Archive
How a teacher creates and grades a Moodle streaming video assignment.
- Click button: “Turn editing on”, from the “add an activity dropdown, choose: “video”, like so:
- Edit your assignment, like so:
- using the following options (or else expect problems)
- Due date: not DISABLED (is the default)
- Prevent late submissions: YES (is not the default)
- Allow resubmitting: NO (is the default)
- using the following options (or else expect problems)
- after you post your assignment and your students took it, like so,
- and if you turned notifications (not recommended; rather grade the assignment well after the deadline, or else expect problems) on (if you get already enough email, remember you can turn notifications off, rather send a deadline to the assignments which the students can see in their calendar, and until they get used to it, tell them there will be more video assignments, best: make it a routine and leave 2 for extra credit could be enough to get everybody to catch), you will get an email like this:
- where you click either on the link (1) to go to the assignment, then click through to the submissions (3)
- or on (2) to go directly to the grade book:
- where you are best advised to click on the button: “grade” to view the video submission, , or else you might run into this bug.
- In the grading window,
play the video, add helpful comments, if any, add final Grade and click “save and next” (but click “next” if no video submitted yet and you grade before the submission deadline. Better: do not grade before the submission deadline). - If video seems unwilling to play (frozen frame), drag the play cursor forward on the timeline underneath the video.
If this does not unfreeze the video, let the timeline run to the end (both workarounds have helped with Kaltura issues we encountered here).
How a Student takes a Moodle Video Assignment in the LRC
- On one of the LRC iMacs, in the Safari web browser (open new window with COMMAND-key+n),
- go to your Moodle course, (1) find the video Assignment, read the assignment instructions (what your teacher wants you to record). Then click underneath the (2) button: “Add video Assignment”, to open the (3) submission window:
- Note that she will also have to allow the flash player to interact with her webcam first.
If you see no web cam video window, only a black frame, read in.- In the submission window, choose the tab “Webcam” (1), use the dropdown to select the camera hardware (2).
- Check the headset microphone audio: The external headset microphone on the iMacs did not work., but now it does, provided you do this: control-click on Flash’s a video preview window (= the window where you see yourself like in a mirror) for the web camera, and click on “settings”.
-
- Click on the microphone icon :
- Make sure the USB PnP device is selected.
- You can bring up the settings dialogue, make sure the USB PnP device is chosen for audio and CRANK up the microphone input sensitivity! Then, by tabbing (don’t speak yet) on the headset microphone, test the volume levels with the built-in volume meter (should show lots of green bars when you tab). Unlike in the picture, do not choose “reduce echo ”.
-
- Start (3) the video recording.
- Afterwards, the student can review (4) her submission.
- If you don’t like your first recording, (3) “record” over it and review again with (4) “Play”. If you do this and the video appears frozen, drag the timeline cursor forward to get the re-recorded video to play. If this does not seem to work, you are likely still able to submit your 2nd attempt, just not review it again.
- Click through all the “Next”etc. buttons:
-
- until you get to the feedback page for the student (caveat: in IE9, the video does not fit into the frame provided on the page).
- Note, it warns you to be patient now:
-
- LRC support:
- Depending on your hardware (webcam), software and network support, you can record your language speaking video assignments on any device that has a webcam and a browser that supports flash – and even more devices, if you are willing to post process and upload the video clip.
- If you run into problems or want to use a tested setup, we recommend using the LRC. Since our PCs have no built-in or added webcam (proposed), we can currently only use our 5 8 iMacs (see LRC Layout, see Classroom Calendar and iMacs Calendar for availability). Our (limited) tests worked better in Safari than Firefox.
How teachers can more quickly open/update/save their Moodle files from MS-Office
MS-Education Labs has published a plugin that speeds up editing MS-Office Files in Moodle.
To use the plugin, download (for 32-bit Office) , run, and from (2007) Office Button or (2010/2003) Menu: “File”, use menu item “Open from Moodle” (and later “Save to Moodle”).
You have to (once) let MS-Office (e.g. MS-Word or Excel) know the URL of Moodle (e.g. http://moodle.uncc.edu), 
, then your login credentials: 
.
Note that your categorization of Moodle courses (in the tree menu on the left, all courses are filed away in folders called “Training”) prevents an instant load: 
.
Instead, search for (part of) your course title: 
.
Select the results you want to add and click button: “Add”: 
.
Wait for the courses to be loaded: 
.
You can then use the left course tree to browse for matching MS-office files within each of your loaded courses: 
MS-Office files are likely involved in the majority of Moodle edits, so this promises to be a great timesaver.
For more information, see also the CTL’s step-by-step instruction Using the Office Add-in for Moodle.
