Faculty Guide to eCompanion - AiCA-SF Faculty...

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Faculty Guide to eCompanion

Training Manual

Edition 6.0 10/1/2010

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Previous Legacy Edition for eCompanion v5 originally written and compiled by: Mark Labbett, EDMC eCollege Coordinator

Sarah Duff, EDMC eCompanion Rollout Specialist

Edition 6.0 for eCompanion .NExT produced by: Kelli Thornton, EDMC Systems Analyst

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Enhance your Classroom with eCompanion

Reinforce Keep your students on the right path by visually reinforcing your syllabus and curriculum.

Share Upload lectures, handouts, assignments, and other additional resources for access and printability anytime.

Receive Request assignments be submitted using the electronic Dropbox.

Organize

Don’t send students hunting for information. Centralize all course materials in one, internet-accessible location. Organize relevant documents and websites.

Grade

Provide access to grades, comments, and the most up-to-date grade information, so students always know how they are doing in the course.

Communicate

Directly email students from the classroom. Develop course discourse using the threaded discussion function. Post critical announcements on the Course Home Page.

Start basic

Start with building the basics in eCompanion and then add more complex features over time. Upload the syllabus and add units. Then set up the Gradebook, add content items, create Dropbox baskets, and more!

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Important Resources

Faculty/Student Support Contact us with technical questions or concerns regarding constructing your eCompanion classroom at: Email: [email protected] [email protected] For immediate assistance call: 866-642-2711 You can provide this contact information to your students if they are experiencing technical difficulties or access issues.

eCompanion from the Student Point of View View course tools from a student perspective and understand how a student uses eCompanion‟s features. Login ID: test1 Password: test1

mailto:[email protected]


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Getting Started in eCompanion

Page 7 Introduction to eCompanion

Page 9 eCompanion Glossary of Terms

Page 10 Logging in to eCompanion – Art Institutes

Page 11 Logging in to eCompanion – South University

Page 13 Navigating eCompanion

Page 14 Updating Personal Information

Page 15 eCompanion Frequently Asked Questions

Basic eCompanion Skills

Page 18 Course Admin

Page 23 The Visual Editor

Page 28 Metadata

Page 29 Publishing Content

Building Your Course in eCompanion

Page 31 Course Introduction

Page 32 Course Announcements

Page 34 Syllabus

Page 37 Unit Placeholders

Page 39 Unit Content

1 Content Item Placeholders

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“Text/Multimedia (Content Manager)” Content Item

“Web Content Upload (Content Manager)” Content Item

Page 48 “Microsoft Office Document (Content Manager)” Content Item

Page 49 “Threaded Discussion” Content Item

Page 53 “Exam” Content Item

Page 64 Gradebook

Page 71 Grading Assignments

Page 76 Email

Page 79 Doc Sharing

Page 81 Dropbox

Page 83 Webliography

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Regarding Students

Page 85 Tips for Encouraging Students to Use eCompanion

Page 87 Student eCompanion Handouts

Page 97 Common Student FAQs

Icon Guide

Tips

How to Edit

How it Works

Frequently Asked Questions

Return to Table of Contents

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Getting Started in eCompanion

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Overview of eCompanion eCompanion is an online, course management platform that will help to organize your curriculum and serve as a supplemental tool to improve the student learning experience. It is provided by eCollege, a Pearson Education company. EDMC works regularly with eCollege to make improvements and enhancements to the product. eCompanion is solely for EDMC ground campuses. The platform allows faculty to essentially create a “class website.” eCompanion cannot replace anything that you would normally accomplish during your class meetings. It can only supplement and accompany your class by providing an online presence for course information and materials. The main difference between the eCollege and eCompanion products are how they are to be used. eCollege is the main course delivery system for online courses while eCompanion is a supplemental course delivery system. The eCompanion course management system works through the creation of a course “shell” that is set up to accompany your face-to-face courses. You as the faculty decide what information goes into the shell, from simply posting a syllabus and announcements to fully utilizing all the features and functionality that are offered. eCompanion includes a wide variety of tools for you to use, including Doc Sharing, Threaded Discussions, a Gradebook, Email, and more.

The eCompanion classrooms that are constructed by you are available anytime, anywhere that you can access the internet. All work is saved and archived, meaning that once you build your course, you can reuse it every quarter.

eCompanion Benefits With the implementation of eCompanion and its various tools, we will see…

Increased instructor efficiency;

Increased instructor ability to support student success;

Enhanced student learning and comprehension; and

Increased student responsibility.

eCompanion Course Creation It is the instructor‟s responsibility to contact the on-campus eCompanion Administrator each quarter to request a new eCompanion course shell or a copied course from a previous semester for each of the courses you intend to use eCompanion. Once your eCompanion Administrator creates your course shells and enrolls you, the instructor, in the the course, you may begin construction or make edits to your eCompanion classrooms.

Student Access Anytime after your course shell is created, the courses will be populated with students by the Corporate eCompanion representative. Students will be able to access the course three days before the term start date and seven days after the course end date. The roster information is pulled directly from the student information system and reflects those students actually registered for your class. It is important that the student is registered for the course in the student information system (CARS or CampusVue). If they are not registered in the student information system they will not appear in your eCompanion course. Your roster will be updated with any adds or drops throughout the quarter every day for the first two weeks and once a week on Fridays for the rest of the semester. If you need an emergency enrollment you may contact your campus eCompanion Administrator.

