I would like for my students to create a full (multi-page) website from the HTML/CSS/JavaScript sandbox (or another blank sandbox), but I can’t figure out how to create new pages in that sandbox. I could have them use the multi-page website sandbox, but so much is already done for them in that template. Any suggestions?

Thanks for reaching out! I understand that you want to make the sandbox a little more challenging for the students. What I can suggest is that once you saved the sandbox template, make edits (i.e remove some codes that you want your students to create themselves) to it. You can also add comments to the sections you want your student to modify or develop. You can share the sandbox link to your students and have them “make a copy” of it so the sandbox template will be saved onto their accounts for them to further customize and create their full websites.

I hope all is well! You can certainly achieve a multi-page website in BSD Online’s sandbox! The trick is for students to link multiple sandboxes together. Effectively, each page of the website (home, about, contact, etc.) will be a separate HTML/CSS/JavaScript sandbox.

When students create the links in HTML, they’ll want to use the sandboxes’ share links, as opposed to the edit links. Please see this linked guide on generating sandbox share links 4.

I created this simple example sandbox 10 for reference. Feel free to share with your students.

Looking forward to seeing what they build!

Teaching the same students with different courses? Or teaching the same course to a different group of students? Creating a new classroom can be a little tedious. BSD created an easier and time efficient way of creating a new classroom for your teaching needs. Classrooms can now be duplicated and have the option to copy the list of students and contents too! This is how you do it:

1. When you are in the Manage classrooms tab, click on the ellipsis (three dots) and click on “Make A Copy”.

2. A pop-up window will appear and will have the customization that you need for your new classroom. You have the option to rename the classroom (recommended to avoid confusion) and 2 checkboxes to copy the contents and students from the original classroom.

3. After clicking on the “Create classroom” button, you will go straight inside the classroom where you can make your desired changes like adding/removing contents and students. You can also rename the classroom here if you’re not able to on step 2.

If you have questions or concerns, let’s talk! Feel free to send an email to support@bsd.education or “start a conversation” through chat support!

This is a great question! In this day and age, ensuring that your students build their learning journey through a portfolio is more important than ever. With each Guided Project and Sandbox students create on BSD Online, it is automatically stored inside “Your Portfolio”.

If your student leaves the school and/or completes their schooling, they will still have access to all the Sandboxes they have created and they are free to share this with friends, family, prospective schools, and employers. For this reason, make sure your students “Export to sandbox” and make it their own after they complete each Guided Project 

So, in short, yes! Students will be able to keep their work forever 

With the rise of distance learning around the globe, we’re working with many non-coding teachers who are adopting BSD Online tools alongside LMS platforms like Google Classrooms. I’ve included 3 of the most common use-cases below:

1. Custom, sequenced presentation of classroom materials
One nice feature of BSD Online’s classroom dashboard is that it allows teachers to present their existing material as a cohesive experience. By uploading your own content to a classroom 5 on BSD Online, students can transition seamlessly from one resource to the next. As opposed to with a shared folder of documents, you have control over the sequence in which your students access the information.

2. Tracking student activity and progress
Once your material is hosted on BSD Online, you will be able to track exactly where your students are in real time. The image below shows 3 sample students:

• The green, yellow, and gray dots next to the student avatar correspond with active, inactive and signed out respectively.
• Each progress bar shows the students’ current positions in real time. Han is not in the classroom, Alicia is on page 1 of a custom PDF, and Clark has finished an assignment.

3. Linking to external software
Finally, many teachers use BSD Online a centralized hub for linking to various online resources. Feel free to check out this support video 8 for a detailed walkthrough of this process as well as a template classroom portal that you can use.

“I already built the student portal. My students do not want to use it. They feel that logging into BSD is an unnecessary step since they already have direct access to Google classroom. What else can I do with BSD?”

With the rise of distance learning around the globe, we’re working with many non-coding teachers who are adopting BSD Online tools alongside LMS platforms like Google Classrooms. I’ve included 3 of the most common use-cases below:

1. Custom, sequenced presentation of classroom materials
One nice feature of BSD Online’s classroom dashboard is that it allows teachers to present their existing material as a cohesive experience. By uploading your own content to a classroom 5 on BSD Online, students can transition seamlessly from one resource to the next. As opposed to with a shared folder of documents, you have control over the sequence in which your students access the information.

2. Tracking student activity and progress
Once your material is hosted on BSD Online, you will be able to track exactly where your students are in real time. The image below shows 3 sample students:

• The green, yellow, and gray dots next to the student avatar correspond with active, inactive and signed out respectively.
• Each progress bar shows the students’ current positions in real time. Han is not in the classroom, Alicia is on page 1 of a custom PDF, and Clark has finished an assignment.

3. Linking to external software
Finally, many teachers use BSD Online a centralized hub for linking to various online resources. Feel free to check out this support video 8 for a detailed walkthrough of this process as well as a template classroom portal that you can use.

Classroom sharing is a new feature we made available for multiple teachers to have access to a single classroom. All teachers will have the same permissions to the classroom like adding/removing students, adding/removing content and renaming the classroom. The original owner of the classroom is responsible for adding a co-teacher/s by following the instructions below:

1. Once you are logged in to your account, select the classroom you want to share with your co-teachers.

2. Inside the classroom, click on the plus “+” button beside your account avatar.

3. Search for the name or email address of the co-teacher you wish to add to the classroom. Alternatively, you can use the scroll bar to drag up and down search for the teacher’s name manually. Click on Add button beside their name.

4. You can add up to 9 teachers (classroom’s maximum is 10). This is also where you can remove a teacher’s access to the classroom.

If you have questions or concerns, let’s talk! Feel free to send an email to support@bsd.education or “start a conversation” through chat support!

