A Step-by-step guide for classroom settings

We’ll work through some of the settings in the app that may be helpful in the classroom.

Open your Alexa app on your smartphone or tablet.

Make sure you are signed in to the Amazon account that’s linked to your classroom Echo.

If you’re not sure, sign out at the bottom of the settings page, and sign back into the correct Amazon account.

Open the Menu (top left) and select Settings

Select “Alexa Account”

a. Turn Off Recognized Voices

It’s not needed or recommended in the classroom.

If you wish to train Alexa to better recognize your voice, you can select “Your Voice”. This can be helpful in the case of accents.

b. Turn Off Voice Purchasing

c. Alexa Voice Responses

Brief Mode - In this mode, Alexa speaks less, and for some simple messages plays a short sound instead of a voice response. It saves a little time.

d. History

Three reasons why this is handy to explore

1. Shows what Alexa “heard”

2. You can let children know that you can see and hear what’s being asked of Alexa

3. One way to review and delete voice recordings (click the arrow for a recording and tap “Delete Voice Recording”)

e. Alexa Privacy - Another way to delete voice recordings

Manual deletion - use Alexa reminders to prompt you e.g. “Alexa, remind me to delete voice recordings every Friday at 3:30pm”.

• Delete on your smartphone.

• Open the Alexa app > Menu (top left) > Settings > Alexa Privacy>  Review Voice History > select the Date Range (e.g. All History) > Tap “Delete All Recordings”
  

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• Delete by voice. 

• First, you enable this ability: Open the Alexa app > Menu (top left) > Settings > Alexa Privacy>  Review Voice History > turn on “Enable deletion by voice”.

• Now you can delete recordings by saying, "Alexa, delete what I just said" or "Alexa, delete everything I said today."

Automatic deletion

• Open the Alexa app > Menu (top left) > Settings > Alexa Privacy > Manage your Alexa Data > Automatically delete recordings, and select the time frame (3-months or 18-months).

Now go back to the main settings.

Select “Device Settings” (or tap the Devices icon at the bottom left of the app)

Select your classroom Echo device.

This is where you can do many things like edit the device name e.g. “Classroom”. You can also connect to other devices, such as pair to Bluetooth, connect to Wi-Fi, pair with the Alexa remote or the Echo Buttons.

We’ll explore specific device settings for the classroom below.

a. Sounds

You can set the volume for the Alarms, Timers, and Notifications, which is different to the Alexa voice volume.

You can also customize the sounds of the Alarm - there are some humorous options too.

Under “Request Sounds”

Option to have a tone play at the beginning and end of the Alexa interaction, to notify you when it’s “on” and “off” without looking at the device.

b. Do Not Disturb

For blocking calls, messages, Drop In apart from Alarms and Timers set by you.

c. Location

For Alexa to accurately report weather for your morning meeting, add your zip code (no need to add your full address) and tap “SAVE” at the top right.

d. Wake Word

Choose which word you want to use to get Alexa’s attention. This is handy for when you have a student with a similar name to Alexa in the classroom.

e. Follow-up Mode

This allows you to ask Alexa follow-up questions without repeating the wake word. The blue light ring remains on for a few seconds, letting you know that Alexa is active and ready for your next request.

Warning: it could be convenient, but it could also lead to confusion with background noise. And recording continues a little while after the response.

Now go back to the main settings menu.

Select “Notifications”

a. Shopping Notifications

Turn of all shopping notifications, especially if your Echo is under your personal Amazon account. Otherwise, your shipment notifications will cause Alexa to light up during class time.

Now go back to the main settings menu.

Select Music

This is where you can link to your free and paid music services, such as Spotify, Pandora, radio, Amazon Music.

a. Explicit Filter and Voice Deactivation

Turn both to off

Now go back to the main settings menu.

Email & Calendar

You can link a calendar to Alexa. E.g. “What’s on my calendar for today?” Or “What’s on my calendar this Friday?”

There is also a mode for adding events to your calendar via voice.

Warning: Since a classroom Echo is communal, be careful about allowing addition by voice.