Your Campus eCompanion Administrator

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At each campus, an eCompanion Administrator is trained to administer the eCompanion platform. The on-campus eCompanion Administrator will be responsible for the creation of courses in the eCollege system, as well as the attachment of instructors to their course sections.

The Corporate eCompanion Representatives The Corporate eCompanion Representatives are responsible for the enrollment of students in their course sections each quarter. They also train the Campus eCompanion Administrators and assist them with any problems they are having. Lastly, they work with the folks at eCollege to continuously make enhancements to the eCompanion and eCollege products.

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With eCompanion, each instructor begins building their course from a blank or empty shell set up by the campus eCompanion Administrator. The course shell only contains the default items and settings. Once the instructor begins adding content and placeholders, the course is no longer blank. An instructor can request and build as many blank courses/shells as they need. An instructor may also request a copy of a previous course which is not a blank shell.

Content Item A content item describes any subsection organized underneath a particular unit/week on the left-side navigation bar.

Course Home The Course Home Page is the first viewed page when faculty and students log in to their eCompanion classroom. The Course Home Page contains the course introduction and announcements. Course Home is also a navigation point on the left-side navigation bar. On the left-side navigation bar, the units/weeks and all content are organized underneath the Course Home.

“Course” mode and “Author” mode

Within eCompanion, instructors have two modes in which to view the classroom. The first is “Course” mode, which presents the classroom in the way that a student will view it. The second is “Author” mode, which is the mode that allows the instructor to create and edit content. In the process of constructing a classroom, the instructor will enter into “Author” mode to create content, and then return to “Course” mode to see what it will look like form the student point of view.

eCollege Home Page

The eCollege Home Page as opposed to the Course Home page is the first page that a user arrives at immediately after logging in to eCompanion. At this location, a user can access all of the current eCompanion courses in which he or she is enrolled, and change their user password and email address.

Metadata Metadata is simply “data about data.” It is used as a way to tag the content created in eCompanion to later search for the content if needed. Metadata is required at the creation of most of the different content types in the eCompanion classroom.

Nugget Most of the pages in eCompanion are divided into various areas, called “nuggets.” A nugget is the term to describe the different sections contained within their own boxes in the main space in the classroom.

Placeholder A placeholder is an empty page to which content is later added. It is meant to hold the place within the classroom structure for content. A placeholder is another term for content type and can have multiple functions and functionality and must be created prior to adding content to any units. Think of the placeholder as the skeleton for your classroom.

Units A unit is any section created underneath the Course Home. Units are the way to organize the content on the left-side navigation bar. Typically, instructors choose to organize their content by “Week,” but units can be whatever makes sense for the course. For example, if the course is “Regional Cuisine,” the units could be “Tex Mex,” “Southern,” “Cajun,” etc.

Visual Editor The Visual Editor is a Microsoft Word®-like text editing tool that allows the author to create content in eCompanion. With the Visual Editor, “what you see is what you get.” It allows the author to build, format, and edit text and images in a web page without requiring the knowledge of HTML. See page 23 for more information.

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eCompanion works best in the Microsoft Internet Explorer® and Mozilla Firefox® browsers. If you use a Mac computer, it is recommended that you use the Mozilla Firefox® browser. If you do not have the Mozilla Firefox® browser, you can go to http://www.firefox.com to download it for free. If you use a Mac computer, and prefer the Safari browser, you must “allow all cookies” in your security settings (this cannot be done on most campus computers).

eCompanion also functions best if you have the latest versions of Adobe Flash® and Java™ installed on your computer. If you do not have the latest versions, you can download them at http://www.adobe.com and http://www.java.com/, respectively.

Go to: http://www.myeclassonline.com.

Your browser may provide you with the following pop-up window. Click “No” in order to proceed to the login screen.

To view Technical Requirements and test your browser‟s compatibility, click “Technical Requirements.”

Enter your login ID and password, then click “Go to Class.” If you are unsure what your login and password are please contact Faculty Support (see page 3).

This takes you to your eCollege home page which will list your courses and any announcements from the Administrator. Any active courses will be displayed, and any previous quarters will be collapsed. To see past courses, click the “+” button on the corresponding quarter. To go to an eCompanion class, simply click the blue link that is the course title and you will be taken to the Course Home page.

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http://www.adobe.com/

http://www.java.com/

http://www.myeclassonline.com/

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eCompanion works best in the Microsoft Internet Explorer® and Mozilla Firefox® browsers. If you use a Mac computer, it is recommended that you use the Mozilla Firefox® browser. If you do not have the Mozilla Firefox® browser, you can go to http://www.firefox.com to download it for free. If you use a Mac computer, and prefer the Safari browser, you must “allow all cookies” in your security settings (this cannot be done on most campus computers).

eCompanion also functions best if you have the latest versions of Adobe Flash® and Java™ installed on your computer. If you do not have the latest versions, you can download them at http://www.adobe.com and http://www.java.com/, respectively.

1. Go to: http://inside.southuniversity.edu/

2. Roll the mouse cursor over the “Campuses” tab across the top navigation menu. Do not click.

3. Then, roll the mouse cursor over the specific campus you belong to as it appears in the available drop-down

menu. Click.

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http://inside.southuniversity.edu/

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4. A campus specific screen will appear. On the right click on “Faculty Portal”.

