Curriculum & Roles
Admin
- Dec 21: Bulk update Student Emails and export hidden Reports data
- Dec 12: Customise CAS Learning Outcomes
- Nov 30: IB DP Group 1 IO Forms update
- Nov 25: Improvements in Updating Individual Reports
- Nov 11: Multi-user Direct Messages
- Oct 28: Scheduled release for Reports
- Oct 27: Enable Login with Clever SSO
- Oct 25: CAS, SA, SL new look
- Oct 22: Configure Plan Reminders Emails
- Oct 21: Import Tasks update
- Sep 24: Discussions & Discussion Tasks
- Sep 21: May 2023 TOK Prescribed Titles
- Sep 21: Android Events & Deadlines
- Sep 1: iOS Events & Deadlines
- Aug 22: Audio Recordings & Colours
- Jul 27: Rich Text Editor updates
- Jul 19: Speed Grade on Task Roster
- Jul 16: Demo Account Access
- Jul 12: Event Colour customisation
- Jul 11: Behaviour & Discipline updates
- Jul 7: Home Widget Customisation
- Jul 4: 1-1 Direct Messaging released
- Jun 23: Default Letter Grade Scales
- Jun 7: IB DP Plans view for Teachers
- May 25: First-Login Experience
- May 6: Task Gradebook updates
- May 4: Wallpaper & Customisation
- May 3: eCoursework Dashboard
- Apr 29: Android Home & Overview
- Apr 19: MYP Binary Assessment released
- Apr 13: Nov 2022 TOK Prescribed Titles
- Mar 22: New Home Menu released
- Mar 16: Archive Term Grades rubrics
- Mar 10: Introducing the DP Passport
- Mar 5: The New ManageBac
- Feb 22: Term Grades Data Validation
- Feb 19: Zoom Integration for Events
- Feb 19: Updates to Events and Deadlines
- Feb 18: User Profile Design Updates
- Feb 17: Assign Head of Subject users
- Feb 7: Project-based Learning on Reports
- Jan 24: Task Extension Dates
- Jan 22: iOS Mobile Overviews
- Jan 18: Student Profile pop-ups
- Jan 18: Review Options for Term Grades
- Jan 18: Cumulative Term Grade Reports
- Jan 10: Timetables include Grade level
- Nov 14: User Time Zone Selections
- Nov 4: TOK PPF added
- Oct 21: Engagement Analytics Updates
- Sep 28: May 2022 TOK Prescribed Titles
- Aug 27: All New Design
- Aug 18: MYP IDU Planner Updates
- Aug 16: Unit Planner Template Reset
- Jul 22: MYP Year 0 Now Available
- Jul 8: Word counters customisable
- Jun 24: Learner Portfolio across sections
- Jun 19: Report Stamps & File Name
- Jun 10: Mobile App Calendar Released
- Jun 9: Updated Dashboard for All Users
- Jun 8: Behaviour Notes API
- Jun 8: Quick-Add Online Lessons
- May 19: Attendance & Timetable update
- May 16: Bulk Hide Task Results
- May 14: Rich Text enhanced options
- May 13: Term Gradebook Lock update
- May 13: Assessment Task Date Picker
- May 13: PYP Assessments adjusted
- May 12: Rich Text for Term Gradebooks
- May 6: CP RPPF Reflective Project export
- May 5: Settings User Interface Updated
- Apr 29: Bulk Submit G-Doc Templates
- Apr 16: Absence notification to Parents
- Apr 13: Mobile Portal & Drag n Drop
- Apr 1: Import Subjects in Bulk via CSV
- Mar 17: MYP 5 Pamoja registration
- Mar 16: Custom Programme Standards
- Mar 15: DP Orals & Extracts exports
- Mar 5: May 2021 TOK Prescribed Titles
- Feb 24: Assessment Task improvements
- Feb 24: Bulk Approve in Activity Groups
- Feb 23: Notification Preferences Updates
- Feb 23: Resize Unit cover images
- Feb 22: Student G-Drive Task uploads
- Feb 22: Lock Coursework Submissions
- Feb 3: Mobile Scan Coursework
- Feb 1: DP Group 1 Orals Update
- Jan 18: Diploma Plans show to Parents
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Jan 12: Report Logo Size Customisation
Configuring Quick Links and Custom Folders for Home Menu
April 17, 2023:
Quick Links and folders for Links specific to user type can now be configured via Settings > School Settings > Quick Links. These links appear as separate section on the Home Menu and in the 9-tile Launchpad menu. Schools can use these to create folders with custom links they wish their students, parents or teachers to have easy and quick access
See our Configuring School General Settings (Languages, Academics, Year Levels, Terms) article for further information.
IB DP May 2023 Exams Calendar available to set
February 6, 2023
The May 2023 Exams Calendar for IB DP exams has been made available in ManageBac. Schools can select the appropriate start time, location and add up to 3 proctors per exam. The start times are based on your school's timezone and IBO Exam regions.
Exams listed are based on your students' subject choices for their DP Plan Worksheets.
See our Creating & Reviewing Exam Calendars guide for more information.
New main menu layout available for all users
January 24, 2023
Users are now able to switch between the Classic expandable left menu and a new minimalistic left menu via the Personalisation page of their profiles. The minimalistic menu introduces keyboard shortcuts and reorganises the left menu to reduce clutter. All newly created users from now on will have only the minimalistic main menu by default.
Admins can bulk Export Task Grades by grade level
January, 20, 2023
Administrators (and teachers with full access to Classes permission) are now able to bulk export Task Grades by grade level via the Classes pages right navigation panel when they select Bulk Export Task Grades. The newly created bulk export task page will then show the option for admins to generate zipped spreadsheet files for active and archived classes to download. Read more about this update in our Marking Tasks via the Gradebook help guide.
Bulk update Student Emails and export Hide Reports lists
December 21, 2022
Two long standing requests are closing out the development year for ManageBac. We added options for schools to bulk update student email addresses via a separate page in the Settings > School Directory > Bulk Update page and also included information about which student profiles have the "Hide Reports" option enabled in the Student & Parent information export spreadsheet.
Please see our tutorials on Editing User Profiles (Names, Emails, Personal Information) and Drafting, Proofing & Publishing Report Cards for further details on both of these features.
