a brief explanation of the task. We strongly recommend making it really clear to the students which lessons you are asking them to work on.

7. Choose whether the assignment is to be Mandatory or not.

8. Now select whether to assign to the whole group(s) or to individual students. Setting to individual students is a great way to provide targeted support and personalised learning opportunities.

9. Click 'Create assignment'.

See 'Best Practice: Assignments' for our top tips on setting productive assignments.

How to use Google Classroom, Google's free learning platform to create and grade assignments

• Google Classrooms is a free learning platform created by Google.
• Anyone with a Google account can make a Google Classroom — not just teachers or students.
• Google classrooms is used by more than 150 million people worldwide.

Google Classroom is a free learning platform created by Google with the purpose of making it easier to not only create assignments but also simplifying the distribution and grading.

Google Classroom has grown significantly since its humble beginnings in August 2014. More than 70 million G Suite for Education users were on it by August 2017, and its popularity exploded even further when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. By 2021, it had reached more than 150 million students and educators.

Google Classroom lets you share announcements, host virtual lessons, and even create interactive questions for YouTube videos.

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While Google Classroom can be used by anyone, if you are creating a classroom at a school for students you must use Google Workspace for Education .

Here's everything you need to know to get started.

How to make a Google classroom

Despite its power, creating a Google classroom is surprisingly straightforward. It can be completed in just 3 steps.

• Go to classroom.google.com
• Click on the add button, which looks like a plus (+) sign, and click Create class .
• Fill in a name for the class and click Create .

Quick tip: The same screen where you can fill in a class name is also where you can include a section, room number, and class subject.

How to use Google Classroom

Once your Google Classroom is created, you now need to add content to it and invite students.

Adding content to your Classroom

Under the Classwork tab, click Create . In this menu, you have the ability to create an assignment, quiz, question, or add material or topics, which are like section headings.

Google Classroom will then provide two blank fields and prompt you to enter a title and assignment instructions for students. You can create assignments from Google's suite of programs, including Google Docs, Google Slides , and Google Sheets , or you can attach links, documents, or YouTube videos to the assignment.

You can also share photos with students using Google Photos .

After you create the assignment, you can set a due date, assign it to specific students or all students, and even post a rubric.

Inviting students or teachers to your Classroom

Navigate to the People tab and click on the Invite teachers or Invite students tab as applicable. Then enter their email address(es) and click Invite .

Alternatively, you can have students join your class by using the Class code .

• Navigate to classroom.google.com
• Click on the add button, which looks like a plus (+) sign, and click Join class .
• Input the class code you received from your teacher and click on the blue Join button in the top right corner of the window.

Quick tip : Students can also join a Classroom through an invite link. Click on the three vertical dots to the right of the Class code field and click Copy class invite link .

How to unenroll from a Google Classroom

If you wish to leave or otherwise unenroll from a Google Classroom, that is accomplished in a quick two-step process.

• Click on the three vertical dots beside your class's name.
• Click Unenroll and then Unenroll in the confirmation window that appears.

How to archive a Google Classroom

As a teacher, you have the ability to archive a Google Classroom when you no longer need it, for example, when the semester is over.

• Click on the three vertical dots beside your classroom's name.
• Click Archive and then Archive again in the confirmation window that appears.

Quick tip : Classrooms must be archived first prior to deletion. If you want to permanently delete a classroom, archive it and then go to Archived classes , click the three dots, and click Delete and then Delete again in the confirmation window that appears.

On February 28, Axel Springer, Business Insider's parent company, joined 31 other media groups and filed a $2.3 billion suit against Google in Dutch court, alleging losses suffered due to the company's advertising practices.

• Main content

Understanding Assignments

What this handout is about.

The first step in any successful college writing venture is reading the assignment. While this sounds like a simple task, it can be a tough one. This handout will help you unravel your assignment and begin to craft an effective response. Much of the following advice will involve translating typical assignment terms and practices into meaningful clues to the type of writing your instructor expects. See our short video for more tips.

