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IRT Technology Update

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

The IRT Technology Update: This electronic bulletin is published by the Office of Information Resources and Technology (IRT) to inform users of the quickly changing panorama of technology policy, services and support at all Drexel University campuses.

Approved under the authority of John A. Bielec, Vice President for Information Resources and Technology / CIO.

Contents:
01. Only Two Weeks Left to Register for the E-Learning 2.0 Conference!
02. MATLAB Student License Change
03. Coming Soon: IRT's New Help Chat
04. Improvements to DrexelOne

Tips & Tricks

News & Notes from the Online Learning Team
07. Using Grading Forms in Bb Vista (Part 2)
08. Importing Student Grades to the Bb Vista Grade Book
09. Winter Term Classes Closing Soon in Bb Vista
10. StudyMate Class Now Available
11. Schedule for Upcoming IRT Workshops


1. Only Two Weeks Left to Register for the E-Learning 2.0 Conference!

Register today for the 8th annual e-Learning 2.0 Conference, to be held on Thursday, March 25, 2010 in Behrakis Grand Hall at the Creese Student Center.  The conference draws more than 175 participants and 30 presenters from over 50 regional institutions to share best practices for learning enrichment and student engagement in an e-learning 2.0 environment.

This year's conference will feature a keynote address by Dr. Kristen Betts, Associate Clinical Professor in the School of Education's Higher Education Program, who will be discussing "Next Frontier: Innovation, Trends & Realities of Online and Blended Education."

To register, visit the conference Web site at http://www.drexel.edu/irt/news/events/eLearningConf.  A $20 registration fee for Drexel participants includes welcome materials, access to the presentations and keynote speaker sessions, a continental breakfast, lunch, afternoon refreshments, and a door prize drawing at the conclusion of the event (winners must be present).

The conference represents a fantastic opportunity to learn from your colleagues at Drexel and other institutions in the region.  Don’t miss out—register today! Email el2n@drexel.edu with any questions.

2. MATLAB Student License Change

The licensing procedure for the student version of MATLAB has recently changed. Instead of requiring students to enter a license code for the software, MathWorks (the publisher of MATLAB) now requires an activation key that will associate the TAH (Total Academic Headcount) license with the student’s account on the MathWorks Web site. The MATLAB installation instructions available at http://software.drexel.edu have been modified to include the activation key instead of the license code.

Note: The activation key is only required for students who have not previously set up a MathWorks account. Also, this change only affects versions 2008a, 2009a, and 2009b. All current MATLAB users should remain licensed and therefore will not see any change in service.

If you have any questions or concerns about the new procedure, please contact the IRT Help Desk at 215-895-2020 or email consult@drexel.edu.

3. Coming Soon: IRT's New Help Chat

As part of IRT’s expanding technology support services, a new chat system will be appearing on the IRT home page soon! The new tool will allow the Drexel community to chat live with members of the IRT Help Desk. Look for it at http://www.drexel.edu/irt.

Also, be sure to check out IRT’s new Twitter page at https://twitter.com/Drexel_IRT.



4. Improvements to DrexelOne

Recently, DrexelOne was enhanced to include even more information for the Drexel community:

  • The “Drexel” tab now includes separate channels for hardware and software.
  • The “Students” tab now offers easier access to the MyHousing application.
  • The “Community” tab includes more channels to provide news, scores, and game schedules. It also contains a channel for Candid Question, a new space where students can pose interesting questions to learn more about their classmates.
More information can be found on the DrexelOne sign-in page at http://one.drexel.edu.  Be sure to check out these new features!

Tips & Tricks

Tips & Tricks are helpful articles that address a variety of Windows and Mac applications.  Click on one of the links below to view the full article:

Inserting Document Contents into a Word 2007 Document
Aligning Images and Text in Word 2007

News & Notes from the Online Learning Team


7. Using Grading Forms in Bb Vista (Part 2)

This article is the second in a three-part series about Grading Forms in Bb Vista.  Part 1 of this article appeared in the Tech Update issue dated February 9, 2010.  (Once this issue of the Tech Update is posted online, you can access it here: http://www.drexel.edu/irt/news/publications/techUpdate/techArchive.)  Next month’s Tech Update will include the final article in the series, which contains web resources and tips on using Grading Forms effectively.

