ecollege Technical Reference Guide for Faculty

ecollege Technical Reference Guide for Faculty February, 2010 Information Technology Department

Table of Contents Chapter 1: Getting Started... 1 Welcome!... 2 Technical Help... 2 Online Help System... 2 Help Desk... 2 Online Instructing: Background Basics... 3 Online Instructing: What is it?... 3 How does Online Instructing differ from teaching in traditional environments?... 3 Things to Anticipate... 3 Logging in to your ecollege course... 4 The 90-Minute Timeout... 4 Navigate Your Online Course... 5 Tools Menu... 5 Navigation Tree... 5 Unit Button... 5 Content Item... 5 Navigation Tree Buttons... 5 Course mode vs. Author mode... 6 Course Homepage... 6 To add or edit your course introduction... 6 Announcements... 7 To add an announcement... 7 What's New... 7 Syllabus... 8 To upload your existing Syllabus (MS Word document)... 8 Chapter 2: Adding Course Content... 9 Course Units... 10 To add a Unit... 10 To add a Unit introduction... 11 To delete a Unit... 11 Content Item... 12 Text/Multimedia... 12 Microsoft Office Documents... 12 Exams and Quizzes... 12 Threaded Discussion... 12 Web Content Upload... 13 To add course content... 13 To insert content into or edit a content item... 14 To delete a content item... 14 Union Institute & University Page i

Course and Author Modes... 15 Learner View... 15 To enter the Author mode... 15 Visual Editor... 16 Linking to Content... 19 File Manager... 19 To link to content using the Link Wizard... 19 To upload and download files directly to File Manager... 21 Using Images... 22 Copyright... 22 Animated Images... 22 To add an image... 22 Threaded Discussions... 23 Threaded Discussion Options... 23 To add a topic... 24 To delete a topic... 24 To edit a topic... 24 Exams... 25 To set exam preferences... 25 To add questions to an exam... 26 Chapter 3: Course Tools... 27 Course Admin... 28 Gradebook... 29 To set up Gradebook... 29 User Activity... 30 To view user activity... 30 Email... 30 To send an email... 30 Live (Chat)... 31 To add, edit, and delete Chatrooms... 31 Document Sharing... 32 To upload a file for sharing... 32 To download a shared file... 33 Dropbox... 34 To create a Dropbox basket for a new content item... 34 To review learners' assignments, provide feedback and assign grades... 34 To quickly assign grades and return graded assignment... 36 Journal... 37 To add a Journal entry... 37 To view a Journal entry... 37 Webliography... 38 To add an entry... 38 Union Institute & University Page ii

Chapter 4: Teaching Your Online Course FAQs... 39 How will you initially engage your learners?... 40 How will you orient learners for effective participation?... 41 Connecting to Technical Support... 41 Orienting Learners to the Tools... 41 Helping Focus on the Course... 41 Establishing Behavioral Expectations... 42 How will you present the knowledge that you believe is essential for learners to learn?... 42 How will interaction be accomplished--you with your learners and your learners with the content?... 43 How will you go about assessing what your learners have learned?... 44 Appendix... 45 Appendix 1: Communication Tools Comparison Chart... 46 "Verbal" Communication... 46 Written Communication... 47 Appendix 2: Syllabus Checklist... 48 Appendix 3: Creating an Audio Introduction... 49 Appendix 4: Practical Questions about Using Slideshows... 50 Appendix 5: Design Tips for the Visual Editor... 51 Appendix 6: Using the Chatroom... 52 Union Institute & University Page iii

Chapter 1: Getting Started Information Technology Department Union Institute & University Page 1

Welcome! This document was created to accompany the ecollege ecourse Tutorial located in the Special Courses section of your ecollege Course List. This reference guide describes the ecollege course tools and features available to you in your online course space. After a general introduction to each course element you will find detailed How-to instructions. Information in this first chapter will help you log into and find your way around your course space. In Chapter 2, the elements of the navigation tree are described in detail and you can learn how to add content to your course space. Chapter 3 provides you with a look at the ecollege system tools that support and facilitate online instructing and learning. In Chapter 4, you will find some tips and strategies for online instruction. The Appendix has additional technical information on certain ecollege course elements and tools. While there is a logical order to the presentation of the above mentioned five chapters, we have designed this handbook to serve as a technical reference and you may review it as your interests or needs dictate. In case you don t have your online course shell yet, we have created a special course space called Faculty Playground, where you can practice some of the steps described in this document. In Faculty Playground you are enrolled as faculty, which means that you have full editing rights and access to all areas of that ecollege course space. If you are not able to access the Faculty Playground, please contact the IT department (see UI&U Help Desk information below) to request enrollment into this course space. Technical Help Online Help System The Online Help system is accessible from anywhere within your course. In the Tools menu in the upper right corner of the page, click the Help button for assistance with using the features and tools within course. This context-sensitive information (including screen shots of course features) is designed to aid you in your understanding of your online course. If you open the Help system and don't see the Help topic you're looking for, click in the Online Help toolbar to look up other Help pages. For your convenience, you can print out help pages to read for future reference. To print any help page in the Online Help system, click in the Online Help toolbar. Help Desk If you still have technical questions, there are two avenues of support. The Union Help Desk can provide general computer assistance either via e-mail at help@myunion.edu or by telephone at 888-85-UNION (888-858-6466). View the IT Web site at http://www.myunion.edu/it for a listing of Help Desk Hours and for links to support on a variety of technical areas at Union. Please include your Union ID#, your e-mail and/or phone number and some information about the nature of the problem and any error messages that you are receiving. If you are experiencing an error message specifically within ecollege, you may contact the ecollege Help Desk directly at ecollege@myunion.edu 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You must include your Union ID# and the specific error message or problem you are experiencing. You may also access their online Chat support by clicking the Help button in the upper right corner of the window, then choosing Contact the Help Desk. Chat is also available 24/7. Union Institute & University Chapter 1: Getting Started Page 2

Online Instructing: Background Basics Before getting into the specifics of "how to" teach online, we will first: Define what is meant by online instructing. Describe distinctive features of online instructing. Explain some of the key considerations in preparing to teach online. Online Instructing: What is it? Online instructing (or teaching) refers to any kind of instruction or coaching that takes place via a computer network. It typically employs electronic tools that allow learners and instructors to communicate with each other, as well as conferencing software that lets participants conduct multi-person discussions either in synchronous realtime (often called "chats"), or on an asynchronous, delayed basis (often called "threaded discussions"). How does Online Instructing differ from teaching in traditional environments? Teaching in the online environment is constantly evolving. In many respects, it is similar to traditional teaching. Nevertheless, as compared to most teaching in traditional contexts, it is different in the following ways: Time, Distance, and Device Independent. Learners can participate in online learning situations from any place in the world (distance-independent), using any computer platform (device-independent), at any time of the day or night (time-independent). Interactive. Learners can interact extensively with each other, with instructors, and with online resources. Instructors and experts often act as presenters and facilitators. They can provide support, feedback, and guidance via both synchronous and asynchronous communications. Asynchronous communication tools (e.g., email, announcements, threaded discussion forums, etc.) allow for time-independent interaction, whereas synchronous communication tools (e.g., chatrooms) allow for live interaction. See Appendix 1: Communication Tools Comparison Chart for more on this. Multi Media. Online courses use varied text, powerpoints, graphics, media, animation, links to outside sources, etc. Learners can browse through libraries, museums, and archives, or consult experts from around the globe. Open. Learners have the freedom to move outside their environment, as opposed to closed systems (e.g., book, CD-ROM), where they are confined to areas pre-determined by the instructor or designer. This enables information and resources from around the world to be accessed by anyone with an internet connection. Learner-Centered. The online situation appears to foster a democratic learning environment where the learner can influence what is learned, how it is learned, and the order in which it is learned. The instructor may choose to do some online presenting, though is often less of an orator and more of a facilitator in the online environment. Things to Anticipate Things will be different. Initially, it is most important to be mindful of the fact that the online teaching experience will be somewhat similar, but also different from other teaching experiences you've had. You will find that you can build on existing skills, but will need to be open to new ways of viewing and doing things. As implied in some of the observations above, your role may change a bit. You will probably have more tools than expected. It may seem obvious, but we find it prudent to suggest that you must become very familiar with the hardware and software you and your learners will be utilizing. In this case, become as familiar with the ecollege System as you can. Remember that it is an integrated system of communication tools and support services. It incorporates the use of dynamic course and unit pages with, among other features, an Interactive Syllabus, a Message Center, an Email Class function, Threaded Discussions, a Chatroom, a Dropbox, a Personal Journal, a Document Sharing tool, a Webliography, Online Exams, a whiteboard ("ClassLive") and a Gradebook. You may have different learners than anticipated. Things are changing all the time, but currently most online learners are adults, mid-twenties or older, with families. They are often seeking to advance their careers with continued education. They value pragmatic / "relevant" coursework. Many choose online courses because they have busy schedules and can participate in a class at any time from home or work. They very much appreciate the Union Institute & University Chapter 1: Getting Started Page 3