UNCC LRC Language Placement Test: Web-CAPE Online Placement Exam Step-by-Step
- “The Online Placement Exam is designed to help you determine the first course you should take, based on your ability. This multiple-choice [no speaking, listening or writing required] exam presents questions of different ability levels, adapting the next question’s level according to your answers. The number of questions you will be required to complete depends upon your ability to use the language. The duration of the test varies, but it usually takes 15-20 minutes to complete [but can be finished after only 4 questions, and we will give you up to an hour time to complete the exam]”.
- The proctored exam takes place in the LRC (COED434). The exam schedule is published in the LRC COED434 calendar. Read more on how to view the LRC calendar from within the new NINERMAIL.
- When taking the exam during the proctored session in the language center [do not take the exam on your own], to sign up for the test, you have to go to: https://www.aetip.com/student/RegisterStudent.cfm (note: the “s” behind “http” is required), this now forwards to:https://www.perpetualworks.com/secure/register/student/, for which sthe shortcut is: http://goo.gl/PBjhhS:
- First chose UNCC (Avoid the common error of choosing another University of the UNC system, you will not be able to take the test if you do):
- Then choose your language – note that UNCC only allows testing in French, German and Spanish.
- Fill out the other form fields with your information.
- Finally, you need one of these credit cards, and the proper billing info, to take the test:
- Next, you will have to enter your NINERNET student id number.
- The exam results will eventually go to your file. However, they will have to be post-processed by the department. Do not take the exam without coordinating with the Department of Language and Culture Studies, or else your exam results will get lost!
- Remember that you can repeat the placement test, even though the number of retries per languages is limited to two (your score will get invalidated after that!).
- Remember also that is not advisable to study for (let alone cheat during) a placement exam, or else you will get placed into a course that is not right for you.
Canon ZR-200 LLC Camera Basics
The camera can store only about 30 [check, might be 100 or more, recording size is 5MB per 1 min video] minutes on its SD card
Currently we are using my personal SD card, bring your own to extend the recording time (by swapping the cards. You can move video clips onto classroom computers’ network shares if the classroom computer is in MS-Active Directory (which most should be) and if the classroom computer has an SD card reader (which most will NOT have).
Video–clips (internal access only) showing how to operate the camera are here:
camera-canon-zr200-Inserting&Removing_Memory_Card_Starting&Stopping&Filming.avi
camera-canon-zr200-Inserting_Memory_Card_into_Card_Reader_on_Assistant-Computer.AVI
camera-canon-zr200-moving_video_from_memory_card_to_H-Drive.avi
For base documentation, see these graphics:
You can change the audio modes:
Optimum video mode with card is 320*240.
All in all: Quick and dirty recording and archiving for basic assessments…
Collaboration using MS-Office and Network Shares
Accessing: We set up collaborative editing on a number of MS-Office files (Word, Excel, PowerPoint for starters) on network shares.
These files function like files on your computer’s C: or D: (cd) drive. C: (and H:, S:) you can write to, while D: (and M:) you can only read from. Details, including students’ access, below:
|
Mapped as for |
Staff (including LLC staff) can |
Student can |
Language services use |
NetworkPath |
|||
|
Staff |
Student |
read |
write |
read |
write |
|
|
|
H:\LLC |
|
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
sensitive exam files; internal documentation & management (hallway.ppt, channel55.ppt, Sign_In_Sheet.xls) |
\\adfileprod01\shared\LLC |
|
M: |
|
Yes |
No (admin only) |
Yes |
No |
LLC: (large) multimedia files (to be moved into Blackboard content system) |
\\resman\media |
|
S: |
|
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Student audio recordings |
\\resman\Student Saved Work\ |
|
G: |
G: |
Only current user |
Only current user |
Only current user |
Only current user |
Personal home drive |
\\adfileprod01\users\[yourusername] |
If you do not see the M: and S: click drive 
, click 
, paste “\\resman\Student Saved Work\Admin\conf\ms.vbs”, click 
.
To access the files quickly, you can click , click , paste the path to the file, click . Alternatively, browse to the folder with the file like to any other folder on your PC, starting from “My Computer”. Repeat access from the office computer is easiest if you create a shortcut to the file, by right-click-dragging the file onto your desktop (do not create a copy, it will get out of synch and be useless for collaboration).
You can also access the files from home if you follow the instructions here. I have not thoroughly tested this, but my installation on MS-Vista, after the initial setup, defaults to a web-interface view which allows reading the files, but, unlike VPN connections I have used, not editing.
Searching: Search files like you do on your computer.
Editing: Files are unlike those on your C: or D: drive insofar as other people can open them also. If somebody has a file open and thus locks you out of writing to it, simply come back later when she has closed it.
