Using E-Class Menus

 

When using E-Class, the Help menu can benefit you tremendously.  To use help, open E-Class Grades and select Help on the menu bar then Using Help.  This will give you assistance on using windows.  If you want help using E-Class, choose Help, Search for Help On.

 

There are two items to the E-Class help menu:  Index and Find.    Using the Index tab you can type a short word or phrase of the information you are seeking and a list matching that word or phrase will appear in the window below your selection.  This is a search by category. Using the Find menu will cause a database to be created where rather than searching by topic, E-Class will search the topic first then find the specific word(s) you are seeking.

 
 

 

Either search method is beneficial and returns helpful information to assist you.

 

 

File Menu:

 

New Class:   In actual practice, this menu item opens a new Untitled file with preset properties of the default program.  For the purposes of our county-wide grade program, however, you must not use this command to begin a new grading period.  The Technology Department creates a file called “generic.cls” which is located in your home directory that should always be used when beginning a new grading period.  The reason for using the “generic.cls” file is because it will have the default properties that our Technology Department wants to apply to each teacher’s file already embedded in the file.  After opening the “generic.cls” file, you should save the file with a different name.  Each filename must be 8 characters or less and have the extension .cls as is required by the E-Grades program.  Naming files should be done in a systematic manner that will be brief but descriptive.  Example:  1pdag1fa.cls for 1st period, Algebra I, Fall.

 

 

Open Class:  This menu items opens a file which has already been created and the user must search through the directory to find the “path” of the file.  First you should find the drive and folder you are seeking (Q drive for our network and C or A drive for your local computer.  You then choose the file you wish to open based on its filename.

 

Drive Box

 

Current Folders

 

Files Listed

 
 

 

Save Class and Save As:  The Save Class menu item should be used each time you need to save the work done in an already named file.  You should not use this command to save a file you opened by one name and wish to save using another name, such as the generic file.  The generic file is a preset file with certain attributes and because it is considered a default file preset with properties of our grading scale, grading period and other attributes, it should be opened under the generic name but saved under a different name.  This would mean the first time you want to save this file you would use the “SAVE AS” command to rename it to one of your classes (after importing your roster).  Every other time you want to update the already named file, you would use the “SAVE CLASS” command because it is already named.  You should never save over the generic file with the properties of another file as it destroys the preset defaults of our grading system. 

Use Save Class As

The first time you wish to name a file.

 

Use Save Class

After you have already named a file and wish to update the changes you have made to it.

 

This menu shows files you have recently used and allows you to switch to them quickly.
 
 


The style menu allows you to save report settings you use to produce different kinds of reports.  Style files control how your reports look and what they contain. You can change the paper margins, select fonts, decide exactly what type of information to include, and control dozens of other options.  For example bboard is a style used to post grades which might have Secret Names rather than real names.  Summary might be a report style for the end of the year when two grading period plus the exam are saved.  Styles help you create consistent printouts from grading period to grading period.  By saving the style, you do not have to recreate the format of the report over and over. Style files have the extension .sty.   When you start eClass Grades, it opens the last style file you used. You can open a different style file with the Open Style command.
 
 

 

 


Style Menu Options:

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

The print setup dialog box allows you to control where your document will print (local printer or network) and how it will print (landscape or portrait).  You cannot print directly from the print setup dialog box; you can only make selections about printing your document and those selections are based on the printer(s) you have installed.  All printing with E-Class is done through the report menu options.
 
Print Setup

 


 

 

The import and export part of the file menu will be used when you begin and end classes.  You will always open the generic.cls file (created by Tech Dept. to fit our grading period, etc.) and save it USING A DIFFERENT NAME.  You then import your roster to save it to your Q or network drive and set items such as screen preferences (for what part of the grading period you want to view) and a password to protect the file. 

 
 

 

 


 

 

 

The edit menu is used to cut, copy, and paste from one file or area of a file to another and/or to add and delete students.  Adding a student would mean inserting a row and deleting a student would mean cutting.  Rather than dropping a student (who might show back up the next day), you may place a tilde (~) in front of their name.  This in effect makes them inactive but you haven’t lost the data as you would if you cut them.  If they return, all you need do is take out the (~) character.  This is great for homebound students who you know will return. 

