As an administrator on your Albert license, you have the option to create “mega-classes” to provide students with self-paced practice for high-stakes exams. “Mega-classes” are created using the same process as a typical Albert classroom and have all the same functionalities. However, “mega-classes” can hold up to 1,000 students for assignment-based or independent practice-based study.
“Mega-class” Use Cases
There are several ways to use “mega-classes” with your students. Most schools have used “mega-classes” in the following ways, but the options are truly endless:
Open a college entrance subject (ACT®, SAT®, or PSAT®) for independent practice
Open AP® subjects for independent practice during the Spring semester
Assign college entrance or state assessments to “mega-classes” for self-paced practice
Open middle school subjects for independent practice as additional study materials for students who need extra review
Creating a “Mega-class”
To create a “mega-class,” follow these steps:
Navigate to your Classes tab
Click on the New Class button
Provide your class with a title and select your school association
Click Create Class
Once the class has been created, students will need to be enrolled. On the Classes tab, click the Invite Students button in the class tile. Here, you can see the four enrollment options. While any method can be used, there are a few best practices when deciding the best method for you.
Invite By Email: This is the simplest way to invite all students to your “mega-class." Click Upload CSV to quickly invite all students at once. Students will receive an email from Albert with a link to join the class. If students cannot receive emails outside of your school’s email domain, they will see an invite to join the class when they log into Albert using their school email.
Display Class Code: While this option will require some communication between students and caregivers, this is an easy way to have students join your class. Click the Copy Code link and paste it to a school message board, school-wide email, or school-wide LMS page. Students can log into Albert and enter this code to join the class.
Import from LMS or Import from Google Classroom: If your school uses Canvas, Schoology, Clever, Brightspace (D2L), or Google Classroom and has LMS classes comprised of all students, you can use one of these integrations to seamlessly invite students to join Albert. Students will automatically be enrolled in the class.
Once students are enrolled, the last step is to provide them with practice. In the Library tab, you can open subjects for Independent Practice so they may begin practicing. Independent Practice provides students with access to all of the questions in the Practice section of the subject, while FRQs and Assessments will remain locked to be used for high-stakes exams and assigned practice. Follow these steps to open a subject for independent practice:
Use the search box in the Library tab to search for the desired subjects
On the subject tile, click the Practice Settings button
Toggle the switch next to your “mega-class” name
When the button turns blue, the subject has been opened for Independent Practice
[Pro-tip]: Students in “mega-classes” can also be assigned Albert assignments or assessments.
Monitoring “Mega-classes”
Student independent practice progress can be monitored throughout the school year in your “mega-class.” Navigate to the Reports tab to view student practice data.
In the Reports tab, select the Class name and open the Student report.
Here you will see the student's average time spent working through questions, the total number of questions answered, and their overall accuracy.