Custom CAS Learning Outcomes per IB DP Year Group
December 12, 2022
Other academic programmes have had the ability to create custom Learning Outcomes per year group and we took the opportunity to make that possible for IB DP and CAS outcomes now as well.
Find the custom Learning Outcomes options in the Edit Year Group Settings page of IB DP Year Groups.
Newly created Year Groups come with no Learning Outcomes attached and can add the IB default CAS Learning Outcomes or create custom ones per the school's needs.
Read more about all things CAS configurations related in our Configuring CAS Worksheets & Settings help guide.
IB DP Group 1 Orals Forms export
November 30, 2022
The new Group 1 Oral forms released in August of 2022 for Language and Literature and Literature courses in the Diploma Programme have been added to ManageBac and can be exported via the Orals worksheets for students.
To better support the export of these forms, we have also made updates to the List of Works in Group 1 classes. With Literary Form, Work Type (depending on course option) and Text Type information available, forms exported can properly identify the works selected for each Extract.
Read more about these update in our Managing Individual Orals in Group 1 and Group 2 classes article.
Improvements in Updating Individual Reports
November 25, 2022
We are delighted to reveal the new improvements in updating the individual report card of the students. We have created a separate page to Update Individual Reports and also a log of the updated reports.
The Update Individual Reports button is available on the right hand side of the Generate Reports page.
Step 1: Selecting a Report to update
To update an individual report, the admin should first identify the report they want to update. They can then:
- Select the programme.
- Select the Academic Term.
- Select the student that has available reports for the selected term.
- Select the desired report from the drop down menu.
When the report is selected, the admin can download it to confirm that it is the correct one.
Step 2: Update Report Generation Preferences
The next step is to update the report preferences. To do so:
- Select a template which should be used for generating the updated report.
- Enter the desired Report Title.
- Choose the fields to include in the file name.
- Select a Preparation Date.
The Report title, fields to include in File name and Preparation Date are pre-filled from the current preferences on the Generate Reports page.
Step 3: Preview and Confirm the Report Update
The final step prior to generation is for the admin to download the report preview and read the confirmation message. The admin can click Update Individual Report to confirm the update.
Previously Updated Reports
The Previously Updated Reports tab on the Update Individual Reports page keeps a log of all the updated reports per programme so that the admin can keep track of whose reports were updated when and by who. This is organized on the basis of the academic programme.
Multi-user Chat & Audio Improvements
November 11, 2022
We are excited to announce that we have released the long awaited Multi-user Direct Messages! Additionally, we’ve made some improvements to the Audio Recording Controls and the Profanity Filter for KeyChat.
KeyChat Multi-user Direct Messages
ManageBac accounts which have KeyChat enabled can now create Multi-user Direct Messages with up to 21 users.
Via Start Chat, the Member(s) dropdown has been changed from a single select dropdown to a multi select dropdown where teacher and admin users can add any user that has the appropriate permissions to the Multi-user Direct Messages.
Multi-user Direct Messages are represented by a collage of avatars and the name of the Direct Message contains all the members listed in alphabetical order excluding the current user.
Restyled Audio Recording Controls
The audio recording controls have been restyled for a smoother experience. While recording, a waveform is shown to indicate how loud or quiet the user is. We have also enlarged the buttons to enhance user experience.
Profanity Filter
We have included three different options for the Profanity Filter in KeyChat to provide more flexibility for our schools:
- Disabled - Profanity Filter will not be applied to the school’s KeyChat
- Default Profanity Filter - A default Profanity Filter will be applied. This will prevent users from sending messages that contain words from the default profanity list.
- Custom Profanity Filter - Schools can customize the words to be applied in the Profanity Filter. Schools can use the CSV template to customize their own Profanity Filter list. The profanity filter supports all languages and scripts, allowing schools to fill it with words they would like to have filtered out in the KeyChat.
Schedule Report Card releases for future dates
October 28, 2022
Schools using ManageBac for Report Cards can now schedule the release of these reports to students and parents for future dates in the Reports Preferences section of the Generate Reports pages.
Select the Schedule Future Release Date option to enable the date and time picker that allows you set the release time for the report cards. The system will not send email notifications before the release time, if the Notify parents & students via email option is also enabled.
Login with Clever integration
October 27, 2022
We are happy to announce that it is now possible for schools using Clever as identity provider to request and use Clever Single Sign-On for ManageBac. Please see our Enabling Login with Clever (Single Sign-On) for further details.
CAS, SA and SL Improvements
October 25, 2022
We are delighted to reveal a new look for the IB DP Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS), IB MYP Service as Action (SA) and all other academic programme Service Learning (SL) user interfaces, which have been updated for admins, teachers and students to enhance navigation.
Student Roster
Student Progress - The number of students per progress indicator will now display at the top of the page to give you additional visibility into students programme status.
Student Activity Logs - At the base of the roster, you can now view student activity logs in chronological order.
Student Worksheet
Worksheet Layout - Previously, the CAS worksheet was a single page. Now, the functionality has been divided across three tabs: Experiences, Documents and Notes & Interviews, to allow you to dive directly into what you need to action for that student.
Student Tile & Navigation - The students information tile will appear across all three tabs at the top of the page. The tile contains the student’s name, avatar, status, and arrow buttons to swiftly navigate between students.
Experience Ordering - The ordering of experiences on the roster has been updated.
- Upcoming experiences are shown first starting from the soonest to today’s date and extending into the future.
- Completed experiences are shown after the upcoming experiences.
Experience Status Update - You can now easily differentiate between experiences and quickly update the status of each one directly from the experience list.
Experience Content Quick-Access - We have also added two quick access icons
- Learning Outcomes - Open an info window that displays the linked learning outcomes
- Reflections - Jump straight to view Reflections for the experience.
Please note that these two icons will not appear if no comments are present.
Updated Timeline - Displays experiences in a similar way to Class Unit calendars.
Hours Widget - The Completed Hours widget allows you to visualise planned versus completed hours for each of the experience types.
Experience & Activities
Experience Info - Under each experience or activity added, you will now find a tile that is displayed at the top regardless of which page you are on in the worksheet.