 

The fill column command allows you to give all students (or some consecutive students) the same grade without entering all the way down in the scores window.   The fill row command is great for transfer students bringing grades from another school.

 

The adjust column should be used when you want to realign columns of data by moving a section of a column upward or downward.  Like many of the commands in E-Class you CANNOT UNDO this command.

 

The preferences file is for selecting default folders to open and save class and style files and to create backups.  It is recommended, however, to create back up files using the Windows Explorer Environment.

 
 
Edit Menu

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

The class menu has many important options.

 

Categories:  This allows you to have up to 10 categories of graded areas.  Each would have a percentage weight, which must equal 100% (if an extra credit category is added, it would be more than 100%).  For each assignment you give, you would identify the category it best fits.

 

Grading Periods:  This is preset by the Technology Department and identifies the weighted factor for each grading period.  For example 1st 9 weeks = 40%, 2nd 9 weeks = 40%, final exam = 20%.    This is also where you tell the software when one grading period ends and another begins.
 
Class Menu

 

 

 

 

 

 

In this example the first quarter grading period begins with assignment 1 and ends with assignment 4.  You can see by the dialog box, grading period 2 begins with assignment 5.

 

Click the extra credit box in this dialog box only if you plan to count an entire grading period as extra credit.  See the help menu for reference to doing this.
 

 

 

 

 

Overall Summaries

Each summary includes the first grading period through to the last grading period and can be shown on reports or not.  You generally want the summaries to not show up until the event happens (i.e. Final Exam grade or two grading periods’ summary).

 

Grading Scales

This is preset by the Technology Department and cannot be changed in the “generic.cls” file we use to import the roster.  If you choose to create a new file, the grading scale is different from the grading scale for our school system although you can change it in a new file.  You cannot change it in the “generic.cls” file.

 

eClass Grades lets you design your own list of Special Scores to fit your grading style. For example, you can design a score called Outstanding, abbreviated "+", which eClass Grades will interpret as 100% of the points possible on any assignment. Or, you can use an Excused score, abbreviated "ex", to tell eClass Grades to ignore a particular assignment when calculating grades. Excused scores are very handy when a student turns in late work due to illness, or if a student enters your class several weeks after the beginning of a school year.

 

 
 
Special Scores

 

 

 

Special Scores open up a wealth of possibilities. For example, if you need to evaluate based on outcome-based or portfolio grading system, you might prefer to track all scores as symbols (+, OK, or -) instead of numbers.

 

This dialog allows you to select, edit, add, or delete special scores. There are three pre-defined Special Scores that are not editable.

This dialog box allows you to control the criteria you want to place on a special score.   You can also specify if you want it to count in the students’ grades or not.  This is good for class activities you want to document and observe but not factor in the averages.
 
 


 

Comments:

 

The comment box allows you to insert ready-made comments or ones you create yourself (be careful – they show up on reports). 

 

 

Variables are used to personalize the comments.  Variables allow you to information from the database to create the statements.  In this way, your reports are personalized.
 

 

Student Notes

You can store two separate 250-character notes for each student. Choose a student name from the pop-up list. Type the student notes in the two fields. Above each field is a checkbox that controls whether that note is included in reports. Click "Clear Notes For All Students" to delete all the Student Notes for a class file.

 
 
 


 

Set Password

Protects your file when you are logged in and away from your computer.  Keep the box checked to allow administrator access.

 

Class Name

Store the name of the class in this box to print on the reports.

 

Class Information

Preset with the “generic.cls” file and cannot be changed.

 

Map Bins

Identifies the specific grading periods for exporting grades.

 

Copy From

This is a useful command to copy files from one file to another.  It is particularly useful when you have entered assignments, categories, etc. for one class and teach another class needing the same date.  Open the file which needs the data first, then choose copy from and select what you want to copy (assignments, categories, etc.).  Then select the file you want to copy from.

