Class Manager Tip #4 – Getting to Know Your Class with InterestID

db_interest-idWhy do I need to know what my classes are interested in?

  • Knowing what your students like keeps engagement high.
  • Answer the “why?” with application of skills in meaningful scenarios.
  • Give your students a voice in their learning!

What is InterestID?

InterestID is a tool designed to connect teachers with lessons based on the interests of their students. Students browse through the hundreds of interesting topics that NextLesson has developed its content around, indicating whether they like or dislike them. As students engage with the InterestID browser, they build an interest profile. 

How to Use InterestID

To use InterestID, each student will need a NextLesson account, and must have joined a class in your Class Manager via join code, or synced to a class in your Class Manager. Students should spend 30-45 minutes using the InterestID Browser, indicating their likes and dislikes in order to build their interest profiles. This data will be available in your InterestID Report, which will include lesson recommendations based on top interests in your class (more on that next time). Students are encouraged to return to the InterestID Browser to continue expressing and updating their interests. Teachers might allow students to update their interests as an early finisher option, as homework, or periodically throughout the year.

Accessing the InterestID Browser

  1. Click on the InterestID icon from your NextLesson dashboard
  2. Click on the green InterestID Browser button (note: teachers are initially taken to the InterestID Report, students are taken directly to the InterestID Browser)

Using the InterestID Browser

  1. Click the thumbs up for things you like, and thumbs down for things you do not like
  2. Select interest categories from the top of the page to browse by specific interest
  3. Use the Search Interests field to type in a specific interest you are looking for
  4. Narrow results by Rating, Type, and Subcategory by checking filters on the left
  5. Remove all filters by clicking the Clear Filters button
  6. Sort interest results by clicking the Sort By dropdown

Add An Interest

Let us know what we are missing! Both teachers and students can make interest suggestions for topics they would like to see lessons on. When we see significant interest in a topic, we will design lessons around that topic. To add an interest:

  1. Click +Add an Interest
  2. Select a Category
  3. Type your new interest
  4. Give it a rating by clicking on the thumbs up or thumbs down

Once the interest profiles have been generated, teachers will begin to receive lesson suggestions in the InterestID Report. Stay tuned for the next time on accessing these lesson suggestions.