Using eSchoolPlus SIS Attendance with Schoology

Schoology and eSchoolPlus SIS now offer an integration that enables instructors to take attendance in Schoology using eSchoolPlus SIS Attendance tools. Instead of taking attendance using different sets of tools, teachers can use the same attendance tools they have access to in eSchoolPlus, all within Schoology courses. This means a deeper and more streamlined experience for instructors so that eSchoolPlus SIS and Schoology work better together.

eSchoolPlus SIS Attendance overview

Schoology and eSchoolPlus SIS have developed an application that enables Schoology to integrate with Attendance via API. Teachers may take attendance using the eSchoolPlus SIS Attendance tools they are familiar with, directly in their Schoology course. Attendance entered in Schoology is shared with eSchoolPlus SIS in real time. Teachers don't need to run a sync to transfer attendance data between the two systems.

eSchoolPlus SIS Attendance requirements

Organizations are required to use the following to use eSchoolPlus SIS Attendance in Schoology:

• eSchoolPlus SIS version 21.4.8 and later.

• Provision users, buildings, courses, sections, and terms in Schoology using the eSchoolPlus SIS app.

• For macOS and Chrome/Edge users: MacOS Catalina and above are supported only. Users on older macOS versions should upgrade to the latest version or use Firefox/Safari browsers instead.

• Review attendance and Manage attendance permissions must be enabled for the organization at the system level in Schoology.

eSchoolPlus SIS Attendance app limitations

• eSchoolPlus SIS Attendance does not support cross-listed sections. Instructors taking attendance in Schoology courses that contain cross-listed sections may only be able to take attendance for students in the target section. If multiple sections meet at the same time for the same instructor in eSchoolPlus SIS, enable Show Multiple Classes in Attendance Settings to display students from those sections together.

• Only courses that are synced from eSchoolPlus SIS to Schoology are supported in the eSchoolPlus SIS Attendance app. Courses that are manually created or imported via CSV file in Schoology are not supported and teachers will see an error when attempting to access Attendance in their course.

• The eSchoolPlus Attendance app does not support taking attendance by homeroom.

Install eSchoolPlus SIS Attendance app (system administrators)

1. As a System Admin, click App Center in the header.

2. Locate eSchoolPlus SIS Attendance in the list of apps.

3. Click Install LTI app.

4. Click I Agree to continue with the installation.

5. Click Add to Organization to install for your district.

6. Under Organization Apps, click Configure next to the eSchoolPlus SIS Attendance app.

7. Fill out the form:
   Custom URL: Enter the Attendance Entry URL.
   Consumer Key and Shared Secret: Enter the Consumer ID and Consumer Secret.
   The Custom URL, Consumer Key, and Shared Secret can be obtained from the LTI Clients configuration page in eSchoolPlus.

   Custom Parameters:

   • Copy and paste the following into this field:

     courseSection=$CourseSection.sourceSectionId

   • Additionally, if you are matching the Schooology username to a value other than the eSchoolPlus username (you can match to Username; State Staff ID; Staff ID; First part of the email), you must add the following to Custom Parameters:
     uniqueid=$com.schoology.User.uniqueId

8. Click Save Settings.

9. Under Organization Apps, click Install/Remove next to the eSchoolPlus SIS Attendance app.

10. Check All Courses and Course admins only.

11. Click Submit to confirm changes.

Using eSchoolPlus SIS Attendance in Schoology courses

After the system administrator has installed the eSchoolPlus SIS Attendance app for the organization, instructors can access it from the same area as they previously did for Schoology Attendance.

When instructors navigate to Attendance in their course, they will be able to:

• Share attendance data bi-directionally with eSchoolPlus SIS in real-time.

• Take attendance and enter comments from a list review and photo view.

• Review attendance entered by administrators.

• Review student alerts.

• Review multiple classes.

• Identify student learning location.

Taking attendance

• Teachers can only take attendance for days based on permissions in eSchoolPlus SIS, as set by administrators.

• Students recently added to a section in eSchoolPlus SIS may appear in attendance before they appear elsewhere in the Schoology course. Complete a re-sync in the eSchoolPlus SIS app to update the course roster.

• Any attendance that an administrator has already taken in eSchoolPlus SIS is displayed as read-only for the instructor and cannot be edited.

List view

1. From the list view, click the menu under Attendance Entry and select the attendance code. Attendance codes available to teachers are configured at the building level.

2. Click Fill to populate the selected attendance code in all the empty Code input fields.

3. To take attendance for individual students, repeat Step 1 and click the Code input field for the desired student to populate that code.
   Alternatively, click the arrow next to the Code field and select the attendance code.

   

4. If the attendance code requires a Dismiss/Arrive Time, enter the appropriate time:

5. To enter multiple attendance codes for an individual, click the ellipsis next to the desired student and select Add Row. This option is only available for attendance codes that require a Dismiss/Arrive Time.

6. Select the additional attendance code.

7. If you need to delete a row, click the ellipsis and select Delete.

8. To enter a comment, click the Actions menu next to the student and select Add/Edit Comment.

9. Enter your comment and click Apply.

10. When you have completed entering attendance and comments, click Submit. All attendance and comments are automatically shared with eSchoolPlus SIS.

Photo view

1. Click the photo view icon next to Settings.

   

2. Click the menu under Attendance Entry and select the desired attendance code.

3. Click Fill to populate the selected attendance code in all the empty Code fields.

4. To take attendance for individual students, repeat Step 2 and click the Code input field for the desired student to populate that code.

5. To enter multiple attendance codes for an individual, click the Actions icon next to the student.

   

6. Click the Actions icon in the Attendance Entry modal and select Add Row. This option is only available for attendance codes that require a Dismiss/Arrive Time. You can enter the appropriate time for the first attendance entry in this modal.

7. Click the menu next to the Code input field and select the additional attendance code.

8. If you need to delete a row, click the ellipsis and select Delete.

9. To enter a comment, click the ellipsis in the Attendance Entry modal and select Add/Edit Comment.

10. Enter your comment and click Apply.

11. When you have completed entering attendance and comments, click Submit. All attendance and comments are automatically shared with eSchoolPlus SIS.

To take attendance on a different date:

1. Click the arrow next to the calendar icon to move between days or click the calendar icon to select another date.

2. Click the desired date for which to take attendance.

3. Repeat the steps to take attendance for the selected day.

4. Click Submit to confirm the changes. All attendance and comments are automatically shared with eSchoolPlus SIS.

Editing attendance

If you need to edit the attendance entry, repeat the steps above for list view and photo view to enter a different attendance code.

Attendance settings

Use Settings to customize the attendance entry. For example, if you teach multiple sections that meet at the same time, enable Show Multiple Classes to display students from those sections together.

Click the gear icon on the upper right and use the toggle buttons to adjust the attendance entry by:

• Learning Location

• Show Multiple Classes

Reviewing student alerts

Available alerts appear next to students in the attendance list and photo view.

Click the alert icon to review more information.

To review all the alerts at once, click the Actions icon.