Basic beginnings

Regardless of the assignment, department, or instructor, adopting these two habits will serve you well :

• Read the assignment carefully as soon as you receive it. Do not put this task off—reading the assignment at the beginning will save you time, stress, and problems later. An assignment can look pretty straightforward at first, particularly if the instructor has provided lots of information. That does not mean it will not take time and effort to complete; you may even have to learn a new skill to complete the assignment.
• Ask the instructor about anything you do not understand. Do not hesitate to approach your instructor. Instructors would prefer to set you straight before you hand the paper in. That’s also when you will find their feedback most useful.

Assignment formats

Many assignments follow a basic format. Assignments often begin with an overview of the topic, include a central verb or verbs that describe the task, and offer some additional suggestions, questions, or prompts to get you started.

An Overview of Some Kind

The instructor might set the stage with some general discussion of the subject of the assignment, introduce the topic, or remind you of something pertinent that you have discussed in class. For example:

“Throughout history, gerbils have played a key role in politics,” or “In the last few weeks of class, we have focused on the evening wear of the housefly …”

The Task of the Assignment

Pay attention; this part tells you what to do when you write the paper. Look for the key verb or verbs in the sentence. Words like analyze, summarize, or compare direct you to think about your topic in a certain way. Also pay attention to words such as how, what, when, where, and why; these words guide your attention toward specific information. (See the section in this handout titled “Key Terms” for more information.)

“Analyze the effect that gerbils had on the Russian Revolution”, or “Suggest an interpretation of housefly undergarments that differs from Darwin’s.”

Additional Material to Think about

Here you will find some questions to use as springboards as you begin to think about the topic. Instructors usually include these questions as suggestions rather than requirements. Do not feel compelled to answer every question unless the instructor asks you to do so. Pay attention to the order of the questions. Sometimes they suggest the thinking process your instructor imagines you will need to follow to begin thinking about the topic.

“You may wish to consider the differing views held by Communist gerbils vs. Monarchist gerbils, or Can there be such a thing as ‘the housefly garment industry’ or is it just a home-based craft?”

These are the instructor’s comments about writing expectations:

“Be concise”, “Write effectively”, or “Argue furiously.”

Technical Details

These instructions usually indicate format rules or guidelines.

“Your paper must be typed in Palatino font on gray paper and must not exceed 600 pages. It is due on the anniversary of Mao Tse-tung’s death.”

The assignment’s parts may not appear in exactly this order, and each part may be very long or really short. Nonetheless, being aware of this standard pattern can help you understand what your instructor wants you to do.

Interpreting the assignment

Ask yourself a few basic questions as you read and jot down the answers on the assignment sheet:

Why did your instructor ask you to do this particular task?

Who is your audience.

• What kind of evidence do you need to support your ideas?

What kind of writing style is acceptable?

• What are the absolute rules of the paper?

Try to look at the question from the point of view of the instructor. Recognize that your instructor has a reason for giving you this assignment and for giving it to you at a particular point in the semester. In every assignment, the instructor has a challenge for you. This challenge could be anything from demonstrating an ability to think clearly to demonstrating an ability to use the library. See the assignment not as a vague suggestion of what to do but as an opportunity to show that you can handle the course material as directed. Paper assignments give you more than a topic to discuss—they ask you to do something with the topic. Keep reminding yourself of that. Be careful to avoid the other extreme as well: do not read more into the assignment than what is there.

Of course, your instructor has given you an assignment so that they will be able to assess your understanding of the course material and give you an appropriate grade. But there is more to it than that. Your instructor has tried to design a learning experience of some kind. Your instructor wants you to think about something in a particular way for a particular reason. If you read the course description at the beginning of your syllabus, review the assigned readings, and consider the assignment itself, you may begin to see the plan, purpose, or approach to the subject matter that your instructor has created for you. If you still aren’t sure of the assignment’s goals, try asking the instructor. For help with this, see our handout on getting feedback .

Given your instructor’s efforts, it helps to answer the question: What is my purpose in completing this assignment? Is it to gather research from a variety of outside sources and present a coherent picture? Is it to take material I have been learning in class and apply it to a new situation? Is it to prove a point one way or another? Key words from the assignment can help you figure this out. Look for key terms in the form of active verbs that tell you what to do.

Key Terms: Finding Those Active Verbs

Here are some common key words and definitions to help you think about assignment terms:

Information words Ask you to demonstrate what you know about the subject, such as who, what, when, where, how, and why.

