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      Free Trial Overview

      This article contains all the information you need to set up and navigate Skill Struck's free version.

      Last updated - July 10, 2023

      Skill Struck is happy to offer a free trial version of our product; made so teachers and students can get a feel for our platform before deciding to purchase. The free trial version introduces users to several features, including the Educator Portal (with limited access to lesson plans, student management, section management, and student progress) and limited access to one of our student platforms (teachers can choose Launch Pad or Voyage.) Our free trial version is a great introduction to Skill Struck–but keep in mind that our upgraded version includes expanded functionality, access to more support, added features on the Educator Portal, and more awesome content for students! Read on to learn how to enroll in Skill Struck’s free trial version, how to navigate Skill Struck, and how to upgrade to the full version when you’re ready!

      Enrolling in the free trial

      • Begin by following the link http://skillstruck.com/classroom. 
      • Fill out the form found at the link. 
      • Under “Which grade do you teach?” Be sure to choose the correct grade. K - 5 will give you access to Launch Pad, while 6 -12 will give access to Voyage.
      • Once you submit your information, you will be sent an email to complete your account.
      • Click on the link in your email to complete your account and gain access to Skill Struck!
      • Your username will be your email address, and your password is the password you entered on the sign-up form.
      • Let’s get started!

      The Educator Portal

      The free version of Skill Struck’s Educator Portal includes previews of four essential sections and access to one student platform based on the grade you chose. 

      View a video tutorial of Skill Struck's free version of Launch Pad (grades k - 5) here!

      View a video tutorial of Skill Struck's free version of Voyage (grades 6 - 12) here!

      Manage Sections

      Once you have logged in to your Educator Portal, you should navigate to Manage Sections. This portion of Skill Struck will allow you to create and customize each of your classes, or sections. The free trial version allows you to add up to 3 sections and 120 total students. While the upgraded version of Skill Struck supports integrations with Google SSO, ClassLink, Clever, email invites, and more, the free trial version is limited to a CSV file upload or adding students individually. Follow the instructions below to get your students added and your sections set up:

      • From Manage Sections, click on the +New Section button in the top right corner of the page. Type in your section and name and choose the appropriate grade level. Click the Save button. The section you just created will be added to your list of sections. Remember, you can create up to 3 sections on the free trial version!
        • If you need to edit the name or grade level of a section after you have created it, click the blue pencil icon to the left of the section name to open the Edit Section window. Here you can change the name and grade level of the section if needed. Click the Save button to save any changes. Click the red trash can icon to Remove the section.
      • Once you have created your section, click the +Add Students button to begin adding students to a section.
        • The free trial version supports student upload using a CSV file. Click the Choose File button to upload students from an existing CSV file. Click Add Students to create accounts for all students included in your CSV file.

      or

      • Download the Sample CSV File and input your student data in the format provided. Once you have added your student data to the Sample CSV File and saved your changes, click the Choose File button and upload the file to import your student data. Click Add Students to create accounts for all students included in your CSV file.

      NOTE: The Sample CSV File is just a template. You will need to expand the data table and input your student information. Be sure that your student email addresses are entered correctly (double-check spelling and domain.) Passwords should include 8 characters to be accepted. Once you have entered all of your student information, be sure to Export the table as a CSV file before uploading it, or it will not be accepted. 

      • It is also possible to add one student at a time via Manage Students. See the Manage Students section of this SOP for more details.
      • You have successfully created a section and added students!
      • Your students should all receive an email from Skill Struck announcing that you have added them to the section. They should click the link provided in the email to log in. 
        • Students should use the email address and password you included on the CSV file to log in.
        • Once students log in, they will have access to either Launch Pad or Voyage depending on the platform you chose. The curriculum they see is determined by the grade or unit you selected when creating the section.
        • If students did not receive an email from Skill Struck, have them check their spam folder.

      Manage Students

      The Manage Students section of Skill Struck displays a list of all of your students. Here, you can edit student information, remove students, and create new student accounts.

      • To edit student information, click on the Edit button next to a student’s name. The Edit Student window will open, allowing you to change the student's name, email address, password, and add/remove them from sections. When you are done editing the student’s information, click the Save student changes button.
      • To remove a student, click on the red Remove Student button in the Edit student window.
      • To create a new student account, click the + Create new student button. This should only be used if the student does not already have a Skill Struck account. Input your new student’s name, email address, password, and section. Click the Save student changes button to complete the creation of the new account.