 

The copy from command will save time and energy in setting up classes from one semester to another if you have access to the previous files.
 

 

Seating Chart

You may have several seating charts you want to save and open for a specific class.  This is the dialog box you change from one kind of seating chart to another for a particular class.
 
 


 

For calling on students, you may set an order to picking students from the seating chart randomly.  This helps rotate the questions and frees you from the thinking process of students who have already answered a question.
 

 

 

Style Menu

The style menu helps you in formatting the reports you will produce and the way your screen looks.

 

Font Menu

 


 

 

Grades Menu

 

These settings control how grades display on reports and on the screen. You can specify rounding options for grades.

 

There are many options in the Grades menu and each option represents what you will or will not see on your reports. 

 

 

 

 

For instance you can place a grade description, points or percentage grade on any of individual scores, category summaries, grading periods, and/or overall summaries, if applicable at the time you print a report. You may also choose whether various ways it can be displayed and whether or not you want to round the values.  The Adjust Each Score option is used only if your weighted values are more than one.  See Grades Dialog (Style Menu) for more explanation.

 
 

 

Column Widths

 

This style menu option allows you to control how many characters you want individual columns and which window you wish to use to specify the column width.

 

Individual Report Prefs

 

This style menu option allows you to control how your want your individual reports to look and what features to allow.

You can choose to have tables (cells) or not to display grades, assignments, etc.  You can choose whether you want to include comments and notes and if you want them at the top or bottom, etc.  You also give your report a title in this dialog box.

 

Post Scripts are for notices such as Parent/Teacher Conferences or announcements parents should know.  You also give the report a title here as it such as Progress Report for and it will then generate the student’s name from the WinSchool database.
 
 


 

 

 

General Report Prefs

This style menu item is choose the options you wish for reports that involve all students within a given file.  General Report Prefs allows you to choose whether or not certain statistics should be included in reports, how student names should appear, margins for reports, and whether zeroes should be counted as missing assignments.  For your name to appear on the report as the teacher, you will need to type it here.  If you are sharing a workstation with another teacher, you will likely need to change this to your name before reports are generated.

 
 
 

 


 

 

 

 

Screen Prefs…

 

 

Text Box:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Student Data

 

Use this menu item to control which student information is included in reports.  If you want a signature line for students and parents to sign, check that box, etc.  Miscellaneous information represents default data for (1) grade, phone; (2)address, and (3)secret name in case you want to post results anonymously to protect privacy issues.  Miscellaneous columns may be changed but refer to the help menu Student Data Dialog before doing so or it will affect your imported data.

 
 

 

 

Assignment Data

 

Use Assignment Data to control which assignment information is included in reports.  You may even include the information you place in the miscellaneous column as you enter assignments for more description.

 
 
Text Box:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Utilities Menu

The utilities menu has several functions and it depends on which view you are in which ones you can use at the moment. 

 

 

Sort Students – allows you to add students at the bottom and use this command to place them in alpha order.

 

Sort and Collapse Assignments – allows you to sort assignments by several criteria.  Collapse Assignments is used when you have many of the same assignments for a specific area and want to combine them. 

 

For example, suppose your first grading period is Quarter 1, the first category in that grading period is Homework, and you have five homework assignments in that grading period worth 10 points each (a total of 50 points possible). If you choose Collapse Assignments for Quarter 1 Homework, all Quarter 1 Homework assignments are replaced by a single assignment called "Collapse: Homework" worth 50 points possible.

 
 
Text Box:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Restore Scores

 

This utilities menu item allows you to revert one or all special scores back to numerical scores, if you wish.  E-Class automatically saves the numerical score each time you change it to a special score allowing you to revert back to the numerical value.

 

Curves one or more scores, according to selections made in this dialog.  You may curve all scores to the highest score for one assignment.  You may curve to the highest score for all assignments, or you may multiply all scores by a given factor or percentage and all student scores will be increased by that point value.  Example:  On a test worth 100 points and weighted once you choose to multiply all scores by a value of 1.10, a student who scored an 80 would then have an 88 whereas a student who scored a 20 would have a 22.

