Active time is the number of minutes your child spent actually learning in each subject. You'll see it in the Parent Portal under View all metrics on the Dash tab, and under Show all metrics on the Calendar tab, beside MAP eligibility.
Where the minutes come from
The Timeback desktop app times most learning apps. It records how long the app was open while your child worked in it, then takes out the time it spotted as idle or off-task: stepping away, looking at something else, or chatting.
A few apps report their own time instead, such as Alpha Test, Zearn, and lessons inside Timeback itself.
Always open apps from the course in Timeback. That's how Timeback knows which subject the time belongs to. Time in an app opened some other way may not be counted, or only partly.
Keep the webcam on for the most accurate picture. With the webcam on, Timeback sees when your child steps away or gets distracted, so only their own idle time is taken out. With it off, Timeback can't see as much, so we take out an estimate based on how students typically work in that app instead. Your child's real numbers are always better than an average.
What doesn't count
Idle and off-task time. If your child walks away or gets distracted, those minutes come out.
Estimated idle time when the webcam is off. For time with the webcam off, we take out at least the share of time that's usually idle in that app. It's an average, not something measured for your child, which is why we recommend keeping the webcam on.
More than 90 minutes in one subject in a day. A subject is credited up to 90 minutes per day.
How it connects to the daily goal
Your child's daily goal comes from their Level. At Bronze, Silver and Gold, the daily goal is in minutes, so active time is what fills your child's ring. Each subject counts up to its weekly goal. See Levels: your child's daily goal.
How it connects to MAP
MAP eligibility is mainly about XP. Active time is the backup: reaching 25 active minutes per subject for each scheduled learning day also keeps a subject eligible. See The Alpha Anywhere Growth Guarantee.
When the numbers update
Today's minutes update whenever you or your child opens Timeback or the Parent Portal, and every day is finalized overnight. Some apps take a little while to report, so check back later in the day if a session isn't showing yet.
The Pomodoro timer in Timeback is a separate guide for pacing a session. It keeps running when your child steps away, but that idle time still isn't counted as active time.
Questions?
Ask Alphie in the Parent Portal or Timeback. If he can't sort it out, he'll connect you with our team.