asynchronous (time-independent) nature of much online coursework, and they will work hard to achieve. Many are lifelong learners and they are often fairly self-reliant learners. It may not be the case for you, but many online classes are highly diverse in terms of age and ethnic background. Planning ahead works! Initial course development for online teaching usually requires a bit more time. If you are working with an Instructional Designer from the IT Department, you will find that it is most beneficial to prepare and submit most materials at least a few weeks in advance. Anticipate some snags. Computers and computer networks are getting better all the time; however, they do not work as well as televisions or telephone systems. It is very important that you know the technical support services available so that you and your learners can keep technology problems to a minimum. Often you can get assistance by examining the resources in the "Help" pages accessed via the "Help" button. Remember that you can also obtain help yourself, and refer learners for technical assistance, by emailing the Help Desk. See the Technical Help section for specific contact information. Logging in to your ecollege course To access your online course space first you have to log in to your Personal ecollege Home Page. 1. Point your browser to http://ecollege.myunion.edu/. 2. Enter your Union ID# and password (see below) in the appropriate field. User ID: (your UI&U ID number). Password: (last four digits of your SSN---unless you have already changed it). If you do not know what your UI&U ID number and password are, contact the Union Help Desk via e-mail at help@myunion.edu or by telephone at 888-85-UNION (888-858-6466). 3. Click on the Go to Class button. 4. After logging into ecollege, you are now at your Personal ecollege Home Page. Please read the announcements. 5. Scroll down to your Course List to view the courses you are enrolled in. 6. Click on a course link to enter the course. The 90-Minute Timeout You will be automatically logged out of ecollege after a 90-minute period of no activity. The reason for the timeout is security. If you were using a public computer and had left it unattended, anyone could gain access to your work. Merely typing text into an ecollege content area does not count as activity and does not restart the 90- minute timer. If your ecollege session times out while you are entering text, your work will be lost. Therefore, if you plan to write a lengthy entry in a discussion area or an extensive feedback in the Dropbox area, it is wise to enter the text into a word processor first and then copy and paste it into the ecollege space. Union Institute & University Chapter 1: Getting Started Page 4

Navigate Your Online Course Before you can start building your online course in ecollege, you need to learn more about the major interface components of your course desktop including how to navigate your course and locate course tools and features. Tools Menu The tools menu is available at the top of every course page system-wide. Use the tools menu to locate and open different types of administrative and communication tools such as Course Admin, Gradebook, Email, Chat, Doc Sharing, etc. Your learners can use these same tools to communicate with you and with other learners. Please note that learners do not have access to the Course Admin tool and can only view their own accounts in the Gradebook, Journal, and Dropbox areas. Each tool will be described in more detail in Chapter 3: Course Tools. Navigation Tree Located in the left-side pane of your course, the navigation tree contains links to the content elements of your online course. These elements are called Units and Content Items. If you are using a course template, it already has some units and content items created for you. You can also create new units and content items as needed. The image to the right shows the navigation tree of the BS Program 8-Week course template in Course mode. Unit Button As with a traditional course, you will most likely want to divide your online course into Units, Sessions, Weeks, Topics, or any other division title you choose. These sections are represented by unit buttons in your ecollege course. In our sample 8-Week BS Program template the unit buttons are Course Home, Unit 1 through 8 and UI&U Library. Find out more about how to add and edit units in Course Units. Please note that the contents of UI&U Library unit was designed and maintained by the The Library. Content Item The content item is a placeholder for the content you add to a course. Within each unit, you can add content items that are specific to that unit. If you are using a course template, there are several content items already set up in your course. Some of them have general information already added as content and others need to be updated. For example, under Course Home of this sample BS Program template image on the right, the content items Submitting Work to a Dropbox, Guidelines, Academic Support Videos and Technical Support already contain general information. But you would need to add your own materials to the Syllabus and Instructor content items. Instructions on how to add and edit content items are covered in Content Items. Navigation Tree Buttons Located at the bottom of the navigation tree, you will find four buttons. The left-pointing arrow icon hides/opens the left-side navigation. The house icon lets you exit your course and returns you to the ecollege portal page. To log out of the ecollege system, click the key icon. The person icon will take you to a page where you can set your personal profile Language/Country (locale) and Time Zone. Union Institute & University Chapter 1: Getting Started Page 5

Course mode vs. Author mode As an instructor, you can view your course in two different modes: Course mode Shows your course just as learners see it. Author mode - Displays tools and options to help you build your course. In Author mode, you can design your Course Home page, add announcements, create your syllabus, and more. For example, if you're working in Course mode and click Syllabus from the Course Home page, you see your Syllabus just as learners see it. If you click the Author tab, however, you see tools that allow you to add a new Syllabus or edit the existing one. Course modes are discussed in more detail in Course and Author Modes. Learners do not have the Author tab as it is an instructor only feature. Course Homepage The Course Homepage is the first page you and your learners see when logging into your course. This is the "door" to your course, or the starting point. The Course Homepage will contain introductory material that you add as well as the following elements: Announcements - where you can post messages to the entire class. What's New - where you can see the learner activity since you last entered the course. Course Checklist a list of your course content items. The Course Homepage should provide learners with immediate information to get them started, including course title, course overview/welcome, a relevant graphic, and course navigational cues. For some learners, this might be their first time taking a course online. Use your course introduction as a way for learners to learn something about you and to get excited about learning in an online environment. To add or edit your course introduction 1. In your course locate the navigation tree on the left and click the Author tab (see more on the Author tab in Course and Author Modes.) 2. Type your course introduction text in the Course Introduction text box. You can format your course introduction text using the toolbar above the Course Introduction text box. 3. Click the Save Changes button in the upper or lower right corner. Union Institute & University Chapter 1: Getting Started Page 6