5. The "Faculty Login" will now appear. Enter your login ID and password and click “Login.”

This takes you to your eCollege home page which will list your courses and any announcements from the

Administrator. Any active courses will be displayed, and any previous quarters will be collapsed. To see

past courses, click the “+” button on the corresponding quarter.

To go to an eCompanion class, simply click the blue link that is the course title and you will be taken to the

Course Home page.

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1. In the center of the screen are the contents of the Course Home Page – announcements and an introduction/welcome to the course (also find nuggets called “What‟s New” and “Course Checklist”). The Course Home Page is the first page that everyone sees when they first enter the eCompanion classroom.

2. To the left of the Course Home Page (circled in red) is the left-side navigation bar. This is where the

user navigates to all units and content items. All of the content for the course resides here and is meant to be “view-only” (not printer-friendly).

3. Along the top of the Course Home Page (circled in green) is the top navigation bar. This allows the user

to access all the course management tools (the “Course Admin” button will not be visible to students).

4. At the very top of the left-side navigation bar are the viewing mode options (circled in yellow). To view the course as a student would see it, click on “Course” mode. To create and edit course content, click on “Author” mode. In most classrooms, the current mode button is “white” (in this example, the “Course” button is white so the viewer is in “Course” mode).

5. At the bottom of the left-side navigation bar three options (circled in black). They are: “Hide Units and

Content”, “Exit Course”, and “User Settings”, in that order. The “Hide Units and Content” option collapses the left side navigation. . To exit the course and return to the course listing found on the

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eCollege home page, click the “Exit Course” button. To exit the course and logout of eCompanion entirely, click the “Logout” button. The “User Settings” option allows you to change the language of the course and customize the time zone.

6. In the upper-right corner of the classroom is the “Help” button. The “Help” button provides information for navigating or constructing items in eCompanion.

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To update your eCompanion email address or password:

Log in to eCompanion. Do not enter any courses.

Click on the “My Profile” link that appears in the top right of the screen.

Fields will appear where the email address and password can be changed.

To finalize the changes, click “Update with new values”.

To update your name, login ID, or enrollment status, you will need to contact your campus eCompanion Administrator.

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General Questions

What is the expectation for using eCompanion? eCompanion is not meant to replace anything that you are already doing during your class meetings. The platform is only meant to be a supplement to your class – a place to house information, reinforce policies, further course discussions, provide exam reviews, place course documents, etc. Each faculty member must set the expectations for use with their students The Dean of Academic Affairs at your campus may present expectations for how faculty are to use eCompanion. This should be discussed with your Dean.

How is information secured and backed up? Where is this information stored? Who can access the site? eCollege provides a secure interface and all information is backed up hourly at their two locations in Denver, Colorado. Only students and faculty enrolled in the course, in addition to administrators, can view the course.

How much time can you sit idle in eCompanion before it times out? In eCompanion, you can be logged in for 90 minutes without any activity. However, most internet browsers will log you out after 45 minutes, if not sooner.

What are the rules regarding copyright? You should maintain the same copyright practices that you would in your classroom. As a general rule, for any classroom content that you did not originate, you should acquire rights for use. Some items, however, do not require rights for use, such as works produced prior to 1923, which are now considered public domain. Contact your DOAA or Librarian if you have further questions regarding copyright. In addition, your librarian may have images, articles, and more that can be used in your class, where the copyright has already been obtained.

What will happen to past-used courses? All courses in which a faculty member is enrolled will remain viewable as you log in to eCollege. Once the quarter has passed, the courses within that quarter will collapse (be hidden underneath the term); however, by expanding the term you can view and access those past classes, including any past student information. You can use these past classes as a resource, or you can have the on-campus eCompanion Administrator copy all the course content directly into the next quarter for you to reuse.

How does my class get loaded each session? How do my students get access to class? What will it look like when students are enrolled in the class? You will need to contact the on-campus eCompanion Administrator to request that your courses get loaded each quarter. Your eCompanion courses will not automatically be made available each quarter, as we do not have insight into your teaching schedule. So, you, as the instructor, play a critical role here in telling the on-campus eCompanion Administrator what you need. The eCompanion Representative will then enroll all students into your eCompanion class once it is copied. This is an automated process, and relies on the student to be registered for your course in the student information system. Rosters will automatically be updated daily for the first two weeks of the term and weekly, on Fridays, for the remainder of the term. Be sure to stay in contact with your eCompanion Representative if you have roster changes and need a student enrolled or dropped from your course more immediately.

What if I teach multiple courses? If you teach multiple courses, you can create a different eCompanion course shell for each one. If you teach multiple sections of one course, you can simply create one eCompanion course shell and then ask the on-campus eCompanion Administrator to make duplicates of what you have created to accommodate the number of sections you are teaching.

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How long do students have access to the class? Students will only be able to access their class until the quarter is over. Their access will then be closed. However, once a student has an eCollege login, they can always access the system.

How will the students learn how to use this? Partly, we are relying on the computer-savviness of your students to learn how to use eCompanion on their own. We have provided handouts to show them how to log in, navigate, and use the classroom features. These handouts (found on pages 87-96) can be placed in the Doc Sharing in the class, emailed, or handed out during a class meeting. Encourage your students to log in to class and look around in your course. Hands-on is the best method of learning the eCompanion platform.