The tile contains a background theme that’s selected on the Add/Edit Experience form. The tile can be expanded to reveal the Description and Learning Outcomes.
Navigating Between Experiences - Clicking on the title of the experience will reveal a dropdown with all other experiences. This allows for quick navigation to another experience.
Notes & Interviews
Discussions - The Notes and Interview section has now been aligned to match the design in classroom Discussions.
We hope you find this first release focusing on CAS, SA and SL updates, and look out for further updates in the near future. Please share any feedback to product@managebac.com.
Configure Plan Reminder Emails
October 22, 2022
We've now introduced the ability to send email reminders to students who have not completed their Plans Worksheet subject selection. You will be able to customise the body of the email and and set the frequency of the reminders. By default the reminders will be sent out every 2 weeks.
Import Tasks Update
October 21, 2022
All Tasks previously created can be imported to Classes and filtered by Grade, Teacher, Type or Category. A filter for Archived or Active Classes has been enabled.
Importing Tasks is now a two step process to allow teachers to import selected Tasks to multiple Class Sections at once.
See our Adding & Managing Tasks article for more information on Importing Tasks.
Discussions & Student Discussion Task
September 24, 2022
Messages have transformed into Discussions, providing threaded conversations all on the one page, expandable replies for space efficiency, reactions and E-mail notifications to engage your users. This release includes:
- The ability to customise the "Discussion" label via your School Terminology Settings
- The ability to pin "Discussions" to keep them at the top of the list
- A condensed layout to allow reading of a full thread on one page
- Specific sections for Key Discussions (from Year Groups, Classes & Activity Groups) and Calendar Discussions (from Events, Deadlines and Tasks)
- A new assessment type, the "Student Discussion Task"
The new Student Discussion Task requires students to make comments or replies in an auto-generated Discussion thread. Once a student completes the required number of posts their binary grade is set to complete in the GradeBook.
May 2023 TOK Prescribed Titles Updated
September 21, 2022
The TOK Essay prescribed titles were updated for all TOK Essay project-based learning templates that were imported from our template library. Students in November session schools will now see the updated May 2023 titles when editing their TOK Essay Proposals. These were updated in English and Spanish.
Schools who previously edited their TOK prescribed titles via Settings > IB Diploma > Project-based Learning > TOK Essay template > Framework > Proposal, will not have received this update to not overwrite the custom data entered.
Prescribed titles can be edited via the Framework page of the TOK Essay template in Settings and by selecting the 3 dot button. Please see Configuring & Enabling Theory of Knowledge (TOK) Worksheets for further information on how to customise project templates.
Android Events & Deadlines
Sep 21, 2022
Following our early September release for iOS, the ManageBac Android app now also supports redesigned native pages for Events & Deadlines.
In addition, other features including Zoom support for Events, Rich Text Options, Task rosters and eCoursework submissions have been refined for an improved user experience. Please make sure to update to the latest version of the app!
iOS Events & Deadlines
Sep 1, 2022
Redesigned pages for adding and editing Events and Deadlines have been released for the iOS ManageBac app. These pages were optimized for mobile devices to help improve the navigation, readability, and overall user experience.
This update also includes the new Rich Text Editor for native iOS pages. The mobile text experience is now responsive and fine-tuned for smaller screens.
Audio Recording & Text Colours
Aug 22, 2022
We have completed the final releases of the new Rich Text Editor. This provides the ability to
- Make audio recordings to share feedback to Students
- Adapt text colours and additional formatting options
- Improved handling of file and image uploads
Updated Format Options for Rich Text Editor
July 27, 2022
Some of the updated options for rich text editor boxes are available right away and others will follow in the next few weeks.
For this update we focus on simplifying the rich text editor interface as well as expanding certain formatting options. In detail, we did the following:
- All supported resources can now be added through the new
button. This button helps organize and declutter the text box options bar. - The general layout of the RTE was improved for quick access to all important text formatting options.
- Drag and Drop functionality supports multiple files dropped into the text editor at once.
- Formatting from Google Docs or Sheets is preserved after pasting content into the text box.
- Table formatting was updated for a more intuitive, visual, and direct interface.
Speed Grade on Task Rsoter
July 19, 2022
The Tasks section of Gradebooks have been updated to include 1) sorting options for the Tasks within the selected term and 2) provide the ability for teachers to enter Task marks and scores directly from the Task roster without needing to open the Task itself.
The pop-out for grades entry can be closed with the X icon or by clicking into another cell of the gradebook roster. If comments are included as assessment model of the Task, the rich text editor options will be available as well.
Demo Account Access & Tour
July 16, 2022
Access to the ManageBac Demo account is now available to all admins via the Settings page. A guided tour will help highlight each user role.
We highly encourage using the demo account, which is populated with realistic data, to run your internal training sessions, induction days or parent evenings, and to become familiar with the latest ManageBac features.
Custom Event Category colours are available
July 12, 2022
Event Categories in Calendars can now have differentiated colours. Not all Events will need to appear in the same colour any longer.
Behaviour & Discipline Module updates
July 11, 2022
Schools with Behaviour & Discipline module enabled can now relabel this in the Settings > School Settings > Terminology page. That will then change the tab name in student Profiles accordingly.
Teachers can now also be granted access to the Behaviour Notes History pages via Settings > Security & Permissions > Teachers & Advisors pages. This can be set for all teachers in general, or per individual teacher.
Furthermore, it is now also possible to make Behaviour Notes visible to students per each individual note. Only notes that are marked as visible to students via the tick box can also be sent to students as email notification.
Home Widget Customisation
July 7, 2022
A further enhancement of the Home Menu now offers users to enrich their experience, setting headline-level views from the pages that matter to you most.
The aim is to provide at-a-glance real-time information, as well as short-cuts to get to specific pages without the need to navigate through them using the menus. Different options are available for each user type, please try it out!
KeyChat with 1-1 Direct Messaging functions
July 4, 2022
Schools now have the ability to enable one to one Direct Messaging in ManageBac for their schools. As administrator, look for the Chat icon at the top right of any ManageBac page to learn more or review our Chat: 1-1 Direct Messaging article for additional details. This is the first phase of the Chat features with more to follow soon.