Announcements This is the area where you can post welcome messages to learners, refer to current events, give specific instructions about a course/unit change, inform learners about changes in the schedule or office hours, update homework assignments. You can also remind learners about important dates, pose questions for future chats, and praise the class for work well done or encourage them to step up the quality of their work. Using Announcements can reduce time spent responding to similar email messages from many learners, or to explain breaking situations that might otherwise get lost in the email shuffle. To add an announcement You can add, edit, and delete announcements at any time. You can also schedule announcements to display or end at given dates. To add an announcement: 1. In the navigation tree, click the Author tab. 2. Click Add Announcement. 3. In the Subject field, type a short subject for your announcement. This is the text learners click on to read the announcement. 4. Select Display Dates for your announcement. You can enter a date directly into the text box (mm/dd/yyyy), or you can click to select a date from the calendar. The Display Dates default to the course start and end dates, so if you don't enter Display Dates, your announcement remains on the Course Home page throughout the entire course. 5. Click Add Announcement. What's New As an instructor, the What's New feature on the Course Homepage lets you monitor learner activity in your course. From What's New, you can see when individual learners contributed to a select area of the course. It is a time-saving tool that lets you monitor who has posted a document in Document Sharing, who has posted a journal entry, and when chats have taken place. As an instructor, you will see an alphabetical list of your learners by last name. Click on an individual learner's name and you will see what her/his activity has been. Click on the blue Course Item link and you will go directly to the particular Content Item in the specific unit to view the learner's work. The link in the upper right allows you to change the way the items are sorted, either by learner last name, or by content area. In the lower right part of What's New, there is a pull down menu to specify the date from which you would like to see new work. Union Institute & University Chapter 1: Getting Started Page 7

Syllabus Even if your course is a self-paced tutorial, the Syllabus is an integral component of the course. It should be the main area for course objectives and policies, list of textbooks and resources, and a detailed outline of the weekly assignments and due dates. It is your contract with your learners and it should be specific in addressing issues particular to the online environment. Learners can print out the Syllabus for a handy reference to the course. Learners cannot lose this course information; however, they may not take the time to read it if you don't direct them to it. One of your first assignments for your learners may be to read the Syllabus. Your Syllabus holds an important dual purpose: to inform learners about the process, procedures and expectations of an online course, to alleviate the potential problems of online instruction, particularly excessive and unnecessary email as well as the cyberspace phenomena of the disappearing learner. With these considerations in mind, you need to be clear, thorough, and firm with course information and expectations that also cultivate an honest, respectful, and relevant online learning environment. Please review the Appendix 2: Syllabus Checklist for ideas on what to include in your online course Syllabus. To upload your existing Syllabus (MS Word document) In the process of establishing your course within your academic program you had to submit a Syllabus for that course. This same Syllabus can be quickly uploaded to your online course space following the steps below, as long as it is saved in a Microsoft Word (.doc) file format. Please contact the Helpdesk via e-mail at help@myunion.edu if you need assistance with converting your Syllabus file to a Microsoft Word document. To upload your existing Syllabus file, 1. In the navigation tree on the left, click the Author tab 2. Click Syllabus under the Course Home button. 3. Click Browse to navigate to the Microsoft Word (.doc) document you want to upload to your course. 4. Once the Syllabus is uploaded, click Upload & Convert File. Your Syllabus is automatically converted into a web page by ecollege and appears on the Syllabus content item. To review how the Syllabus looks when viewed by the learners, click on the Course tab in the navigation tree. To make changes to your uploaded Syllabus, you will have to first make the corrections in the original Syllabus file in Microsoft Word and save this new version on your computer. Then you can upload the modified document to the ecollege course Syllabus area following the steps 1.-4. listed above. Union Institute & University Chapter 1: Getting Started Page 8

Chapter 2: Adding Course Content Information Technology Department Union Institute & University Chapter 2: Adding Course Content Page 9

Course Units The unit homepage is the first page your learners see when they click on a unit button in the navigation tree. On the unit page, include an overview or introduction about the unit objectives and what learners will learn. Otherwise, the unit homepage will be blank. When you add a Unit to your course, you create a button in the navigation tree for the unit with the default title Unit 1. This button serves as a link to the unit homepage and gives your learners access to the unit content items, which appear below the unit button. The unit names can be changed to other sequential structure; for example Week 1, Week 2 etc., or Session 1, Session 2. You can also move away from the sequential order and use feature-based navigation such as Handouts, Lectures, Assignments, etc. To add a Unit 1. In the navigation tree, click the Author tab, and then click Course Home. 2. Click Course Items, and then Add Unit. 3. In the Title field, type a title for the unit. The unit title displays as a heading in the main content area in course view when the learner clicks that particular unit. Unit titles you might use are: Unit 1, Module 1, Week 1, Homework, Lectures, the specific topic for that unit, etc. 4. Select the Use title in navigation menu check box to display the unit title in the course navigation tree. If you do not select this check box, the default unit heading displays in the navigation tree. 5. From the Introduction type drop-down list, select a content item type for the unit introduction. The unit introduction displays when learners click the individual unit. The unit introduction can include text, multimedia, or other content elements. For more information on this, see Content Item. 6. Click Add Unit. To add more Units, click Save & Add Another Unit. Once a unit is added, you can add an introduction or overview about the unit. Union Institute & University Chapter 2: Adding Course Content Page 10

To add a Unit introduction 1. In the navigation tree, click the Author tab. 2. In the navigation tree, click on the unit to which you want to add an introduction. 3. In the content area, type an introduction or overview about the unit in the text field. Some instructors include an introduction as a way to highlight the main points or objectives of the unit. 4. Click Save Changes. To delete a Unit 1. In the navigation tree, click the Author tab. 2. In the navigation tree, click the unit. 3. Click Toolbox. 4. Click Delete [unit name]. A confirmation message displays. 5. Click Delete. The unit and the content it contains are deleted. Union Institute & University Chapter 2: Adding Course Content Page 11

Content Item In the ecollege system, Content Items are sub-sections to your units. After a content item is added to a unit, you must go back into the content item and insert the actual content. Most of our degree programs require their faculty to use a course template as a starting point for their course. These templates have several content items already set up in certain areas. Some of the content items have general information added as content to orient the learner to technical and academic support. Others need to be updated by you based on the instructions provided by your program and the Information Technology department. You are also able to add more content items as needed to any of the units in your own course and modify content as you see it fit. There are several types of content items that you can add to your course. Once you add a content item, you can delete or make changes to it at any time using the Toolbox feature. You can name each content item whatever you like. For example, content items may be named, "Readings," "Assignments," or even "Stuff You Need." Text/Multimedia Text/Multimedia content items are essentially empty fields in which you can add text, images, links to external HTML pages, links to the Internet, and links to media files in Author mode. You can use text content items to deliver many different types of course content such as readings, assignments, text "lectures," study tips, a glossary, or handouts. Microsoft Office Documents The Microsoft Office Documents content items allow you to upload existing Microsoft Office files (Word, PowerPoint, Excel), automatically converting them to a Web-ready HTML format. You can use this feature to easily bring documents, visual presentations, and spreadsheets into your course. As with any content item, you can name it anything you want. Slideshows (Microsoft PowerPoint) Instructors often supplement their traditional classes by displaying lecture material in a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation. These presentations can easily be converted to online lectures in ecollege. Since you can add images and audio to slideshows, these go a long way in keeping learners engaged in course content. When you upload your Microsoft PPT presentation to a Microsoft Office Document type content item, it will be automatically converted to a web-based slideshow. For more information on Slideshows, please review Appendix 4: Practical Questions about Using Slideshows Note: A Microsoft file uploaded to a Microsoft Office Documents content item cannot be edited directly in ecollege. You will need to edit the original file on your hard drive, save it as a new file and re-upload it into the content item. This will overwrite the previous material. Exams and Quizzes Use the Exam content item to evaluate learner performance. When you create an exam item, you can add pages, add and edit questions and pools of questions, use existing exam test banks, and add and edit exam and quiz information. To add an exam to your course, you must first add the exam content item to a Unit, and then insert content into the exam. See more on Exams later in this chapter. Threaded Discussion The Threaded Discussion content item simulates traditional classroom discussions. A Threaded Discussion, or Thread, allows learners to post comments to a discussion topic, react to other learners' comments, and respond to ideas shared by you or by others in the course. Discussions take place asynchronously, which means you can respond to a Thread discussion at any time; other learners do not have to be logged into the course in order for you to respond and participate. Threaded Discussions begin with a topic you identify. Learners log into the course when they can and then post to the Threaded Discussion at their convenience. Responses to each topic display below the topic. Find out more about Threaded Discussions later in this chapter. Union Institute & University Chapter 2: Adding Course Content Page 12