• define —give the subject’s meaning (according to someone or something). Sometimes you have to give more than one view on the subject’s meaning
• describe —provide details about the subject by answering question words (such as who, what, when, where, how, and why); you might also give details related to the five senses (what you see, hear, feel, taste, and smell)
• explain —give reasons why or examples of how something happened
• illustrate —give descriptive examples of the subject and show how each is connected with the subject
• summarize —briefly list the important ideas you learned about the subject
• trace —outline how something has changed or developed from an earlier time to its current form
• research —gather material from outside sources about the subject, often with the implication or requirement that you will analyze what you have found

Relation words Ask you to demonstrate how things are connected.

• compare —show how two or more things are similar (and, sometimes, different)
• contrast —show how two or more things are dissimilar
• apply—use details that you’ve been given to demonstrate how an idea, theory, or concept works in a particular situation
• cause —show how one event or series of events made something else happen
• relate —show or describe the connections between things

Interpretation words Ask you to defend ideas of your own about the subject. Do not see these words as requesting opinion alone (unless the assignment specifically says so), but as requiring opinion that is supported by concrete evidence. Remember examples, principles, definitions, or concepts from class or research and use them in your interpretation.

• assess —summarize your opinion of the subject and measure it against something
• prove, justify —give reasons or examples to demonstrate how or why something is the truth
• evaluate, respond —state your opinion of the subject as good, bad, or some combination of the two, with examples and reasons
• support —give reasons or evidence for something you believe (be sure to state clearly what it is that you believe)
• synthesize —put two or more things together that have not been put together in class or in your readings before; do not just summarize one and then the other and say that they are similar or different—you must provide a reason for putting them together that runs all the way through the paper
• analyze —determine how individual parts create or relate to the whole, figure out how something works, what it might mean, or why it is important
• argue —take a side and defend it with evidence against the other side

More Clues to Your Purpose As you read the assignment, think about what the teacher does in class:

• What kinds of textbooks or coursepack did your instructor choose for the course—ones that provide background information, explain theories or perspectives, or argue a point of view?
• In lecture, does your instructor ask your opinion, try to prove their point of view, or use keywords that show up again in the assignment?
• What kinds of assignments are typical in this discipline? Social science classes often expect more research. Humanities classes thrive on interpretation and analysis.
• How do the assignments, readings, and lectures work together in the course? Instructors spend time designing courses, sometimes even arguing with their peers about the most effective course materials. Figuring out the overall design to the course will help you understand what each assignment is meant to achieve.

Now, what about your reader? Most undergraduates think of their audience as the instructor. True, your instructor is a good person to keep in mind as you write. But for the purposes of a good paper, think of your audience as someone like your roommate: smart enough to understand a clear, logical argument, but not someone who already knows exactly what is going on in your particular paper. Remember, even if the instructor knows everything there is to know about your paper topic, they still have to read your paper and assess your understanding. In other words, teach the material to your reader.

Aiming a paper at your audience happens in two ways: you make decisions about the tone and the level of information you want to convey.

• Tone means the “voice” of your paper. Should you be chatty, formal, or objective? Usually you will find some happy medium—you do not want to alienate your reader by sounding condescending or superior, but you do not want to, um, like, totally wig on the man, you know? Eschew ostentatious erudition: some students think the way to sound academic is to use big words. Be careful—you can sound ridiculous, especially if you use the wrong big words.
• The level of information you use depends on who you think your audience is. If you imagine your audience as your instructor and they already know everything you have to say, you may find yourself leaving out key information that can cause your argument to be unconvincing and illogical. But you do not have to explain every single word or issue. If you are telling your roommate what happened on your favorite science fiction TV show last night, you do not say, “First a dark-haired white man of average height, wearing a suit and carrying a flashlight, walked into the room. Then a purple alien with fifteen arms and at least three eyes turned around. Then the man smiled slightly. In the background, you could hear a clock ticking. The room was fairly dark and had at least two windows that I saw.” You also do not say, “This guy found some aliens. The end.” Find some balance of useful details that support your main point.

You’ll find a much more detailed discussion of these concepts in our handout on audience .

