[ARCHIVED] User interface consistency between observer, student websites and android app

[davemc15]

After several weeks of working with my junior, I'm still frustrated with the inconsistent user interface between my student's view, my parent/observer view and and Android app interface. Each version provides slightly different bits of information that makes it extremely hard for me to track what assignments are missing/overdue. Add on top of this that each teacher can design their course structure slightly differently, and I'm left with having to constantly surf through a confusing interface to determine what my student should be working on. 

Anyone have some tips/tricks to make it easier?

[weejimmee]

I feel your frustration, the only tip we were given by our school is to look at the agenda view in the calendar on the web interface -  this shows a list of upcoming assignments on a daily basis. You still have to dig to the bottom of right hand sidebar to see a link to the consolidated grades, or go to the grades section in each subject and scroll to the bottom of the list to get the most current assignments and status. It's a cluttered interface suited to students who have a working knowledge of the class schedule and the idiosyncrasies of the teacher/subject area. If you have a child with learning challenges it's another burden for you and them.
Parent access and reporting is clearly an afterthought. The interface is not designed for time poor parents and its compounded by different idiosyncratic reporting methods used by teachers. Multiply that by the number of your children, new classes each term/year, different app interfaces and different schools (ES, MS, HS), and it is near impossible to navigate unless you are sitting in the classroom. Just awful.