The Excel Sign_In_Sheet.xls is a “shared” spreadsheet, in the sense that you will not be locked out while lab assistants have it open (which is always during LLC opening hours). However, you may get conflict messages if you try to save edits (which you normally would do not need to do, just viewing), like demonstrated here: excel_shared.wmv.
If you use regular (non-shared Excel) MS-Office Files, you may see such a warning message:
If you clicked “Notify”, you will eventually be prompted to open the file in read-write mode, and your changes will be saved, if you colleague did not update the file (otherwise you will have to save under a different file name and later can use tool “compare and merge” to merge changes). 
For PowerPoint, you may see this:
If you clicked “open” ”read-only”, you will see a reminder:
It is probably easier to close the file and try again later, to see whether your colleague is finished with it.
Sanako Lab 300: Pairing and some basics
In the spirit of ‘Better improvised instruction and information distribution than failing classes in the lab”, I recorded a 1-on-1 instruction on how to pair students, including some other basic Lab300 features into a 5-minute screencast with voice over (open with Windows Media Player): sanako-lab300_pairing-and-basics.wmv
For an overview, see the following table of contents (when reviewing the video before starting your class in the Lab, search your webmail for the link to this instruction.)
- Not shown: teach students once and for all: always log in first;
- Grouping setup pane (all into L, then into A, excluding unused seats);
- Pair discussion setup pane (button: select for manual pair select mode);
- Not shown: teacher should use button: duo launch to facilitate student control of audio;
- Within group A pane , teacher uses button:transfer, changes program source to audio cassette:
Pair discussion setup pane : “re-pair”, using button:cancel all, button:random to have Lab 300 software choose pairs; - Within group A pane , teacher uses button:headphone for talking to group (not shown: remember to undo when finished!)
- From classroom layout: teachers clicks student icon to bring up student pane;
- From student pane, teacher views student screen, listens to student (or pair), uses student button:intercom for talking to student (or pair);
- From top menu: Other / thumbnail view of group: teacher brings up Mosaic window, to monitor (“police”) entire group screens; translates what you see to individual student, and uses button:lock (keyboard, screen or both) to prevent students from not staying on task [Demo this in first lab class to your students, using the screen projector , and hopefully they will hopefully stay on task];
- From menu: Other/ thumbnail view of group, teacher brings up Mosaic window and double clicks student screen to control individual student computer (e.g. to close a web browser – another way to police, less effective, but possible; better used for collaboration) . [Better policing options can be set up in the using the Lab300 web browser).
MS-Office Communicator: Getting Started
https://thomasplagwitz.com/2009/11/13/collaboration-using-ms-office-and-network-shares/Click 
, click 
, type “communicator”, click 
.
To adjust options, click (1), (2) and (3) here:
To start communicator with Windows, select (1).
To have Outlook automatically show you as busy during calendar appointments (e.g. your classes), select (4).
To get your contact list up to speed, select all the contacts in the to-address line of a mass email and drag them to your communicator window, see this screencast here: communicator-email-contact-drag.wmv.
Microsoft has a useful “Getting Started” web-based training here:
To use the advanced features of Live Meeting, you can either use the context menu of the contact, or within an existing messaging session, escalate to Live Meeting by using the upper right hand corner menu, like in these 2 screnshots:
Questions? Read the About. Or just ask me a quick Our Databases: Resources with calendars -- Language learning material Moodle Sites, multimedia files -- films
FAQs for LRC student staff or for students or for teachers. To search our FAQs, in the browser addressbar, add after "https://plagwitz.wordpress.com/feed/?tag=faqs+/" "+TAG1" (from tag cloud below) OR "https://plagwitz.wordpress.com/feed/tag=faqs
&category_name=" "CAT1" (from category hierarchy below). OR search both categories and tags, and multiple TAGs/CATs (connect with "," for OR-search, with "+" for AND-search), like so: https://plagwitz.wordpress.com/feed/?tag=TAG1+TAG2+...TAGn&category_name=CAT1
+CAT2+...CATn"
Other ways to find help
If you cannot find it here, look there: 5,500 Language-Learning Links and Programs for learning or teaching 150 languages
Shortcuts:Our Lists, Our Maps, LRC Staff Moodle Site,LRC Project Moodle Site, 49erexpress, UNCC Moodle, Student Recordings: s:claslcslrcsanakostudent
Learning usage samples: Sanako oral exam, Kaltura webcam presentation, Dictation with speech recognition, Sanako written exam, Chinese and Japanese interactive stroke-order practice
Test the Sanako Installer, Webbrowser Popup Konfigurator for XP, or Windows7, faster LRC TeacherPC Log-in Let MS facilitate diacritics writing by installing for you US-International keyboard layout
This is my personal blog (Google+). The views expressed on these pages are mine alone and not those of my employer. The information in this weblog is provided “AS IS” with no warranties, and confers no rights.
Thomas' Work Space 