Feature event: All students, all pathways

Learn how Xello's Plans tool will help all students create actionable and attainable plans for after high school.

In this recording, you'll learn:

• Updates and improvements to Goals & plans
• Reviewing and tracking students' Plans
• Involving parents and guardians in their child's after high school plans
• Key resources to support successful post-secondary planning

Students and Plans

Not all students want to head straight into a four-year college program. That's where Plans in Xello comes in. With different pathways such as apprenticeships, going straight to work, joining the military, or college or university, all students can feel prepared for what happens next.

Students access the Plans feature by clicking Plans in the top navigation.

When students start making a plan, they can choose to begin with a Career or pick a path they want to take after high school by clicking on Education. In either case, as they build their plan, they'll later be encouraged to add a career to an education plan or a pathway to a career plan. Additionally, students can make as many plans as they want, so they can always try a new starting point later.

If students choose to start with a career, they'll pick one of their saved ones. If they haven't saved any careers, or they want to build a plan for a new one, they can search to find it. After they chosen a career and clicked Done, their plan is in the works!

If they choose to start with education, the next page will be a list of pathways they can choose from after they've finished high school. The options include 4-year college, apprenticeship, military, gap year, and more.

A helpful Learn more about pathways link at the bottom of the list will open brief explanations of each pathway, plus a chance to read a full profile. They'll be able to watch a short video, view sample careers typical to that pathway, and view any finances or education required.

Depending on the pathway they choose, they'll be prompted to add more information. For example, if they choose 4-year college, they'll need to choose a credential or training, such as bachelor's degree, master's degree, doctoral degree (PhD), or professional degree. Then they'll need to select a school (one of their saved ones if they offer the credential or they can search for a new one). Once they've completed any prompts and clicked Done, their pathway plan is ready for finessing!

Now they can add more steps to their plan. If they chose education as a starting point, here's where they'll be able to add a career. Alternatively, they can add a pathway to a career plan.

Each plan comes populated with a To-do list to remind students that even a big plan for what to do after high school can start with small steps today. These can include reminders to make sure they meet the requirements to apply, encouragement to talk to someone in their career choice, prompts to research skills and interests their career or pathway might include. Every To-do list, regardless of whether the student chose career or education as the starting point, comes with a list of additional suggested tasks specific to their choice. Students can click Need suggestions? to check these out.

To help personalize their plan, students can click the pencil icon in any section to change their answers, including the title of the plan itself. There's also a section for them to keep notes and add links as they work towards completing their plan.

Encourage students to return to their plans or build new ones as they learn more about themselves, explore careers and schools, and complete the tasks on their list.

Educators and Plans

In your educator account, run reports to see how your students are building their plans and which pathways your students are leaning more towards. Reports you can run based on Plans are:

• Plans by student
• Plans by grade
• Plans by pathway

Or, educators can view a student's plan to check out their to-do list, what pathway they chose, and how committed they are to the plan.

View a student's plan

View completed student plans on the student's profile page, in the About student tab.

To view a student's complete plans:

1. In the search bar located at the top of any page in your educator account, enter the student's name or ID.
   

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   Tip: Alternatively, from the left menu, click Students and select Student list to browse the full list of students.
2. Click on the student's name. The About student tab of their profile opens.
   

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3. Click on the Goals & plans tab to see their saved plans.
   

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4. Click on a plan to view the Plan preview.

Run reports on student plans

Delivering Plans in the classroom

Check out these resources to help you implement the Plans feature in the classroom face-to-face, online, or in a blended learning environment.

Xello activity lesson plan

To get students started, the My plans lesson will help you successfully roll out Plans to your students with discussion prompts, reflection activities, and teaching strategies.

This standalone lesson will take about 30-40 minutes and includes:

• Inquiry prompts
• Tips for preparing to teach the lesson
• Teaching strategies
• Step-by-step guidance for assisting students in creating a plan
• A discussion prompt for students to complete in a Xello assignment

Instructional plan

For a more robust, multi-lesson experience, the Planning for the future instructional plan will round out how students explore post-secondary pathways and develop plans in Xello. By implementing this lesson plan, your students will consider how they can prepare for the future, even if they're unsure what they want to do. They'll consider different pathways they can take toward a plan for the future and which ones are a best fit for them.

This Instructional plan can be broken up into four standalone lessons or one extended 60-80 minute lesson. It includes the components of the My plans lesson above, as well as: 

• Learning objectives
• Future-ready skills and vocabulary
• Student-facing instructions

Student walkthrough

Share this quick walkthrough about Goals & Plans to help introduce the basics to your students. Share it in an Assignment or message the link to you student groups in Xello.