Web Content Upload The Web Content Upload content item is useful for uploading HTML files, PDF files, and other course materials developed outside of the Visual Editor. For example, you might have a lecture with animations that you created in another HTML authoring tool, or maybe you have a video file that you would like to use in the course. Select the Web Content Upload content item to upload media files, graphics, PDFs, or any type of file that is not an MS Office Document. The system displays your course material in Web format when you click the content item in the navigation tree. To add course content When you add your units to your course, you are creating a course structure. To add actual content to your course, you have to complete two more steps. First, add content items to the units. Initially, these will be empty pages or placeholders for your course content. Second, edit these content items by adding the content to the pages. These are two distinctly separate steps, one taking place on the unit page and the second one on the newly created content item page. To add a Content Item to a Unit 1. In the navigation tree, click the Author tab. 2. In the navigation tree, click the unit to which you want to add a text or multimedia content item. 3. Click Unit Content Items, and click Add Items. 4. In the fields provided, enter information accordingly. Union Institute & University Chapter 2: Adding Course Content Page 13

Field Name Item type Add to Assign to Hide item from learners Create Dropbox basket Description / Instructions Type a name for the new content item. When you enter a new item name, it displays in the Select existing item name drop-down list. Or, select an existing content item name from the Select existing item name drop-down list. This list displays names to previously created content items. Select Text/Multimedia, Microsoft Office Document, Exam, Threaded Discussion, or, Web Content Select either Course Home or the unit to which you want to add the content item. (Optional) Select the audience for the content item. Select this check box if you do not want the content item to show in course view to learners. Select this check box to create a Dropbox basket for the content item. When you create a Dropbox basket for a content item, learners can submit assignments related to the content item directly to the Dropbox basket for the item. To learn more, see Dropbox in Chapter 3. 5. Click Add Items. To add more items, click Save & Add More Items. To insert content into or edit a content item 1. In the navigation tree, click the Author tab. 2. In the navigation tree, click the content item you want to edit. 3. Do one of the following: To edit a Text/Multimedia item, make your changes in the text field of the course content area, and click Save Changes. To edit a Microsoft Office Document item, click Browse to upload the new or modified file, and click Upload & Convert file. 4. Click Save Changes. It might take several minutes for your file to be converted to HTML format, so please be patient. To see your changes, click the Course tab in the navigation tree. To delete a content item 1. In the navigation tree, click the Author tab. 2. In the navigation tree, click the content item. 3. Click Toolbox. 4. Click Delete [content item name]. A confirmation message displays. 5. Click Delete. The content item and the content it contains is deleted. Union Institute & University Chapter 2: Adding Course Content Page 14

Course and Author Modes The Course mode is how the course looks to instructors and learners in the presentation mode. Learners do not see the "Course" and "Author" tabs at the top of the course navigation tree. The Author mode gives you access to the "behind the scenes" building or editing of the course content items and materials. Your learners will never see this. They will only see the Course mode. You can add content, delete content, edit materials, etc. in the Author mode. The Author and Course tabs allow you to build in content and toggle over at any time to see how the material will look to your learners. The modes are differentiated by color, in the left-hand navigation tree--as well as by function, in the main frame of the course. The image below shows the Author mode of an earlier version of this "Course Modes" content item. Notice the color and function differences when comparing it to your current Course mode. Learner View A true learner view of a course can only be obtained by logging in to a course as a learner. While the Course mode does show presentations the way instructors and also learners see them, the learner view of the use of Gradebook, and course tools such as Journal and Dropbox can only be obtained through a learner login to a course. The learner's text field toolbar is also slightly different with fewer capabilities (for example, learners do not have the ability to "link" material.) To enter the Author mode 1. In the navigation tree, click the Author tab. Make sure to save your changes before leaving the page you are editing. Union Institute & University Chapter 2: Adding Course Content Page 15

Visual Editor As an online course author, you are able to create, modify, and format your course content, whether you're familiar with HTML or not. Formatting your course content is as easy as editing with a simple word-processing program. The tool that allows you to do this is the Visual Editor. It is built into the course Author mode and allows you to format text for display on the Web. The Visual Editor is also available to instructors for use in Gradebook comments, Email, Journal entries, and Dropbox comments. Learners can use it in Email and Journal entries. Design View is the default view for the Visual Editor and is the view that allows you to use the toolbar for non- HTML course creation and revision. In this view you can create and format your content just as you would using a word-processing application. You may also paste existing text from a word-processing application directly into the text field of the Visual Editor and format it using the toolbar. For some known issues with pasting text from MS Word into the text field please review the Appendix 5: Design Tips for the Visual Editor. The Visual Editor displays as its own toolbar above any text field when you are authoring various sections of your course. Again, you'll notice that the toolbar looks a lot like a word-processing toolbar--the abilities to Bold, Italicize and Underline are all there. Also built into the toolbar, there are common HTML formatting functions and a "Link Wizard" that allows you to easily insert links to other websites, external pages, and images (more on this in the Linking to Content and Using Images.) Please review the description of each toolbar icon below. Button Description Print the content currently displaying in the editor as it will appear to learners. Search and Replace; search for and replace text based on parameters you specify. Cut the selected text. Copy the selected text. Paste the selected text into the editor. Union Institute & University Chapter 2: Adding Course Content Page 16

Paste the content of the clipboard into the editor without any formatting/display properties. Content is pasted as plain text. Paste the content of the clipboard into the editor as HTML or Web code, allowing you to retain and see HTML code within the Design View. Paste the content from an MS Word document into the edit, allowing you to retain and see HTML code within the Design View Undo the previous X actions. Redo; perform the previous X actions. Create a link to a file or a Website (URL). The file you link to may be located on a hard drive or network drive. Create a link to an image. The image you link to may be located on a hard drive or a network drive. Access the Math Equation Editor. This feature allows you to build and edit complex mathematical equations within your course. Run the current content through a spell check. Insert a special character or symbol. Insert the current date. Insert the current time. Create a table. Clicking this button opens a "table wizard" which will help you create a table with the parameters you specify. Change or set the color of the font. Change or set the background or "highlight" color. Highlight the text, then click the Background button. Change or set the font for the text. Change or set the size of the font. Bold the selected text. Italicize the selected text. Underline the selected text. Union Institute & University Chapter 2: Adding Course Content Page 17

Align the selected (and subsequent) text on the left. Center the selected (and subsequent) text. Align the selected (and subsequent) text on the right. Force justify the selected (and subsequent) text right and left. Decrease the indent of the selected text (i.e., move the text left). Indent the selected text (right). Create a numbered list. Create a bulleted list. Insert a horizontal line at the current cursor position. Strike through or "cross out" the selected text. Edit content in the Design View. This option includes a full-screen edit mode, as well as a "zoom" option. (For an example, see image above) Edit content using HTML code. Click the Indent HTML check box to indent your HTML code for easier viewing. Notice, too, that the toolbars disappear in this view. The use of this view is recommended for experienced HTML users only. Union Institute & University Chapter 2: Adding Course Content Page 18

