So you use Benchmark Universe, but how integral is the site to your curriculum? Are you a moderate user? Or do you fully rely on BU to organize your lesson plans? BU is designed to be convenient and to meet any teacher’s needs. Take a glance at these teacher groups and see which one you belong to.

The Techie in Training

This category of teachers casually uses BU in the classroom. The main goal of this group is to use the basic features of the site. Most Trainees will focus on using e-books and e-posters in the classroom, but will only reference these digital products when necessary. The Tech Trainee will also only slightly dive into the customization process of BU. They want to mark up the e-books and e-posters, but aren’t consumed with fully adapting the products.

The Typical Techie

The Typical Techie is the teacher who eagerly uses BU, but isn’t fully dependent on it. They find comfort in using features like “Add to Assignments,” sharing through “School Customization Library” and messaging their students through BU. This person enjoys creating customized e-books and utilizes everything that’s available in the tool kit. The Typical Techie also likes to share his or her latest tips and tricks with colleagues on BU.

The Tech Guru

If you are someone fully immersed in BU, then you are indeed a Tech Guru. This cluster of tech-savvy teachers fully employs every aspect of BU and wants to use it throughout their curriculum. They share personalized e-books, manage student groups, and assign specific students different customized materials. Tech Gurus also use the ePlanner every day. They set up their lessons and strategize their materials for the entire week, month, or even year. The Tech Guru applies the “Reports” tool, which allows them to monitor each student’s progress and classroom performance level.

Continue using BU to build your comfort level. Don’t be afraid to ask other teachers in your school system about helpful tricks and tips!