About the myCP Google Gadget

A number of web sites have appeared over the last couple years that are meant to be used as starting pages for Internet users. A user signs up with one of these free services and then chooses a set of small applications that are handy: weather forecasts, IP addresses, search-engine prompts, etc. A couple popular starting-page sites are Net Vibes (where the mini-applications are called "widgets") and Pageflakes (which calls its applications "flakes"). Google's starting-page web site is called iGoogle, and its applications are called "gadgets."

The myCP Google Gadget provides web users with an instant snapshot of one student's class participation activity. As you can see in the picture, the gadget shows student ID, class participation points, class course and period, homework for that night, and any additional comments the teacher may have entered. Optionally, the gadget also shows the student name.

Snapshot of Google Gadget

More about the Gadget

Notice that the gadget provides an up-to-the-minute answer to those two popular questions: "How did it go in school today?" and "Do you have any homework?" The three colored indicator lights let you know that the information displayed is current; there is no need to have discussions at home about how the teacher didn't update the information yet. The additional info ("Good job...") lets the teacher single out students for individual praise that is visible to the parent. Teachers will recognize this as an opportunity to fire off many more attaboys than is possible using phone, email, and letters home.

To use the gadget at home:

  1. Sign up with iGoogle. (They will ask for an email address, but isn't confirmed, so you're free to make up any reasonable address.)
  2. Add the gadget. (It's extremely easy. And because it's on the web, you can use it at home, at work, or at any Internet-connected PC.)
    3. Here's how:
    1. On the iGoogle page, click Add Stuff.
    2. On the directory of gadgets which comes up, click the little Add by URL link toward the top of the page.
    3. Enter the following URL in the field and click the Add button:
      4. http://www.rhodewalt.com/mycp/ig/mycp.xml
    4. You will receive a notification that this is not an application developed by Google. Click the OK button to continue.
    5. Click the Back to Homepage link, and enter your preferences in the gadget. These will be your student ID and the site ID, which you can get from your teacher.
  3. Check your iGoogle page each afternoon.
Note: For a live demo of what your students and parents will see here, go to My Points and enter the student ID 999999 and site ID 999. To see the Google Gadget view of this demo student, see the Demo page.

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