IB DP TOK, EE and IB CP RP Classes grade scales update
June 23, 2022
Classes linked to IB DP Theory of Knowledge, Extended Essay or IB CP Reflective Project subjects will now display the Term Grades grade scale using A-E letters instead of 1-7 marks. This applies to all future classes created in these subjects or existing classes without edited grade scales. Review our help article on Configuring Gradebook Calculation Options for further information on editing grade scales per class if further changes are needed.
IB DP Plans views for Teachers
June 7, 2022
Teachers have now the ability to view IB DP Plans for students. They are able review the information but not edit for those students they are not assigned to as Homeroom Advisors. Full editing permissions are admin privileges. Teachers with Full Access Permissions to the Student Directory are also able to update Candidate Personal Information in Plans. Assigned Homeroom Advisors can also change student Subject and Levels on the Plans worksheet. See our IBIS Exam Registration Quickstart Guide for additional information.
First-Login Experience
May 26, 2022
Task Gradebook interface updates
May 6, 2022
Task page of the Gradebook can now be sorted in ascending, descending or upcoming due dates for Tasks.
Task views of a given Task with the Gradebook allows for additional information like Task Description and linked Unit. All Tasks have the ability to use Gradebook Field Checker options, with field checkers for the enabled Assessment models per Task. The Progress Bar Graphs and Annotation icons have also been updated.
Please see our tutorial on Adding & Managing Tasks for additional information.
Wallpaper & Personalisation Options
May 4, 2022
Wallpapers Further enhancing a user’s or school's ability to curate their experience, we have deployed a selection of Wallpapers which can be applied through the Personalisation page.
Profile Personalisation A new page has been created where an Admin, Teacher, Parent or Student can manage their own profile customisations. Set your wallpaper background, adapt your colour and theme, and choose what your default landing page is for each time you log-in to ManageBac
Brand Customisation Admins can now manage their Schools customisations, setting default Wallpapers, Landing and Login Pages for all users.
eCoursework Dashboard
May 3, 2022
A major update has released to support IB eCoursework submission for IB DP schools. This includes updates to the following:
- Generate IB Forms The ability to generate or re-generate IB forms from all possible DP 2 classes on a students portfolio.
- Subject Registration Guidance Based on subjects selected on the student’s Plans Worksheet registrations, an outline of requirements for each subject registration is provided. This allows teachers and coordinators to easily see what is still outstanding for the student’s portfolio.
- Uploading to the eCoursework checklist Files can now be added directly to the eCoursework page without leaving the student’s Portfolio.
- Tagging Individual Upload Requirements Each file submission can now be individually tagged, and the students eCoursework checklist will track progress for all requirements. Additionally, all files are now validated to ensure the proper file type, size, and quantity are selected for each upload requirement (ex. one cannot upload an MP3 for the Extended Essay).
- Portfolio Roster Updates (DP 2) eCoursework Portfolios will now be accessible directly on the Portfolio Roster for quick access.
- Support for Additional Forms Forms for Literature & Performance (16LPIA form) and Global Politics (CSGP form) are now available on ManageBac.
Android update for Home & Overviews
April 29, 2022
A Home page has been added for all user types (Admins, Teachers, Students, and Parents). The Home page replaces the current Menu and it’ll serve as the central navigation system for the mobile application. From this page, users will be able to navigate to all critical areas within the application.
Overview pages, as released last month for iOS, have now been rolled out for Android devices. The new Overview pages are accessible by clicking on a Class, Year Group, or GroupThese tiles provide quick access to all relevant pages.
Finally, all native pages have been optimized for tablets. The user interface dynamically resizes depending on your device screen size. This update covers all possible device sizes.
MYP Binary Assessment Updated
April 19, 2022
In the IB Middle Years, we have now added the assessment option of "Binary (Complete/Incomplete)" for MYP courses. Binary – Permits marking a task as either Complete or Incomplete, Achieved / Not achieved, Pass/Fail etc.
Any admin or Teacher (with permissions) can enable Binary assessment via Settings > IB Middle Years > Assessment > Framework > Check "Binary". Ticking Enabled by Default will mean when your teachers add a new task, this option is enabled, however, they can still disable it if needed.
November 2022 TOK Prescribed Titles Updated
April 13, 2022
The TOK Essay prescribed titles were updated for all TOK Essay project-based learning templates that were imported from our template library. Students in November session schools will now see the updated November 2022 titles when editing their TOK Essay Proposals. These were updated in English and Spanish.
Schools who previously edited their TOK prescribed titles via Settings > IB Diploma > Project-based Learning > TOK Essay template > Framework > Proposal, will not have received this update to not overwrite the custom data entered.
Prescribed titles can be edited via the Framework page of the TOK Essay template in Settings and by selecting the 3 dot button. Please see Configuring & Enabling Theory of Knowledge (TOK) Worksheets for further information on how to customise project templates.
New Home Menu is available as landing page upon login
March 29, 2022
Following our announcements earlier in 2022 in this blog, we have now released the new Home Menu page. It is available as default landing page for all ManageBac users and provides greater flexibility for customisation to meet users' workflows and processes.
Changing the Landing page is possible via the user avatar and Landing menu.
Expand the left menu via the top left icon to access ManageBac pages from the Home Menu as previously done. From any page in ManageBac, click the school name to return to the Home Menu and use the right side button to customise the layout and order of your Home Menu contents.
Archive Term Grades rubrics for DP and non-IB classes
March 16, 2022
Administrators can hide different rubrics from the Term Grades pages of Classes via Settings > Select programme (DP and non-IB) > Assessment > Assessment Models > Term page. The active/archived toggle switch will hide the rubric and grades entered for it from the Term Grades page of classes in present and future academic terms if rubrics are archived.
Past academic terms will also show any archived rubrics with grades entered. Archived rubrics can still be included in Report Card templates for previous terms.
See our Drafting, Proofing & Publishing DP Report Cards article for additional information.
Introducing the DP Passport
March 10, 2022
ManageBac Passport is the result of our 15+ years of experience supporting IB DP and CP schools to better manage their programmes.
It links all essential teaching, learning and assessment tools seamlessly. With all your data in one place, ManageBac does away with the clunky divisions between LMS, course content, assessments and professional development. Our aim is to enable schools to focus on education with a comprehensive solution – everything on a single platform, at an affordable price.