Can a course be shared with another instructor? This can be done. The eCompanion Administrator will have to enroll another faculty member into the course and provide them with faculty access.

Do I have to reconstruct my class each quarter? No. We can recycle your course content any quarter that you need it, so that you don‟t need to do additional work. You will still need to request the course however. To make it easiest on yourself, build your course as generically as possible so that there is little to update each time you use the course.

What do I need to update in my course each quarter? It depends on what information you placed into your course, but generally, you will need to update the following information in your eCompanion course each quarter:

o Syllabus; o Calendar dates (including Course Scheduler); and o If using an exam, the date at which the exam grade can be viewed in the Gradebook.

Building Your Course

What kinds of files can you upload? eCompanion supports multiple types of files for placing in Doc Sharing and submitting to the Dropbox. Supported file types include .avi, .doc, .fla, .jsp, .mp3, .pdf, .ppt, .psd, .tif, .wav, .wma, .wmv, .xls, .xml, etc. For a complete list, please contact eCompanion Support (page 3).

Why do I not need to be in “Author” mode to access the items across the top navigation bar? The items across the top navigation bar (Gradebook, Email, and Doc Sharing) recognize the role of the user and permit access with that information. Keep in mind that students can also add files to the Doc Sharing, add entries to the Webliography, and send messages using the Email tool.

Is there a file size limit for the Dropbox? Is there a file size limit for Doc Sharing? Is there a file size limit for uploading content items? How capable is eCompanion of uploading and then viewing raw files? In general, the file size limit for all items in eCompanion is 8 MB. The larger the file, the more time it may require to upload. One could liken file uploading to attaching a file to an email – the larger the file, the longer it might take to upload and then open. The biggest thing to keep in mind in relation to file sizes is that you can not ensure what kind of internet connection a student may have access. If you place a large file in eCompanion, and expect students to be able to access it, you may be excluding students without access to enough bandwidth at home. Here are eCollege‟s recommended specifications for file uploading: Dial-up: anything under 1.5 MB should be safe and easily uploaded. Two to three MBs can be uploaded, but will take a significant amount of time. DSL: Anything up to 6 MB should make it up without difficulty but may take a while. Cable: Anything up to 8 MB shouldn't have difficulty. Anything more is possible but may not be successful.

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Basic

eCompanion Skills

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There are several items within the “Course Admin” page which allow you to change features of your course and better administer in the classroom. For example, you can rename your course, change the unit heading, review enrollment, etc. The “Course Admin” button is only available to instructors, not students.

Click on the “Course Admin” button across the top navigation bar. It is not required to be in “Author” mode.

The following options should appear and are outlined below.

General Course Info

1. The “Course Title” initially may not contain the actual course name. If necessary, change the text for the course title. This change will be displayed in the upper left-hand corner of the classroom and also the

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link on the eCollege home page on which the user clicks to enter the classroom.

2. The “Unit Heading” defines what each unit will be titled. It can also be thought of as the “unit of measurement” by which the left-side navigation bar is organized. Typically, the eCompanion classrooms are built with each unit being a week. Change the text for the unit heading to read “Week.” The Unit Heading should be a singular word (versus a plural word – ex. Week versus Weeks). The new unit heading will be reflected throughout eCompanion; anywhere that states “Unit” will now read according to the unit heading.

3. The “Instructor Title” defines how the instructor is addressed. This is defaulted as “Instructor” but can be changed to “Facilitator,” “Professor,” “Chef,” etc. The instructor should not enter his or her name here, as it will already be listed in the top-left corner of the classroom.

4. The “TA Title” is not utilized for eCompanion, but this title follows the same concept as the “Instructor Title.”

5. Click “Save Changes” before exiting this screen.

Enable/Disable Tools

The Enable/Disable Tools section allows you to customize features within eCompanion. The default options are listed above. Typically you will want to keep the default options.

The “ClassLive Access” and “Chat Access” areas are not relevant to eCompanion, as eCompanion should not use the Chat function. You will want to disable these options.

Threaded Discussion Preferences

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The “Threaded Discussions” area provides the option to lock threaded discussion text and allow students to edit their posts. Mark the boxes as needed.

Course Scheduler

The “Course Scheduler” allows you to customize when students will have access to particular units and content. This is useful if you want to pace your students in going through the course or prevent students from working ahead. In using the Course Scheduler, these dates will need to be reset each quarter.

1. Identify the unit or content item to be scheduled in the first column.

2. Moving across the row, in the second column, use the radio button to change the date assignment to

“Assign specific dates.”

3. In the third column, enter the date at which the content can first be viewed. Mark the box next to “Restrict access before this date.”

4. If necessary, move to the fourth column and enter the date at which the content can no longer be viewed. Mark the box next to “Restrict access after this date.”

5. If a due date is applicable, enter it in the text field provided in the fifth column. In order to enter just due date information, you just still complete Step 2.

6. Enter the necessary information for all units and content items. When done, click “Save Changes.”

If you schedule specific dates for when a unit can be accessed, those dates will automatically apply to the content items within that unit. This is the case unless the content items within the unit are assigned specific dates for access.

To change content access dates, simply return to the “Course Scheduler,” enter new dates, and click “Save Changes.” Scheduled dates can also be set and changed in the Toolbox. Click on the specific unit or content item to be scheduled or changed. Make sure to be in “Author” mode. Then, click on the “Toolbox” button. Locate the “Edit Schedule” link and click on it. Then, input or edit the schedule information.

