Getting Started Guide
Welcome To Connecting Steps! There are some key things you need to know when starting to use B Squared’s Connecting Steps assessment software:
How to navigate around the software
How to baseline your students (must be completed before you can start assessing)
Where to find our FREE online training videos
Log into Connecting Steps
Here’s how to log in:
1. Visit https://uk.connectingsteps.com/
2. Enter your email address and password
3. Click ‘Sign In’
Forgot your password? It happens, don’t worry, just click on the ‘Forgot Password’ link in the login screen and you will be sent an email with a link to reset your password. Note: Your login email address is not case sensitive. A password must be a minimum of 12 characters and include AT LEAST 3 of the following types of characters: lowercase, uppercase, number or special character.
Navigate the Software
We’ve created a series of video guides to help you get up and running quickly and easily with Connecting Steps. Please take the time to watch them to familiarise yourself with the software and ensure everything is set up correctly for your school to start using Connecting Steps.
- First Steps with Connecting Steps:
https://support.bsquared.cloud/article/641-first-steps-with-connecting-steps-for-administrators
This video helps you get familiar with the software, explains the key screens and shows how to navigate your way around. It’s under 20 minutes and packed full of useful information, so please watch it before you dive in.
- Set your default frameworks in MyBSquared:
https://support.bsquared.cloud/article/601-managing-frameworks-books-and-structures
Before you sign into Connecting Steps for the first time, your school's default frameworks need to be set in MyBSquared. Until this has been done, your assessment frameworks drop down menu will remain blank and you won’t be able to add any assessments. This is done by an administrator for your setting.
These short videos introduce key screens within Connecting Steps and explain how to use them.
- Introduction to the Student Assessment screen:
https://support.bsquared.cloud/article/642-guide-to-the-individual-assessment-screen
This video explains all the different features of the Student Assessment screen.
- Introduction to the Group Assessment by Level screen:
https://support.bsquared.cloud/article/643-guide-to-the-group-assessment-by-level-screen
This video explains the different features of the Group Assessment by Level screen. It is used to assess a group of students working on a similar project on the same level or year. See the whole class on one screen at the same time and update an assessment point for the whole class with one click.
- Using Favourites:
https://support.bsquared.cloud/article/650-using-favourites
This video explains how to use the favourites feature in Connecting Steps.
Baseline Students
Connecting Steps uses a baseline as a starting point for each student within each subject and profile. The baseline records a student’s achievements on the date that you start to assess that student. It needs to be set in Connecting Steps. It is important to baseline all students because without a baseline, reports will have no record of a student’s starting point, and progression can’t be shown correctly. Students will not be included in graphs or reports without a baseline. Our video guide explains how to baseline students in Connecting Steps on the Student Assessment Screen or Student Level Summary screens. Students need to be baselined on the framework they are working on, in the subjects you are using. The system will warn you if there is no baseline.
- Video Guide to Baselining:
https://support.bsquared.cloud/article/534-baselining-a-student-on-the-individual-assessment-screen
- Baselining on the Student Assessment screen:
https://support.bsquared.cloud/article/534-baselining-a-student-on-the-individual-assessment-screen
- Baselining on the Student Level Summary screen:
https://support.bsquared.cloud/article/618-baselining-on-the-individual-level-summary-screen
- Baselining on the Group Level Summary screen:
https://support.bsquared.cloud/article/619-baselining-on-the-group-level-summary-screen
- Deleting a Baseline:
https://support.bsquared.cloud/article/646-how-to-baseline-students
Assess Students
Student progress is measured by their achievements. To accurately assess a student’s progress you must add achievements. You can add achievements on any of the assessment screens and on the Assessments left to achieve report screen. Achievements can also be added retrospectively.
- Video Guide to Assessing:
https://support.bsquared.cloud/article/644-how-to-add-achievements-in-connecting-steps
- How to Add Achievements:
https://support.bsquared.cloud/article/535-adding-achievements
- How to Delete Achievements:
https://support.bsquared.cloud/article/624-deleting-an-achievement
- How to Search for Assessment Points:
https://support.bsquared.cloud/article/736-search-for-assessment-points
Access FREE Online Training
You can find our online training course Connecting Steps V5 Training for Teachers here: https://support.bsquared.co.uk/courses/connecting-steps-v5-training-for-teachers/
Create an account and login to get started. This is separate from your Connecting Steps account.