Linking to Content There are many places in your course where you might want to add links to external files and Web pages or add files directly into your course. There are two advantages to linking materials. First, you can create a "nonlinear" learning environment, allowing your learners to create individual paths to learning. Second, you can help learners focus on particular chunks of information. The Link Wizards, found in the Visual Editor in Author mode, will walk you through the process of adding, uploading, or linking files to your course. File Manager When you create a link to a file that you have created, ecollege uploads your file to an online server space designated to your course. To help you access this file storage place, the File Manager was created. It's likely that your online course will include numerous files: document files, audio files, video files, images, etc. The File Manager helps you organize and keep track of your course files. When you add files in different areas of your course, the file structure and folders you create in the File Manager will be available to you through the Link Wizard. To link to content using the Link Wizard The Link Wizard will help you determine how to set up your link on your course page. The very first step in adding a link to your course is deciding what kind of content you would like to link to. If you have a document that you would like the learners to open in a new window, choose the Link to Content or Files option. If you have a website you would like the learners to open in a new window, choose the Link to Website option. The Link to Course Tools option will let you choose a course tool from the list of available tool to link to, such as Gradebook, Email, Dropbox, etc. Finally, the Link to Course Content will give you a list of course content areas to link to, such as units and content items in your course. 1. On the Visual Editor toolbar, click Add a Link. The Add a Link window opens. If you don't see on the Visual Editor toolbar, you probably can't add links to that particular element. 2. At this point, you can: a. Select Link to Content or Files, and click Continue. 1. In the Text to display field, type the text learners will click to open and view the content. 2. Click Browse to locate and upload the file. Union Institute & University Chapter 2: Adding Course Content Page 19

3. Select the Course Folder to upload the file to. 4. Click Add Link. b. Select Link to Website, and click Continue. 1. In the fields provided, enter information accordingly: Text to display - Type the text learners will click on to open the Website. Website address - Type the address to the Website. To avoid typos, copy and paste the address into the field. 2. Click Add Link. c. Select Link to a Course Tool, and click Continue. 1. In the fields provided, enter information accordingly: Text to display - Type the text learners will click to open the selected course tool. Tool to link to - Select the course tool you want to link to 2. Click Add Link. d. Select Link to a Course Content, and click Continue. Union Institute & University Chapter 2: Adding Course Content Page 20

3. Click Save Changes. 1. In the fields provided, enter information accordingly: Text to display - Type the text learners will click to open the selected course tool. Content to link to - In the drop-down list, select the section in the course containing the content you want to link to, and then select the content item 2. Click Add Link. To upload and download files directly to File Manager You can use File Manager to upload course files rather than linking course files directly to content items. Consider File Manager as your storage place for all of your uploaded course files. To make changes to an uploaded file, download the file, make your changes, and then re-upload the file. To upload a file to File Manager 1. In the navigation tree, click the Author tab, and click Course Home. 2. On the Course Home page, click File Manager. By default, the main course folder and Streaming Media folder display. As you build your course, avoid using special characters (like "*," "-," "%," etc.) in the folder and file names you create or upload. Folders and files names with special characters are inaccessible from within Visual Editor when you add links to files and images in other areas of your course. 3. Click on the folder to which you want to upload your files. 4. Click Upload Files. 5. Click Browse to locate and select the file you want to upload. If you upload a file with a different extension than what is supported by the system, zip the file(s) and then attach the.zip file. Remember, avoid special characters in folder and file naming conventions. 6. Click Upload File to upload the file to the selected course folder. To download a file from File Manager 1. In the navigation tree, click the Author tab, and click Course Home. 2. On the Course Home page, click File Manager. 3. Select the check box to the files you want to download. For files contained within a folder, click on the folder to expand it, then select your files. 4. Click Download Files. Remember, if you are downloading a file to make changes to it, you must reupload the changed file to use it in your course. Union Institute & University Chapter 2: Adding Course Content Page 21

Using Images The use of visual material keeps your course from being flat and can be an important instructional device. Certainly, there are great possibilities for using images to enhance online courses; the relevancy of the images, however, is what makes them useful in the learning environment. Learners expect online courses to have relevant images and graphics. In practice, if the visual elements are of poor quality, are irrelevant, or take long download time, learners may not find them useful and may actually find that they detract from the learning experience. Note: We suggest that file size not exceed 20k. This file size would take 3-4 seconds to load on a dialup (56 kbps). Copyright One of the more difficult aspects of adding images to your course is remembering to take the time to cite the source from which you have drawn the image, or taking the time to gain permission to use an image. The problem is that copyright issues for material on the web still exist in a gray area. One way to deal with this is to take your own digital photos or scan your own photos, drawings, images, graphs, etc. and save them as.jpg (or.gif) files. It, of course, is not possible for many instructors because of time and/or expense. And, since there are so many images on the web, there ought to be a way to easily use them. Luckily, for educators using password protected platforms or websites like ecollege, educational Fair Use guidelines apply online, in somewhat a similar manner to handing out photocopied material in the face-to-face classroom. Thus, if you are using these images for educational purposes only, and you cite the source and provide a hyperlink to the website, one could argue that this would be acceptable documentation for placing an image in your course. Animated Images Animated images, commonly referred to as animated gifs (for their.gif file extension), can also be good visual additions to an online course, especially if you want to draw attention to something--an important assignment, announcement, etc. It's a good idea to use animated gifs somewhat sparingly, though. They can be distracting, at the very least, and can add undesirable download time to a page. To add an image 1. On the Visual Editor (or Plaint Text Editor) toolbar, click Add a Link or Insert an Image. The Add a Link window opens. If you don't see or on the Visual Editor toolbar, you probably can't add links to that particular element. 2. Select Insert an Image, and click Continue. 3. In the Text to display field, type the text learners will click to open and view the content. 4. Click Browse to locate and upload the file. 5. Select the Course Folder to upload the file to. 6. Click Insert Image. 7. Click Save Changes. Union Institute & University Chapter 2: Adding Course Content Page 22

Threaded Discussions The Threaded Discussion Content Item simulates traditional classroom discussions in an asynchronous environment. A Threaded Discussion allows learners to post comments to a discussion topic, react to other learners' comments, and respond to ideas shared by you or by others in the course--at any time according to your published course schedule. Discussions take place asynchronously; that is, learners post responses to the Threaded Discussion at their convenience (well, within any time-frames you may have designated). Threaded Discussions can begin, for example, with a topic you have identified, a call for the learner discussion leader to post a question, or a call for assignment submissions. Responses appear below the specific topic. A discussion site may have multiple topics, each with its own discussion thread. Both instructors and learners have the Visual Editor available in the Discussions to enable formatting of responses. For using the Threaded Discussion in creative ways see How will interaction be accomplished--you with your learners and your learners with the content? in Chapter 4. Please take a look at the sample discussion topic below: Threaded Discussion Options As an instructor, you have a few options available with the Threaded Discussion Content Item. You can make threads read-only after a certain date. This allows learners to go back and reference threaded discussions, but they can't add more posts after you "lock" them. You can set up this option in the Toolbox of the specific discussion content item or in the Course Admin tool to apply it to all of your course discussions. You can allow learners to edit their posts. Sometimes learners make grammatical errors--or perhaps they just change their minds about a statement made. Threaded Discussions default to not allowing learners the ability to edit, but you can change that. Keep in mind that when learners do edit a post, the system does not retain the original post(s). If a response is edited, a Last Modified date displays under the response, as well as the original post date. You can set up this option in the Toolbox of the specific discussion content item or in the Course Admin tool to apply it to all of your course discussions. When reading and responding to Threaded Discussions, you have a number of viewing options. You can view by date, by learner, by "read" and "unread." You also have the ability to easily print and save discussions to your local machine (in Show Options, Printer Version.) Note: For a threaded discussion to take place, you must allow the conversation by adding a topic when in Author view. Otherwise the system won't know to generate the discussion board. Union Institute & University Chapter 2: Adding Course Content Page 23