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Course Enrollment The “Course Enrollment” screen will display all

members of the course, their status, and their email address (which is important if students are unsure where classroom emails are being delivered). This will also show students who have dropped the course. By clicking on a student‟s name, additional contact information may be provided.

Group Management

The “Group Management” feature allows the instructor to create groups of active members of the class. Groups can be created for ease in emailing, group projects, etc. Content items can be assigned so that they are only visible to members of a specific group. Additionally, each group will have their own Doc Sharing category in order to share documents solely among group members.

To create a group, click on the “Group Management” button. Click on the “Add New Group” link. Enter a title for the group, then select group members from the list of students (hold the „Ctrl‟ or „Apple‟ key to select multiple members at once). Click the “Add” button to move members to the group. Once finished, click the “Add Group” button.

If you schedule specific dates for when a unit can be accessed, those dates will automatically apply to the content items within that unit. This is the case unless the content items within the unit are assigned specific dates for access.

If a student reports not receiving emails sent from eCompanion, come here to verify which email address is associated with their account. You can then ask them to check that account for messages or to change the account listed in eCompanion. See page 12 for instructions on how a student can update their email address.

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In this section, you will learn how to use the Visual Editor tool. The Visual Editor is utilized when creating content, to enter text and/or graphics into a content field. The tool gives you the ability to enter text and format it to your liking. The editor is similar to Microsoft Word® - you can format the font, change size and color of text, align text, enter a horizontal line, and other formatting options. If you prefer, you can also enter HTML code in the Visual Editor.

Generally, to enter text into the Visual Editor, place the cursor in the main text field. You can either “type and go” or copy and paste content from a different locations. If copying and pasting, use the „Ctlr+C‟ and „Ctrl+V‟ (or „Apple+C‟ and „Apple+V‟) functions to do so.

Inserting an Image Place the cursor in the Visual Editor in the location where you want to place the image.

Click on the “Insert an Image” icon in the Visual Editor (looks like a framed picture).

Browse for the file to upload (.jpg or .gif, in RBG format versus CMYK) and click “Continue.”

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Enter the Metadata information. Also enter “Descriptive text,” which will describe the image if unviewable.

The image should then be displayed in the Visual Editor. If not, a placeholder will be located where the image should go. Click “Save & Preview”. Once that screen has populated, click “Continue Editing” to go back and enter additional text and formatting, or to resize the image.

When inserting an image, it is good practice to have the image in the exact size that you would want it displayed in eCompanion. You can resize the image in the Visual Editor, but it may affect the overall quality of the graphic. I recommend you edit the image in an image editing program such as “Microsoft Paint” or “Adobe Photoshop”. To edit the size of an inserted image in the Visual Editor, select the image and then right-click. Choose the “Select Image Properties” option. At the bottom of the pop-up window that will appear, insert a new width and height for the image. Before doing this, it is recommended to click on the “broken lock” icon to constrain the image size. This will prevent the image from being stretched disproportionately vertically or horizontally.

Inserting a Link

Place the cursor in the Visual Editor in the location where you want to place the link.

Click on the “Add a Link” icon in the Visual Editor (looks like a globe with a chain link).

First, select the type of link you would like to create using the appropriate radio button. Then click “Continue.”

If chosen to “Link to a Website,” enter the text to be displayed as a hot link (this is the text students will click on to go to the site) and then enter the web address to which the text will link. Lastly, click “Add Link.”

You can insert links to a website or to a document. Linking to a document is an easy way to provide access to necessary files without students having to find the file in the Doc Sharing area.

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If chosen to “Link to Content or Files,” first browse for the file to upload. Click “Continue.” Then, enter the Metadata information for this file and add the “Text to display” (this is the text the students will click on to access the file – ex. “Click here to access this week‟s PowerPoint”). Lastly, click “Add Link.”

To edit an inserted link, place your cursor over the linked text in the Visual Editor, and then right-click. Choose the “Properties…” option. This will allow you to edit the linked text, the web address, link to an email address from the “Email” tab, and more.

Using the Math Editor feature

Place the cursor in the Visual Editor in the location where the math formula is to be placed.

Click on the “Math Editor” icon in the Visual Editor tool bar (looks like x2).

A pop-up window will then appear containing any previously created equations. Therefore, any equation that is created will be saved to be utilized later. To create a new equation, click on the “Create New Equation” button.

A Java™-based tool will then open for creating the formula (therefore, Java™ must be installed on the computer).

First, insert an equation title. Then, to build an equation, use the buttons across the top tool bar to place functions. The squares within each formula component represent where numbers will be placed in the equation. At this step, it is not necessary to insert the numbers associated with the problem, unless they are to be a consistent part of the formula that is being designed.

Once construction of the formula is completed, click “Save and Insert.” The formula will now be displayed in the Visual Editor. Digits can then be placed in the formula to create the full equation.

To edit an inserted formula, it is easiest to delete it from the Visual Editor and start over.

Use the Math Editor to insert math formulas into the Visual Editor.

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Using the HTML Editor

Click on the “HTML View” icon in bottom-left corner of the Visual Editor (looks like brackets).

Enter the HTML code into the text field.

