Unblocking the extension with IT
If you've ended up on this article, we just want to say thank you so, so much for working to get the extension unblocked so your students can get the support they need.
Unfortunately, after COVID, many school IT departments have made it so students can only install pre-approved extensions. We're going to walk you through how to get the structal extension approved for your students.
- Figure out who you need to talk to
The following is a list of people who might be able to help you get the extension approved. It's usually best to reach out to the one you know best:
- Your tech integration specialist
If your school has a tech integration specialist, part of this person's job is to help make using technology easy. They're almost always eager to help get a new extension approved! They'll also likely be excited that you're introducing them to a new tool.
- Your reading/math/instructional coach
This person will usually know who to ask to get a Chrome Extension approved. This extension will also likely make their job easier since it helps students to better understand the content you teach.
- Your school's IT person
Of course, you can also go directly to your IT person. Often they are able to unblock the Extension themselves, but just be aware that some schools require them to check with the academic staff before approving extensions.
2. Send the person you identified above an email
The following is a draft of an email to send.
Hi [PERSON],
I'm really excited to use the structal Chrome Extension to help my students with their reading comprehension. I went to use it with my students, but unfortunately it looks like it's blocked. The company has an article to help with unblocking the extension here.
Are you able to unblock it, or do you know who I can reach out to that can unblock it?
Thanks so much for your help!
Best,
[YOU]
If your IT person is unsure how to unblock an extension, you can send them this article.
Important: Your IT person may also need to unblock the Structal domain (https://structal.ai, https://api.structal.ai) and unblock the Google Identity API for students. (Don't worry, they'll know what this stuff means!)
3. Confirm that students can install the extension
Pull one student aside and have them go to the Chrome Extension page. Make sure that when they click "Add to Chrome," the extension actually gets added.
It's important to confirm that students can install the extension, since some schools allow teachers to install any extension, but restrict what students can install.
Once you've confirmed this, your students are ready to use structal!
If you run into any issues, please don't hesitate to reach out to support@structal.ai to let us know how we can help.