Frequently Asked Questions
How long does the initial setup take?
Heads of Learning Areas (HOLAs) or teachers can have classes ready in roughly 30 minutes, which includes time spent generating invitation codes for student enrollment.
Additionally, outlining a year's assessments can be efficiently completed in under half an hour, facilitating a smooth transition to using the platform.
How can I add students to the platform?
Teachers or HOLAs can easily add students to the platform by creating classes and generating invitation codes for students to register. Alternatively, there's the option to manually add students as necessary, providing flexibility in managing class setups.
Are both handwritten and digital assessments supported for upload?
MarkSmart accommodates the upload of both digital and handwritten assessments, ensuring versatility in handling various types of student work.
Who is authorised to upload assessments?
The platform permits both teachers and students to upload assessments, encouraging a collaborative educational environment. This functionality enhances the interaction and participation between teachers and students.
What type of technical support is available?
Despite MarkSmart's intuitive design, comprehensive support is provided through an onboarding program complete with tutorials and, if requested, face-to-face training. Dedicated technical assistance is also readily available via email for any queries or support needs.
How quickly can teachers become proficient with MarkSmart?
Teachers generally reach proficiency with MarkSmart after marking around five assessments, reflecting the platform's user-friendly interface and straightforward functionality, designed to facilitate easy adoption.
How does MarkSmart align with existing marking practices?
MarkSmart is designed to mesh seamlessly with teachers' current marking routines, enhancing the feedback process with digital efficiency without upending established habits.
How do students receive clarification on codes or feedback they may not understand?
Every code in the MarkSmart Code Bank comes with comprehensive explanations, simplifying the feedback process for students. For additional clarification beyond the digital comments and markups, direct teacher-student communication is encouraged.
What insights can MarkSmart provide?
Offering detailed analytics at student, class, and yearly levels, MarkSmart delivers critical insights into educational progress, classroom dynamics, and individual achievements. This data supports targeted instructional strategies and informed educational decisions.
Is exporting student and class marks possible?
The platform facilitates the exporting of marks, allowing for easy data sharing and further analysis, supporting comprehensive educational assessment and planning.
Can I customise marking rubrics and calculation setups?
The capability to adjust marking rubrics and calculation setups is in development, promising future enhancements that will offer teachers further customisation to suit specific assessment standards and practices.
Are custom codes or code banks modifiable?
Future updates to MarkSmart will introduce the ability to customise or alter codes and Code Banks, giving teachers the flexibility to adapt feedback mechanisms to fit precise instructional requirements.
Is MarkSmart applicable to subjects beyond English?
Initially focused on long-form writing assessments in English, MarkSmart is expanding to include tailored code banks for additional subjects like History and Geography, broadening its applicability across the curriculum.
Why are marks withheld until after Feedforward?
The strategy of withholding marks until after the feedforward process is based on findings that this approach promotes more meaningful student engagement with feedback, encouraging reflection and improvement before focusing on marks.
What happens if students do not engage with the feedback?
Non-engagement with feedforward feedback is treated as a disciplinary issue according to school policies. MarkSmart allows for the progression of the marking process and release of marks, maintaining educational continuity while documenting student responsiveness.
What data management and security measures does MarkSmart employ?
MarkSmart prioritises robust data management and security protocols to protect client information. Hosted on secure AWS servers in Australia, the platform ensures fast, reliable access with dedicated databases for each school, enhancing data security and integrity. Access to school-specific portals is secured through unique URLs, with comprehensive security measures like regular backups in place to safeguard data.
How does MarkSmart ensure the privacy of user data within its system?
MarkSmart prioritises the privacy of user data above all. To safeguard our system and the vital information it contains, we've established stringent authentication and authorisation processes. These measures ensure that only verified users can access data they're entitled to. Sensitive personal data, including names and email addresses, are also encrypted to maintain confidentiality and prevent unauthorised access.
Our platform and its database are securely hosted within an Amazon Virtual Private Cloud (VPC), ensuring that all interactions within the system are conducted in a protected environment. MarkSmart's commitment to security is reflected in our layered defence strategy, designed to preserve the highest levels of data integrity and user privacy.