The Grim Truth

With a few exceptions (including some lab and ethnography reports), you are probably being asked to make an argument. You must convince your audience. It is easy to forget this aim when you are researching and writing; as you become involved in your subject matter, you may become enmeshed in the details and focus on learning or simply telling the information you have found. You need to do more than just repeat what you have read. Your writing should have a point, and you should be able to say it in a sentence. Sometimes instructors call this sentence a “thesis” or a “claim.”

So, if your instructor tells you to write about some aspect of oral hygiene, you do not want to just list: “First, you brush your teeth with a soft brush and some peanut butter. Then, you floss with unwaxed, bologna-flavored string. Finally, gargle with bourbon.” Instead, you could say, “Of all the oral cleaning methods, sandblasting removes the most plaque. Therefore it should be recommended by the American Dental Association.” Or, “From an aesthetic perspective, moldy teeth can be quite charming. However, their joys are short-lived.”

Convincing the reader of your argument is the goal of academic writing. It doesn’t have to say “argument” anywhere in the assignment for you to need one. Look at the assignment and think about what kind of argument you could make about it instead of just seeing it as a checklist of information you have to present. For help with understanding the role of argument in academic writing, see our handout on argument .

What kind of evidence do you need?

There are many kinds of evidence, and what type of evidence will work for your assignment can depend on several factors–the discipline, the parameters of the assignment, and your instructor’s preference. Should you use statistics? Historical examples? Do you need to conduct your own experiment? Can you rely on personal experience? See our handout on evidence for suggestions on how to use evidence appropriately.

Make sure you are clear about this part of the assignment, because your use of evidence will be crucial in writing a successful paper. You are not just learning how to argue; you are learning how to argue with specific types of materials and ideas. Ask your instructor what counts as acceptable evidence. You can also ask a librarian for help. No matter what kind of evidence you use, be sure to cite it correctly—see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial .

You cannot always tell from the assignment just what sort of writing style your instructor expects. The instructor may be really laid back in class but still expect you to sound formal in writing. Or the instructor may be fairly formal in class and ask you to write a reflection paper where you need to use “I” and speak from your own experience.

Try to avoid false associations of a particular field with a style (“art historians like wacky creativity,” or “political scientists are boring and just give facts”) and look instead to the types of readings you have been given in class. No one expects you to write like Plato—just use the readings as a guide for what is standard or preferable to your instructor. When in doubt, ask your instructor about the level of formality they expect.

No matter what field you are writing for or what facts you are including, if you do not write so that your reader can understand your main idea, you have wasted your time. So make clarity your main goal. For specific help with style, see our handout on style .

Technical details about the assignment

The technical information you are given in an assignment always seems like the easy part. This section can actually give you lots of little hints about approaching the task. Find out if elements such as page length and citation format (see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial ) are negotiable. Some professors do not have strong preferences as long as you are consistent and fully answer the assignment. Some professors are very specific and will deduct big points for deviations.

Usually, the page length tells you something important: The instructor thinks the size of the paper is appropriate to the assignment’s parameters. In plain English, your instructor is telling you how many pages it should take for you to answer the question as fully as you are expected to. So if an assignment is two pages long, you cannot pad your paper with examples or reword your main idea several times. Hit your one point early, defend it with the clearest example, and finish quickly. If an assignment is ten pages long, you can be more complex in your main points and examples—and if you can only produce five pages for that assignment, you need to see someone for help—as soon as possible.

Tricks that don’t work

Your instructors are not fooled when you:

• spend more time on the cover page than the essay —graphics, cool binders, and cute titles are no replacement for a well-written paper.
• use huge fonts, wide margins, or extra spacing to pad the page length —these tricks are immediately obvious to the eye. Most instructors use the same word processor you do. They know what’s possible. Such tactics are especially damning when the instructor has a stack of 60 papers to grade and yours is the only one that low-flying airplane pilots could read.
• use a paper from another class that covered “sort of similar” material . Again, the instructor has a particular task for you to fulfill in the assignment that usually relates to course material and lectures. Your other paper may not cover this material, and turning in the same paper for more than one course may constitute an Honor Code violation . Ask the instructor—it can’t hurt.
• get all wacky and “creative” before you answer the question . Showing that you are able to think beyond the boundaries of a simple assignment can be good, but you must do what the assignment calls for first. Again, check with your instructor. A humorous tone can be refreshing for someone grading a stack of papers, but it will not get you a good grade if you have not fulfilled the task.

