Teacher
How do I use Buzz's activity types?
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When authoring content in Buzz, you are given various activity type options. Each activity type is designed with specific ends in mind and can be used to support various personalized learning models. Review the following activity types to see which best suits your needs, and how to use them.
Note: Administrators are able to hide specific activity types within the domain, so you may not see all of the types listed here in your course Editor.
| Activity Type | Description | Assessment | Assessments are gradable, question-based activities that use questions you create and/or link from question banks. Each question can be aligned with specific objectives in the course, and student performance on objectives can be used to make formative or remediation assessments. Students are required to complete assessments according to conditions set by the course author and submit all answers at once. Assessments are automatically graded and can be password protected. |
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| Assignment | Assignments are gradable activities that you create using a rich text editor. Students complete assignment activities in their own time and are expected to indicate completion according to conditions set by the course author (e.g., attach a file to a dropbox, enter findings in a text box). Assignments can also be set up to accompany non-digital submissions. |
| Blog | Blogs are assigned writing exercises that can be seen by the authoring student, the teacher, and all members of the course (unless it is organized by groups, in which case each student can access only the blogs in their group). Visitors can comment on blogs to encourage discussion and collaboration. |
| Custom Activity | Custom Activities allow you to embed SCORM activities, display external web sites, or create gradable activities using styles and scripts that aren't available with Buzz authoring tools. Because it provides greater customization options, these are best suited for advanced users. |
| Discussion | Discussions allow you to create a learning activity in which students can respond to a prompt and interact with other students as part of focused conversation threads. All course members can add to and access the thread unless it is organized by groups, in which case each student can access only their group's threads. |
| Embed Code | Embed Code to create an activity using HTML; most often, these are HTML snippets provided by other sites. By default, this item is not gradable; you can make it gradable using the activity editor. |
| File Attachment | Quickly upload a document for students. By default, this item is not gradable; you can make it gradable using the activity editor. |
| Flashcards | Flashcards are non-gradable activities designed to allow learners to review content and help them commit it to memory. Authors can add text or an image to each side of each card. Learners see the front of the card, and try to remember, imagine, guess, etc, what's on the other side. Flashcard activities are marked complete when a learner has flipped all of the cards in the activity. |
| Google Drive Document | Use a Google Drive Document as an activity. Your Google Drive must be configured for use. By default, this item is not gradable; you can make it gradable using the activity editor. |
| IMS Package | IMS content packages contain simple learning content and metadata created in accordance with international standards. Buzz allows you to import IMS packages (including common cartridges and QTI questions) or SCORM packages into your courses. |
| Journal | Journals are assigned writing exercises that only the authoring student, the teacher, and the student's parent or other observer can access. |
| Peer Assessment | Peer Assessments allow students to evaluate their peers' performance using a rubric you provide. |
| Practice Questions (formerly Homework) | Practice Questions are gradable, question-based activities that use questions you create and/or link question banks. This activity is similar to assessments, but, unlike assessments, students can submit, review, and retake each question at a time. For instant feedback, this activity should only contain automatically graded questions. |
| Project | Projects allow you to quickly and easily create robust and organized project activities. You can automatically include a Discussion, Blog, Wiki, and/or Journal, as well as add additional components. |
| Rich-Text Activity | This activity type is best suited for delivering information. It allows course authors to create activities using a rich text editor. By default, this item is not gradable; you can make it gradable using the activity editor. |
| Survey | Link to surveys built using external tools, like SurveyMonkey. |
| Website Link | Link to websites for students. By default, this item is not gradable; you can make it gradable using the activity editor. |
| Wiki | Wikis allow you to create collaborative writing exercises which can be edited by the teacher and all students in a course. All members can also see a history of revisions and who made them. |
| YouTube Video | Embed a YouTube video for students. By default, this item is not gradable; you can make it gradable using the activity editor. |
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