The Pencil Spaces Integration allows you to launch interactive, online one-on-one or group lessons using Pencil Spaces directly from your account.
NOTE: You will need to create a Pencil Spaces account first before you are able to enable the integration. In order to generate an API key, you will need a paid subscription with Pencil Spaces. The free account does not provide access.
Obtain Your Pencil Spaces API Key
Before configuring the Integration, you will need to generate an API key inside your Pencil Spaces account following these steps:
Log into your Pencil Spaces account.
Click on "Settings".
Click on the "API & Integrations" tab.
In the "API Key" and click Generate.
Copy your API Key.
NOTE: Pencil Spaces only displays this key once for security reasons. If you lose it, you will need to generate a new one.
Enabling the Add-on
Click on "Account" and then click on "Integrations & Add-ons".
Use the "Search" field at the top and enter "Pencil Spaces".
Switch the toggle to "On" to enable the integration.
Settings
Once you've enabled the integration, follow these steps to add your Pencil Spaces API Key:
Click on the "Settings" link.
Paste your copied API Key into the API Key field.
Click on the "Save" button to save your changes.
Usage
Scheduling
Once the Pencil Spaces Integration has been enabled, an “Online Pencil Space” location will be added to your Location list. When scheduling an online lesson, you'll need to make sure to select this location.
Accessing Pencil Spaces from Teachworks
You can find the details about how each user type can access the button to launch a Pencil Space space below:
Pencil Spaces Button
Company Administrator & Employees - The Company Administrator and employees can access the "Online Pencil Space" button through the Calendar or the "Upcoming Lessons" widget on their Dashboard.
Calendar - Click on the lesson on the calendar and then click on the "View" option. Click on the "Launch Online Lesson Space" button to launch the "space".
Upcoming Lessons Widget - View the Dashboard and click on the lesson title in the widget. Click on the "Launch Online Pencil Space" button to launch the "space".
Families & Students - Families & Students can access the button through the calendar, by viewing the "Lesson History" table or by viewing their own profiles.
Calendar - Click on the lesson on the calendar and then click on the "View" option. Click on the "Launch Online Pencil Space" button to launch the "space".
Lesson History Table - Click on the name of the lesson and then click on the "Launch Online Pencil Space" button to launch the "space".
Profile - They can click on the lesson title in the “Upcoming Lessons” section and then click on the "Launch Online Pencil Space" button to launch the "space".
NOTE: The button (and link included in the lesson reminder email) are specific to individual users. In other words, the button displayed in a teacher’s account will add them to the lesson as a teacher. The button displayed in the student's account will add them to the lesson as a student.
Lesson Reminders
If the {LOCATION} merge tag is included in your reminder templates (this is included by default), a link that can be clicked on will be included in the email to make it easier for teachers and students to join an online lesson space.
Pencil Spaces usee concept of “spaces” which are unique online meeting spaces. Anything saved in a space remains in the space when you go back to it. When you click on the button in Teachworks or the link included in lesson reminder emails, the relevant space will be launched based on the assigned student and teacher. If anything has been added to the space in previous lessons, it will still be accessible.
Teachworks automatically creates spaces for your online tutoring sessions in Pencil Spaces. Spaces are created for the following three types of lessons:
Single Student & Teacher - A unique space is created for any sessions with the same student and teacher.
Single Group Lessons - A unique space is created for each group lesson that is not part of a repeating series.
Repeating Group Lessons - A unique space is created for repeating group lessons that have the same teacher.
NOTE: When making updates to a repeating series of group lessons, any changes made will not affect the series id. The same Lessonspace "space" will continue to be used.