This article outlines how students can use the ExplainThis feature to help break down and explain more complex words, phrases, or formulas in lessons and assignments.
Note: this feature is not available to use on quizzes and tests.
1. On any lesson or assignment, highlight any word, phrase, or sentence that you want to gain a better understanding of. You’ll notice that your cursor becomes a highlighter icon on any page you can use the ExplainThis feature on.
2. Once highlighted, you can select from the following options:
a. ExplainThis
i. Clicking this will take the highlighted item and break it down into simpler terms and concepts
ii. You can also click the blue “Chat with Spark about this” text to open up a chat window with Spark should you need any further help or explanation.
b. Translate
i. Clicking this will open a dropdown menu of translation options. Once you have selected a language translation option, this will prompt the translated version of the highlighted text.
ii. Note - clicking “Chat with Spark about this” once the highlighted text has been translated will open a dialogue box with Spark in the new language (e.g. Spanish).
iii. Clicking the volume icon will also prompt the highlighted text to be read aloud in the selected translated language.
c. Read Aloud
i. Clicking this option will prompt the highlighted text to be read aloud in English.
Note: Any conversation with Spark is auto-logged, and accessible to teachers and administrators via the “Homework Helper” tab in “Performance”. See this article for more information on Spark.