Note: This document references views and actions that are only available to Echo Administrators
To ease the administration of Echo, districts can chose to sync Echo with their SIS. This process uses data from an SIS to automatically manage user accounts, courses and enrollments. As will any automated process, that can remove some flexibility in how Echo is used by teachers. Consider the following before syncing with an SIS:
- Individual Assignment Scores: In most cases, individual assignment data from Echo will not be synced with your SIS. The nature of the Multi-Outcome Scoring gradebook in Echo does not have an equivalent in most SISs. Only the current/final grade will be transferred to the SIS.
- Integrated Courses: Many schools integrate courses (two ore more courses combined and treated like a single course). If these courses are separate in the SIS, you may have to create and manage the integrated courses manually.
- Master/Derivative Course: Many schools who want to take full advantage of Echo’s master and derivative course functionality may not wish to automatically generate courses based on the SIS course list. Users may want to have more flexibility than that approached would allow.
Data Sync Options
For schools that want to automate the management of accounts, courses and enrollments or want course grades to be automatically posted to their Student Information System (SIS), Echo provides two options:
Option One: Microsoft DataSense (Third Party Tool)
Microsoft’s DataSense is a sync tool that works with your Student Information System (SIS) and Echo to sync data between the two systems. Depending on the limitations of the SIS, DataSense can automatically create user accounts, courses, and enrollments in Echo based on the SIS data. In some cases, course grades can also be written back to the SIS.
- Automate account creation (staff, student, and parent)
- Automate course creation
- Automate course enrollments
- In some cases, post grades back to the SIS (many SISs prevent this)
Note that each SIS has different constraints. Some or all features may not be available to your school.
Cost
$0.80 per user (staff and students) with a 1,000 user minimum ($800) per year
$200 for each additional domain (one time set up)
For More Information on DataSense, see the attached .pdf document below.
To get started with a DataSense sync, complete the questionnaire below and submit a request to Help Desk.
Option Two: Custom Built Options
Echo is built on a platform with a robust API library. This means many possibilities exist for extracting and posting data to and from Echo. Districts have the option to build a custom tool tailored to their specific needs and build their own integration tool. These can be simple grade extractions or full blown integrations. If this is something your school/district is interested in, we can connect you with the right people to make sure your solution is successful.
Option Three: Using .csv Files
A third option is to use .csv files exported from your student information system. To see what data can be imported into Echo, see "How do I import data into Echo?"
Course grade data can also be exported from Echo into a .csv file so that grades can be uploaded into your student information system.
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