Give students ownership
At the beginning of the year I used to write down every student username and password – for their one and only school account. Once we got our 1:1 devices, it seemed like they needed an account for every app and website. I could no longer keep track of everything for all of my students.
Have students record their usernames and passwords for each account and keep it in a safe place. If they rotate classes, have them keep it in a binder or taped to a pencil box. Students should write down the information for every account they create. Keep reminding… and reminding… and reminding, until they automatically do it each time.
I have my students keep one of these technology info cards with them at all times. There are 5 slots, so I print them front and back. If they have more than 10 accounts, they get a second card. If you know they’re going to have a lot of accounts, you can print the whole sheet (2 to a sheet) double sided (20 total) and have them stick them in a page protector in their binder!
…but keep a copy anyway
Although student ownership is important, it’s always a good idea to have a backup. I give students two copies of the cards at the beginning of the year and have them fill in one for me and one for themselves. This way I always have a backup copy of their information in case they lose their card.
Here are a couple ways to keep this process organized in your classroom:
- If the whole class is signing up for an account for something, pass out the cards for students to write their information on your card (in addition to their card). Collect and place back on a binder ring.
- If students are individually signing up for different things, have them walk up to an area in the room where they can either access your card copies, or have a clipboard ready for them to write down their information for you to transfer to your copy of their card.
- Have a class helper keep a digital copy of this information. Google Sheets is a great way to keep track of student information and be able to access it from any device!
I like to keep it simple and organized in my classroom. Hopefully these cards will help you do the same in yours!