Mindspark Inc | Grades2Go™ Desktop for Windows

System Requirements

Operating system

Windows XP/Vista/7

Available hard drive space

50MB

Peripherals

Mouse or other pointing device, keyboard, printer

Internet connection

Required for automated report distribution, software update check and school server downloads/uploads; not required for routine operation

all specifications subject to change

Key Parameters

Number of Users

Unlimited on same computer (each User needs Activation Code for unlimited operation)

Number of Sections

10 maximum per User per year

Number of Students

50 maximum per Section per year
Without valid Activation Code: 5 maximum per Term

Number of Tasks

Unlimited with valid Activation Code
Without valid Activation Code: 5 maximum per Section/Term and
5 maximum per Course Archive

Number of Grade marks

Unlimited with valid Activation Code
Without valid Activation Code: 25 maximum per Section/Year

Number of Attendance marks

Unlimited with valid Activation Code
Without valid Activation Code: 100 maximum per Section/Year

Number of Terms and Semesters

Fixed at 2 terms for each of 2 semesters per year

Number of School Years

Unlimited

Databases and Tables

Database format

Microsoft Access 2003 (.mdb)

Teacher Task Archive Database (per user)

Tables: tasks by course, default task codes and weights, default code categories

Section Database
(per course section/year)

Tables: student roster, attendance marks, attendance notes, term categories, term task codes, term tasks, non-term tasks, term task grades, non-term task grades, task grade notes, student year-to-date summary data, student activity log, distributed reports log

School Profile Database *
(per school/year)

Tables: school profile info

School Calendar Database *
(per school/year)

Tables: semesters, terms, all days (rotation info), key days, blocks, periods

School Grading Database *
(per school/year)

Tables: grading scheme, grade bands, school comment types, school comment list

School Courses Database *
(per school/year)

Tables: school course info

School Students Database *
(per school/year)

Tables: student info (contact data only)

School EP Documents Database * (per school/year)

Tables: student EP documents (hyperlinks only)

School EP Logs Database *
(per school/year)

Tables: student IEP log entries

(*) can be hosted on a server and shared by all Grades2Go™ users at a school

Main Menu Structure

File »

Select User » Sample Teacher (multi-user with different Activation Codes)

User Preferences

Check Desktop Activation Code

Purchase Activation Code

Enter Desktop Registration Code

Add New User

Delete Current User

Mobile Sync Log (if Mobile enabled)

Mobile Sync Log Clear (if Mobile enabled)

Exit

Setup »

Default Year/Term

School » Profile, Calendar, Periods, Blocks, Courses, Grading Schema, Grading Bands, Grading Comments Index, Grading Comments Types, Student Database

Teacher » Sections, Grading Codes, Grading Categories, Profile, Report Server

Mobile Device » Enable/Disable, Sync Year, Term Options, Check Mobile Activation Code, Purchase Activation Code, Enter Mobile Activation Code, Download App to Device, Set/Clear Master Rebuild

Wizards » User Setup, Year Setup

Connect »

(visible only if Grades2Go™ data files hosted on a server)

Check/Download School Databases

Upload Student Edits

Upload IEP Logs

SECTION DASHBOARDS »

(list of sections taught; opens set of tabs for selected section - see Section Dashboard Views)

Course Task Archives »

(list of courses taught; opens Task Archive for selected course)

Reference Info »

My Info » My Communications Wizard Index, My Profile, My Schedule, My Sections, My Grading Codes, My Grading Categories

School Info » Calendar, Periods, Blocks, Grading Schema, Grading Bands, Comment Index, Comment Types, School Website

Student Database

Courses Database

Data Folders »

(shows contents of folders containing main files and databases)

User Folders » Current Year Reports, Current Year Section Databases, Current Year Uploads, Task Documents by Course, Archive Databases

School Folders » Current Year School Databases, Current Year Ed Plan Documents

Help »

System Tutorial

User Manual

User Manual (PDF)

User Manual (Website)

Mindspark Website

Support Options

User Forum

Check for Updates

About Grades2Go™ Desktop

Section Dashboard Views

TERM Tasks

Displays and manages tasks (assignments) for current term; add existing tasks from course archive or create/assign new ones; view linked task documents; report current grade holes; optional flags: not yet assigned, excluded (from calculation/reporting), extra credit, bonus points; tasks are paired with user-defined grading codes for weight categorization

TERM Grades

Displays and manages task (assignment) grades for current term; enter as percent, points, letter, or pass/fail; optionally flag grades as [in] (collected), [N/A] (excluded); note can be added to any grade (also appears on reports); summaries of individual and section grades by task code and category; grade distribution histograms; report of current grade holes; automatic update of all term/year calculations after each grade entry; choice of three calculation algorithms (see TERM Calc Scheme)

TERM Attendance

Displays and manages section attendance for current term; recognizes rotating school schedules and suppresses non-meeting days; enter as [A] (absent without excuse], [T] (tardy), [E] (absent with excuse), [P] or [/] (present); auto-mark feature converts holes (unmarked) to [P]; summarizes individual/section attendance by mark type

TERM Calc Scheme

Displays and manages grading scheme for current section and term; allows choice of three calculation algorithms (see below); user can easily switch between algorithms, making an initial commitment unnecessary

WO (Weights Only)

Maximum grade based on simple sum of code weights for each assigned task; no categories

WC (Weights within Categories)

Term grade calculated from category grades, with each user-defined category having an assigned percentage weight; each category grade calculated from code weights of constituent task codes (as in WO calculation).

PC (Points within Categories)

Term grade calculated from category grades, with each user-defined category having an assigned percentage weight; each category grade calculated from maximum points of constituent tasks; task codes not involved in the calculation (point maximums assigned for each task independently)

NON-TERM Tasks

Displays and manages tasks (assignments) associated with semesters or entire year rather than terms; add existing tasks from course archive or create/assign new ones; view linked task documents; report non-term grade holes

YEAR Grades

Displays and manages grades associated with semesters or entire year rather than terms; enter as percent, points, letter, or pass/fail; optionally flag grades as [in] (collected), [N/A] (excluded); note can be added to any grade (also appears on reports); grade distribution histograms; report of current grade holes; automatic update of all semester/year calculations after each grade entry;supports entry and reporting of midterm grades; term/semester/year calculations may be overridden; supports adding of school-defined comments by numerical codes

YEAR Attendance

Displays a summary of attendance per term, semester, and year

Student Info/Progress

Brings together student summary information: EP log (Ed Plan) if applicable, profile info, contact info, add/drop dates, miscellaneous info field, calss activity log

Communications Wizard

Main control panel for creating and distributing periodic reports; easy customizable and can be saved to templates; selectable distribution via print, email, PDF; selectable distribution to parents, student, guidance self (for teacher record); quick memo feature

#G2G-DW

V 1.1.3