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LessonUp: The Complete How-To Guide

Welcome to the go-to guide for a seamless onboarding experience for you and your staff, and more importantly, welcome to the LessonUp community! 🚀
If at any point you come up against any issues, need something clarifying, or just want a quick practical demonstration 🤔 - don't hesitate to reach out to me at thomas@lessonup.com and I will be more than happy to assist you! 🙌🏻

The point of this form is to comprehensively cover all of the basic actions our users should understand by the time they begin to use LessonUp in their classroom. If there are any sections you are already confident in, please feel free to skip forward to the sections you wish to advance further in. ✅

When adding images to our interactive slides, ensure you read the 'how to edit images in LessonUp' walkthrough, as it explains how to make these images fullscreen while your students are completing their tasks. 🖼️

We will start by looking at how to create and format basic informative slides, such as the ones you are already used to creating with the presentation software of your choice...

Adding a powerpoint to lessonup.

  1. Start a new lesson and click the '+ add' button.
  2. Select the 'add powerpoint' option from the menu on the upper right hand side.
  3. Click the 'upload' button at the top of the next menu and find the powerpoint file you wish to upload to LessonUp.
  4. Once uploaded, select the file from the bottom menu to upload it to this particular lesson.
  5. Select the slides you would like to upload individually, or simply select the 'select all' button to upload the entire presentation.

Slide creation using a preset layout.

  1. Add a new slide and click the 'slide' option.
  2. Select 'create my own'.
  3. Click the 'layout' button and select a layout appropriate for the content of your slide. (i.e. is it a title page? Information dissemination? A full-screen image?). 
  4. Insert text into the text boxes and change the formatting (size and style).
  5. Click on the image space (denoted by the image icon).
  6. Either, upload an image from your device, search for one on LessonUp, or use the internet search feature to select an appropriate picture.
  7. Click on the 'colour' option, and select from one of the preset colours, or add your own using the blank spaces, to change the background and text colour. Please note - if you have selected an image for use as the background, it is recommended you select white as your colour palette.
  8. Click on the '+ component' button, and add a component that can enhance your slide (i.e. a timer. spinner or traffic light).

Slide creation using the blank layout.

  1. Add a new slide and click the 'slide' option.
  2. Select 'create my own'.
  3. Click the 'layout' button and select the blank slide option on the bottom right of the menu.
  4. Click on the '+ component' button and select the 'text' option - then size your text box accordingly.
  5. Click on the '+ component' button and select the 'image' option 
  6. Either upload your own image, search from LessonUp or use the web-search feature to find a complimentary image.
  7. Edit the formatting (size and style) of your text, then try and re-size your text box(es) and image(s) so that you are happy with the new layout. 
  8. Click on the 'colour' option, and select from one of the preset colours, or add your own using the blank spaces, to change the background and text colour. Please note - if you have selected an image for use as the background, it is recommended you select white as your colour palette.
  9. Click on the '+ component' button, and add a component that can enhance your slide (i.e. a timer. spinner or traffic light).

Introducing 'Interactive Elements'.

This section will introduce to you the basic ways of inserting and editing the interactive elements of LessonUp. 

Inserting a text-based Quiz Question.

  1. Click on the '+ Add' button.
  2. Select the 'Quiz' option.
  3. Select '+ create my own'.
  4. Type an appropriate question in the top text space.
  5. Insert the 1 or more correct answers somewhere in the bottom 4 answer spaces.
  6. Using the selector at the bottom, select the right answer. Tick the 'select alternative answers' if you have more than one correct option in your question.
  7. Format the layout and colour of the slide, size of the text and text layout, using the options in the menu above.
  8. Add an automatic timer by clicking the clock icon in the menu, setting a time for the presentation to automatically move on once it has expired.

Inserting an image/audio/formula answer Quiz Question.

  1. Click on the '+ Add' button.
  2. Select the 'Quiz' option.
  3. Select '+ create my own'.
  4. Type an appropriate question in the top text space.
  5. Click on the small cog icon in the corner of the answer boxes.
  6. Select the appropriate answer type (image/ audio/ formula).
  7. Insert the 1 or more correct answers somewhere in the bottom 4 answer spaces.
  8. Using the selector at the bottom, select the right answer. Tick the 'select alternative answers' if you have more than one correct option in your question
  9. Format the layout and colour of the slide, size of the text and text layout, using the options in the menu above.
  10. Add an automatic timer by clicking the clock icon in the menu, setting a time for the presentation to automatically move on once it has expired.