Find out more via http://managebac.com/passport
The New ManageBac
March 5, 2022
Look out for the new MB logo, which release marks the celebration of 15 years of ManageBac. Thank you for all of your support, and look forward to many new updates this year!
Term Grades Data Validation for all Classes
February 22, 2022
Previously, only IB DP Classes would apply data validation when teachers entered Term Grades, i.e. grades had to match IB DP 1-7 numbers. Now, this kind of validation is added to all Classes where teachers enter Grades based on the Term Grades scale available in the class. Teachers are only able to enter grade values that are listed in the Term Grade Scale in the class or configured for the programme.
Zoom integration for Calendar Events
February 19, 2022
The same Zoom integration that is allowing for Online Lessons to be created and linked to Zoom is now enabled for Calendar > Events. Add a new Event to the Calendar using the Add Event button to see the updated Event interface with Create Zoom Meeting button. Events differentiated for different students will show and allow only linked students to join the Zoom call.
The location field also supports custom meeting room URLs. If a URL is detected in the location field a “Start” or “Join” button will be shown on the Event tile.
For Events that have corresponding Zoom Meetings MB will automatically make any recordings available in MB. After Zoom processes the cloud recordings, which can take up to an hour, MB will show a Download Recording button to immediately download the recording file and a Play Recording button that will open in a new tab and allow for recording playback.
Note: The recording buttons will be available for as long as the recording is present on Zoom Cloud.
Student Differentiation for Class Events and Deadlines
February 19, 2022
Class Events and Deadlines can now be assigned to specific students only, similar to Tasks. Open the Calendar within your class and click Add Event/Deadline. Then select the Student Differentiation section when creating new Class Events or Deadlines and pick the students this Calendar entry is assigned to. Year Group Events and Deadlines to follow shortly.
User Profile Design Updates
February 18, 2022
All user profiles have been updated to follow the same design structure as our previous updates across the interface. This includes moving away from tabs across the top of the profile and using individual profile pages instead. It also meant to move the Theme selection for all users to the top right avatar so that themes can be selected directly in any ManageBac page.
Student Academic Overview information also has been updated to reflect the recent layout and information of all Classes pages in ManageBac. Further updates will be made to ensure teachers and administrators have the same access levels as prior to the user interface updates.
Assign Head of Subject users via Subject Home pages
February 17, 2022
Administrators can now assign Head of Subject users for each subject of any academic programme via the Classes > Explore Subjects pages.
Head of Subjects will appear to all teachers on the Subject pages with their email and contact information. In the future, we are planning to deploy additional permissions for Head of Subjects.
Please see our Explore Subjects pages for overview of subject contents article for additional information about the Subject pages.
Selectable Project-based Learning Fields for Report Cards
February 7, 2022
Schools using ManageBac for Report Cards can include information about Project-based Learning templates on Report Cards.
Now, it is also possible for schools to select which fields they wish to include on the Report Card per PBL Template. A tick box to indicate Showcase on Reports per field in the PBL template Framework serves as selector of whether the content of the field appears on Report Cards or not.
The same selection also adds this field to the roster page of the project template when enabled in year groups. See below for reference.
Task Due Date Extensions per Student
January 24, 2022
Teachers can extend the due date of Tasks for individual students in all Tasks with Coursework submission options enabled. Use the Extend Due Date button to set how many days the due date should be extended per student. A bell icon indicates to the teacher the due date has been extended for the student.
See our Adding & Managing Tasks article for further details.
iOS Mobile Overviews
January 22, 2022
Overview pages for Classes, Year Groups, and Groups have been redesigned and optimized for iPads and iPhones. The new Overview pages are accessible by clicking on a Class, Year Group, or Group (from each respective Roster page).
Student Profile Pop-ups
January 19, 2022
Click the avatar of any user in any page of ManageBac to expand a floating overview menu. For students, information such as Homeroom Attendance status and upcoming Tasks due will be included. Local time and date for all users is also included based on the Timezone the user set in their profile. All floating menus include a button to access the user's Profile if access is granted for that.
Reviewing Options for Term Grades
January 18, 2022
We have released a major update for all Classes > Gradebook > Term Grades pages. It is now possible to enable or disable Gradebook Options which allow teacher to utilize Field Checker options or hide or make previously existing options visible.
The Term Grades layout was also adjusted to better accommodate the new reviewing options. Every Student now has a gradebook table of their own with Rubrics, Grades, Final Grade, Comments and Progress Charts.
The Field Checker options will highlight fields that are incomplete or not matching as expected. Above we show a Criterion that has not been marked yet and the name in the Comment box does not match the student's name. The enabled or disabled options will indicate how many fields could use additional review.
Include up to 4 terms of Term Grades on Report Cards
January 18, 2022
It is now possible to show up to 4 sets of Term Grades on a Report Card in Summary of Achievement or Class Reports for all academic programmes except IB PYP.
With "Cumulative" Term Grades enabled, all Teacher Comments are hidden from the Summary of Achievement section.
Timetables include Grade level of the Class
January 10, 2022
All Timetables have been updated to include the grade level of each class next to the class name. If long names of classes hide the grade level, the timetable can be exported to PDF to reveal the grade level for each class.
Setting Time Zone Selections from User Profile
November 14, 2021
Users can change and set their own time zone via the Profile > Manage My Profile page on the right navigation panel. This helps students who are connecting to their schools remotely from places other than the school itself.
TOK PPF PDF for TOK Essay templates
November 4, 2021
The TOK PPF can be enabled with a tick box for Enable TOK Essay - Planning and progress Form via Settings > IB Diploma > Project-based Learning > TOK Essay template > Forms.
The Template Fields dropdown menu correspond to the field names created in the Framework section of the template. By default the IB fields will be preselected.
The PDF can be exported per student via the TOK Essay workspace and in the Planning and Progress Form tab on the right navigation panel. Please note, the TOK Essay Status has to be approved or completed before the button to Export to PDF will be available.
The TOK PPF will be included in the student's Portfolio > eCoursework folder once generated for submission to IBIS eCoursework.