Associating a Grading Form with an Assignment, Discussion, or Grade Book Column

Once you have created a Grading Form, you can associate it with a new or existing assignment or discussion topic:

  1. From the “Build” tab, create a new assignment or discussion topic, or edit an existing one by clicking the “ActionLinks” menu and selecting “Edit Properties.”

  2. Under the “Grading” section, make the item gradable, select the “Grade by Grading Form” option, and click the “Select Grading Form” button.

  3. On the next screen, select the radio button next to the Grading Form you want to use, and click the “Select” button.

  4. Click “Save” at the bottom of the screen to apply these settings.
You can also create a new Grade Book column to associate with a Grading Form (note that existing Grade Book columns cannot be associated with Grading Forms unless they were specifically created as “Grading Form” columns):

  1. Access the Grade Book via the Teach tab, click the “Create Column” button, and select “Grading Form.”

  2. Enter a Column label and click the “Select Grading Form” button.

  3. On the next screen, select the radio button next to the Grading Form you would like to use, and click the “Select” button.

  4. Click “Save” at the bottom of the screen to apply these settings.
Filling Out Grading Forms to Evaluate Student Work

To fill out Grading Forms for assignments or discussion topics:

  1. For assignments: Click on the Assignment Dropbox under “Instructor Tools” in the “Teach” tab,  and then click on the name of the assignment to access the “Assignment Submission” screen for an individual student.  For discussions: From the Teach tab, click on the “ActionLinks” menu next to the name of the discussion and select “Grade Topic.”

  2. For assignments, click the radio button to “Return graded submission to Student(s) with the following grading form grade” under “Save Options” at the bottom of the screen.

  3. Click on the “Complete Grading Form” button and evaluate each student’s work by clicking on one cell in each row of the form. Points are automatically tallied in the lower right-hand corner of the Grading Form.  You can enter optional comments in the box below the form.

  4. Click the “Save” button once (for discussions) and twice (for assignments) to transfer the grade to the Grade Book column for the assignment or discussion topic.
Note that Grading Forms for an assignment or discussion topic can also be directly completed in the appropriate Grade Book column by following the steps below.

For Grading Form columns that have been created manually in the Grade Book, there are two methods:

To complete a Grading Form for a particular student:

  1. Click on the “--“ corresponding to a student’s name.

  2. Evaluate the student’s work by clicking on one cell in each row of the form. Points are automatically tallied in the lower right-hand corner of the Grading Form.

  3. Enter any optional comments and audit log comments (if a grade change has been made) in the boxes below the form, and click the “Save” button at the bottom of the screen.

To complete a Grading Form for multiple students:

  1. Click the “ActionLinks” menu next to the name of the Grading Form column and select “Edit Values.”

  2. On the next screen, click the “Edit Grading Form Grade” button corresponding to each student’s name to access his/her Grading Form.

  3. Evaluate each student’s work by clicking on one cell in each row of the form. Points are automatically tallied in the lower right-hand corner of the Grading Form.

  4. Enter any optional comments and audit log comments (if a grade change has been made) in the boxes below the form, and click the “Save” button at the bottom of the screen.

Click the “OK” button at the bottom of the screen to save the grades to the Grade Book.

8. Importing Student Grades to the Bb Vista Grade Book

If you grade Bb Vista assignments offline or use Excel to record grades, you can easily make these grades available to your students in Bb Vista by importing a spreadsheet file into the Grade Book.  The spreadsheet file must be in .csv format, not .xls, in order to import it into Bb Vista.  (To save an Excel spreadsheet in .csv format, select “CSV” under “Save as type” in the “Save As” dialog box.)