To add a topic 1. Open the Threaded Discussion. Remember, you must add a Threaded Discussion content item to the Unit before you can add Thread topics. 2. Click Add Topic. 3. In the Title field, type a title for your topic. The topic title is what displays under the Topic column on the Threaded Discussion page in the course. 4. In the Visual Editor, type the discussion topic text. This is the actual topic learners see and respond to. Use the Visual Editor toolbar to format your new discussion topic and Add/Remove attachments. 5. Click Add Topic. To delete a topic 1. Open the Threaded Discussion. 2. Locate the topic you want to delete. 3. In the Delete column, click. A confirmation message displays. 4. Select the check box to accept the confirmation message, and then click Delete Topic & Responses. To edit a topic 1. Open the Threaded Discussion. 2. Locate the topic you want to edit. (If you're editing Introductory Text, click the Edit link.) 3. In the Edit column, click and make your changes in the fields provided. (If you're editing Introductory Text, only the Visual Editor field displays.) 4. Type text to describe the topic, or type questions to help steer learner discussion in the direction you want. 5. Click Save Changes. Union Institute & University Chapter 2: Adding Course Content Page 24

Exams The Exam Content Item acts much like a traditional quiz or exam given in class, with the obvious exception of your being able to "watch over" learners as they complete the assessment. This Exam Builder tool allows you to set time limits and restrictive dates for your exams, and even automatically remove learners (exam kick-out) from the exam when the time limit expires. For added security, the exam tool gives you the option to set a password for learner access to the exam. This allows for secure proctored exams. You can create question pools and multiple types of questions that can be manually graded by you or automatically graded by the ecollege system. You can create exams that are "single-access exams" and exams that can be accessed many times by a single learner, so that the exam becomes a self-learning tool. In designing your exams, you can also utilize them as important communication tools by putting in explanations for correct and incorrect answers in the available fields. There are several options for assessing learners online. We encourage instructors to consider using a multi-faceted approach or portfolio assessment. This could include assessing learners' submissions to the Threaded Discussion Doc Sharing and Webliography area, quality/quantity of Journal entries, individual homework assignments, participation in group projects and papers, as well as scores on exams and quizzes. See more on this in How will you go about assessing what your learners have learned? in Chapter 4. To set exam preferences 1. In the navigation tree, click the Author tab. 2. In the navigation tree, click the Exam content item. 3. Click Toolbox to display preference settings for that Exam. 4. Set your exam preference settings accordingly, and click Save Changes. Exam type Select either: Learners may only take the exam once, to restrict learners from accessing the exam more than once. Learners may re-take the exam, to allow learners to access the exam multiple times. This option is useful for practice quizzes. Time allowed Grading options Security password Set a time limit for the Exam. This determines how long learners have to complete the exam. To exit learners from the exam after the time limit expires, select the Kick learners out of exam when time expires check box. The time limit option only applies if you selected Learners may only take the exam once. Click Use Auto-Grading to score questions if you want the system to automatically grade all objective questions in the exam. If you select this option, you can also choose to automatically display the auto-graded score to learners in the Gradebook, or to display an auto-graded summary to learners at the time they submit their exam. This summary immediately tells learners how many questions they got right (by question type). Select how the results of the graded exam display to learners in the Gradebook. Set a password for the exam. Learners cannot access the exam without the correct password. You are responsible for notifying learners of the password. When creating and adding tests, quizzes, self-checks, etc. into the Exam Builder, here are some things to keep in mind: If you add a one-time entry only exam, be sure to set the time-limit. Union Institute & University Chapter 2: Adding Course Content Page 25

Be sure to add a Review Date for your exam. This is the date your learners will be allowed to access the score (and explanations if you choose that option) in the Gradebook. If you have all objective-type questions and you want the system to grade and add the score automatically to the Gradebook, be sure that the checkbox for "Automatically display objective score of a finished exam to learners in the Gradebook." This isn't checked by default! Once a learner has taken an exam and you wish to let him/her back in, you have two options: grant additional time and reset. If you grant additional time, learners' answers remain in the exam area, allowing them to build on or change the existing exam. If you reset, or clear answers, the system will do just that: clear all initial responses. Use Fill-in-the-Blank type questions sparingly! This is an option that will be automatically scored/graded by the system; because of this, it is very specific. That is, all spaces and letters--capital and lower-case letters too--are taken into consideration. So, unless you're giving a spelling test, there may be better alternatives to the fill-in-the-blank type. To add questions to an exam 1. In the navigation tree, click the Author tab. 2. In the navigation tree, click on the Exam content item (see the Content Item section for more on this.) 3. In the Title & Introductory Text section, click Edit to add a title and introduction to your exam. 4. In the Page section, select the page number to which you want to add questions. If you are starting a new exam, only Page 1 displays. To add a new page, click Add New Page. 5. In the Add drop-down list, select the type of question you want to add. Multiple Choice Multiple Answer True-False Essay Short Answer Fill in the Blank Matching Type a question and the number of points the question is worth (optional). Then, in the text boxes provided, type the possible answers and select the button next to the correct answer. Functions the same as Multiple Choice, but you must select two or more correct answers. Functions the same as Multiple Choice, but the answer options are True and False. Cannot be auto-graded. Type a question and, if you want, type the number of points possible, as well as an explanation for the answer. Learners will see this explanation when you make it available in the Gradebook. Cannot be auto-graded. Functions the same as Essay, only less space for the learner to reply. Enter a question and up to five Acceptable Responses in the text boxes provided. The autograding feature is case-sensitive and because of this, it is very specific. This means, all spaces and letters (capital and lower case) are taken into consideration, so make sure you enter all possible correct answers. Type a question, and then enter matched pairs in the boxes provided. 6. In the as row box, type a number to specify the order in which the question should display on the page. For example, type 2 and the question is added as the second question on the exam page. 7. Click Add. Depending on the selected question type, the Visual Editor opens with specific fields in which you can enter information to build your actual question. Union Institute & University Chapter 2: Adding Course Content Page 26

Chapter 3: Course Tools Information Technology Department Union Institute & University Page 27

Course Admin Your online course may require a little administrative setup, just like a traditional course. You can change or modify administrative information from the Course Admin tab in the Course Management Toolbar at the top of your course page. The Course Admin tool is not a teaching/communication tool per se. This is a Course Tool that learners don't see because it gives you the ability to: Edit General Information & Settings (including titling your "units," selecting a title for the course instructor, allowing long unit or content item names to "wrap" to a second line, and setting time zone and country/language if allowed by the institution). Enable/Disable Tools in the course toolbar. All tools in the course management toolbar may be disabled and the tab removed from view. Note: whether or not to delete tools may be decided at the institutional level. Edit Threaded Discussion Preferences. Set Discussion content items to "read only" and/or allow learners to edit posts in all Discussions. Set dates using Course Scheduler. Units or Content Items may be "scheduled" to be blocked before or after a set date. Note: this tool has been moved from the Calendar function in the previous system. Have access to full learner information through the Course Enrollment area, including such information as enrollment date, learner or dropped status, time zone, etc. Set up and manage Groups in Group Management. Note that when groups are established the system automatically sets up a group designation in various course tools such as email, chat and doc sharing. To open the Course Admin page 1. On the Tools menu, click Course Admin. 2. The main Course Admin page contains three tabs: General Information and Preferences - Click to set course options and settings for General Information and Preferences, Style Manager, Enable/Disable tools, Threaded Discussion, Course Scheduler and Path Builder, and Survey Report Wizard. Style Manager and ClassLive can be disabled at the administrative level. If your institution has chosen to disable these features, you will not see them listed. Course Enrollment - Click to view a list of learners currently enrolled in the course. Group Management - Click to organize learners into groups or teams for the course. Whichever tab in the Course Admin tool you are working in, the course preference settings you select apply course wide. You can change course preference settings at any time. Union Institute & University Chapter 3: Course Tools Page 28