Updates to Engagement Analytics
October 21, 2021
Overall Task Completion diagrams have been added to the Engagement Analytics pages for every student. This provides a quick overview of which Tasks students submitted work to on time, late or not at all as well as which Tasks did not have a coursework submission option enabled.
Expanding the dropdown menu will show which Tasks the student has submitted or not submitted work for as well as which Online Lessons they joined or did not join.
See our article on Monitoring User Engagement Analytics for further information.
May 2022 TOK Prescribed Titles Updated
September 28, 2021
The TOK Essay prescribed titles were updated for all TOK Essay project-based learning templates that were imported from our template library. Students in May session schools will now see the updated May 2022 titles when editing their TOK Essay Proposals. These were updated in English and Spanish.
Schools who previously edited their TOK prescribed titles via Settings > IB Diploma > Project-based Learning > TOK Essay template > Framework > Proposal, will not have received this update to not overwrite the custom data entered.
Prescribed titles can be edited via the Framework page of the TOK Essay template in Settings and by selecting the 3 dot button. Please see Configuring & Enabling Theory of Knowledge (TOK) Worksheets for further information on how to customise project templates.
All-New Design
August 27, 2021
Just in time for Back to School, we are excited to introduce several key design updates to improve your teacher, student and parent experience on ManageBac.
We have listened to your feedback and over the past year, our team has been hard at work reimagining ManageBac with several key design updates to provide clarity of focus, improved usability, and streamlined navigation. Read and watch What's New.
IB MYP Interdisciplinary Unit Planner Updates
August 18, 2021
Read more about the updated Interdisciplinary Unit Planners for IB MYP in our MYP Interdisciplinary Unit Plans & Assessment article and blog post describing the changes we implemented.
Unit Planner Template reset option
August 16, 2021
Unit Planner Templates can now be reset to the Programme default enabled fields and hint texts via the right navigation panel of any unit planner template. Read more about this option in our Customising Unit Planner Templates article.
MYP Year 0 Now Available on ManageBac
July 22, 2021
MYP Year 0 is now available to add to all IB MYP schools on ManageBac. To enable this year level, an administrator on the account may go to Settings > School Settings > Grades & Levels.
Please note that if your school has previously used a different year level for Year 0 to build units, we recommend getting in touch with us for assistance in moving your units over. You can reach out via support@managebac.com for further help.
IB CP Reflective Project customisable word counts
July 8, 2021
The word counts per reflection for IB CP project-based learning templates can now be customised for each created reflection/student comment field. This allows schools to prevent students from writing too much for the Career-Related Study field for example and cut text off on the RPPF PDF document.
For more information on PBL template configurations, please visit our Configuring & Enabling Project-based Learning (PBL) Frameworks article.
Learner Portfolio now moves across class sections
June 24, 2021
IB Diploma student Learner Portfolios in Group 1 subjects will now stay with students even if they switch to a different class of the same subject. This change will assist in the yearly transition from IB Diploma Year 1 to IB Diploma Year 2 for schools whose class rosters change with each year.
Please note if students are moved to a new class, their work will move with them, but they will not be able to edit it in the new class - it will be read-only. They can still add new entries in the new class.
Report Stamps, File Name and Margin Customization
June 19, 2021
We have now released a few additional options to our Report generation and template process, including:
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Adding a School Stamp to the Cover Sheet
Via your report template's Cover Sheet, you can now add an image of a stamp if your school needs to officially stamp the front of each report card. The stamp will appear near the bottom of the cover sheet.
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Customising File Names when reports are downloaded
Via Reporting > Generate Reports, you can now select what you want to include in each file name when downloading the reports in bulk via Reporting > Reports History.
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Adding additional page margin option
Via the Overview of the Report template, you can now add additional space at the bottom of each page, which will allow for government stamps or signatures as needed. Please note this will make the report card longer.
New Mobile App Calendar Released
June 10, 2021
The ManageBac Mobile team has now released a new native mobile calendar to the ManageBac app! The calendar will now be the default landing page for all users with the latest version of the app. Other improvements include:
Agenda & Day Views
The new calendar will allow users to seamlessly cycle between days, weeks, and months. Two new views have been added to the calendar. The agenda view will consolidate and display users’ tasks, online lessons, events and deadlines within a list view. This will be the default view for all user types. The day view will display the users’ tasks, online lessons, events and deadlines in a timeline view.
Monthly and Weekly Calendar
For both the agenda and day view, users will be able to expand the calendar to view the entire month or collapse the calendar to view the selected week. Additionally, each day on the calendar will display dots for each task, online lesson, event, or deadline. This will give users a quick indication of the number of events for each day. The color of each day will indicate the category type (as defined by teachers within each class, year group, or group).
Filters
A filter button has been added to the top right of the new calendar page. From this menu, users will be able to easily filter calendar events by the year group, class, or group that they belong to.
Action Menu
A “+” button has been added to the bottom right of the new calendar page. From here users will be able to add events and deadlines.
Updated Dashboard for All Users + New Functions
June 9, 2021
ManageBac has now published the first phase of our Dashboard improvements for 2021.
The updated dashboard aims to improve the user experience by reorganizing the dashboard into key sections (2-Week Calendar/Timetable/Unit Calendar, Upcoming Tasks/Online Lessons/Events/Deadlines, Classes). These sections will consolidate existing sections of the dashboard to make scrolling easier, while adding new functionality.
The topmost section of the dashboard will consolidate the user’s 2-week calendar, unit calendar (admin & teachers only), and timetable. Users will be able to cycle between each of these views via buttons on the main header.
The upcoming section on the dashboard has also been updated. Previously, online lessons were displayed separately from tasks, deadlines, and events. All of these categories are now available under one section to provide a better big-picture view of the school day. Users will also be able to filter by each category. Again, this helps reduce the length of the dashboard without taking away existing functionality. The student dashboard will also have direct access to the student’s portfolio, service learning, and project worksheets.
Behaviour Notes added to ManageBac API
June 8, 2021
Administrators using ManageBac's API will notice a Behaviour Notes retrieval option now available via Settings > Develop > Reference Docs. This will allow the API to retrieve all the behaviour notes in your school's ManageBac account.
