Students can play their assigned games in class and at home on many types of devices including computers, laptops, Chromebooks, iPads and other tablets that have a modern web browser. You will use your Student Link to set up the devices for students.
There are several ways to set up devices for students:
- Share your Student Link via email or an LMS
- Log in on the device
- Create a shortcut icon on an iPad or computer
- Use the Student Link QR Code
Share your Student Link via email or an LMS
Distribute your Student Link to students or parents through email, Google Classroom, Seesaw or whichever Learning Management System you use.
To get your Student Link, click on My Students & Groups in the menu bar at the top of the screen, next click My Students and then the Student Link to Access Games button. You will see your sharable Student Link that you can send to students and parents. This link allows students to access the games that you have assigned to them.
Log in on the Device
If you are setting up iPads, I would recommend that you use the Student Link QR Code method. Otherwise, go to the device and log in to your teacher account. Then click on My Students & Groups in the menu bar at the top of the screen, next click My Students and then the Student Link to Access Games button. Next, click on the button called Enter Student View. Once you are in the Student View, the device will stay logged in to the Student View. If the browser is closed or the device rebooted, the Student View will still be active when you come back to pinkcatgames.com so you won’t have to enter your login information again as long as 15 days haven't elapsed since the last time the games were accessed. Although you logged in with your teacher account, once the device is in the Student View, you are then logged out from your teacher account so that your teacher setup pages and account information cannot be accessed by the student.
Create a Shortcut Icon on an iPad or Computer
You can create an icon on the Home screen of an iPad or the desktop of a computer so that students can easily access their games. To learn how, please choose one of the following methods:
- Create a Shortcut Icon on an iPad
- Create a Desktop Shortcut on a PC
- Create a Desktop Shortcut on a Mac
Use the Student Link QR Code
A QR Code is available so that you can set up iPads when you or your students do not have a way to get the clickable Student Link on to the iPad. For example, the iPad may not have email or be able to connect to your LMS. It is much better to use the QR Code rather than trying to type in the Student Link as typing it often leads to mistakes and the link not being valid.
How to send the QR Code to Parents for Home Access
Go to the Student Link page and click on the QR Code to download it to your computer. Upload the QR Code and the Student Link to an assignment in your Learning Management System or email them to parents. Instruct parents that if they don't have a way to click on the Student Link on their iPad, then they can do the following:
Click on the QR Code if it is not already fully visible and it should open in an image browser. Turn on the iPad and click on the Camera. Hold the iPad up to the computer screen so the QR Code is in the frame and the camera will automatically detect the QR Code and the message Open pinkcatgames.com will appear at the top of the screen. Click that message and the iPad will open the Student View in the internet browser.
How to use the QR Code in the Classroom
As a teacher you can setup iPads quickly by doing the following with each iPad:
Go to the Student Link page where your QR Code is located. Turn on an iPad and click on the Camera. Hold the iPad up to the computer screen so the QR Code is in the frame and the camera will automatically detect the QR Code and the message Open pinkcatgames.com will appear at the top of the screen. Click that message and the iPad will open the Student View in the internet browser. Do this for each iPad. If you would like to add an icon to the iPad home screen so students can easily access the games, please follow the instructions Create a Shortcut Icon on an iPad.