Computer Prototyping

For this prototype, we suggest using OSX with Chrome to access CheckMark.

We also tested with Windows and Chrome and that worked too.

Context:

CheckMark is a program that allows teachers and parents to effectively communicate and share vital information. For the purposes of this computer prototype, we decided to exclude a login page and directly place you in the shoes of Teacher Tammy. Teacher Tammy has nine students in her class. Using this interface, Teacher Tammy can specifically send messages, submit grade reports, and create events for dynamically selected groups of students.

Overview:

First, go to http://mglowe.scripts.mit.edu/813/checkmark/gr4/ . To use CheckMark, a user (teacher or parent) will select a group of students which will dynamically load content into the Message, Calendar, and Grades tabs. Through these tabs, users can send messages, create events, and lookup/send grades. The interface also tries to provide many affordances for the context of which students are selected by providing a context window in the left side of the center frame. Although more detailed and specific functionalities like changing settings are left out of this iteration, the basic functionalities we provided should give a depth of insight into the actual usage of CheckMark.

Specific Functionalities:

Selecting Students:

• Users can dynamically select groups of students, by toggling the icon box on the far left for a particular student
• Selected students’ profile pictures appear in the context window center-left in the tabbed frame.
• Hovering over a student’s profile picture in the context window, provides extra information about the student

Message Tab:

• Messages are dynamically loaded from the selected students. All messages sent to a specific student (or groups of students) are displayed whenever any of those student/s is selected.
• Users can select the text input, type a message, and click send (or hit enter) to send a message to all the currently selected students. After sending a message, a message appears in the message display.
• Many messages can fit into the message display and a scrollbar appears whenever necessary. Focus is maintained on the most recent messages.
• Deleting messages is intentionally left out and we plan to add affordances to individual messages to give more context about the recipients of the message.

Calendar Tab:

• The user can create an event by clicking on a day. The user must specify an event title, and can determine a start date/time and end date/time (time is not required).
• By default, the time displayed in the date fields is the day the user clicked on. The user can also further details for the event such as reminder times and event details.
• A user can edit attributes of an event by simply clicking on it. The user can modify any field and then click ‘Save’ to make the changes. No matter what students are selected that moment, the event continues to have the same participants as before being edited. When the form displaying the event details is open, the user can click ‘Delete’ to delete the event. The event is deleted for all the participants.
• By putting his mouse over an event the user can see the pictures of the event attendees.
• The reminder time of an event is not saved. The user can select a time but when he reopens the event he sees the default time. The user can only create an event by clicking on a day. He cannot select several days/times in order to predefine the event time.
• Lastly, we rarely experience an error where the calendar doesn’t load. Simply refreshing the page takes care of the problem.

Grades Tab:

• The gradebook currently does not allow for importing from an external source or entering in grades manually. We are currently using filler data for grades in the student object models to implement the gradebook. Additionally, although feedback is displayed after pressing the "Send Grades" button, this does not actually have any functionality.
• Users are able to select student entries in the gradebook by clicking the student names in the contact list in the left panel. This highlights that student's name and grade entries in the gradebook.
• Users can currently only send a student's entire grade report, not just individual grade reports. Additionally, they cannot currently add messages or select the method of sending grades (ie: SMS/Email). These features and more visual analytics (such as graphs and charts) will be implemented in later versions, and well as and inclusion of more available content on the assignments/exams entered in the gradebook.