CREATE Connect User Guide
Overview
CREATE Connect is an online education community platform developed for teachers and educators interested in STEAM to find and connect with others to discuss different projects, share ideas, work together or simply help one another with their problems by sharing insights and best practice.
The CREATE Connect platform aims to provide the bridge between technology and teachers. One of the biggest problems with new technology in education is educators not being able to connect with other people who have successfully integrated new technologies into the classroom for advice and support or even experts in the industry for help and resources. This platform solves this problem by offering an open platform that educators at all levels, industry partners and educational leaders can interact with each other, discuss common issues and create solutions for integrating technology into their classrooms, labs and makerspaces. This in turn facilitates every student having the opportunity to access, experience and learn about groundbreaking technology and educators can realise the learning benefits technology provides with confidence.
Education is fundamentally about sharing knowledge and the education community should have their own dedicated space to discuss things related to their interests, be able to connect with other like minded people and facilitate peer to peer development. Currently educators are having to use other platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc), blurring lines between professional and personal, being bombarded with advertising, with more and more users concerned about privacy and usage of their data. By providing this solution, we can ensure our community aren’t subject to content unrelated to them such as political posts, adult content and other distractions. No data will be sold to third party organisations and the negative behaviour that is increasingly associated with the big platforms will not be tolerated. All the benefits of digital connections without the concerns!
The CREATE Connect platform has a Groups feature that allows people to join and create groups, which can be public or private, so the discussion is always relevant and involves the people you want to share with. There is also the ability to upload files such as images, documents, audio and videos making the dissemination of content painless and (if required) private. Users will also be able to create their own groups which can be private or public. This feature is useful perhaps where a group of local schools are collaborating on a specific project or if you want to connect and communicate with other educators about a specific topic or subject area. Users are also able to browse and join other groups of STEAM educators who are also active on the platform.
Please note: the platform is not intended for use by groups of children you are working with, all community members must be 18 or over.
Joining the CREATE Connect Community
To join the CREATE Connect community you must register for a CREATE Connect user Account.
Register:
- Visit www.connect.createeducation.com
- Click on the “Join Now” button
- Complete the registration form and click the Register button.
- This will register your account and you will be sent a verification email
Verify your account:
- Open the email account that you registered with and find the CREATE Connect registration email, Please note if the email doesn’t appear in your inbox, please check the SPAM/Junk folders.
- Click on the verification link in your email, this will verify your account and open the CREATE Connect website homepage.
- Login using the username and password you created when registering. You will then be directed to your user profile page.
Please note: If you are already a registered member of The CREATE Education Project website at www.createeducation.com, you will not require a seperate registration for CREATE Connect, just login with your CREATE Education username and password.
Editing your profile
You can edit your profile and preferences at any time, to do this you must be logged in. Click on the drop down arrow next to your user name in the top right corner, then select preferences.
This will take you to your profile page where you can edit your profile (About), preferences, notification settings and account details. You can also edit your avatar and cover images.
About (profile)
The very first time you login after verifying your user account, you will be directed to edit your profile “About” page. Here you can add details about yourself, you must enter your first name and last name in order to access the community. You also get the option of entering your date of birth, a brief biography about yourself and an external website link on this page.
Click on the edit buttons to the right of each field to insert or amend your details.
Enter your details into the field and click the Save button.
Your first and last name will be public, but you can change the privacy settings of your other details.
To do this, click on the button immediately to the right of the edit button on each filed, this will provide a drop down where you can select your prefered privacy/sharing settings.
Preferences
Click on the Preferences tab to access further account preferences.
Here you can select and deselect various options.
Notification settings
Click on the Notifications tab to access and amend your notifications settings.
Please note: By default ALL notifications are on. Use the buttons at the top to enable/disable all notifications or click on the blue checked boxes to enable/disable individual notification settings.
Account details
Click on the Account tab to access and amend your account details.
Here you can edit various details, delete your account and export all the data you have shared in the community.
Avatar and cover images
To edit your avatar and cover images, click on your profile name at the top of your profile banner.
This will open up an expanded profile banner.
