MasteryPrep Events FAQs

MasteryPrep Events FAQs

In-Person Events

  • In order to secure your preferred event date, you will need to confirm your date and time with your account manager. From there, we’ll verify that your requested date is available and then it will be booked on our calendar. If your preferred date is not available, we will do our best to find another date that works for you.

  • Each participant will require their own materials (usually a workbook) during the event. After you purchase an event, you will receive an order confirmation email. This email will ask you to confirm your shipping address. Once you confirm your shipping address, you will receive your materials within 10 business days. 

  • In addition to your order confirmation email, you will receive a link to our event logistics form. Please fill this out as far in advance of your event as possible. This information allows us to prep our instructors, ensures a smooth start, and helps us tailor the program to your needs. Until you complete this form, we do not finalize our instructor’s travel details.

  • You will receive a packet with your event agenda that details all recommendations for a successful event. Refer to this packet throughout your planning process. 

Virtual Events

  • In order to secure your preferred event date, you will need to confirm your date and time with your account manager. From there, we’ll verify that your requested date is available and then it will be booked on our calendar. If your preferred date is not available, we will do our best to find another date that works for you.

  • Each participant will require their own materials (usually a workbook) during the event. After you purchase an event, you will receive an order confirmation email. This email will ask you to confirm your shipping address. Once you confirm your shipping address, you will receive your materials within 10 business days. 

  • In addition to your order confirmation email, you will receive a link to our event logistics form. Please fill this out as far in advance of your event as possible. This information allows us to prep our instructors, ensures a smooth start, and helps us tailor the program to your needs. Until you complete this form, we do not finalize our instructor’s travel details.

  • You will receive your unique join link after you complete the logistics form. Learn more about the platform and tech requirements below. 

Insert agendas/implementation packets

Standard Event Length for In-Person and Virtual Events

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Events Scheduling FAQs

If you don’t see your question answered in these FAQs, please reach out to [email protected] and let us know how we can help!

General

  • Boot Camps
    We recommend you host the boot camp up to two months in advance of the testing date. 
  • Professional Developments
    MasteryPrep professional developments happen throughout the year on in-service days. The most popular months are January, August, and September. 
  • Booster Classes and Other Curriculum Instruction
    The best time depends on the unique circumstances. Coordinate with your regional manager and school support manager to find the right time. 
  • Boot Camps
    Students who are preparing to take the test or any students you think would benefit from a content and strategy session. For every 30 students we recommend one faculty member attend.
  • Professional Developments
    Any core teachers new to your school/program, new to MasteryPrep, or new to the ACT, SAT, etc. who are looking for an engaging and refreshing PD experience.
  • Booster Classes and Other Curriculum Instruction
    We recommend you choose students within the same score range. 
  • Yes, virtual events are condensed to account for the digital medium. In-person events are two hours longer on average than virtual events—with longer breaks built in.
  • Yes, you can…

    Hold the event virtually.
    Our live, high-impact events are just as engaging as our in-
    person instruction. Virtual event recordings are available for
    30 days for anyone who misses the live experience.

    Replace the event with MasteryPrep products and
    services of equal or lesser value.
    We’ll help your students boost their scores in a blended
    learning environment.

    Reschedule your in-person event.
    There are no fees for changing your event date.

  • Yes, just like our live events, our virtual events are an interactive experience—not a lecture. While the medium does present unique challenges, our instructors are experts at encouraging engagement. Believe it or not, it is not uncommon to see more participation when using a digital format. Participants who might not stop a live presenter to ask questions can post their questions in the chat. Quiz results are scored in real time so feedback is provided to the participants and the instructor instantly. 
  • All Students Joining from Home or Separate Rooms (RECOMMENDED)

    If all of your students are attending the class or event from home or in separate rooms at your school, each student needs to participate with their own device. We will send you a single hyperlink. Each student will click this link from their own device. This provides the audio and video for this class. This also allows each student to interact individually with the instructor through the chat, Q&A, and quiz functions, which our instructors monitor and adapt to in real-time.

  • Some or All Students Joining from One Room (NOT RECOMMENDED)

    If you have multiple students attending a class or event in the same room, each student needs to participate with their own device. A screen or smart board with clear, loud speakers should be positioned where all students can see it.

    We will send you two hyperlinks.
    Projector Link: Use this link to set up audio and video on the smart board or projector. All students in the room will watch the MasteryPrep instructor on the projector. This Projector Link should be used only on one computer: the one that is hooked up to the main screen in the room.
    Student Link: Each student will click this link from their own device. This allows each student to interact individually with the instructor through the chat and Q&A functions. It also lets them answer quizzes, which our instructor monitors in real-time. Student links do not include audio or video. That way you don’t run into bandwidth issues or audio interference.

