What is SoftChalk Cloud

SoftChalk Cloud is a virtual learning and teaching community where educators can create, share and manage interactive learning content. SoftChalk Cloud multi-function platform combines content authoring, a learning object repository and hosting features and it is designed to integrate seamlessly with our Canvas learning management system.

Content Authoring

SoftChalk Cloud easy-to-use authoring tool let educators take content they already have (such as Word, PowerPoint files, PDFs, videos and web links), add in resources from the web (such as videos, web widgets and textbook media) and turn it into easy-to-navigate, professional-looking, web-based modules—perfect for online learning. It automatically generates mobile-friendly content. This means your content works anywhere—desktops, iPad, tablets and smart phones. Lesson creating in SoftChalk Create (desktop application) can also be added and edited using SoftChalk Cloud authoring tool.

Learning Object Repository

SoftChalk Cloud Learning Object Repository provides instant access to thousands of free learning resources to share and customize. Share your content, media resources and files with individuals, groups of colleagues, groups of learners or the entire community.

Interactive Content Managing and Hosting

It’s easy to include interactive quiz questions and practice activities such as Hot Spot Images, Crosswords and Sorting activities in your lessons. Apply a design template and your content will look like a professional designer developed it.

SoftChalk Cloud enables quick and easy content management—create and manage one content item that can be delivered in many courses. Change content one time in one place, and every course using that content is automatically, simultaneously updated.

What is SoftChalk Create

SoftChalk Create is a desktop application available to all UTHSCSA faculty and staff. With it you can create your own digital lessons by combining your own materials with interactive learning content and rich media that is available online. You can also add interactivity and assess student performance using various quizzes and activities that are easy to add with SoftChalk Create The mixture of personalized content, embedded assessment, and interactivity will increase student engagement and improve learning outcomes.

Create content outside of the LMS

Learning Management Systems (LMSs) have been around long enough that most of us have experienced one or more transitions and discovered that content created within one LMS does not necessarily migrate to another. Users need an easy way to create and deliver content outside the walls of an institutions LMS. Use SoftChalk Create to author your content outside of your LMS where it can be easily re-used in many different systems.

Open Education Resources

Customized content can be time consuming and expensive to create. While the cost of purchasing textbooks and other learning materials continues to grow, educational institutions are looking for solutions that reduce time, effort and costs for themselves and their students. SoftChalk Create provides access to a variety of Open Education resources via a Media Search Tool. You will be able to search repositories, such as CONNEXIONS™, MERLOT™ and College Open Textbooks, for high quality materials you can mix and mash into your SoftChalk Create materials.

SoftChalk Solution

SoftChalk Create eases the challenge of differentiating instruction effectively. Engaging, personalized learning experiences can easily be created in order to meet the needs of a variety of student learning styles. The self-assessment quizzes provide automatic feedback to both the student and the instructor so you can track which areas the student needs to devote extra attention.

How can UTHSCSA faculty members get a SoftChalk Cloud account?

In order to obtain an account, faculty will need to retrieve the activation key, which can be found in the ATS 1000 Library of Resources Canvas course, which all faculty have access to. (If you do not see this course in your list of courses, please click "view all courses") The activation key is found in the SoftChalk Module under the SoftChalk Cloud heading.

Notice To Faculty regarding records retention: It the responsibility of all faculty to retain a copy of all SoftChalk lessons locally for records retention purposes. Click here to see how to save a copy of a SoftChalk lesson on the SoftChalk Cloud and Locally.