If you would like to use HTML code to display a website directly in eCompanion via a content item, use the code below. An example of how you would use this is in the event that you already have a class website. Instead of recreating this website in eCompanion, simply link to it via eCompanion. This will combine the features that eCompanion offers (like the Gradebook) with the content that your current class website offers. Note that this should only be used for websites which you are the creator. Additional HTML code is available if you would like to redirect students to a website via a content item. Contact the eCompanion Help Hub for more information. Cut and paste the following HTML code into the Visual Editor, after moving to the HTML view. Then, enter the specific URL in the HTML code where indicated in red. <BR COMMENT="Required Element"> <SCRIPT language=JavaScript> document.location.href="http://ecollege.com"; </SCRIPT> If this page does not change within a few seconds, please click <A target=_self href="http://ecollege.com">here</A>.

Visual Editor Tips

By hitting the “Enter” key, it will place the cursor two rows down within your text. To place your next line of text only one row down, hold down the “Shift” key, and then press “Enter”.

Use the Visual Editor functions to break apart text with color, horizontal lines, different font sizes, etc. Breaking apart your text makes it easier to read.

Text can be copied from another document and pasted into the Visual Editor. However, images cannot be copied and pasted from another document. Use the „Ctrl+C‟ and „Ctrl+V‟ function or highlight the text, then right click to copy. Or, if using a MAC, use the „Apple+C‟ and „Apple+V‟ functions to copy and paste.

To use the bullet feature, it is easiest to first type all the text to be bulleted, highlight the text, and then add the bulleting feature.

Spell check is available, so make sure to utilize it before publishing the content.

If the Visual Editor does not contain all the functions as described above, it may be due to the internet browser that you are using. Visual Editor functioning issues have been noted in the Mozilla Firefox® browser.

If you are comfortable with HTML code, you can use the HTML Editor to create more dynamic pages in eCompanion using the Visual Editor.

http://ecollege.com/

http://ecollege.com/

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If you click the “Save & Preview” button when done, you will be taken to a screen where you can preview the content that has been created in the Visual Editor. You can then click the button to “Continue Editing” or, if done, click “Done Editing” and you will be taken through the steps in publishing.

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MMEETTAADDAATTAA

This section is about Metadata. Metadata is “data about data.” Think of Metadata as tags for your course content. eCompanion uses it to identify your content in the event that you want to search for this content amongst all your courses. The more detailed information you provide the easier it will be to search for it. You will need to complete Metadata for most of the content that you will place on the left-side navigation bar. Remember that you only need to complete the four fields in yellow! Note that Metadata information can be edited once content has been published, if needed.

1. Title: This is a title for the content and could be any title that makes sense to the creator – the name of the item on the left-side navigation bar, the name of the assignment, etc.

2. Program Name: From the drop-down box, choose the option “AI eCompanion.” It is the first option in

the drop-down menu. Choose this Program Name for all Metadata.

3. Course Number: Simply put the course number for the course which is being built. There is no required format here, so the course number is whatever is relevant to the instructor.

4. File Extension: The file extension does not determine what type of file is being created or uploaded. It is simply a tag used to search for this content. Therefore, it does not matter what extension is placed here.

o If using the Visual Editor, select “html”.

o If uploading a file, select that file extension from the drop-down menu, if available. If the file extension is not available, it does not necessarily exclude that file from being uploaded. In that case, choose an alternative file extension.

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5. Once all Metadata information is entered (only the information listed above is needed), click “Continue.”

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Publishing is the process by which eCompanion converts your content to HTML code to be visible on the web. If you don‟t publish your content, students will not be able to view it. There are two steps in publishing, both of which must be completed in order for the publishing to be complete. Even after content is published, it can still be edited.

When finished entering content or uploading a file, a prompt will appear, asking the author if they want to publish. The author can either continue to “Edit” or “Publish”

If the “Publish” option is selected you will see another prompt.

All presets on this screen are correct; simply click the “Publish to Selected Locations” button.

If you forget to publish your content, you will notice a message saying “The content for this item is not yet completed.” in “Course” mode. If you return to “Author” mode, you will see a “Publish” button in the bottom right corner of the nugget.

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Building Your Course

in eCompanion

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In this section, you will learn how to create a class introduction on the Course Home Page. Students will see this each time that they log in to class. The course introduction/welcome should not need to be changed and should be a message that you want your students to see throughout the term. You can include information on what the students can expect in your class, your contact information, and examples of work related to the course. You can think of the course introduction as your “cover page.”

Click on “Course Home” on the left-side navigation bar.

Click on the “Author” mode button.

Notice the “Announcements” nugget and then a “Course Introduction” nugget.

To begin creating an introduction or welcome to class, click on the “Create New Content” button.

Enter the required Metadata information (see page 28). Then, click “Continue.”

The Visual Editor will now appear to enter and edit introduction text and/or graphics (see page 23).

Once the introduction information has been entered and formatted, click “Save and Done.”

Then, publish the content (see page 29).

In order to change the content, click on “Course Home” (in “Author” mode) and click on “Start New Draft” in the “Course Introduction” nugget. Note that the “Start New Draft” button is only available if the content has been published as the course introduction. You can then edit the previous content in the Visual Editor. Don‟t forget to publish the new version by going through the same steps as outlined on page 29. Another way to edit the content is to click on “Course Home (in “Author” mode), and then click the “Remove” link – this will remove any previously created content and allow you to start over at this location.

