Create Flexible tasks

Set work that does not require a submission

Konstantina avatar
Written by Konstantina
Updated over a week ago

Flexible tasks allow you to set a task for your students that does not require a submission.

Flexible tasks provide a number of ways for teachers to have more freedom in how they structure work for their students. Here are just a few examples:

  • Sharing a video or article for students to digest before the next class

  • Distributing revision materials

  • Setting an optional task that students can complete on their own time

  • When implementing the Flipped learning/ Flipped classroom model

To begin, click + Create task from the menu on the left and select Flexible task. You will then be taken to a form where you will fill in some general information about the task.

Title

First, enter the title for the task. This will appear on the public calendar, as well as the students' personal calendars and To-Do List.

Describe the task for your students

Fill this box with the information the students need to know about the task. You can format your text using the available options. To upload resources, images or other attachments, scroll down to the Attachments area.

Subject

Select a subject for the task. This will help students locate their task on the school calendar. It’s also important for reporting purposes.

Class group(s)

Select the group your task will be assigned to from the drop down menu.

You can set a task to multiple classes in one go by using the checkboxes to multi-select!

You can also set it to a class you are covering; simply click on Find other classes to search for classes. You can search by name, subject or year group using the filters at the top.

You can tick the top box to select all groups that are currently displayed to you which is helpful if you want to select a cohort of classes e.g. year 8 mathematics classes.

Marking scheme

This field is locked as Flexible Tasks do not have submissions and therefore cannot be marked.

Issue and Completion dates

The Issue date field allows you to set the date on which the task will first appear in the school calendar as well as the student and parent personal calendars. This allows you to set your task far in advance but prevents students from rushing ahead.

The Completion date field allows you to set the suggested timeframe for this task. Flexible tasks will never become overdue and students will not be prompted to submit them if they have not finished the work by this date.

Issue on lesson and Due on lesson

If you use Satchel One’s Timetable app, you can also use the Issue on lesson and Due on lesson fields.

These update automatically based on your timetable and the dates you have selected but remain flexible in case you’d like to change them.


Attaching a task to a specific lesson acts as visual reminders on the Timetable for you and your students, however it will not affect the publish time of the the task.

How should students submit the task

This field is locked as Flexible Tasks do not have submissions.

Estimated completion time

Indicate approximately how long the task should take to complete.

Attachments

Add attachments to the task by dropping them on the upload area or click on Upload from my computer.

Alternatively, store files on your My Drive in Satchel One for easy access from any device, or choose any of the other available options.

If you use Google Apps or Office 365 at school, you can upload attachments directly from Google Drive or OneDrive in a single click.

💡Top tip: Attachments appear on the public school calendar. When sharing sensitive information, please use the 🔒padlock to make your files only accessible by logged in users.

Add web/video conference links

Paste the URL of any site or online resource you wish to share with the pupils.

When you have completed the form, press Publish assignment.

💡Top tip: Started a Flexible Task but don't have time to finish? Save it as a draft to come back to it later. You can find it again in My Resources > My drafts.


Absent or self-isolating students?

If you choose a single class for your Flexible Task, you’ll also be able to allocate which specific students within the class receive this task.

By default, all students in the class will be ticked so that you can continue to set your work as normal, however, you could choose to deselect certain students if you wish to omit them. Alternatively, you could click the ‘x’ to remove all students and then just select one or more.

💡Top tip: Tasks set to individual students will not be visible on the school’s open calendar and will only be received by selected students.


What will my students see?

Flexible Tasks show up in a different colour (pink) on students' To-do lists and the Calendar, which is a great way to separate it from regular homework tasks and other types.

When viewing a Flexible task, students and parents will be automatically informed that there is no submission required from them.

Flexible tasks will never become 'past due' and students will not be prompted to submit them if they have not finished the work by the 'completion date'.

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