Instructor Guide
Last updated: 10/01/08
Moodle | Instructor
Drive | Confluence Wiki |
LEEP Live Sessions | Streaming Media Server | LIS Library Resources
| Help Desk
Welcome GSLIS Instructors!
This guide is designed to orient you to the many
GSLIS-supported
services available to you and your class. All
GSLIS courses will have Moodle course space and file storage space
created automatically. In addition, instructors will have the option of
utilizing a number of other tools and services to meet their
instructional needs including wikis for collaborative work, synchronous
tools and more.
You can access all of these services with your NetID
and GSLIS
Domain password.
For additional information, or to arrange
one on one help, please contact us:
help@support.lis.uiuc.edu
244-4903 | 1-800-377-1892
Moodle
http://courses.lis.uiuc.edu
Tip: When in Moodle, check out the 
help icon for
contextual tips and additional information.
Basics:
Moodle is the open source course management system used in all
GSLIS courses beginning in Spring 2007. GSLIS uses a highly
customized
installation of Moodle, so not all information provided in Moodle's
documentation will be accurate.
GSLIS guide to Moodle:
Using
Moodle
This guide includes step-by-step directions for adding and interacting
with resources, creating assignments, using the built-in gradebook, and
much more. This guide is intended for both student and instructor
use, so you can direct your students to this same location if they have
questions or need to learn more about a specific tool.
You are encouraged to use as many of the Moodle tools as you think
would be useful in conjunction with your existing course
materials. At minimum, we request that you post your syllabus (as
a text page, web page, or linked from your course directory) to your
course
space. The required blocks will provide you with your course
roster and a means to send announcements to your students, replicating
functionalities available in the old LEEP system.
Access to Moodle is restricted to members of the GSLIS
community. Course specific information including participant
lists, forums, assignments etc. are restricted to insrtructors,
students enrolled in the class and other authorized agents of the
University of Illinois (E.G. site administrators, support staff, guest
speakers etc.)
If you have questions about Moodle or need assistance preparing
materials for your course space, please contact the Instructional
Technology and Design Office (ITD) at
help@support.lis.uiuc.edu.
http://courseweb.lis.uiuc.edu/lis/2008sp/lis590xx/
or
https://courseweb.lis.uiuc.edu/lis/2008sp/lis590xx/
In addition to your Moodle space, all courses also have a
course directory called your Instructor Drive. The Instructor Drive can be used to augment Moodle; you can use your Instructor Drive to store large
files and have access to scripting.
The course directories are organized into three main
components:
General File Storage for instructor
only (not shared through the web)
Content stored in the public_html directory is
publicly available at the following URL (replace lis590xx with your
course number):
http://courseweb.lis.uiuc.edu/lis/2007sp/lis590xx/
Content stored in the public_htmls directory is
restricted based on the class
roster and others given access. This content is password-protected;
accessing this content from the web will require authenticaiton using
the GSLIS domain account.
Content will be available from the following URL (please note the https and replace lis590xx with your
course number):
https://courseweb.lis.uiuc.edu/lis/2007sp/lis590xx/
See also:
- The file storage page for more information about course I: Drives and how to
access the course directories (and personal directories).
- Group Admin Page to add guests, TAs etc. (or contact the
Help Desk)
Confluence Wiki
https://apps.lis.uiuc.edu/wiki/
See also:
*Note: GSLIS uses a customized installation so not
all information will be applicable.
Wikis are a collaborative software tool that allows users to create
and edit web content directly in their web browser. GSLIS maintains a
site lincense (unlimited users) to a Wiki software package called
Confluence. Course Wiki spaces can be created upon request and each
space offers flexibility in terms of read/write access, how the space
is organized etc. When ready, these space can be linked from the Moodle
course space and a single login with the GSLIS Domain account.
Confluence Navigation:
A breadcrumb trails is available to lead back to your dashboard or
"home" on confluence from the space you are in.
Confluence Options:
Confluence offers the below options for each space to view, add or
edit content.
Expand the Basic Functions
(Page Operations, Browse Space
or Add Content) and select the task needed.