Here are the steps to access your student’s portfolio. In this example, we will access Alvin Yu’s portfolio who is a student from the Grade 5B – AI classroom.

1. Log in to BSD Online and go to Your classrooms.
2. Select a classroom where Alvin is added as a student.
   
3. In the right panel of the window, toggle the student list to see all the students’ names in the classroom.
   
4. To view Alvin’s profile, click on her picture or avatar. The student’s profile window will appear. Scroll down to the bottom of the window and click the “Open portfolio” button. This will open a new tab where you will see the student’s portfolio.
   

Got more questions? Feel free to reach us through chat or send an email to support@bsd.education.

If you’re looking to integrate a Google Slides presentation into your BSD Online classroom, we have a convenient solution for you. Our platform now includes a feature that allows you to seamlessly add custom links to your classroom materials. This means you can easily share your Google Slides presentations with your students. Let me guide you through the process step by step.

Step 1: Under “Your classrooms”, select and click the classroom you preferred to add a custom link step.
Step 2: Inside the classroom, click the + icon. On the resources, the section is custom steps – links and resources or PDF files. Click the “link”
Step 3: After clicking the “link”, you will then ask to add the text or title to be shown in the link.
Step 4: On this step, you will now add the URL link of your google slides. Please make sure to share it with anyone on the internet with the link so your students can be able to view your slides.

Here is a short video to guide you.

Adding Google Slides to your classroom

And if you have further questions, feel free to message us through our support team via chat or email at support@bsd.education.

In the rapidly evolving landscape of education, it’s becoming increasingly evident that preparing students for the future requires more than just traditional subjects like math, science, and language arts. As technology continues to permeate every aspect of our lives, there’s a growing consensus among educators about the importance of integrating computer science, computational thinking, and design thinking into the K-12 core curriculum. By doing so, we not only equip students with essential skills for the future but also foster a mindset of innovation, problem-solving, and collaboration. 

Computer science, once considered a niche subject, has now emerged as a fundamental literacy in the digital age. It’s not just about coding; it’s about understanding algorithms, data structures, and computational processes. By introducing computer science concepts early on, we empower students to become creators rather than mere consumers of technology. Whether it’s learning to code with BSD Education or exploring robotics through hands-on projects, students develop critical thinking skills and gain a deeper understanding of how technology works.

However, computer science alone is not sufficient. Enter computational thinking – a problem-solving methodology rooted in the principles of computer science. It involves breaking down complex problems into smaller, more manageable parts, identifying patterns, and devising algorithms to solve them. Computational thinking transcends the boundaries of programming and can be applied across various disciplines. From analyzing historical data to optimizing logistical processes, students learn to approach challenges systematically and analytically. By integrating computational thinking into the core curriculum, we cultivate a mindset that is essential for success in the digital age.

But solving problems is only half the battle. Design thinking complements computational thinking by emphasizing empathy, creativity, and iterative prototyping. Originating from the world of product design, design thinking provides a human-centered approach to problem-solving. Students are encouraged to empathize with end-users, brainstorm innovative solutions, and test prototypes through rapid experimentation. By incorporating design thinking into the curriculum, we foster a culture of innovation where students learn to tackle real-world problems with empathy and creativity.

Now, the question arises – how can teachers integrate these concepts into their existing curriculum? The key lies in interdisciplinary connections and project-based learning. Instead of treating computer science, computational thinking, and design thinking as separate subjects, teachers can look for opportunities to integrate them into existing lessons.

For example, a history class could explore the impact of algorithms on historical events, a science class could analyze data using computational thinking principles, and an art class could incorporate design thinking into the creative process.

Language Arts: Students can analyze language patterns and structures using computational thinking concepts such as algorithms and loops. They could also use design thinking to create multimedia presentations or websites for their writing projects.

Mathematics: Teachers can incorporate computer science concepts by having students create algorithms for solving mathematical problems or exploring the mathematics behind coding algorithms. Additionally, design thinking can be applied to create visually appealing and user-friendly mathematical models or visualizations.

Physical Education: Students can apply computational thinking by designing algorithms for optimizing workout routines or analyzing sports data. Design thinking can be integrated by having students redesign sports equipment or create innovative fitness apps.

Social Studies: Computational thinking can be utilized to analyze large datasets related to historical events or societal trends. Students can also apply design thinking principles to propose solutions to contemporary social issues or design informative infographics about historical events.

Foreign Language: Computational thinking can be applied to language learning through the creation of algorithms for language translation or language learning apps. Design thinking can be used to design immersive language learning experiences or culturally relevant multimedia projects.

Music: Students can explore computational thinking through the creation of algorithms for composing music or analyzing musical patterns. Design thinking can be integrated by having students design innovative musical instruments or create visually engaging music videos.

Career and Technical Education (CTE): Students can apply computational thinking to solve real-world problems in their chosen career pathways, such as engineering, healthcare, or business. Design thinking can be used to develop prototypes or design solutions to industry-related challenges.

Environmental Science: Computational thinking can be utilized to analyze environmental data and model environmental processes. Design thinking can be applied to create sustainable solutions to environmental challenges or design eco-friendly products.

By integrating computer science, computational thinking, and design thinking across various subjects, teachers can provide students with interdisciplinary learning experiences that foster critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills. It’s not just about preparing students for jobs in the tech industry; it’s about equipping them with essential skills and mindsets for success in an increasingly complex and interconnected world. By embracing interdisciplinary connections and project-based learning, teachers can empower students to become lifelong learners, critical thinkers, and innovative problem-solvers. As we navigate the challenges and opportunities of the future, this pedagogical imperative has never been more urgent or relevant.