Inserting a Poll.

  1. Click on the '+ Add' button.
  2. Select poll from the interactive slides list.
  3. Select 'Create your own'.
  4. Enter the question, statement or general topic you would like the poll to be about in the top text box.
  5. Use the menu buttons beneath to select whether you want your response options to be text/emoji/scale based.
  6. Select. the way you want the results to be displayed, either as a pie chart or bar graph. These options are available when you display the results live. So feel free to select the option you currently prefer, you will be able to change it later.
  7. Click the + square underneath your question and fill in the poll options.
  8. Edit the colour and backhround of the slide, and set the formatting options you would like to use from the middle menu.

Adding a Mind map.

  1. Click on the '+ Add' button.
  2. Select the 'Mind map' option.
  3. Select '+ create my own'.
  4. Enter the question, topic or discussion point into the 'subject' line of the mind map.
  5. Format the text to be the right size and style.
  6. Change the colour of the slide to an appropriate fit for your presentation.
  7. Click on the '+ component' button, and add any additional images or text that you require. You could also insert an image and leave the 'subject' line blank if you wish to discuss something more visual.
  8. Add any other components from the list that might help your students engage with your content, such as a timer.

Inserting an Open Question.

  1. Click on the '+ Add' button.
  2. Select the 'Question' option.
  3. Select '+ create my own'.
  4. Enter the question, topic or discussion point into the top line of slide.
  5. Change the layout to be appropriate for the question you are posing, adding visuals where appropriate.
  6. Format the text to be the right size and style.
  7. Change the colour of the slide to an appropriate fit for your presentation.
  8. Click on the '+ component' button, and add any additional images or text that you require. You could also insert an image and leave the 'subject' line blank if you wish to discuss something more visual.
  9. Click on the bottom menu to provide some extra scaffolding that your students can request after they have attempted their answer, or insert an answer for LessonUp to use to mark the students' input.

Inserting a Photo or picture response Question.

  1. Click on the '+ Add' button.
  2. Select the 'Photo Question' option.
  3. Select '+ create my own'.
  4. Enter the question, topic or discussion point into the top line of slide.
  5. Change the layout to be appropriate for the question you are posing, adding visuals where appropriate.
  6. Format the text to be the right size and style.
  7. Change the colour of the slide to an appropriate fit for your presentation.
  8. Click on the '+ component' button, and add any additional images or text that you require. You could also insert an image and leave the 'subject' line blank if you wish to discuss something more visual.
  9. Click on the bottom menu to provide some extra scaffolding that your students can request after they have attempted their answer, or insert an answer for LessonUp to use to mark the students' input.

Inserting a Drag and Drop Question.

  1. Click on the '+ Add' button.
  2. Select the 'Drag and Drop' option.
  3. Select '+ create my own'.
  4. Click on the 'Drag Target' option, and insert the text that you want to have as a target (something that a component will be 'dragged' to) - If you wish to have this as a picture, leave the text blank and ensure you haven't selected a background colour for the target, then simply lay the box over the picture or component you wish to make a target destination.
  5. Repeat step 4 for as many drag targets as you require for your question.
  6. Select the '+ Component' option and pick an Image/ Text/ Hotspot/ Symbol or Audio 'drag component' (highlighted in yellow on the menu)
  7. When inserted, click the letter allocated to the drag component to bring up the 'linked to' options.
  8. Select the number value of the 'drag target' that you wish to assign as it's correct destination. They are then linked, and you are free to move the targets and components around your slide as you wish. The selection will remain as the 'correct' option, no matter where you move them next.
  9. Change the 'drag target' allocation by repeating step 8 and selecting a new numerical value to represent the numerical value of the drag target you wish to assign.
  10. To speed this process up, you can copy and paste components and targets, which will assign the copy a new numerical/ alphabetical value each time, meaning you don't need to keep clicking through the component menu. You then simply edit the contents of the targets and components to build your Drag and Drop Question. 

