With the new school year starting up, the SRVUSD school district has switched what platforms dominate the classroom. Infinite Campus and Google Classroom have replaced the previously used Schoology, and with it, have raised differing opinions on the matter.
Students overwhelmingly seem to prefer Google Classroom due to its simplicity and easy-on-the-eye layout. The general student population has been receptive to the change and are making use of its features. Whereas Schoology made it difficult to upload files, Google Classroom has purposefully made itself convenient to link with other Google applications.
“I love Google Classroom it’s so simple and beautiful to look at,” MV Junior Leila Biagi said. “I don’t feel as overwhelmed trying to find my assignments as I do on Infinite Campus. ”
While the students are responding positively to Google Classroom, teachers have been frustrated. Glitching software has made inputting grades increasingly harder for teachers. Recently, there was a complication in the transfer of grades that erased months of work. This has left them to scramble to catch up on over months of work. Because of this, Samantha Goodman (history teacher and head of tech support at Monte Vista) had to redo her grading since she used both Google Classroom and Infinite Campus.
“If the student did not hit ‘mark as complete’, it would be a blank assignment, which took hours out of my time to go through Google Classroom and all the assignments I have for about 200 students, and having it go into Infinite Campus,” Goodman said.
Infinite Campus has been the main platform for grades, making it a significant addition to the school year. Its confusing format leaves students frustrated trying to navigate through the maze of digital folders. Checking scores has become increasingly difficult due to puzzling organization.
“It’s so unorganized and takes forever to view all your grades,” an anonymous MV student said. “I’d rather be accused of witchcraft and be put on the Salem trials than use Infinite Campus more than I have to.”
Despite the student backlash to Infinite Campus, some teachers are opting to use it full time instead of Google Classroom. For example, Ms. Gilcrist, the forensics teacher, has made the switch to the software full-time. English teacher Mrs. Carlson also has adopted this program to match her ‘aesthetic’.
Regardless of the discourse over the preferred platform, both students and teachers alike agree that there are pros and cons to consider for both. This change will undoubtedly take time for the school to adjust to, but the switch has already gained positive feedback. This leaves room for hope in the new school year and how we as Monte Vista use technology to enhance our classrooms.