Critical reading of assignments leads to skills in other types of reading and writing. If you get good at figuring out what the real goals of assignments are, you are going to be better at understanding the goals of all of your classes and fields of study.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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Veteran Angels Slugger Begins Minor League Rehab Assignment

Noah camras | may 23, 2024.

• Los Angeles Angels

The Los Angeles Angels are close to getting back a veteran slugger.

On Wednesday, former All-Star infielder Miguel Sanó had his first rehab assignment as he makes a return to the Angels. Sanó, who's been out since the end of April with left knee inflammation, went 1-for-2 with a single and a strikeout with the Arizona Complex League Angels.

Sanó will bring necessary punch back to the Angels lineup, one that's without Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon for the foreseeable future.

The 31-year-old was hitting .262/.352/.361 in 21 games with one home run, five RBIs, and 27 strikeouts. He was finally starting to show signs of his former All-Star self after sitting out the 2023 season.

The Angels signed Sanó to a minor league deal this offseason and he showed up to camp nearly 60 pounds lighter . He impressed in spring training and earned himself a spot on the Opening Day roster.

Sanó said last week he was hoping to return by the end of the road trip. The Angels concluded their road trip on Wednesday, and are returning to Angel Stadium on Friday to open a series with the Cleveland Guardians.

Assuming there are no setbacks, Sanó could be activated as early as Friday, and may even be in the lineup for the series opener.

NOAH CAMRAS

Noah graduated from USC in 2022 with a B.A. in Journalism and a minor in Sports Media Studies. He is the lead editor for Halos Today. He was born and raised in Los Angeles, and grew up a fan of all LA sports. 

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WATCH: Olmsted Falls assisted living facility employee caught rifling through 84-year-old’s purse

OLMSTED FALLS, Ohio (WOIO) - A Cuyahoga County family is furious after they claim they caught an employee at an Olmsted Falls retirement home attempting to steal money from their elderly mother on camera.

“I was sick,” said the daughter-in-law of the elderly woman, who wanted to remain anonymous. “I have not been able to stop thinking about it.”

She said her mother-in-law has spent the past six months living at Symphony, an assisted living facility in Olmsted Falls. The family of the 84-year-old grandmother captured a video that shows an employee going through her mother’s purses. We are not showing the employee’s face because at this time he has not been charged with any crimes.

“She was having bruises everywhere; she would fall constantly,” the daughter-in-law said. “She’s been to the hospital probably five times since she’s been there. I just want to make sure that if you have a loved one in any facility, but especially this one, make sure that you’re involved, make sure that you’re active.”

The family filed a report with the Olmsted Falls Police Department Tuesday after they removed their mother from the facility.

They told police the 84-year-old grandmother has lost 20 pounds since moving into the senior community.

“I took off her socks and shoes and there was so much dirt and debris in between her toes,” the family member explained. “They were black and the smell was horrible, like it made me almost vomit, the smell. It’s just awful half of the time we go in there and she is not in a meal. They don’t come and get her for meals.”

The family told detectives they noticed money was missing from their mother’s purse three times.

“My mother-in-law was telling us that he was stealing from her and at first, we weren’t quite sure,” she said.

So, they decided to install a Ring camera in her apartment.

“We noticed that a minute after she went out to lunch, this man went into her room, locked the door behind him, and went through her purse, went through all of her makeup bags, went through all of her personal belongings,” she said.

The family told police they reported what happened to Symphony right away. They claim he was not fired.

“We were told that he was disciplined and that was it,” the family member said.

The Olmsted Falls police chief said they are investigating and that a charge of attempted theft by deception is possible.

“It makes me sick, and it makes me feel guilty that I didn’t notice this sooner,” the daughter-in-law said.

19 News called and emailed Symphony and requested an interview instead they sent us a statement that reads, “

When asked if this employee had been fired, the nursing home did not respond.

In response to the family’s other allegations Symphony’s Executive Director Christine Grude sent us this statement,

They claim they can’t comment on the photos of her feet because they haven’t seen them.

Copyright 2024 WOIO. All rights reserved.

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