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Differences Between Student and Family Accounts
Differences Between Student and Family Accounts

Students can view and submit schoolwork, communicate with teachers, and more. Family accounts have oversight on certain areas of Otus.

Ethan Kelly avatar
Written by Ethan Kelly
Updated over a year ago

This article outlines the differences between Student and Family accounts. Below is an outline of which modules are available in which accounts.

Student

Family

Home

✔️

Activity

✔️

Classes

✔️

✔️

My Students

✔️

Lessons

✔️

Bookshelf

✔️

✔️

Assessments

✔️

Gradebook

✔️

✔️

Plans

✔️

✔️

Reports

✔️

✔️

Blog

✔️

✔️

Portfolio

✔️

✔️

Help

✔️

Note: Some of the module listed above are optional and may not be available based on your district's selections.


Student Account Overview

  • Utilize the notification feed and To Do List on the Home page to view and open assignments

  • View their Classes and the Class Board of announcements per class

  • Open and progress through Lessons

  • Utilize the Bookshelf to organize, share resources, and view shared resources.

  • Take Assessments

  • View class grades and standards performance in the Gradebook

  • View results of third party assessment data in Reports

  • View the class Blog for classroom discussions, or private messages to teachers

  • View and contribute to the Portfolio of selected student work

What is unique to a student account?

  • Open and progress through Lessons

    • Family accounts can see the list of assigned Lessons on the Home page (see Home section below for information about the To Do List).

  • Take Assessments

    • Only student accounts can access Assessments. Assessment results and data are collected and organized based on the student who took it.

    • Family accounts receive a notification on their Home page when an assessment is assigned, and when the assessment has been graded. Once graded, family accounts can see assessment results in the Gradebook.


Family Account Overview

  • View the notification feed and To Do List on the Home page

  • View linked students and Add Students

  • View class grades and standards performance in the Gradebook

  • View results of third party assessment data in Reports

  • View their student's Classes and Class Board of announcements, or send Email to teachers

  • View the Portfolio of selected student work

  • View class Blog posts and comments made by either the teacher or their student

  • View the student's Bookshelf as well as resources shared by the teacher

  • Search through the Help Center articles and videos

What is unique to a family account?

  • My Students

    • Family members have access to specific information regarding each of the students linked to their account.

  • Help Center

    • If students have questions about using Otus, their teacher or the school district is the best resource since they are able to provide appropriate context.


Modules Overview

Home/Activity

Note: The page listing the notification feed and to do list is called Home in a student account and Activity in a family account.

  • Available In: Student, Family

  • Primary Use: A notification feed for class activity.

    • Students can click notifications to access the lesson, assessment, or other activity.

    • Family accounts can only open certain notifications (blog posts, class board announcements). Lessons and Assessments notifications cannot be opened in family accounts.

  • Secondary Use: A To Do list of all current and outstanding Lessons and Assessments.

Specific Functions:

💡 Tip: Since family accounts do not have access to the Lessons or Assessments modules, clicking on a notification or To Do list item will not open the assignment. Only student accounts may open the lesson or assessment content itself.

➡️ Learn more about the notification feed in a Student or Family account.

➡️ Learn more about the To Do list in a Student or Family account.


Classes

  • Available In: Student, Family

  • Primary Use: View class list and accompanying class recognitions. Access the Class Board.

  • Secondary Use: Family accounts may email teachers.

Specific Functions:

➡️ Learn about viewing classes and viewing student recognitions in a family account.


My Students

  • Available In: Family

  • Primary Use: Family members have access to specific information regarding each of the students linked to their account.

Specific Functions:


Lessons

  • Available In: Student

  • Primary Use: Students navigate through a series of activities or resources to complete.

Specific Functions:

💡 Tip: Family accounts can view lesson titles, due dates, and their student's progress in the To Do list.


Bookshelf

  • Available In: Student, Family

  • Primary Use: View resources that teachers shared. Students may also add and organize their own resources on My Bookshelf.

Specific Functions:


Assessments

  • Available In: Student

  • Primary Use: Students can advance through an assessment and submit it to the teacher. View a list of all current and past assessments.

Specific Functions:

➡️ Learn to take an advanced, simple, or rubric assessment in a student account.


Gradebook

  • Available In: Student, Family

  • Primary Use: View grades that measure student growth or overall performance.

Specific Functions:

💡 Tip: In the gradebook, your district may choose to have an assessment tab, a standards tab, or both.


Reports

  • Available In: Student, Family

  • Primary Use: View student results from 3rd Party assessments (such as NWEA, IAR, SBAC, etc.).

Specific Functions:


Blog

  • Available In: Student, Family

  • Primary Use: Teachers can have informal, conversational-style communication with the class.

Specific Functions:


Portfolio

  • Available In: Student, Family

  • Primary Use: A place to collect pieces of student work, including assessments, blog posts, artifacts, and file uploads.

Specific Functions:


Help

  • Available In: Family

  • Primary Use: To access our Knowledge Base of help articles.

Specific Functions:

  • Selecting this module takes users to a separate webpage where they can search through our Knowledge Base.

💡 Tips:

  • Family members can also reach out to our Support Team without needing to go to the Help module - just look for the chat icon in the bottom-right corner of the screen.

  • If students have questions about using Otus, their teacher or the school district is the best resource since they are able to provide appropriate context.

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