Before you begin to import grades, it is essential that your spreadsheet include the User ID field.  The system uses this field to match your spreadsheet entries to the entries that are already in the Grade Book.

To import an Excel spreadsheet into your Grade Book, follow these steps:

  1. From the “Teach” Tab, click “Grade Book" under “Instructor Tools” on the Course Menu column.

  2. Click the “Import from Spreadsheet” button at the top of the Grade Book screen.

  3. Click the “Browse” or “Choose File” button, navigate to your spreadsheet (in .csv format), and then click “Open,” “Choose,” or “OK.”

  4. Verify that the separator is set to “Comma,” and then click the “Upload” button.

  5. In the “Import File” screen, you will see the columns from your spreadsheet listed under the “Import Column” heading.  Ensure that the “User ID” Import Column is matched with the “User ID” Grade Book Column.  For the other Import Columns, do one of the following:

    • To add the data contained in an Import Column to an existing Grade Book column, select the name of the existing Grade Book column from the drop-down menu corresponding to the Import Column name.

    • To import a column as a new Grade Book column, select “Add as new column” from the drop-down menu.

    • Select “Do not import” for any Import Columns you do not wish to import.

  6. Type an optional comment for the import in the “Comment” box and click the “Import” button.

  7. The system will import the data you selected and provide a status report if any errors are encountered. If you encounter any import errors, click “OK” to return to the Grade Book.

You might have to click the “View All” tab at the top of the Grade Book screen to view any newly-added Grade Book columns.  Additionally, newly-added columns will appear on the extreme right-hand side of the “View All” tab, so you might have to scroll over to see them.

9. Winter Term Classes Closing Soon in Bb Vista

By default, courses in Blackboard Vista open on the first day of the term at midnight and close on the last day of the term at midnight.  Students will no longer be able to access courses for the 2009 Winter quarter (200925) as of Saturday, March 20 at 11:59 pm. For those instructors who want to extend student access to their course(s), please follow the instructions at http://www.drexel.edu/irt/coursetools/toolList/bbvista/help/faculty/howToChangeDates.

Settings for current-term courses might be reset during system integration.  Therefore, instructors should check their course settings from time to time.

For the upcoming Spring quarter, students will be able to access Spring courses on Monday, March 29 at 12:01 am. To open courses early, instructors should refer to the instructions in the above link.

For more information, contact the Online Learning Team at olt@drexel.edu or 215-895-1224.


10. StudyMate Class Now Available

Looking for new ways to develop collaborative learning in your Bb Vista section?  Check out our newest PowerLink: StudyMate Class!

StudyMate Class provides up to 12 learning activities, including flash cards, self-quizzes, crossword puzzles, and other games (similar to Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune) that help students learn course content in a fun and engaging way!   First, instructors and/or students create learning activities by entering facts and terms from lecture notes or readings.  Students can then work individually or in groups to complete the activities, and instructors can monitor progress and grade students on their participation.  StudyMate activities can even include images to enhance student learning.

To view an eight-minute movie introduction to StudyMate Class, visit http://www.respondus.com/SMC-movie.  You can also register for a 45-minute Respondus webinar on StudyMate Class at http://www.respondus.com/smc-webinars.shtml.

If you have any questions about StudyMate Class, please contact the Online Learning Team at olt@drexel.edu or 215-895-1224.

11. Schedule for Upcoming IRT Workshops

Unless otherwise noted, all sessions will be held in Korman 116. To sign up for any of these workshops, please email olt@drexel.edu.

Bb Vista

  • Bb Vista Full Day Workshop
    Thursday, April 1, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
    Tuesday, May 11, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
    Aimed at instructors and administrators who are new to Bb Vista or who have not worked in Bb Vista for a while. Lunch will be provided.