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In this section, you will learn how to create an announcement to be seen when the students first log in to class. Announcements appear above your Course Introduction. They will be in a “collapsed” state with just the subject line visible until the student opens them. To ensure that it is read, create a subject line for the announcement that will catch a reader‟s eye. Announcements in the eCompanion classroom should not be used as the sole source of communicating urgent messages, like a class cancellation or room change, as students may not be checking eCompanion daily.

Click on “Course Home” on the left-side navigation bar.


Notice the “Announcements” nugget and then a “Course Introduction” nugget.

Click on the “New Announcement” box. This will bring up the Visual Editor to enter text and/or images. There will not be a prompt to enter Metadata information.

1. Enter a Subject for the announcement in the subject field. Also note that the dates of the announcement

can be controlled. This provides the ability to add multiple announcements at once and adjust the dates so that they will appear and disappear as requested.

2. Enter the body of the announcement.

3. When finished, click “Post New Announcement.”

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Make the announcement subject more noticeable by inserting HTML code before the subject text. For example, insert <b> to bold the text, <big> to enlarge the text, and <font color=purple> to change the color of the text.

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To edit an announcement, click on “Course Home” (in “Author” mode). Click on the subject line of the announcement. When the announcement expands, the “Edit” link will appear. Once you have edited the announcement, click the “Post Updated Announcement” button.

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SSYYLLLLAABBUUSS

This will show you how to upload your syllabus if it is in Microsoft Word® format. Currently within the defaulted Syllabus content item under the Course Home, Microsoft Word® files are the only type of file accepted. If you have your syllabus in a different format, please convert it to Microsoft Word® or request a Word copy of the syllabus from your department.

Click on “Syllabus” on the left-side navigation bar.


The “Kathy Winograd” example syllabus will be displayed. This is one way to create a syllabus in eCompanion, using a template similar to Kathy‟s. However, in lieu of this, it is often easier to simply upload a Word® document.

1. At the top of the page select the “Upload MS Word® Syllabus” option.

2. Then click “Add”

3. Click the “Browse” button. Find the Microsoft Word® document that contains the syllabus.

4. Click “Upload & Convert File” when done.

Switch over to “Course” mode to see how the syllabus will appear to students.

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If changes are needed in the syllabus, the change will need to be made to the original document and then the file uploaded again. To do this, follow the same steps as outlined above. Browse for the updated document. When you click “Save Changes,” eCompanion will provide the following prompt: “By continuing with this process all other syllabus items will be deleted. Are you sure you would like to continue?” Click “Ok.”

Uploading a syllabus in a format other than Microsoft Word®

Often times, faculty have syllabi in formats other than Microsoft Word®. If this is the case for you, there are two options. The first is to convert the PDF back to a Word® document, and then upload it following the steps above. The second option is to remove the pre-set syllabus content item from the left-side navigation bar, add a new content item formatted for Text/Multimedia, and then post the syllabus. The instructions below will show you how to proceed with option two.

Click on the “Course Admin” button across the top navigation bar. It is not necessary to be in “Author” mode.

1. After clicking the “Course Admin” button, you will automatically be within the “Course Information and Preferences” Menu.

2. From here select the “Enable/Disable Tools” option.

3. Click the “Disable” radio button next to the “Syllabus” option. This will remove the pre-set syllabus item (which only allows Microsoft Word® documents) from under the Course Home on the left-side navigation bar. Click “Save Changes” at the bottom of the page.

4. Follow the steps on page 41 to add a “Text/Multimedia (Content Manager)” content item placeholder. Title the placeholder “Syllabus.”

5. To add content to the new syllabus item, follow the steps on page 44.

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Why can‟t you edit your syllabus in eCompanion (when you have uploaded the file)? When you upload a file, the syllabus that is shown in eCompanion is only a visual representation of that document. Therefore, in order to edit what is shown, you have to go and edit the original document that is being represented. If I change my syllabus, how do I change it in eCompanion? If you have uploaded your syllabus as a document, you will have to first change your original document, and then upload the new document to the syllabus area. If you have also posted your syllabus to Doc Sharing, make sure to upload the new document there as well. Will Kathy Winograd‟s sample syllabus continue to be viewable when in “Author” mode? Yes, but keep in mind that this is only seen when in “Author” mode. Students will never see Kathy Winograd‟s sample syllabus.

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This section will teach you how to populate the left-side navigation bar with units or weeks. This is the first phase of a two-phase process. In phase one – you create placeholders (empty web spaces). In phase two, you place the content on these web spaces.

Before you begin adding units/weeks to your classroom, you can change the defaulted title of the individual units from “Unit” to “Week.” To do this, click on the “Course Admin” button, then “General Course Information” and change the Unit Heading from “Unit” to “Week”. This is not required, but will save time when building out your left navigation options.

Click on “Course Home” on the left side navigation pane.

If you want to add another Unit/Week you must click on “Course Home” first. If you click on another “Unit Heading” you will only have the option of adding content to that particular Unit.


Click on the “Course Items” button.

The “Course Items” box will appear.

Click on “Add Unit” or “Add Week” depending on if you renamed the “Unit Heading” in the “General Course Information”. Select “…add Placeholder for Content”.

In this phase of the process, you are simply building out the skeleton for content on the left-side navigation bar.

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1. Enter the title of the unit. The units are a means for organization of the left-side navigation bar and, therefore, the title of each unit can be designed to suit the needs of the course. Keep in mind that titles are limited to 13 characters in length.