Gradebook The online Gradebook is a place to record and keep track of letter and/or numeric grades. It is also a powerful communication tool where you can provide learners with comments and guidance on their work. While your learners may only view their individual grades and comments, the instructor's view is much more comprehensive. You have the ability to set up which assignments and activities will be counted toward a final course grade. Once you set up "gradable" items and corresponding points, the Gradebook will automatically tally up gr ades to date, as points are entered. You also have the ability to turn off the point system and enter letter grades only, if you so desire. The Gradebook is linked to the Dropbox, so any grades recorded through the Dropbox will automatically be pulled--and noted by a small icon--to applicable areas in the Gradebook. You can also export the information from the Gradebook in your online course into most spreadsheet programs. To set up Gradebook 1. Add items - This is where you decide which content items and course tools to show in your Gradebook. a. On the Tools menu, click Gradebook. b. Click Setup Gradebook, and then click the Add New Items tab. c. Select the check box next to each item you want to display in your Gradebook. Selected items are visible to you and to your learners when viewing the Gradebook. d. Click Save Changes. 2. Select gradable items - This is where you determine which items will be assigned grades. a. Click the Select Gradable Items tab. b. Select the items or course tools that you want to mark as gradable. c. Click Save Changes. 3. Assign Points or Weights - This is where you assign points possible or relative weighted percentages to gradable items. a. Click the Assign Points/Weights tab. b. Enter the points possible for each gradable item. Gradebook calculates learner percentages based on the Total Points assigned to each gradable content item. c. (Optional) Enter a weighted percentage for each gradable item if needed. Although it's not required, the sum of your weighted percentages should equal 100%. Note: Always assign weighted percentages to the items you want counted toward the final course grade. If the Weighting feature is turned on and you do not assign a weight percentage to a gradable item, that item is not counted toward the final course grade (essentially, the item carries a weight of 0%). d. Click Save Changes. Union Institute & University Chapter 3: Course Tools Page 29

User Activity Also, in the Gradebook area, you'll have access to User Activity. User Activity allows you to view your learners' activity in the course and get an idea of attendance. It monitors if learners are accessing their course, how long they've spent in a unit, and how long they've spent in a particular content item. Note: You will want to use the User Activity feature with caution when it is related to your grading. Short minute times may simply mean a learner prints out course work for later review. Or, on the other hand, a learner may have the course open for long periods of time, but may not be spending that time in class. In general, after a few weeks into the course, you will probably see a pattern emerge for each learner, and for the class as a whole. To view user activity 1. On the Tools menu, click Gradebook. 2. Click User Activity. 3. Click on a learner name. The User Activity summary for that learner displays. 4. Click to view the learner's individual user activity time for each content item within the course. You can also click Course Tools to view learner activity for specific course tools. 5. Click Export View to export the current view to a comma-separated value (.csv) file. Save the.csv file to your hard drive and open using any spreadsheet application. Email The Email tool is a convenient and effective way for you and your learners to communicate with each other. When users are enrolled in an ecollege course, their email addresses are uploaded into that course. The Email tool is an outgoing email only feature. You do not receive course email within the course. When you or your learners send an email using this tool, it goes to the addressee's own email address (your or the leaner's @myunion email account.) You may email individual learners, the entire class, or groups of learners. Your learners can email you through this feature and you will receive these emails at your own email address. Any time an email message is sent, the sender is automatically sent a copy of the message. Email can be sent to the entire class, a group, or an individual. The instructor can also copy someone outside the course, for example, an administrator. Note that the course code will be automatically appended to the email subject heading. To send an email 1. On the Tools menu, click Email. 2. Select the name of the email recipient in the Select Recipients box. 3. Click the right and left pointing arrows next to the Select Recipients box to add or remove recipients to and from the Recipients box. 4. Fill in the Cc and Subject fields as needed. 5. Type your message in the text field below. 6. Click Send Message. The system distributes the email and sends a copy of your message to your "Myunion" email account. Union Institute & University Chapter 3: Course Tools Page 30

Live (Chat) The Chat tool is a basic, synchronous communication tool. There is a default main Chatroom when you first enter Chat. However, you may create as many chatrooms as you like. Each chat that takes place is automatically archived, though you may turn off the archive feature if you don't want conversations made public. In a Chat, each participant's name will be listed alongside his/her comments. Participants may send each other private messages as the chat proceeds. You can choose to ignore a user who is not acting appropriately. Chat participants may also enter URL's or web addresses for websites. Then the users can click on the URL posted in the chat. This will open a new browser window, and the entire group can view the website and discuss it. Read on for more ideas in Appendix 6: Using the Chatroom. To add, edit, and delete Chatrooms To add a Chatroom, 1. On the Tools menu, click Live. By default, the main Chat page displays. 2. Click Add Chatroom. 3. In the Name field, type a name for the room. 4. In the Description field, type a short description of what kind of discussion should take place in that room. 5. (Optional) Select the Private room check box if you don't want a chat log created for the new chatroom. By default, a chat log is created for every room. 6. In the Assign Room To drop-down list, select who can access the new chatroom. You can make the chatroom available to all class members or to specific groups you've defined within the course. 7. Click Add Room. If you have more rooms to create, click Save & Add another Room. To edit a Chatroom, 1. On the Tools menu, click Live. By default, the main Chat page displays. 2. In the Edit column, click for the chat you want to rename or edit. 3. Make your changes accordingly, and click Save Changes. To delete a Chatroom, 1. On the Tools menu, click Live. By default, the main Chat page displays. 2. In the Delete column, click for the chat you want to delete. A confirmation message displays. 3. Click Delete Room & Chat Logs. Remember, when you delete a chatroom, the logs for that room are no longer available. Union Institute & University Chapter 3: Course Tools Page 31

Document Sharing There are two basic functions in Document Sharing: uploading a file and downloading a file. The Document Sharing tool allows you to upload files--documents, images, spreadsheets, slide-shows, HTML pages, etc.--into your course from your computer. Or, you may download a file, which already has been uploaded into Document Sharing, to your computer. Note: a list of accepted file extensions may be found in Doc Sharing of this tutorial. Learners have the same functionality. Both you and your learners have access to shared files, but only instructors can delete files. Learners can choose to share documents with the entire class or only with you, the instructor. The Document Sharing tool is usually a public place to share work, though learners can submit work for only you to view. In a learner-centered online environment, Document Sharing can be used as a place for sharing data sets or solutions for learners, workshopping essays for peer critique, and sharing final group papers or presentations. In addition, Document Sharing is a good place to post reference documents such as style sheets or case studies. To upload a file for sharing 1. On the Tools menu, click Doc Sharing. 2. Click Upload Document. Remember, avoid special characters in your folder and file names. 3. In the fields provided, enter information accordingly. Union Institute & University Chapter 3: Course Tools Page 32

Field Description Share file with Select either Instructor Only, to not share the document with learners and make the file viewable to you only. Or, Entire Class, to allow learners to view the uploaded document. Find new file Click Browse to locate the file you want to upload. Unzip.ZIP file (Optional) Select the Unzip ZIP File check box if you are uploading a zipped file and want the system to unzip the file upon upload. 4. Click Upload Document. 5. Type a description for the document telling learners what to expect when they open the document. This description displays in the Doc Sharing list. 6. Click Add Entry. Your entry displays in the main Doc Sharing page. To download a shared file 1. On the Tools menu, click Doc Sharing. 2. In the File Name/Description column, select the check box beside the documents you want to download. To download all documents, select the check box beside the File Name/Description link. 3. Click Download Documents. Union Institute & University Chapter 3: Course Tools Page 33

