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Welcome to the Platform Documentation This is the official documentation for Platform — a next generation LMS you can build on. The documentation (also referred to as "manual" or "help guides") provides an in-depth, high-level overview of Platform's features and views, how-to guides, and troubleshooting tips. If you experience an issue not found here, you may contact us or file a bug report. If you want to see a feature not described here, you should add a feature request. If you feel like it, you can fork this documentation on GitHub (submit a pull request if you want to make any changes). This is version 2.0 of this documentation which refers to Platform version 2.0.0. NOTE: This is the PDF version, which is provided for your convenience. Images, along with some additional styling, will not be shown. Table of Contents • About Platform º What Is Platform º Release Notes º Supported Browsers • Getting Help º Reporting Issues º Understanding This Documentation • Getting Started º Create An Account ■ Independently ■ As Part Of A District º Logging In ■ Independently ■ As Part Of A District • Using Platform º Dashboard º My Account º Courses ■ Creating Courses ■ Modules ■ Assignments ■ About Assignments ■ Submissions ■ Quizzes ■ Quiz Builder ■ Information ■ Score Info ■ Conversations ■ Gradebook 1/23 ■ Files ■ Pages ■ Students ■ Course Settings º Messages ■ About Messages ■ Sending Messages • Final Notes º Copyright º Acknowledgements What is Platform? Platform is a Learning Management System (LMS) that empowers teachers to instruct and inspire, and helps students to connect and learn, while effortlessly staying out of the way. Here's some marketing copy about what Platform can do for you: For Teachers Platform offers a powerful new kind of learning system. One designed with teachers and students in mind, and with teacher/student interactions in mind. Because of this, Platform offers astounding flexibility, enabling you to teach however you want to. This flexibility, though, is behind the scenes. Platform's interface remains distinctly simple and intuitive. When you do need the complex features Platform offers, they are precisely where you expect them to be. Platform streamlines teacher workflows, making your job easier, so you can focus on what you love: teaching. And Platform will be there, providing a wealth of features, while staying out of your way. For Students Platform is here for you, too. Platform keeps all of your courses in one place. And, since Platform is easy-to-use, you won't need any adjusting (from the last 10 LMSs your school used, that is). Platform is agile and adaptable, available on every device. On your phone? Yep. It feels just like a native app (and, if you save it to your home screen, it will really feel native). Your tablet? Of course. Your laptop or school computer? Yes! Wherever, however, and whenever, Platform is there for you. (Side note: submitting homework at 2 AM is still not recommended.) If you need a Platform account (for one or more teacher(s) that are using Platform independently, and not through your school or district), you can signup, right now. If your school or district is already on Platform, you should go to their login page. If you don't know it, you should ask your teacher (or you could try logging in here). What's New? (Release Notes) Version 2.0.0 2/23 • Conversations Version 1.9.0 • Minor style changes. • Bug fixes. Version 1.8.7 • Restyled district custom login page. • Change references from 2020 to 2021, where needed. • Grammar fixes. Version 1.8.5 • Fixed some minor bugs. • Enhanced customization options so that district logos can be used in place of Platform logo. Version 1.7.3 • Implemented feature to immediately notify users of incoming message. • Implemented feature to indicate number of unread messages. Version 1.6.1 • Minor design tweaks. • Modified between-page loader to better reflect Platform's design. • Fixed bug where an empty gradebook resulted in a unnecessary (and redundant) notification. • Fixed a bug where leaving a course would not always result in it being immediately removed from the sidebar. Version 1.0.0 • Everything Supported Browsers 3/23 Platform aims to be accessible to every user, on every device. With that in mind, Platform was designed to be compatible with a wide range of devices. Here is a list of devices that the current version of Platform is confirmed to be compatible with: • Desktop & Laptop • Google Chrome, the most recent and immediately prior version. º NOTE: Browsers based on Chrome, like Opera, Vivaldi, and Yandex, follow Chrome's compatibility guidance. • Mozilla Firefox, the most recent and immediate previous version. • Apple Safari (for Mac), any version included with the most recent macOS release. º NOTE: Safari compatibility is limited: Most features and functions will work, however there are some known bugs. • Microsoft Edge (referring to the new Edge only), the most recent and immediately prior version. • Mobile • iOS º Apple Safari, any version included with the most recent iOS release. ■ NOTE: Safari compatibility is limited: Most features and functions will work, however there are some known bugs. ■ NOTE (2): You may not know this, but every browser on iOS is required to use Safari, behind the scenes. So, even if you are using Firefox on iOS, you are still using Safari. This does not apply to Android or desktop browsers. • Android º The most recent version of any browser listed above, under "Desktop & Laptop". If you ever find any problems using Platform on an officially supported browser (any browser listed above), please submit a bug report, so we can fix it. If you find issues while using a different, non-listed browser, consider upgrading to a modern browser. You can still reach out, and we will try to help you out. Reporting Issues No software is perfect. It's a fact. Even if there are no known issues, or no issues publicly revealed, there will be bugs. That being said, if you encounter an issue that you believe is a bug, we have a very open and transparent way of allowing you to check if we know about it and, if not, report it. (Directions follow) First, though, let's discuss the definition of a bug. A bug is not a feature that you want, but we don't offer. A bug is a already existing feature acts in a way that it is not expected to. An error message is a pretty good hint that there was a bug. If something won't save, it is probably a bug. If it looks wrong, it might be a bug. In the end, it is up to you to decide if you think it's a bug. If in doubt, submit it anyway. Directions to file a bug report: 4/23 • Go-to the Platform Bug Tracker (best to right-click and open that link in a new tab) • Scroll through the list of reported bugs and see if you notice the one you were planning on reporting. º If you do, click on it. You can then read our status in resolving it. • If you don't see it, scroll back to the top of the page. • Hit the red button labeled, "Submit Bug" • Submit your report. º You will get a email confirming the bug, when we read your report. Understanding This Documentation This documentation is sort of like a manual, FAQ, and how-to guide wrapped up into one. Its main goal is to help you, and it was written by the very same developers who wrote Platform. What the Platform Docs do include: • Help with common problems • Step-by-step directions to do nearly anything • Information on how features work • Known bugs and work-arounds • Limitations of Platform • Plenty of images • Some jokes and for-laughs What the Platform Docs do not include: • A complete list of all bugs º See the bug tracker • Notes on upcoming features º See feature requests • Mistakes º At least, not deliberately. We encourage every user to read through (or at least familiarize yourself) with the Platform Docs before starting to use Platform, and to reference them regularly when you have questions. If you have a question, and cannot find the answer to it here, contact us. Creating an Independent Account To get started, go to the Platform login page (for Students; for Teachers). Creating your Account You'll need to input the following information: 5/23 • Your Full Name Typed separately, as first name and last name. • Email Address Must be a real and current email (we will confirm). Students can use their parent's email. • Username You'll use this to login. It must be unique from any other independent user's email. • Password You type this twice, to confirm it. Don't forget it. º If you have a secure password manager (Firefox Lockwise is a good one), feel free to use it. º Please use a secure password. We make no attempt to determine if your password is secure (it's meaningless; Password1! meets many definitions of a secure password, but will be easily guessed), but that doesn't mean you shouldn't pick a good, strong password. If you need help, both Mozilla and CNET have good guides on creating strong passwords. • You must agree to Platform's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Verifying your Account Once your account is created, we'll send you a verification code. The verification code is a 5-digit code, used to confirm your email account. Only after you type the code in will your account be activated.