  • Bb Vista: Using the Teach Tab and More
    Friday, April 23, 9:00 a.m. – noon
    This workshop is being offered to individuals who are familiar with Bb Vista and want to learn more about using the system from a teaching perspective (managing assignments, creating assessments, using the Grade Book, etc.). Come with questions!
Brown Bag Lunch
  • Bb Vista's Grade Book: Secrets Revealed and Best Practices
    Friday, March 19, noon – 1:00 p.m.
    This session will demonstrate how to make Bb Vista's Grade Book work for you. Some of the highlights include: setting up your Grade Book to correspond with your syllabus, taking attendance, and creating columns that will automatically calculate student grades.

  • Incorporating Publisher Materials into Bb Vista
    Friday, April 9, noon – 1:00 p.m.
    Learn how to import e-Packs and PowerPoints into Bb Vista, use test generator software/testbanks to create assessments, and upload publisher-created exam questions using Respondus.

Camtasia

  • Desktop & Presentation Recording: Camtasia Relay
    Friday, March 12, 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
    Wednesday, April 14, 11:00 a.m. – noon
    Wednesday, May 12, 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
    Learn about the basics of screencasting, how to prepare yourself for the recording process, and how to use Camtasia Relay to record your desktop for publication on the Web.

  • Recording and Editing with Camtasia for Mac
    Tuesday, March 16, 10:00 a.m. – noon
    Thursday, May 13, 10:00 a.m. – noon
    Learn how to use Camtasia for Mac to record your desktop and presentations, edit your work, and produce media files.  Prerequisite: Desktop and Presentation Recording: Camtasia Relay. Recommended: Bring your Intel-powered Mac laptop (MacBook, Pro, or Air).

  • Recording and Editing with Camtasia Studio for Windows
    Thursday, March 18, 10:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
    Tuesday, April 20, 10:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
    Thursday, May 20, 10:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
    Learn how to use Camtasia Studio for Windows to record your desktop and presentations, edit your work, and produce media files. Prerequisite: Desktop and Presentation Recording: Camtasia Relay.
DragonDrop

  • DragonDrop Basic Training
    Monday, March 29, 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
    Monday, April 19, 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
    Friday, May 28, 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
    This workshop will introduce you to the basics of working with DragonDrop, a Web-based application for capturing, encoding, and publishing rich media for web access.
Dreamweaver

  • Dreamweaver Basic
    Thursday, March 11, 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
    Friday, April 9, 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
    Thursday, May 13, 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
    In the Basic course, we create simple pages using Dreamweaver CS4, including headings, lists, images, and links.

  • Dreamweaver Intermediate
    Wednesday, March 24, 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
    Thursday, April 22, 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
    Thursday, May 27, 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
    In the Intermediate course, we create and modify stylesheets and apply styles including fonts, float positioning, and colors.
Respondus

  • Respondus
    Tuesday, April 27, 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
    Respondus products help us to easily import quiz questions/answers into Bb Vista, secure the online testing environment, and create interesting (and entertaining) learning objects.
SharePoint

  • SharePoint Basic
    Monday, March 22, 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
    Tuesday, April 6, 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
    Thursday, April 22, 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
    Friday, May 7, 1:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
    Tuesday, May 25, 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
    SharePoint is a powerful tool for document collaboration.  This session provides step-by-step directions and an overview of SharePoint's key functions.  Topics covered include site navigation, creating and editing items, and uploading documents.
Snap

  • Snap Basic
    Wednesday, March 10, 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
    Wednesday, May 12, 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
    The Basic course is geared towards new users of Snap, Drexel's survey software. A demonstration of the entire survey setup process will be presented.

  • Snap Advanced
    Wednesday, April 7, 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
    In the Advanced course, users of Snap will learn how to create a survey, set up routing rules, and send automated survey invitation and reminder messages through Snap.  Password-protected surveys and iterative surveys will also be discussed.
Wimba Live Classroom

  • Wimba Classroom and Other Wimba Tools
    Wednesday, April 21, 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
    Wimba Classroom is a synchronous, virtual classroom. Its features include multi-way audio and video, easy upload of PowerPoint presentations, application sharing, polling, and more—all designed to create a robust online classroom experience.