Click on the camera icon in the top right of the banner then the modify button, then upload a new photo to change your cover image.
Click on the avatar image circle in the bottom left of the banner, then upload and edit a photo to change your avatar image.
Posting Content
Posting and commenting
You can post the following content types to your personal activity feed or to groups that you a member of:
Text
Images
Audio
Video
Documents
To post simply type into the status update box at the top of the activity feed on your profile page, the site homepage or a group page.
You can add emoticons, photos, audio and video to you post by selecting the icons below the text field. You can share a link by pasting the URL directly into the text box either on it’s own or with some additional text.
When you have finished your post and selected the required privacy setting, click the Post button at the bottom left to publish your post.
You can also publish comments on other users posts, simply type in the “Write a comment” field underneath displayed immediately underneath every published post on the platform. You can include text, links or images in comments.
Posting video content
1. When you go to put on a post, just click video
2. Then pasta the link in, Enter video URL here
3. Then add some text and words to the post
4. Then once you Post, it looks like this and where you can see and watch the video
Hope that helps, in the future developments for CREATE Connect, the feature to able upload original content directly on to the platform may be available.
Privacy of content
There are four different privacy settings that can be assigned to posts, these are public, site members, friends only or only me. These can be applied to a post before you publish it or the published setting can be changed at any time after publishing the post.
If you comment on other people’s posts, the comment will inherit the same privacy level as the original post and you will not be able to edit the privacy of your comments.
To select the privacy settings for your post before the post is published by clicking on the Site Members button below the text field. This will open a drop down menu where you can select your preferred privacy setting for the post.
To change the privacy setting of a published post, click on the share icon in the top left corner of the post, this will open a drop down where you can select the required privacy option.
Please note: When posting and commenting directly to an open public group, your posts will be accessible to everyone.
Editing and deleting content
You can edit and delete both posts and comments at any time after they have been posted.
To edit a post, select the drop down arrow in the top right corner of the post, this will open a drop down menu where you can choose to either edit or delete the post.
To edit a comment, click on the edit link underneath the comment field. To delete a comment, click on the bin icon in the top right corner of the comment.
To edit or delete photos, audio or video files, go to your profile, then click on the photos or audio & video tab. Browse to find the image, audio or video file you wish to edit or delete then click on it. In the top right corner of the Image preview window, you have the option to delete the image or edit the image caption.
Making Connections
One of the main benefits of the CREATE Connect platform is the ability to connect with people around the world who share common interests in education, education technology, STEAM and maker education. If you find a user who has contributed something of interest to you, you can learn more about the user by clicking on their profile, this will display their feed with all of their public posts and any parts of their profile that they have made public.
You can chose to follow the user and then you will be able to view all of their posts in your activity stream or you can connect with them as a Friend.
Browsing and searching for users
To find users in the community, click on the Members tab at the top of your activity stream or profile page.
Here you can search all the users on the platform by entering a search term or name into the search bar.
You can sort the member list by clicking the sort drop down arrow and selecting one of the sort options from the list.
You can filter the member list to show all members, members you follow or members you don’t follow by clicking on the follow drop down arrow and selecting one of the options.
Scroll down the member list on the page to find the members you wish to view, follow or friend. Click on their profile to open their public profile and posts.
Following users
To follow directly from the members page, browse or search to find the user then click on the Not following button at the bottom of their profile avatar and link. The text on this button will change to Following to indicate that you are following this user.
To unfollow the member simply click on the Follow button and you will unfollow them and the button text will change back to Not following.
You can also follow and unfollow members directly from their profile. Click on the user from either the members listing page or by clicking on their username on one of their posts.
Then in the bottom right corner of their profile banner, click on the Not following button. The text on this button will change to Following to indicate that you are following this user.
To unfollow the member simply click on the Follow button and you will unfollow them and the button text will change back to Not following.
Please note: As soon as you follow a member and you will be able to view all of their public posts in your activity stream. But you will not be able to see their posts to friends only or their private posts.
Adding friends
By connecting with other users as friends, you will be able to access all of the private posts that the user publishes to friends only, therefore connecting with other users as friends is a two way process that both parties need to approve. To connect with a user as a friend, first of all you need to send them a friend request which they will need to approve before they are added as a friend.