Dropbox The purpose of the Dropbox is to provide a central location where your learners can submit and retrieve assignments. Once you've graded and returned the activities, the grade appears in the Gradebook. One of the largest benefits of the Dropbox is that it can reduce the amount of course-related email significantly. Think of the Dropbox as a virtual "Inbox" and "Outbox" for course assignments: You pick up or retrieve submitted assignments from your learners in your Inbox You return or send graded assignments back to your learners through your Outbox Your Dropbox, as noted above, is also linked directly to the Gradebook, which makes it easy to open an assignment, grade it, and then record the learner's grade directly into the Gradebook--all from one place. Learners can open a graded item from either the Dropbox or from the Gradebook and see their grade for that item. You can also attach files and documents to assignments when you return them to learners. Note: Setting up and using your Dropbox may take a little time and practice, initially--be sure to go through the Help Pages in your course for step-by-step instructions. To create a Dropbox basket for a new content item 1. In the navigation tree, click the Author tab. 2. In the navigation tree, select either Course Home or the unit to which you're adding the new content item. 3. If you're adding a new content item to Course Home, click Course Items, and then click Add Items. a Unit, click Unit Content Items, and then click Add Items. 4. Select the Create dropbox basket check box. In the other fields provided, enter information accordingly. 5. Click Add Items. This adds the new content item to your Course Home page or unit and automatically creates a Dropbox basket for the new content item. To review learners' assignments, provide feedback and assign grades 1. On the Tools menu, click Dropbox. 2. In the Name column, click the basket you want to open. Union Institute & University Chapter 3: Course Tools Page 34

3. On the Inbox tab, click the learner's name to open the Gradebook Details window. 4. Enter information according to field descriptions below: Field Numeric Grade Letter Grade Weighted Average Return to learner upon closing Description / Instructions Type a numeric grade for the submission. This field only displays if you've identified the content item as gradable in your Gradebook. Type a letter grade for the submission. This field only displays if you've identified the content item as gradable in your Gradebook. Displays the weighted average for the submitted assignment based on the values entered in the Gradebook. (Selected by Default) Saves the grade and returns the assignment to the learner (i.e., the assignment moves from your Inbox to your Outbox and the learner is able to see the assignment in his/her Inbox.) Leave this check box selected if you want learners to receive their graded assignment after you close the Gradebook Details window; otherwise, clear the check box. Ima Learner Text Field Add/Remove Type any comments, suggestions, etc. that you might have about the learner's submission. For example, you might want to include why you assigned the grade you did, or you might direct the learner to areas for additional study. Click to attach a file to your review and return it to the learner. Union Institute & University Chapter 3: Course Tools Page 35

Save Saves the grade without returning the assignment to the learner. Save Options Save and Next Saves the grade and opens the next learner assignment. Please note, the Save and Next button cycles through Inbox items till there are no more items to be graded. Once the last item in your Inbox is graded, the Save and Next button is disabled. Save and Close Saves the grade and closes the Gradebook Details window. Cancel Closes the Gradebook Details window without saving any of your changes. Details Displays the name of the learner who submitted the assignment, the date and time the assignment was submitted, whether there are attachments with the submission, and any comments or notes the learner might have entered for you. You can view attachments here by clicking on the attachment icon. Note that you can only view the file; you cannot make changes or comments within the attachment. You can, however, attach a file to your response in the Gradebook Details window. You can also click to delete the submission. To quickly assign grades and return graded assignment 1. On the Tools menu, click Dropbox. 2. In the Name column, click the basket you want to open. 3. On the Inbox tab, type a grade for the assignment in either the Numeric Grade field, Letter Grade field, or both. Ima Learner Jane Learner 4. In the Return column, select the check box for any learner whose assignment you are returning. 5. Click Save Changes. Union Institute & University Chapter 3: Course Tools Page 36

Journal The Journal is a one-on-one, learner-instructor communication tool. It also is a place for confidential learner writing and reflection, as learners have the option to make a Journal entry private. The online Journal can be used like a traditional journal, requiring learners to make regular entries reflecting on issues relevant to the course. It may also be a place to ask learners to submit informal assignments or weekly selfassessments. The Journal tool allows you to comment on each Journal entry. In your Syllabus, you may want to suggest that your learners compose Journal entries while offline, in their word processing programs probably, and then save their work to disk. They can then copy and paste their text into the Journal. Although this may seem like an extra step, your learners will benefit in two ways: 1. They will have a record of their work after the course ends. 2. Writing offline will save them possible frustration from losing work if they get timed-out of the course as they are writing. (The system doesn't recognize typing as activity in the course. Only clicks on links register as activity, and if a learner takes more than 45 minutes composing, s/he will be timed-out and will lose all the work composed during that time period.) To add a Journal entry 1. On the Tools menu, click Journal. 2. In the Name column, click the learner's name. 3. Click Add Entry. 4. Type a title for your entry, and then type your entry in the text field. 5. Click Add Entry. To view a Journal entry 1. On the Tools menu, click Journal. 2. In the Name column, click on the learner's name. For each Journal entry, the date on which the last modifications were made display, in addition to the names of each person who has modified the entry. If both you and the learner have modified the entry, both names display. 3. Click on the Journal entry to expand and view that entry. You can only view entries that the learner has marked as shared. 4. Click: Expand All, to view all entries at once. Collapse All, to close all entries when they are all expanded Union Institute & University Chapter 3: Course Tools Page 37

Webliography The Webliography course tool allows you and your learners to work together to create an actively linked, annotated bibliography of World Wide Web (www) sites that are relevant to your course. Both you and your learners can submit sites to the Webliography. You can organize the Webliography into categories. And, you can sort Webliography entries by the date they were submitted, by category, or by the person who submitted the entry. The Webliography is useful for the instructor to post Internet sites that will be references during the course. You can post articles from online journals, magazines, and e-zines. There are sites that can give learners incredible primary information: Yeats reading his own poetry, President Kennedy delivering a speech in Berlin, etc. This tool gives you something not readily available in the face-to-face classroom and can make learning more dynamic than the faceto-face classroom. An even greater use of the Webliography is to ask your learners to post Web sites. Learners can greatly increase the knowledge capital of the course by submitting Web sites they have found and reviewed. But more importantly, this empowers them to contribute to the learning community of their course. Webliography assignments encourage learners to customize their own learning by following directions that particularly interest them. By writing annotations to the sites that they submit, learners begin to develop media literacy. Many instructors ask their learners to address issues of a site's credibility in the annotations of Webliography entries. If learners are asked to post sources they have used in their papers, possibilities of plagiarism are reduced. Some instructors will make Webliography entries a significant part of the final course grade. The Gradebook automatically lists Webliography as a gradable item. To add an entry 1. On the Tools menu, click Webliography. 2. Click Add New Entry. 3. In the Title field, type a title for your Website and assign it to a category from the Category drop-down list. Only categories you've created for your course display in the drop-down list. If you haven't created any Webliography categories, the General option is the only category option available. 4. In the Web Address (URL) field, type the URL address to the Website. 5. In the fields provided, enter information accordingly: Description - Describe what students will find when they go to this site. Site Author - Type the name of the author or creator of the site. Site Last Edited - If available, type the date the site was last modified. Submitter First Name/Last Name - Type your name as the submitter of the site. 6. Click Add Entry. Union Institute & University Chapter 3: Course Tools Page 38