orgLink

In today's digital-first educational landscape, teachers are expected to navigate a complex web of online resources. From learning management systems and grading portals, to curriculum repositories and communication platforms, the number of essential links can be overwhelming.

To address these issues, I developed an internal extension deployed via our Google Workspace account. This tool provides a centralized, easily accessible hub for all essential web resources used by teachers in our district. I decided recently that this extension could be improved upon, and made available for others to solve similar problems.

Features

Resource List: A JSON-based configuration allows for easy updating and customization of links relevant an organizations needs.

Favorites: Users can mark their most-used resources for quicker access.

Tooltips: Brief descriptions help new staff or those unfamiliar with certain resources to quickly understand their purpose.

Intuitive Interface: No clutter, just predetermined links a click away.

Implementation

1. Resource Management

Resources are stored in a links.json file, allowing for easy updates and maintenance:

{
  "id": 1,
  "title": "District LMS",
  "url": "https://lms.schooldistrict.edu",
  "tooltip": "Access courses, assignments, and student submissions"
}

2. Chrome Storage API

We utilize Chrome's storage API to maintain user preferences across sessions:

chrome.storage.sync.set({favorites: favorites}, function() {
  console.log("User favorites updated");
});

3. Dynamic UI Generation

The extension dynamically generates the UI based on the JSON data and user preferences:

function createLinkElement(link) {
  const linkElement = document.createElement('div');
  linkElement.className = 'link';
  // ... additional code to structure the link element
  return linkElement;
}

4. Responsive Design

CSS Flexbox is used to ensure the extension is usable across various screen sizes:

.link-content {
  display: flex;
  align-items: center;
  gap: 8px;
  flex-grow: 1;
}

Final Thoughts

By addressing the specific needs of K-12 educators, this Chrome extension serves as a small but impactful tool in our district's ecosystem. Something that can likely be applied to other organizations. I also believe that this project underscores the value of in-house software development in educational institutions, where understanding the unique context of users can lead to highly effective solutions.

If you're interested in deploying orgLink, you can find the Github project here.