    Students will watch and listen to their instructor on the main screen, then interact and answer questions on their own devices. This allows us to create a highly interactive, tailored experience for your students with a minimum of technology headaches for you.

Virtual Events

  • The platform we use is called Kaltura. You may have also heard the name “Newrow”—they are the same.
  • The interaction is chat and prompt based. Integrated mini-tests and quizzes provide real-time feedback and metrics on how well the group is grasping the content. 

Yes. Just like our live events, our virtual events are an interactive experience—not a lecture. While the medium does present unique challenges, our instructors are experts at encouraging engagement. Believe it or not, it is not uncommon to see more participation when using a digital format. Participants who might not stop a live presenter to ask questions can post their questions in the chat. Quiz results are scored in real time so feedback is provided to the participants and the instructor instantly.

You do not need to download anything to access the platform. It is browser based, so all you need to do is visit the link and enter the password provided.

The supported browsers are: Chrome, Firefox, and Edge. The platform does not support Safari on desktop, so participants using a computer running Mac OS may need to use Chrome or Firefox. Safari is supported on mobile devices.

We will provide you with a unique join link once we have received your completed logistics form. We will also send you communication templates that provide participants with information about the platform and the steps to join a session. This link, password, and general information should be distributed through your normal channels of communication. It is preferred that participants join by clicking the link —not by entering the URL in their browsers manually.

Involve your IT department in your event-planning process. If all participants are attending from the same location, you will need to verify that the network can handle that much traffic. If possible, have an IT professional standing by for support during this event. Troubleshooting tips are detailed below. 

Participants should perform a technology check on their device in advance of the event. If a check fails, recommendations are provided to resolve the issue. Follow the suggestions until the device passes all the tests. If participants are unable to access the tech check website at all, please ask your IT department to whitelist or “allow” the smart.newrow domain on the network. Please visit the help page for additional support.

  • We don’t require this, but it is helpful. The suggested ratio is one faculty member per 30 students.
  • Yes, the easiest way to track participation is to monitor the room chat. You can participate in the chat and encourage engagement. After the event, we can provide you with session stats (see below), which provide an attention metric that you can use to evaluate engagement.
  • Our instructors monitor the chat. They have the ability to delete the chat history if the conversation gets off-topic. They can also disable the chat, revoke a specific participant’s chat privileges, and export the chat history by request.
  • Yes, in the logistics form, we ask if you would like a designated time slot to make an announcement. If you answer yes, the instructor will coordinate with you to plan it out.

  • Yes, upon request, we can provide a free 30-day access to the recording of your event.

  • Yes, we can generate session statistics that will let you know the time each participant joined and left—along with a participation/attention metric by request.

  • No, participants are not required to join with a camera or microphone.

  • No, we do not need a roster of participants.

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Quick Tech Check

We created this Quick Teck Check page to make sure you are able to have the experience in your session.

Joining the Session

Have participants complete the following steps:

Step 1: Click the unique join link (or paste it into a supported browser) on a device that has passed the tech check.

Step 2: Enter your name and email address, then click JOIN THE SESSION.

Step 3: Enter the password that was sent to you with your class’s join link and click submit. Passwords are cAsE sEnSiTiVe!

Step 4: The room opens 5 minutes prior to the start time. You and your attendees may enter earlier than this, but you may encounter one of the following two messages. 

Troubleshooting Technical Issues

If you’ve ever been on a commercial airline flight, you’ve sat through a demonstration packed with information that you hope you will never need to recall. Consider these troubleshooting tips our pre-flight safety announcements: we hope the information won’t be necessary, but we’d rather you have it. 

When a participant cannot join the session:

  1. Confirm that the link and password are being accurately transcribed
  2. Refresh the browser tab
  3. Close any unnecessary applications or web pages and refresh again
  4. If the issue is not resolved, proceed to “If all else fails” below

 

When a participant cannot hear audio or interact with the session:

  1. Refresh the browser tab
  2. Close any unnecessary applications or web pages and refresh again
  3. If this does not work, proceed to “If all else fails” below

 

If all else fails:

Have the participant run the tech check again. If a test on the check returns as “failed”, that will help you narrow down the issue. The only issue that should change from one tech check to the next is a network connectivity issue. If you are seeing a browser or OS issue for the first time, it could mean they are using a different device or browser than the one that passed the first test. The tech check will suggest actions to help resolve the failed tests. 

A network issue can cause participants to fail one or more of the following tests: ping/jitter, download speed, or upload speed. While these options may not all be available in all scenarios, here are some troubleshooting recommendations:

  • Move the device closer to the internet router
  • Hardwire into the router via an ethernet cable 
  • Free up bandwidth on the network
  • Reboot the router

In the event that a technical issue prevents participants from viewing the session, recording links are available for 30 days from the date of the event by request.