      Important: The Manage Students section also allows you to view a detailed summary of each of your students, including individual student progress, by clicking on their name. The page that opens allows you to view student information, check their progress on each lesson, and preview their code and projects.

      Student Progress

      The Student Progress section allows you to see progress for all of your students at once. While the full version of Skill Struck includes tabs for assessment and keyboarding progress, the free trial version is limited to lesson progress. 

      You can choose to view a specific section of students from the Section drop-down menu and choose which unit to view from the Unit drop-down menu. Student progress is displayed on a table showing student names and a general progress bar for the selected unit. 

      Click on a student’s name to view individual student progress.

      Lesson Plans

      On the Educator Portal, under Resources, is the Lesson Plans section. Here Skill Struck provides several lesson plan samples. Lesson plans include CSTA standards, warm-ups, teacher demonstrations, on-platform activities, and more. They are also printable. 

      While lesson plan access with the free trial version is limited to the Free Lesson Plans section, you can preview outlines of lesson plans that are available with the purchase of the full version.

      The Launch Pad free trial includes:

      • Two K-2 computer science lesson plans
      • Two 3-5 computer science lesson plans

      The Voyage free trial includes:

      • Four Intro to HTML lessons plans
      • Four Intro to Python lesson plans
      • Four Intro to JavaScript lesson plans

      Explore our Student Platforms

      Your free trial of Skill Struck includes access to one of our platforms for you and up to 120 students! If you selected grades K - 5 at sign-up you will have access to Launch Pad. If you chose grades 6 - 12 you will have access to Voyage.

      Launch Pad

      Launch Pad features a colorful, easy-to-navigate interface that is perfect for younger learners. Launch Pad focuses primarily on teaching HTML and Computer Science basics and is organized by grade level; there are options for learners from kindergarten to 5th grade. The platform features several lessons available to Launch Pad users; each one including videos, checkpoints, quizzes, challenges, and games! The following features are included with the free trial version of Launch Pad:

      K-5 classrooms:

      • Autograder 
      • Three Kindergarten lessons 
      • Three 1st grade lessons
      • Three  2nd grade lessons
      • Three  3rd grade lessons
      • Three 4th grade lessons
      • Three 5th grade lessons
      • Save one student project
      • Save 30 student files 
      • Earn points for completing activities and customize a Skillmoji

      To access Launch Pad from the Educator Portal, scroll down to the Student Platforms section and click on the Launch Pad icon. Accessing Launch Pad through the Educator Portal allows you to view the content your students will see. You are also able to view answer keys for checkpoints, challenges, and quizzes.

      Voyage

      Skill Struck's Voyage platform was created with middle and high school-aged learners in mind. The interface is user-friendly and easy to navigate, while the content is appropriate for both those students who are just beginning in computer science and those who are more advanced. With several different programming languages to choose from, including HTML, CSS, Javascript, and Python, there's something for every classroom! The following features are included with the free trial version of Voyage:

      6-12 classrooms:

      • Code editor
      • Autograder
      • Save one student project
      • Save 30 student files 
      • Four Intro to HTML lessons  
      • Four Intro to JavaScript lessons
      • Four Intro to Python lessons
      • Four Computer Science Basics lessons
      • Earn points for completing activities and customize a Skillmoji

      To access Voyage from the Educator Portal, scroll down to the Student Platforms section and click on the Voyage icon.  Accessing Voyage through the Educator Portal allows you to view the content your students will see. You are also able to view answer keys for checkpoints, challenges, and quizzes.

      Support When You Need It

      Support options during your free trial are limited, but we are here and happy to help! Reach out via email to support@skillstruck.com with any issues or questions you have, and you can expect a prompt and friendly response. Our knowledge base is also full of helpful articles and is available at https://support.skillstruck.com/knowledge.

      The full version of Skill Struck includes in-classroom chat support, email support, and more–available when you need it. 

      Ready to Upgrade?

       If you loved your Skill Struck free trial, we make it easy to upgrade or get more information. Just click the Request to Upgrade button, available in your Educator Portal, at any time! A representative will be notified that you are interested in upgrading and will contact you to get the process started!