Learn about StrongMind Player, a proprietary learning platform.

Notes: StrongMind Player is currently in it's pilot form and is available to a select group of users. As use expands, customers will be informed of their option to demo this tool.

Related Article: The Student Experience, The Guardian Experience

StrongMind Player FAQ

Q: What is StrongMind Player?

A: StrongMind Player is a new proprietary learning management system, or LMS. It is a platform where students and guardians can view curriculum content and submit assignments, and teachers can grade assignments and provide feedback to students. 

Q: Can Anyone Access Player?

A: Currently, only a small pilot group of teachers and students have access to StrongMind Player. 

Q: Can Player do everything that Canvas LMS can do?

A: Player is in it's earliest release form currently. This means that not all functionality has been deployed as we ensure the platform operates efficiently and we continue to build out tools based on the feedback of pilot users. 

Player will be accessed within StrongMind Central just as Canvas courses are.

Presently, Player renders content that feels similar to how it looks in Canvas LMS, but it requires fewer clicks for students to access. Discussion questions will be implemented, at teacher discretion within StrongMind Central Communities. Teachers do not currently have the ability to add their own content to Player. 

Q: What makes Player special?

A: Player was designed based on customer needs and feedback. Canvas was initially created for higher education, and while StrongMind curriculum can be consumed within Canvas, it was not designed for StrongMind Curriculum. Player was.  It has a simple user interface meant to engage and allow the focus to be on learning and tracking progress, not on navigation. Player integrates seamlessly with StrongMind Central, and will eventually be available as an option for all schools integrated with SMC.

Q: How do pilot users access their Player courses?

A: Students & teachers will open courses directly from SMC - from either their course card or their classroom - and are taken straight into the correct course natively in the SMC player. Students will be automatically taken to where they left off on in the course.

Q: Can students use Lexi in Player?

A: Students can still access Lexi within courses by selecting the Lexi icon bubble within the course content or after submitting an assessment.

Launching Player

• Log into your StrongMind Central Account at central.strongmind.com.

• Select a the launch icon within the title of your course card. 

• Alternatively,  select the appropriate Player Course under Classrooms in the left navigation. 

• Then, select Launch Course within the course classroom  to go to the Player classroom.

Navigating the Player Course

• Your homepage is designed for ease of use. The below diagram shows a birds eye view of the layout:

1. Breadcrumb trail allows user to track the assignment being viewed.
2. Curriculum still allows for read aloud option as well as dictionary, language translation, and adjustments to cadence.
3. Navigation buttons to access gradebook, StrongMind Central community page, and course settings.
4. Content mirroring what a student experiences and includes collapsable and expandable segments.
5. Overview of the course units showing unit topic and number of lessons contained. Selecting the unit will show a drilled down view of the lessons and activities. 

NOTE: When you log into your course for the first time, you will see the course content view. Every subsequent login thereafter will bring you to the gradebook view. 

• Select the school icon in the upper righthand corner to toggle away from Player and back to the StrongMind Central classroom community.

Customizing Your Settings

Note: The pilot version of Player has limited customizations. More personalization options will become available in future iterations. 

Presently, the Course Settings area can be accessed within the corresponding classroom in StrongMind Central. This new settings tab provides transparency into course participation windows and simplifies assignment planning through built-in pacing controls.

• View Course Duration (Start & End Dates): Term dates display directly from PowerSchool and determine when students can access the course.

• Distribute Due Dates: Assign due dates evenly across the course with one click, automatically respecting blackout days and weekends. 

• Note: Selecting the gear icon in the upper righthand corner will bring you to a blank page. It is not a current functionality, but will eventually house settings like renaming unit and assignment titles.  

Grading Tools in Player

Note: The new student gradebook gives learners a clear, live view of their progress in each course. Grades automatically update as work is submitted, helping students stay accountable and understand where they stand at all times.

• Select the % Icon to navigate to the Player gradebook.

• Toggle to your preferred gradebook view. 

Combined Grade View

1. Combined view is the default. You can toggle using the drop down menu. 
2. Search bar allows for keyword lookup.
3. Expand or collapse the gradebook settings view.
4. Hover over an assignment title to view full title and due date.
5. Assignment category icon, title, and due date are visible across the top columns. 
6. Clicking a grade box will open an action menu. Choose Grade, View Comments, Excuse, or Update Score. 

Student Grade View

1. Grey block shows the selected student. 
2. Missing assignment alert (if applicable).
3. Assignment logistics including current attempts, due date, and score. 
4. Actions - Submit and edit assignment (grading and commenting capability).

Assignment Grade View

1. Select Assignment View. Toggle between views using the drop down menu. 
2. Grey block shows the selected assignment.
3. Search bar allows for keyword lookup.
4. Filter Allows you to search by unit, assignment type, or submission status.
5. Assignment logistics including current attempts, due date, and score. 
6.  Actions - Submit and edit assignment (grading and commenting capability).

Speed Grader View

• Select the grade icon or select Grade from the pop up combined view menu. 

• View attempt info in the top third. If a student has exhausted their alloted attempts you can add an attempt. If you would like a student to work off of an existing submission, you can re-open an attempt.

• Review or score assessment submissions in the middle third of the Speed Grader. 

• Leave a comment on the currently viewed submission. Type the comment into the box. Then, select Comment. Comments will be visible on the student grade view.