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View Full Version : Anyone use orbit? Any good?



mumofone
24-04-2015, 08:41 PM
Any opinions welcome :-)

Little Dots
24-04-2015, 08:55 PM
I don't use it as a childminder (as I'm not registered yet) but the playgroup my lg goes to uses it. As a parent we get updates of pictures which are tied into development, it's just basic, what they said/did, area of development, age range (ie 30-50mths) and if it's emerging, developing, accomplished, I find it nice to see but there's nothing to compare it. They find it easier as they take a photo with ipad, upload and fill in details then send straight out, better than old paper learning journals. But there are no next steps that I can see. They only did that at our review half way through the year.

mama2three
25-04-2015, 03:48 AM
I use it and really like it.
its free!
I can do my obs in a fraction of the time I used to spend. I don't get as behind as I used to!!
Parents can see the obs / links etc instantly. I can link to development matters statements , COELs , or custom make a statement ( which I do a lot as so much simply isn't in the statements!)
When children go to another setting which uses orbit we automatically link to each other and can see obs etc..
You can add next steps to each ob , see summaries , assessments etc.
You can download and print off as paper LJ
parents can interact by sending postcards about the childs learning at home...

mrs O was impressed!

Mouse
25-04-2015, 04:55 AM
After another bout of insomnia I've spent the early hours of the morning looking at it on my ipad. I didn't realise I'd already downloaded the app but have never used it!

It looks quite straight forward to use so I'm going to give it a go. Most of my current mindees have been with me for years and are leaving in September, so I don't think it's worth doing it for them. I'm thinking of starting it with the new ones I've got signed up to start in September.

Mummits
25-04-2015, 06:23 AM
I use it. It is fairly basic, but it is free. Parents love it, and it does cut down on paper. I don't keep any art or craft stuff any more - i take a picture of the LOs creations, stick that on Orbit, then send their stuff home.

The only thing I would say is that there are almost too many ways of analysing and categorising observations on there. I had decided to do all mine using the development matters framework, and have stuck with that up to now as I had 2 year old checks coming up and wanted to be consistent. Now I have done them all, I think I will use Early years outcomes from now on. Does anyone have any thoughts on that as an approach?

Lal
25-04-2015, 10:16 AM
I used it for a while and found it a bit frustrating to use- it was slow- took hours to download pages to print etc. I switched to tapestry which I seem to get on with better.

Orbit was easy to add observations to and share with parents. I'm not sure id some of the issues were because I was using a mac.

blue bear
25-04-2015, 10:32 AM
I find it really simple to use, you a add next step and coel. There are lots of other online systems the trick is to find one that works for you.
I print mine out as I like the paper Lj but doing it online is so so much quicker, I take the photo on my phone,upload onto orbit and do the links later on my ipad. Takes a few minutes each.

mumofone
25-04-2015, 05:41 PM
I've set my son up as a test and invited my partner as the parent to view online but it says sonething like "only 33% of parents have signed up" so he cannot view what I've done. Did you all have this? What do I have to do so that he can view what I've entered in the system?

hectors house
25-04-2015, 06:15 PM
I tried Orbit many years ago and found it too slow so continued doing paper journals until I saw Tapestry demonstrated at a Nursery cluster meeting, I have been using it for a year and have just renewed my subscription. Maybe Orbit is better now or maybe it was just my slow computer.

blue bear
25-04-2015, 10:05 PM
Is your son the only child on the system?

I bought it was just the tracking you needed more signed up.

What did you do? Did you set up the child and invite parents (your hubby email address)
Than he got an email and set up a parent account?

When you did your sons observation, did you make links and next steps and then click on the box with the tick on assessments complete. Until complete parents can't see obs.

There is a Facebook page online learning journals, lots of help on there for this type of thing too

joannetalbot
26-04-2015, 05:27 PM
I did use Orbit but found it a very basic system compared to the Tapestry system I am using now (see other thread!)

I always used to get v frustrated whenever I had a technical query as something it would take them up to 3 weeks to reply to an email :panic:

i just couldn't work like that. the girls that run the tapestry helpdesk are fab and give you step by step instructions when you get stuck and see your query through with you until you're happy.

everyone is different though so go with the system that you feel will work best for you.:thumbsup:

hth

xxx