Quick-Add now including Online Lessons
June 8, 2021
The Quick Add button on ManageBac has received several upgrades, including:
- Ability to start scheduled Online Lessons
- Ability to schedule new Online Lessons
- (For Students) Ability to join scheduled Online Lessons
All forms (e.g. Posting Messages or Adding Resources) now also keep you on the same page you were working on. The exception is creating unit planners and assessment tasks, which will still take you to the class you select to complete your unit or task.
Attendance and Timetable interface improvements
May 19, 2021
ManageBac has released several user interface upgrades and improvements to our Attendance and Timetable system. These include:
Parents Only
- The attendance page has been consolidated into the Timetable page. Parents can now add and view attendance excusals directly on their child’s timetable.
- From the new attendance excusal modal, parents will also be able to edit or delete incorrect attendance excusals.
All User Types
- A new homeroom row has been added to students’ timetables. This row will indicate students’ attendance for each day.
- Attendance excusals will now be displayed directly on the timetable. Excusals will be displayed directly above the new “homeroom” row.
- A new attendance excusal modal has been added to the timetable. This new modal will display the attendance excusal start date, duration, and reason.
- A new upcoming tasks & online lessons icon has been added to the top right corner of each class. This icon will indicate the number of upcoming tasks & online lessons for each day. Each upcoming task and online lesson will be displayed on the updated class modal.
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Tooltips for each class have been removed from the timetable. Users will simply need to click on the cell to display the class modal.
- From the class modal, users can now directly email all teachers who are members of the selected class. The Send E-mail link will open whatever e-mail system is being used by the user on their computer and auto-fill in the teacher's e-mail address.
Bulk Hide Task Assessment Results
May 16, 2021
Teachers now have the ability to hide task assessment results from their class until they are ready to share them with students and parents on ManageBac. To use this new function, navigate to the class Gradebook or Tasks tab, select the task in question, and click on Hide Task Results on the right navigation panel.
If task results have been hidden, a hidden 'eye' symbol will appear next to the task title. To share task assessment results, teachers may click on Show Tasks Results on the right navigation panel.
Tasks with hidden results will still appear on student and parent calendars, and they can still upload work to the dropbox. Only grades and comments will be hidden from their view.
Please note you cannot send grade notifications to parents and students via email if Hide Task Results is on for that task.
Rich Text Options for Term Grade Comments available
May 14, 2021
Rich text editor formatting options have been added to Term Grade Comments and Advisor comments in three places - A in Classes > Gradebook > Term Grades, B in Core Projects > Submit Term Evaluations and C in Advisor Comments. This allows class teachers and advisors to enter comments with additional formatting options, such as bolding or changing the text direction to right to left and left to right.
Term Gradebook Lock excludes Account Admins
May 13, 2021
Via Settings > Academic Terms, any account administrator can lock term gradebooks once they are ready for the final proofing and review or report publication stage. This can be done by editing the Term in question, and selecting Restrict teachers from making any changes to term grades.
Account administrators are now excluded from this lock, and will still be able to edit any term gradebook while it is locked, to allow for more efficient proofing and review processes.
Date Picker added to Assessment Task Creator
May 13, 2021
When creating a task, teachers can now see at a glance which days that class has lessons in the school timetable. Dates marked as green have lessons scheduled, days marked as white do not.
To learn more about how to create timetables in ManageBac, click here.
PYP Reports > Subject Assessments Format adjusted
May 13, 2021
The order of items in the Enhanced PYP Report Template > Summary of Achievement > Subject Assessment section has been updated on the printed PDF report cards to resemble the same order as in the template.
The updated format will show Subject Descriptions ahead of Subject assessments which is ahead of Subject Comments.
This order now follows other report templates where a more general subject/class description appears first and is followed by more detailed subject assessments and comments.
Rich Text added to Gradebooks and Advisor Comments
May 12, 2021
Teachers can now use our Rich Text Editor Lite to format term gradebook and homeroom advisor comments in ManageBac. The new formatting options include the ability to bold, italicize, strikethrough, underline, add dividing lines, add lists, and hyperlink.
Teachers may also switch text from left to right into right to left, to allow for correct formatting in other languages such as Arabic.
IB CP RPPF export for Reflective Project available
May 6, 2021
The official IB form for the IB Career-related Programme Reflective Project is now available for export on ManageBac. Students and Supervisors may fill in the reflections and comments via the Planning and Progress Form tab within the Reflective Project, and this information will transfer to the official form. The form itself can be exported on the right navigation panel.
To enable the form, please go to Settings > IB CP > Project-based Learning, and select the Reflective Project. Under the Framework tab, enable the form. You may also add custom student hints and directives here:
Settings User Interface Updated
May 5, 2021
Administrators in ManageBac will see several design and navigation improvements to our Settings interface, including easier-to-read labels and icons on the main page, and a re-ordered menu.
Schools also now have access to the Faria Services Manager, which provides a clear overview of the programmes your school is currently subscribed to, as well as what else is available in the Faria family of products and integrations.
Bulk Submit Google Docs templates
Apr 29, 2021
Teachers now have the ability to bulk submit students' Google Doc templates using the Submit Coursework button for each linked template in a Task. The count of how many students have already submitted their template shows on the right above the student list. This will force-submit and revoke writing access for all students the selected template is assigned to.
See our Enabling Google Task Templates and Adding & Managing Tasks with Google Docs Templates articles for more information about Google Doc template Tasks in ManageBac.
Updated Homeroom Absence notifications for Parents
April 16, 2021
Homeroom Absence notifications have been updated for parents, if schools notify parents of homeroom absences via email.
Parents can now directly access the Attendance Excusal page to submit excusal notes via a link in the email notification or they will see their excusal note as part of the email notification.
Mobile App includes Portal Access, Drag n Drop Files
April 13, 2021
The next released update of the Android and iOS ManageBac app has several exciting new features, including:
1. Accounts Portal (Android + iOS)
The accounts portal has been added to the main menu of the app. This will allow users to seamlessly navigate to other integrations.
2. Quick Lock Functionality (Android)
From the accounts page users can select the Quick Lock option. This option will provide users with additional security. If the app is inactive for 2 minutes the user will be required to input their password. By default, this will be disabled. This feature works with passcodes, face recognition, fingerprint scanner, and pattern unlocking mechanisms.
