What Can Students Upload?
Files, links, text (rubric assessment only), pictures, videos, YouTube, audio, Google Drive, and OneDrive
The image you see above appears in many different areas of Otus. When a student adds an attachment to rubric assessments, blogs, bookshelf, or portfolio, this is the image they will see.
Where/How Can Students Upload?
There are different ways a student can upload the various media listed above; the method will depend on how you, as the teacher, plan to use the file.
Do you plan to grade it?
Do you just want to view and comment on it?
For Grading | Just for Viewing/Commenting |
💡 Tip: You can use assessments to collect student work and not add it to the gradebook, so don't let the word assessment deter you!
For Grading
If you need students to upload work for a grade, your best options are to use either an Advanced Assessment or a Rubric Assessment.
Advanced Assessment
Advanced Assessments have a question type called File Upload; this allows for the student to upload up to 12 files that can be viewed while grading the assessment. Below is an image of what it looks like to grade a File Upload question on an Advanced Assessment:
When is this the best option?
If you have a question a test that requires the submission of an attachment.
When working with middle to upper grade levels.
How It Works
Teacher creates and assigns the assessment.
Student opens the assessment and adds their attachment.
Student submits the assessment.
Teacher views the file by going to the assigned assessment.
Other Perks
You can ask many different types of questions in an Advanced Assessment.
Students can attach JPG, GIF, PNG, PDF, CSV, RTF, TXT, XPS, ZIP, Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Publisher, Open Office, and other types of files.
The assessment does not have to be included in the student's overall grade for the class.
💡 Tip: The process to upload/take the image is more involved; therefore, we do not recommend using it with younger grade levels.
Resources:
File Sizes
Max file size 100MB
Max video or audio length 10 minutes
Rubric Assessment
Rubric assessments are a great way to have students submit a file that you want to grade side-by-side with rubric criteria. You can also easily add video or audio feedback to a rubric assessment.
When is this the best option?
If you want to view criteria with the attachment side-by-side.
When you want to leave audio or video feedback.
If you want students to submit a written response to score alongside a rubric without needing to use a Google Doc or other word processor.
When working with younger grade levels - it only takes 4 clicks to submit.
How it Works
Teacher creates and assigns the assessment.
Student opens the assessment and adds their attachment
Student submits the assessment.
Teacher views the attachment by going to the assigned assessment.
Other Perks
Building a rubric is a quick and easy process.
Students can add up to 5 attachments.
The assessment does not have to be included in the student's overall grade for the class.
Resources
File Sizes
Max file size 30MB
Max video or audio length 5 minutes
Just for Viewing or Commenting
If you want your students to upload files or attachments just for viewing or commenting purposes (not for a grade), your best options are to use the Blog, Bookshelf, or Portfolio.
Blog
The Blog allows teachers to have informal and conversational-style communication. It can be used for both whole-class communication and private communication.
When is this the best option?
When you want students to see and/or comment each other's files.
How it Works
Student or teacher creates the blog post.
Student adds the attachment to the blog post.
Student publishes the blog post.
Teacher visits the class blog to view the attachment.
Other Perks
It is easy to switch from class to class on the blog.
There is nothing for the teacher to create - the student is in control of the entire process.
The student can choose to make the post private, so only the teacher can view the post.
Students can take a live image/video using their device's camera
Resources
💡 Tip: Building a blog post and adding an image/video does involve more steps for the student than the other methods, therefore, this is not as ideal for the younger grade levels.
File Sizes
Max file size 30MB
Max video or audio length 5 minutes
Bookshelf
The Bookshelf is a place for teachers to upload and distribute resources to their students.
When is this the best option?
When you only need specific students to share an attachment with you (not the entire class).
When you want to have access to this attachment on your Bookshelf.
When you want your students to have access to the attachment on their Bookshelf.
How it Works
Student visits their bookshelf.
Student adds a resource on their bookshelf.
Student shares the resources with a teacher.
Teacher visits their bookshelf (Shared With Me).
Teacher views the shared resource.
Other Perks
There is nothing for the teacher to create - the student is in control of the entire process.
Students can take a live image/video using their device's camera
Resources
File Sizes
Max file size 30MB
Max video or audio length 5 minutes
💡 Tips:
For students, adding and sharing a resource from the Bookshelf does involve more steps for the student than the other methods, therefore, this is not as ideal for the younger grade levels.
When a student shares a resource with a teacher, it will go to the teacher's Shared With Me bookshelf.
Student Portfolio
The Student Portfolio is a place to keep items of student work, including assessments, blog posts, artifacts, and uploads. Any work added to the portfolio can be seen by teacher, student, and family accounts.
When is this the best option?
When the purpose of the attachment is not necessarily for sharing or grading purposes; the portfolio is meant as a place to showcase student work or house content that will travel with the student from year to year.
How it Works
Student visits their portfolio.
Student adds the attachment to their portfolio.
Teacher goes to their class list.
Teacher selects the student and navigates to their student profile.
Teacher selects Content to view the content of the portfolio.
Other Perks
There is nothing for the teacher to create - the student is in control of the entire process.
The items added here will travel with the student from year to year.
Students take a live image/video using their device's camera.
Resources
File Sizes
Max file size 30MB
Max video or audio length 5 minutes
💡 Tips:
The portfolio is not organized by class, rather, it is specific to each student.
Both students and teachers can add items to a student's portfolio, but an item can only be deleted by the person who added it.