 
 
Curve Scores

 

 

 

 

This menu item drops the lowest score achieved by a student, either in a particular category, grading period, or overall summary.  Note:  You can select not to drop zeros to protect the integrity of your grading policies.
 
Drop Scores

 

Text Box:

 

 

This command allows you to move quickly to an item in the Student Window of E-Class.  The default is to move by a student’s initials.  The default choice, jumping by Student Initials, is a very useful means of moving quickly from one student to another. The first initial is the first character after the comma (excluding spaces). The last initial is the first character that appears in a student's name. For example, to jump to a student named Horse, Charlie, enter CH. Also, the initials for Beethoven, Ludwig van are LB (not VB). In the case of students who have the same initials, you jump to the first student.

 

To rapidly enter several scores, press Alt+J, type the initials and press Enter. Type the score, press Alt+J again, and so forth.
 
 

 

 

 

 

 


Jump To

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Report Menu

 


The report menu allows you various printing options from individual and group reports to rolls for specific activities on given days to charting.  Each report is also dependent on the style options you have chosen to include in that report.
 

 

Individual Report

 

This report style allows you to control aspects of which assignments you want to print, the individual student reports you want to print and other options.  For progress reports only for those students who are failing, you will choose to print “Students with percentages less than 70”.  You may print only one report for an individual student by choosing student x of x.
 
Text Box:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Group Report

This option is for printing a report for the entire class and yet has the same dialog box features as an individual report.  Remember the options you choose on other menu items determine what is printed here.  For example on the Style/Grades menu and the Style/Student Data and Style/Assignment Data options.

 
 
 


 

 

Roll Book

 

You can print out blank Roll Book Reports, showing your student roster, the days of the week, and a grid of blank squares for you to take roll by hand. You can also print out a single Roll Book Report for each class, photocopy extra pages as needed, and write in dates as you wish. Use General Report Prefs from the Style menu to specify an extra left margin to allow for hole-punching so you can use a binder to replace your roll book.

 

Summary Reports

 

Summary Reports are most useful for previewing student grades on-screen, if the Grades column of the Scores window does not provide enough information for you. You can also print the summaries. 

 

Comments List

 

Allows you to print a list of the current comments for quick reference.

 

Multi-Class Reports

This menu item is most useful for elementary teachers who teach several subjects to the same students.  It could also be helpful for Special Ed students.

 

Histograms and Progress Graphs

 

The Histograms dialog allows you to print bar graphs for the active class file and Progress Graphs allows you to print an individual progress graph for each student.

 

View Menu

 

Note the shortcut keys to viewing various windows as well as the options on color schemes.

 

Window

Allows you to see multiple windows at in different formations which can often be better for working.

 

 

Backing Up Files

 

Be sure you have a virus-free floppy disk in the floppy disk drive.

 

To back up your files to a floppy disk, it is best to go into Windows Explorer.   Be careful in the Explorer view  as this is the place files are moved to and from locations. 

 

Locate the E-Class Drive (right pane) and the floppy drive (left pane). 

 

Working from home and transferring files back to school can be tricky and extra caution should be taken to not copy a bad file over a good file. 

 

To maximize speed and security, you should save your important files to your Q drive and then copy them to floppy diskettes after you exit eClass Grades such as mentioned in the process above.

 

Also, it a good idea to keep backups on several disks, and "rotate" your backups between them.  If you only have a single backup diskette, you might accidentally do something terrible to a Class File (like erase half the assignments and scores) and then save it on your hard drive, then copy it to your backup diskette, replacing the good backup file with a bad one!

 

To avoid this nightmare, consider keeping three backup disks, labeled Backup A, Backup B, and Backup C. On Monday, use Backup A. On Tuesday, use Backup B. Wednesday, use Backup C. Thursday, use Backup A again. If you discover a serious problem, you can turn to a previous backup diskette to at least partially salvage your data.

 

This procedure requires a little extra work, but consider using it for all your valuable data, including word processing documents and so forth. Someday, you'll be glad you took the trouble to keep multiple, rotated backups!