3. Drag and Drop Support for Files
Users will be able to drag and drop files from their phones into the ManageBac app. This will work any on any page that supports file uploads (E.g. Coursework Submission, Portfolio Resource, Unit Stream & Resources, etc).
Import Subjects in Bulk via CSV for Non-IB Programmes
April 1, 2021
Schools using ManageBac for custom, national, and non-IB programmes can now import their own subject lists via Settings > [Programme] > Subjects > Import Subjects. A CSV template will be provided, and required fields include Subject Group and Subject Name.
Pamoja Online Course Registration for MYP 5 Students
March 17, 2021
Schools with IB DP, IB MYP and Pamoja Online Courses integration enabled can now include a special version of the IB Diploma Plans worksheet for their MYP 5 students.
This allows students during their final MYP year to select their IB DP subjects and register for Pamoja Online Courses for the following first year of IB DP. Please see our Pamoja Online Courses QuickStart Guide for additional information about the registration process.
The Diploma Plans Worksheets can be enabled in the Overview > Edit Year Group Settings page of the MYP 5 Year Group.
Add Custom Standards Sets to any Programme
March 16, 2021
Schools can now create school-specific sets of Standards that can be selected in any Unit Planners of the corresponding academic programme via the Settings > Select Programme > Curriculum > Standards pages. Please see our Adding Standards as an Administrator article for additional information and details.
IB DP Group 1 Orals and Extracts updated
March 15, 2021
Extracts added to IB DP Group 1 Classes and linked to Works Studies for the Oral recordings, have now updated text editor options and the entire Extract text or images can be exported to a PDF document for IBIS eCoursework submission.
Student Outline information and Assessment Criteria and Teacher Comments for Orals can also be exported to separate PDF documents for submission to eCoursework. See our updated Managing Individual Orals in Group 1 and Group 2 classes tutorial article for more information.
The Generate IB Forms button in students' Portfolio > eCoursework folder will also generate those PDF documents for each student together with other IB relevant files.
TOK Prescribed Titles updated for November 2021
March 5, 2021
November 2021 Theory of Knowledge prescribed titles are now available on ManageBac. We have also updated our prescribed title format to include their numbers, as listed by the IB. This was done to make it easier for IB Diploma coordinators to enter in the student's chosen prescribed title number into IB eCoursework.
For more information about TOK, particularly our new TOK 2022 updated options, please click here.
Assessment Task pages have been updated
February 24, 2021
We are very excited to be able to provide an updated view and additional functionalities for the Add Task pages across all programmes. The major changes are an updated layout of the page as well as having the ability to differentiate Tasks for students in a class.
The Task page layout has also been updated in this process and we included additional improvements for the Resource and Task Sharing processes.
Please feel free to read more about the Assessment Task Improvements in our blog article here.
Bulk Approve Students in CAS and SA Groups
February 24, 2021
Students can be bulk approved via the Members tab of CAS Project or SA Groups. This will automatically add the Group as CAS Experience or SA Activity to the students' CAS or SA worksheets. Please see our Creating CAS Project Groups for additional information.
Messages & Notification Preferences have been updated
February 23, 2021
Access the updated Notification Preferences page to review and adjust types of notifications and Digest intervals enabled. We have added new Digest notifications for Teachers, Students and Parents in this update. To read more about the new digest options, please review our blog post here.
Resize and reposition Unit cover images
February 23, 2021
At-a-Glance section of Unit Plans provides a read-only unit summary view. This represents what a Student or Parent sees when accessing the unit. Upload a cover image to enhance visibility.
The cover image can be resized and repositioned to fit the At-a-Glance cover image field for all Unit Planners. Learn more about Unit Planners in our Unit Planning tutorials
Students can upload to Tasks from Google Drive
February 22, 2021
Students can now submit to Tasks with Dropbox Coursework Submission directly from Google Drive if the Google Upload integration is enabled for the school. Learn more in our Enabling Google Drive Uploads tutorial about this integration.
Lock Coursework Submissions in Tasks and Deadlines
February 22, 2021
Select a Task or Deadline in your class with Dropbox Coursework or Google Coursework submissions enabled. Teachers can lock and unlock submissions for Tasks and Deadlines either for individual students or for all students in the class/year group.
Mobile App adds Scan Coursework for Assessment Tasks
February 3, 2021
ManageBac's free iOS and Android app has expanded our Scan Coursework functionality. Previously available to upload work to Portfolios, the built-in scanner now also appears as an option when students upload work to their assessment tasks.
This functionality will be available for iOS immediately, and Android within the next week. Users are advised to update their app to the latest version to take advantage of this new feature.
IB DP Group 1 Orals update
February 1, 2021
Export Criteria and Comments was added for all Orals in Group 1 IB DP classes in response to changed submission requirements for May 2021. This now allows teachers and admins to generate a PDF document for each student with assessed Orals Criteria and Comments.
Guiding Questions have been removed from all IB DP Studies in Language and Literature classes in the Orals pages for all students. The Guiding questions are no longer part of the Studies in Language and Literature Internal Assessments and were replaced by Extract documents that are now submitted with the recording to the IB. We are continuing to work on making necessary changes to allow schools to export the required documents for submissions to eCoursework for May 2021.
Parents may now view IB Diploma Plans and invoices
January 18, 2021
Parents of IB Diploma students may now review their Plans worksheet, if it has been enabled by the school for that year group. This read-only view allows parents to see the subjects and personal information the student will be registered for on IBIS.
It also allows them to Export to PDF, which will allow them to print the information. If invoicing has been enabled by the school, the PDF will include invoice information.
To learn more about enabling Plans and invoicing, check out our tutorials here.
Customisation Option for Report Card Logos Added
January 12, 2021
Schools using our report cards can now adjust their school's logo on a template-by-template basis. Via the Overview tab, tick Custom Logo Size to adjust the logo size on the cover sheet of the report card.
The default logo size is 30% or 100% of page width. A default square logo at 30% equals 200 pixels width by 200 pixels height. If the logo is rectangular and oriented either vertically or horizontally, we recommend a ratio of 1:2 for custom height and width.