To send a friend request directly from the members page, browse or search to find the user then click on the Add as Friend button at the bottom of their profile avatar and link. This will send a friend request that will appear in the user’s notifications awaiting approval and the text on this button will change to Cancel Friend Request to indicate that you have placed a friend request. As soon as the friend accepts the request, this will change again to Friend.
To unfriend the member simply click on the Friend button and you will unfriend them and the button text will change back to Add as friend.
You can also send friend requests to members directly from their profile. Click on the user from either the members listing page or by clicking on their username on one of their posts.
Then in the bottom right corner of their profile banner, click on the Add as Friend button. This will send a friend request that will appear in the user’s notifications awaiting approval and the text on this button will change to Cancel Friend Request to indicate that you have placed a friend request. As soon as the friend accepts the request, this will change again to Friend.
To unfriend the member simply click on the Friend button and you will unfriend them and the button text will change back to Add as friend.
Please note: As soon as a friend request is approved and you become a friend with the member. You will be able to view all of their public posts and their private posts to friends in your activity stream. But you will not be able to see their completely private posts.
User Groups
Types of user groups
User groups allow groups of members to connect and collaborate with each other. There are three different types of user groups:
Open Groups
- Anyone can join these groups and participate.
- Non-members can see everything in the group, but they can’t post, comment etc.
Closed Groups
- Users need to be invited, or request group membership and be accepted.
- Non-members can only see the groups about page.
Secret
- Users need to be invited.
- Non-members can’t see the group at all.
Joining a group
Click on the Groups tab at the top of your activity stream or profile page.
Here you can browse, search and join all the different community groups on the platform. Scroll down the list to find the groups you are interested in, or type keywords the group search bar.
Click on a group to open the group page, here you can view the activity stream if it is an open group, but you must join the group to participate in it. To do this simply click the Join button in the bottom right of the group banner.
Once you have joined the group you will be able to post to the group, like and comment on posts, share updates and files with the group.
To join a closed group, you will need to request to join the group, then wait to be accepted into the group.
Getting started in a group
If you are new to a group and want to learn more a good place to start would be to take a look at the activity stream of the group and any documents or media shared in the group documents.
Scroll down and read the group activity feed, this will help you to get a feel for the community and how educators are utilising and working in the group.
Introduce yourself to the group. Write an introductory post on the feed. Tell the group a little bit about yourself and/or what your interests are any why you have joined the group.
Connect with other group members, you can learn about the other group members from reading their posts in the activity feed. Alternatively click on a users name to view their profile and posts (if they have made them public). Once you have found users you would like to connect with, you can choose to follow them to keep updated with their activity or you can send them a friend request.
Contributing to the group
Community groups can only truly thrive when a variety of different users of all experience levels interact with one another. If the group only has a small number of contributors, then the group feed will be limited to the views and experiences of those few contributors. Everyone, no matter how experienced or inexperienced should be able to contribute, whether it is to seek advice, share an idea, experience or perspective, to help someone else or to provide feedback to their posts.
The simplest way to contribute to a group is to like other group members posts, shared files and comments. This provides them with feedback that their contribution is useful to someone else, or that someone else agrees with them. However commenting on others posts and shared files is even more useful and enables conversations to happen.
Share anything that may be useful to the group, for example:
- Ideas for projects
- Questions, ask for help
- Photographs of projects
- Examples of students work – including photos and videos
- Project resources
- Tips and tricks – anything you think will be useful to other group members, let them learn from your experiences.
- Links to other good content from external websites
- Write and publish your own blogs to the group or share student blogs (blogs functionality available Spring 2019)
You can share in a number of ways – by writing posts, sharing documents, images, audio and video.
Setting up and managing your own user group
All platform users have the ability to to create their own user groups, these can be open groups, closed private groups or secret groups.
Open Groups – anyone can join these groups and participate. Non-members can see everything in the group, but they can’t post or comment.
Closed Groups – Users need to be invited or request group membership and be accepted. Non-members can only see the groups about page.
Secret Groups – Users need to be invited. Non-members can’t see the group at all.
