The Creator Left Editing Menu

The TeachShare Creator interface is anchored by a comprehensive left-hand editing menu, accessible by clicking the "Add Blocks" icon (or toggling the sidebar). This menu is the primary toolset for building and customizing your educational resources, organized into distinct categories for efficient workflow.

1. Content Blocks

Content blocks are the foundational elements used to present information, instructions, or media to students. They do not require student interaction (like answering a question) but form the core of the lesson material.

• Heading (H1, H2, H3): Adds structured titles and subtitles to organize the document visually.
• Image: Inserts pictures from your computer or the Media Library.
• Text (¶): Adds standard paragraph text for explanations, reading passages, or instructions.
• QR Code: Generates a scannable QR code linking to external websites or resources.
• Attachment (PDF, DOC, IMG): Allows you to embed downloadable files directly into the resource.
• Chart Builder: Creates data visualizations (e.g., bar charts, pie charts) from inputted data.
• Date & Time: Inserts the current date and time or a specific timestamp.
• Diagram: Provides tools for creating flowcharts, mind maps, or process diagrams.
• Dropdown: Adds a selectable list of options within the text.
• Embed: Allows you to insert content from external sources (like YouTube videos or interactive simulations) using an embed code or URL.
• Geometry: Inserts geometric shapes and figures for math or science lessons.
• Graph Builder: Creates mathematical graphs based on equations or data points.
• Input (T): Adds a simple text input field, often used for student names or short, non-graded responses.
• Select: Similar to a dropdown, but often used for selecting a single option from a visible list.
• Table / Grid: Inserts a customizable table for organizing data or creating structured layouts.

2. Question Blocks

Question blocks are interactive elements designed for assessment and practice. These are the components evaluated by the Autograder (for objective types) or reviewed manually by the teacher.

• Drawing: Provides a canvas for students to draw, sketch, or annotate an image.
• Fill in the Blanks: Creates a sentence or paragraph with missing words that students must type in.
• Long Answer: Provides a large text box for essays, paragraphs, or detailed explanations (requires manual grading).
• Multiple Choice: Standard question format with one correct answer among several options.
• Select All: Similar to multiple choice, but allows students to select multiple correct answers.
• Short Answer: Provides a small text box for brief, specific responses (often auto-gradable if exact matches are defined).
• True/False: A simple binary choice question.
• Matching: Requires students to pair items from two lists (e.g., vocabulary words and definitions).
• Math (x² + 3): Provides a specialized input field for typing mathematical equations and symbols.
• Matrix: Creates a grid-based question where students select options across rows and columns.
• Ordering (1, 2, 3): Requires students to arrange items in a specific sequence (e.g., chronological order, steps in a process).
• Sorting (A, B): Requires students to categorize items into predefined groups.

3. Interactive Blocks

These blocks add engaging, dynamic elements to the resource, enhancing student participation beyond standard question types.

• Highlight: Allows students to highlight specific text within a passage (e.g., finding the main idea or evidence).
• Hot Spot: Creates clickable areas on an image that reveal additional information or trigger an action.
• Image Labeling: Requires students to drag and drop labels onto specific parts of a diagram or picture.
• Audio Response: Allows students to record and submit spoken answers, ideal for language learning or verbal assessments.
• Video Response (●): Allows students to record and submit video answers, perfect for presentations or demonstrations.

4. Media Library

The Media Library is a built-in repository for visual assets, saving you the trouble of searching external sites for images. It is divided into four tabs:

• Images: Access a vast library of high-quality stock photos (e.g., from Unsplash contributors like Kimberly Farmer, Element5 Digital, etc.). You can search by keyword to find relevant pictures.
• Icons: A collection of simple, scalable vector graphics for illustrating concepts or adding visual cues.
• Shapes: Basic geometric shapes (circles, squares, arrows) that can be customized in color and size.
• My Media: A personal folder where any images you upload are stored for reuse across different resources.

5. Layout Settings

The Layout Settings panel (accessed via the icon at the very bottom of the left menu) controls the overall structure and appearance of the resource pages. It contains three main tabs:

• Layers: Manages the stacking order of elements on the page (similar to design software like Photoshop). You can lock elements to prevent accidental movement, hide them temporarily, or delete them. It also allows you to drag to reorder how elements overlap.
• BG (Background): Controls the page background. You can select a solid color (using a color picker or hex code) or choose from a library of professional background images and gradients (e.g., from Codioful, MagicPattern, or specific designers).
• Size: Defines the physical dimensions of the resource. You can input custom dimensions (in pixels, centimeters, or inches) or use the "Magic Resize" feature with predefined presets for various platforms (e.g., Instagram Post, Facebook Cover, YouTube Thumbnail, Print A4, Print Letter).

By mastering these five sections of the left editing menu, educators can create highly customized, interactive, and visually appealing resources tailored precisely to their instructional goals.

Updated on: 04/14/2026