Schoology is a popular learning management system (LMS) used by many K-12 schools to organize curriculum, assign coursework, facilitate communication and more. Integrating its gradebook feature with existing student information systems (SIS) like Skyward can save teachers duplicating manual work for entering grades in multiple places.
Fort Bend ISD in Texas utilizes both Schoology and Skyward across its campuses. They produced a helpful tutorial video walking through exactly how teachers can sync the two for automated grade syncing.
Key Steps to Setup Gradebook Sync
Here are the key steps covered in FBISD’s guide:
- Ensure Course Setup in Both Systems
Confirm your roster is imported into Schoology and the course is made in Skyward first. Master course IDs must match exactly.
- Configure Grade Posting Settings
In Schoology, enable grade integration and determine which grade columns should sync. Best practice is syncing total grade column only.
- Enter Gradebook Access Key
A unique integration key found in Skyward must be entered into Schoology’s settings to authorize linking them.
- Validate Data Fields Matching
Carefully confirm student identifiers like MIS IDs and login usernames/emails match 1-to-1 across both systems.
- Schedule Automatic Syncs
Choose daily or weekly syncing to push Schoology grades into the respective course gradebooks in Skyward automatically based on timing selected.
By following this sequence, teachers can save huge time at grading periods not having to manually transfer every grade. FBISD emphasizes turning sync off when entering a major updated batch of grades. Auto-sync can then reactivate to catch up and prevent duplicate entries.
Restoring Sync Functionality
If grades stop syncing unexpectedly, common troubleshooting involves:
- Repeating access key entry exactly
- Checking identifier fields remain properly matched
- Confirming sync direction/frequency settings
- Logging support tickets to restart stuck integration
With properly mapped courses and student data across Schoology and Skyward, grade sync alleviates double data entry work for busy FBISD instructors. Their guide covers the full process start to finish.
Conclusion
Activating the handy gradebook integration between Schoolgoy and backend student information platforms like Skyward saves teachers massive hours. Fort Bend ISD in Texas documents the specifics for getting sync established, scheduling automated syncs, and resolving any issues. Their video tutorial is a valuable resource for any districts using this common edtech stack.