All posts and comments published to the group by members automatically inherit the same privacy level as the group.
This facility is particularly useful for members as it allows you to set up specific collaborative project groups with other educators either in your own school or organisation, a local cluster or even internationally with connections you have made through the platform or personally.
Please note: You will be the owner and responsible for all the groups that you set up, unless you subsequently transfer ownership of the group to another group member. As a group owner you can assign selected group members to be managers or moderators who can assist you in managing the group and moderating content.
Setting up a new group
To set up a new group, click on the Groups tab at the top of your activity stream or profile page. Then click the Create Group button on the right.
In the Create Group window add a group name and a description for the group, then select the required group privacy level and click the Create Group button.
This will create the group and display the group page, where you can edit the group settings, post content, invite members and manage the group.
Managing a group
To manage your group, go to your group page here you can change the cover and group avatar images, edit the group settings, manage the group members and manage posts.
The group cover and avatar images can be edited in the same way as you would edit your personal profile cover and avatar images.
To edit the group settings, click on the Settings tab directly underneath the group banner, then click on the edit button to the right of each setting, edit the setting and click save.
To manage the group members, click on the Members tab directly underneath the group banner.
Here you can access a list of all members, manage members and approve new members.
Click on the Management tab, then find the individual member and click on the setting icon directly under the username. This will give you the option to transfer group ownership to the member, turn them into a manager or moderator, remove or ban them from the group.
Group owners, managers and moderators can all manage all the group content posted by any member to the group. Simply click on the drop down arrow in the top right corner of the relevant post where you can choose to edit the post, delete the post or pin the post to the top of the group activity stream.
Retiring old or inactive groups
In order to keep the groups and content on the platform relevant to the CREATE Connect community, any user generated groups that are inactive for over 6 months will be subject to a review.
If you are the manager of an inactive group you will be contacted by CREATE Connect requesting information about the long term plans and benefits of the group to the group members and/or the wider CREATE Connect user base. If you provide a valid reason for keeping the group, this will be honoured. If you do not respond or provide a valid reason, the group will be retired from the platform. This is to stop the platform from being bloated with old, irrelevant and inactive user groups, helping all platform users to find and join active groups that meet their interests.
Community rules and guidelines
The CREATE Education Project will be ultimately managing the CREATE Connect platform, however the platform content will primarily be managed by you, the members.
It is important that the platform is kept professional and relevant to all the members, please bear in mind that unlike other social media platforms, this community is intended to be a positive, professional educator community. Although kind, constructive criticism will be welcomed, derogatory or abusive comments and posts will not be tolerated.
The following do’s and don’ts provide some best practice guidelines for using the platform:
Do
- Stay active, keep visiting the platform and your groups for the latest updates.
- Ensure that you check your privacy settings so that your posts are only visible to those who you want to see them.
- Post public content if you think it will be of benefit to the wider community members.
- Keep posts and comments relevant to the audience and professional at all times.
- Contribute, if you have experience or knowledge that can help to answer someone’s question, please comment on their posts.
- Share good practice, ideas and experiences.
- Make recommendations to others if you have good experiences using a particular product or service.
- Report any unsuitable posts and comments for example abusive or inappropriate content.
- Report any users who you deem to not be using the platform in the spirit it has been designed for. For example users posting abusive or inappropriate content, advertising, spamming etc.
- Take a look at the groups from time to time as new ones will be added all the time and you may find new groups of interest to you.
- Review the activity regularly in any groups that you are a manager or moderator of and respond to members posts where required. If the group is private, please review all join requests in a timely manner.
- Delete any groups you have set up that are no longer required or active.
Don’t
- Join the community if you are under 18, this platform is intended for adults only.
- Be afraid to post, this community is designed to help and support one another. No question is a silly question and your comments and opinions are as valid as anyone else’s.
- Post on topics other than STEAM and maker education, other social media outlets provide the facility to do this. This will help to keep the platform relevant to all members.
- Publish derogatory, inflammatory or abusive posts or comments, keep it professional at all times.
- Use this platform for the advertising of 3rd party products or services for personal or commercial gain.