Add Interactive videos to Lessonup.

  1. Click on the '+ Add' button, and select the interactive video option.
  2. Paste the URL from the youtube or vimeo video of your choice into the bar.
  3. Select if you want the video to autostart/ change the start and end times and ensure that the 'interactive' option is ticked (this should happen automatically). Ensure you split the minutes/second options using a colon (i.e. 2:53).
  4. Click on the '+ Add' option at the bottom right of the video. Select your desired option and complete the interactive slide as detailed in previous guides.
  5. Move the elements yellow number indicator along the timeline to the time selected in the video at a time where you want to introduce an interactive element, such as a quiz or mindmap.
  6. Repeat this process as many times as you required within the boundaries of your start/stop times.
  7. To remove an introduced element you can delete it from the slides menu on the left hand side of your screen.

General editing tips and tricks.

Here we will briefly examine some of the nuances of the editor in LessonUp - if you ever want to know what you can do to edit, or manipulate the components you have selected in LessonUp, just press the cog symbol (⚙︎) to bring up the quick-options, and select the pencil symbol (✎) to bring up the components settings menu.

text-editing settings menu.

image-editing settings menu.

Editing images in LessonUp.

  1. Click on the cog icon in the upper-left hand side of the image you wish to edit.
  2. Click on the different transparencies to see which contrast suits your presentation the best.
  3. Select whether you want the image shrunk to be contained to the image area selected, or allow it to fill the space as it needs (you will have to select this option to format the image).
  4. Select your image shape (assuming the image is set to cover).
  5. Add a drop shadow for a more polished look to your image.
  6. Tick the 'moveable during presentation' if you would like to manipulate the position of the image when your presentation is full screen.
  7. Tick the 'allow zoom' option if you would like to enlarge the image 'on-demand' during your lesson - this is a great option to have selected if you want to add an image to any of our interactive slides, and allow your class to see the image full screen during any question response sections.
  8. Click the 'change image' option to replace the image you have selected, or remove image if you want to start the image insertion stage from the beginning.

Editing text in LessonUp.

  1. Select the text box, added from the '+ Component' menu.
  2. Click on the cog icon on the top-left corner of the text box.
  3. Select the pencil option, indicating the 'settings' menu.
  4. Select the commonly identifiable formatting options along the top bar of the menu to change whether your text needs to be bold/italics/underlined.
  5. Decide if you want to add a bullet-point list or a numbered list, and select the appropriate option. 
  6. Select the chain link option to add a hyperlink to your text.
  7. Highlight text in the menu and select the colour option to change the text colour to change specific areas of your text colour.
  8. The menu showing what is in your text box is editable, so feel free to edit your content from this menu if you would like to. 
  9. Select a colour for the background if appropriate for your formatting.
  10. Change the font style and size from the relative drop-down menus below.
  11. Change the horizontal and vertical text alignments from the options at the bottom of the settings menu. 

Adding components to your lessons in lessonup.

This section will explore how to use the various components in LessonUp. We are big believers that components are great ways to personalise your lessons and add a bit of extra flair so you know your students are always going to be engaged in their learning, and most importantly, you can focus more on your teaching. 

This section is slightly less descriptive as the prior sectors to encourage you to explore and experiment with the components, and use them in a way that suits you! 

How are you going to implement components to make your classes stand out from the rest?

Add Hot spots to your slides in LessonUp.

  1. Click on the '+Add component' button.
  2. Click on 'Hotspot'.
  3. Resize the hotspot to your liking.
  4. Click on the cog symbol to access the settings menu.
The following steps are optional based on how you want your hotspot to be displayed in your lesson.
  1. Enter a title to show what your hotspot is about.
  2. Enter text in the large text box, to be displayed when the hotspot is interacted with.
  3. Change the colour of the hotspot by selecting one of the colour options, it will be white by default.

General overview: Using Components.

This video gives you an overview of the various components you can add to your lessons in LessonUp. The best way to see how these work is to play with the tools in LessonUp itself! If you are stuck with how to edit them or use them in your lesson, the video below will help you out 🙌