File: introducing leaders to lesson schedules

[kisaac]

Here is a two-page "training aid" file I used last year in an attempt to introduce stake and ward leaders to the Lesson Schedules tool on LDS.org. It's not a "how-to" resource, its a "check-out-the-benefits" plea! It's really not for general membership, because they can't use it until their leaders set it up. It could easily be modified for your ward members if your leaders are already on-board with SCHEDULES and up and running! (Just don't use the "getting started" guide on page two- that really is just for leaders to set it up)

This is a two page PDF file or a two page (front and back) handout. I designed the front, and the back is the Lesson Schedules Getting Started Guide from the LDS.org help files for Lesson Schedules.

The files attached are the same:

• The Word file (in case you wish to modify) is the first page only,
  
• the PDF is the same as the word file for page one, with the "getting started" checklist from LDs.org for the second page. (good for a double-side handout.)

If you use the word file, you can download the PDF "getting started" guide at this link. If Lesson Schedules gets an update after this posting, please change / update the file accordingly, but my first page is fairly generic in stating only the benefits, not the "how-to." The getting started guide might get an update as well, so check it before you distribute it!

I sent the PDf file out via email and gave hard copies to ward and stake leaders in stake councils. It is a ward level tool, but your stake leaders can train their ward counter-parts to use it. Watch your stake Sunday School presidents eyes when you tell him Lesson Schedules exists!

As of august 2015, I realize that we all are hoping for an update soon to address some issues, but lesson schedules still has some incredible value if used properly.

[drepouille]

My experience has been that members won't be interested in Lesson Schedules or Newsletter until they can see them in LDS Tools. Asking members to login to lds.org using a browser appears to be too much to ask.

[mevans]

My experience has been that members won't be interested in Lesson Schedules or Newsletter until they can see them in LDS Tools. Asking members to login to lds.org using a browser appears to be too much to ask.

Our stake presidency seems to have found that even asking some members to get an LDS Account is too much to ask.

[dcmerrell]

If Lesson Schedules were on LDS Tools, we would see a large % of members asking for and using the resource. To have it would increase the number of individuals attending their classes prepared.

[sbradshaw]

If Lesson Schedules were on LDS Tools, we would see a large % of members asking for and using the resource. To have it would increase the number of individuals attending their classes prepared.

Unfortunately, having the Calendar in LDS Tools hasn't done anything to encourage wards to use the LDS.org Calendar. I'm not sure that putting Lesson Schedules in there would change much.

[kisaac]

As of august 2015, I realize that we all are hoping for an update soon to address some issues...

As of December 2015......

[mevans]

I find there are a small number of people who actually look at the Lesson Schedules and use them regularly. It's one of those blessings that is there for those who choose to partake. I keep talking about it. Getting the 2016 data update much sooner this year helped with reminding ward leaders about it, since I could actually use the tool for 2016.

I keep telling the Feedback link people that they need to get the Lesson Schedules tool updated in conjunction with the Annual Curriculum announcement. Wouldn't it be nice if the annual curriculum announcement not only said the manuals were available online, and in the Gospel Library app, but also said they are available in the online Lesson Schedules tool?

I just got an email a day or two ago from my Feedback many many weeks ago about this that my issue has been forwarded to a specialist who can help. We'll see what happens with this year's feedback.

[mevans]

*sigh* The "specialist" who is helping me doesn't even seem to know what the lesson schedules tool is (and I even included the URL). I know they are volunteers who are trying to help, but I would hope they know what the tools are. So maybe all my pleas over the years are falling on deaf ears who don't know what to do with my feedback.

[kisaac]

*sigh* .... I know they are volunteers who are trying to help...

As the Ward Website admin a few years back, I was putting the TFOT's lesson subjects into each lesson schedules (RS, PR) for our leaders each quarter, (because they just couldn't seem to do it) and eventually "gave up" thinking it was all for nothing. I didn't do it for the next time. I got an email asking what the TFOT lesson was for the coming week so they could study in advance, and they said "It's always been listed in the Lesson Schedules before."

Yeah, I sat down and thought "Would I do it for just one ward member?" Yes, I decided I would.
We can't give up...

[kschaerr]

As a new HPGL in a new ward and stake, I have found that 90% of the HPs are using LDS Tools and the Gospel Library. I'd entered all of our lessons into the Lesson Schedule, but I doubt anyone will really look at them, because it is not accessible via LDS tools. I think making the Lesson Schedule into a selectable calendar would make it more usable, regardless of how a member was accessing it (LDS Tools or LDS.org). Certainly it could be a separate item in LDS tools too... Thoughts? Any chance it can move in this direction?