LEEP Live Sessions and Synchronous Tools
See also:
The Live Session area is built in automatically for LEEP classes and
tools can also be set up by request for on campus courses.
LEEP Classes have three main components and each is archived
automatically and available shortly after class:
- A live audio stream
- A chat room
- The ability to share "slides" or web based resources (external
websites, lecture notes, application sharing etc.)
Audio:
Each class will have a live audio stream of the instructor's voice
(lecture and discussion) live from
one of our LEEP studios or the instructors location (home, office etc.)
if remote via the telephone. By default, the instructor(s) will
be live but it's possible to include guest speakers or student
presentations
in a broadcast. The "Live Audio" does include a latency
of ~3-4 seconds (rtsp) or longer (pnm, mp3).
Chat:
Everyone including the instructor is logged into the class chat
room (via the LEEP live session interface). Chat is the primary method
for students to ask questions, make comments and share ideas with the
insructor and their classmates during class. By default, chat is
archived although it is possible to send a private note (whisper) to
another member of the group.
In addition to the main room, twelve side rooms or break out rooms
are available to each class for small group discussion (these are also
archived).
Slides:
Slides can be any web based resource you want students to see
during class. Any resource preloaded or linked to in Moodle
will automatically be available in the pulldown of instructor interface
(select resource) or you
can type or paste in a URL to send.
Slides can include:
- Lecture notes, short readings, diagrams, images
etc. created by the instructor (in Moodle, on the I: drive or elsewhere)
- External Websites (organizational sites, opacs,
search engine pages, wikipedia etc.)
- Application sharing, co-browsing and white boarding via Webhuddle
(see below).
Note: All slides should be in a format that will load for all
users in a web browser. If you need help converting MS Office or
other materials, please let us know.
Webhuddle:
https://apps2.lis.uiuc.edu/leeplive/
See also: GSLIS Webhuddle tutorial
Webhuddle is an open source web conferencing package that allows for
application sharing including co-browsing and
limited white boarding
functionality. GSLIS maintains its own webhuddle server for school
use and it can be used for LEEP live sessions as a "slide",
office hours, workshops, tech support and more.
Other features:
- Chat: Webuddle does have its own chat function that
can be used in addition or instead of LEEP chat.
- VoIP: We suggest using LEEP audio instead of
Webhuddle's VoIP. In other uses, if this option is enabled, the
moderator can use a computer microphone to speak with the group and to pass
the mic to others.
- Recordings: Recordings are available to the moderator and
can be played online or downloaded. For course archives, these
can be exported and linked from the course site.
Streaming Media Server
GSLIS maintains a Helix Universal Server which in addition to live
broadcasts can stream out recorded audio and video in a number of
different formats including:
- RealAudio & RealVideo
- Windows Media
- QuickTime
- MP3
- MPEG-4
- 3GPP* (H.263 and H.264) and more!
Our staff can also work with you to help record or create audio and
video for your instructional needs. We can also work with you to encode
existing media (digital or analog) to meet your instructional needs.
LIS Library Resources
The LIS Library is an outstanding resource for GSLIS instructors.
Help Desk
In addition to the services discussed above, the Office of Information
Technology and Research (OITR) provides technical support and
instruction for students, staff, and faculty. These services are
offered by the Instructional Technology and Design Office (ITD) in
cooperation with GSLIS User Services and the Help
Desk, located in
room 211 GSLIS.
Other GSLIS services include:
- An individual I: Drive for web
content, providing 250 MB online personal file storage space for students, faculty, and staff. The I: Drive
spaces replace the LEEP WebFTP and the classrm_html direcotories of the
H: Drive (access continues for two years after leaving GSLIS)
- Printing
is available within the GSLIS building. Faculty, staff, and PhD
students have a $450 annual print quota; additional funds can easily be
added.
- AV services,
including laptops, projectors, and speakerphones are available upon
request.
- The Classroom Servers are available for instructors wishing to
teach with Unix, Linux, Greenstone, or other software not supported in
the LRL.
- Scanning/conversion of instructional materials can be done with
the assistance of tech staff. Send requests to help@support.lis.uiuc.edu.
- Workshops
and tutorials
are available for GSLIS-specific technology requirements, as well as
other professional development tools.
