Using Managebac – Mentor Edition
Managebac is a incredibly useful interface that allows you to interact with your student during the Extended Essay process.
If you are unsure about how to log in/access Managebac, please ask Ken for help. The direct link is https://swlci.managebac.com/login.
Managebac – designed to help organize the E.E. Process
Basically, students receive updates via email every time you make an update to Managebac. It is also an excellent place for you to include/provide feedback and organize notes regarding your work with the student. Some of that information is shared with the student, while others can be kept for your information only.
Sending messages back and forth
Instead of using emails or messages sent through Home Form, the use of the Managebac messaging feature is suggested. This is a clear and simple way to keep track of communication between mentors and students. An email is automatically generated when a message is sent, and this is far easier than hunting through an overfilled Inbox.
The To-Do feature
The To Do list also helps frame activities to support students on the way to major deadlines. Items on this list can be created by the student, yourself or the Coordinator. By breaking a large task like the Extended Essay into smaller tasks; To Do lists allow students to feel a sense of accomplishment with each boxes that becomes clicked. Be sure to not fill the To Do List with a year’s worth of tasks, lest the exercise become too daunting.
The Extended Essay Proposal
All students are expected to maintain an updated E.E. Proposal. When changes are made to the Proposal via Managebac, it becomes far easier to see/track changes and ensure that the student remains on track.
The To Do list also helps you frame activities to support you on the way to major deadlines. Items on this list can be created by yourself, your mentor or the Coordinator.
The Researcher’s Reflection Space
The RRS is a Research Diary, which allows students to keep track of their progress. By highlighting successes and failures here, the Mandatory reflections become significantly easier to handle. In addition, what students enter on the RRS is viewable by both Mentor and Coordinator.
Assessment Criteria
While we provide mentors with a soft copy of the Assessment Rubric, the Managebac page for each student has it too. Using the rubric here allows an automatic tally and a PDF to be generated that you can give the student, based on criteria. The grade is not viewable directly by the student. The Extended Essay Coordinator can see it as well, meaning one less step to worry about at the end of the process.
Video Tutorials
A series of tutorials were created in the early spring of 2018 to support Mentor use of Managebac to help students with their Extended Essays.
Module 1: Covers the E.E. Worksheet, which houses the student’s Extended Essay Proposal, To Do List, messaging systems and progress indicators. Through this page, the framework of the Student’s Extended Essay is monitored.
Module 2: Covers the Researcher’s Reflection Space, Assessment Component and the R.P.P.F. Through this page, the reflection and progress of the Student’s Extended Essay is monitored.
Module 3: Covers the Managebac Calendar and Faculty Messages section. Through here, students and mentors can be aware of upcoming deadlines and cohort wide messages.
Module 4: Covers the Mentor’s Guide and how to find it on the Laurier Library website.