2. For the title to appear on the left-side navigation bar, check the box below the title. If the box is not

checked, what appears on the navigation bar will default to “Unit 1” (respective to the actual number of the placeholder) or whatever you have listed in the “General Course Information“ “Unit Heading” field.

3. For “Introduction type” select “Text/Multimedia” – the bottom option if you want to enter the Introduction into the Visual Editor. If you want to simply upload a document to display for the introduction select “Web Content Upload (Content Manager)” for the “Introduction type.”

Regarding the “Web Content Upload (Content Manager) option, unit home pages are not formatted to allow users to upload documents from Microsoft Office®. If you intend on uploading a document to a unit home page, make sure it is in a format other than .doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .ppt, or .pptx (Microsoft Word®, Excel®, and PowerPoint®). If the document you were intending to upload was in a Microsoft Office® format, the easiest solution would be to convert the file to a PDF or to copy and paste the content into the visual editor.

4. Click “Add Week/Unit” and the new unit will appear on the left-side navigation bar. To save steps, click

“Save & Add Another Week” to be brought back to the same form and continue to enter all of the units for the course. This is the quickest way to construct the course skeleton.

To change a unit or week title, click on the specific unit which requires editing (in “Author” mode). Then click on the “Toolbox” button. The available options include editing the unit schedule, editing the unit title, reordering the content items within the unit, or deleting the unit.

Can you reorder units/weeks once you have constructed them? Yes. Click on any Unit/Week Heading then click on the “Toolbox” option. From here click “Change Week Order”. Edit the numbers to change the order you would like the Units to appear. Note that you may want to edit the “Unit Title” if the title is affiliated with the ordering. For instance the “Unit Title” for Week 1 may be “Week 1”. You can edit the “Unit Title” from the “Toolbox” option as well.

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This will show you how to add introductory content to each unit‟s home page. This is the second phase of a two-phase process. In phase one – you created placeholders (empty web spaces). In phase two, you will place the content on these web spaces. The unit home page is the first page that students see when accessing a specific unit on the left-side navigation bar. Use this space to reiterate the unit‟s agenda, including reading assignments, week subject matter, due dates, and more!

Click on the unit to which the introduction will be added on the left-side navigation bar.


Click “Create New Content”. If content already exists in this area you will have the option to edit the content. If you have content that you want to reuse you can search for this content by course or by metadata.

Compose using the Visual Editor.”

Depending on how the Unit/Week Content item was set up

determines the next step. o If the content type was set up as “Text Multimedia

(Content Manager)” you will be prompted to enter Metadata information (see page 28) before entering information into the Visual Editor.

o If the content type was set up as “Text Multimedia” then you will be taken directly to the Visual Editor.

The Visual Editor will now appear and text and/or images can be entered and formatted (see page 23).

Click on “Save and Done” when creation and editing is completed.

Publish the content (see page 29).

In order to change the content, click on the unit (in “Author” mode) and click on “Edit” to the right of the Draft version. Edit and publish the new version. Another way to edit the content is to click on the unit (in “Author” mode), and then click the “Remove” link – this will remove any

There are multiple saving options when you are done. “Save & Done” is the only option that takes you through the steps in publishing, which is necessary for students to see the content.

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previously created content and allow you to start over on this placeholder.

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This will show you how to add a content item placeholder so that you can add unit-specific content to the left-side navigation bar. This is the first phase of a two-phase process. In phase one – you create placeholders (empty web spaces). In phase two, you will place the content on these web spaces. You can add content items beneath a unit or beneath the “Course Home” section on the left-side navigation bar. Simply click on the unit where you intend to add the content item. There are seven different content item types:

“Text/Multimedia (Content Manager)”

This is used to upload any type of document or file, excluding Microsoft Office® documents. You can also create content using the Visual Editor.

Metadata information is required.

A Dropbox basket can be added here, if the content is regarding an assignment.

For example, each Unit Home Page is defaulted as a “Text/Multimedia (Content Manager) content item.

It is highly recommended that you use the “Text/Multimedia” content type without the Content Manager instead of this content type.

“Threaded Discussion (Content Manager)”

This is used to create an asynchronous discussion forum, with the ability to thread posts.

Metadata is required here; A Dropbox basket cannot be added here.

“Web Content Upload (Content Manager)‟

This option is used to allow users to upload a document to display for the “Item type” as opposed to entering the content into the Visual Editor.

If you intend on uploading a document to a unit home page, make sure it is in a format other than .doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .ppt, or .pptx (Microsoft Word®, Excel®, and PowerPoint®). If the document you were intending to upload was in a Microsoft Office® format, the easiest solution would be to convert the file to a PDF or to copy

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and paste the content into the visual editor.

“Microsoft Office Document (Content Manager)”

This is used to upload any type of Microsoft Office® document, including Word®, PowerPoint®, and Excel®.

Metadata information is required.


“Text/Multimedia”

This is used to create content using the Visual Editor only.

Metadata is not required here.


“Exam”

This is used to create an online quiz or exam, mostly using true/false or multiple choice questions.

Exams can be automatically graded and added to the Gradebook.

Metadata is not required here; a Dropbox basket cannot be added here.

“Threaded Discussion”

This is used to create an asynchronous discussion forum, with the ability to thread posts.

Metadata is not required here; A Dropbox basket cannot be added here.

Click on the unit to which the content item will be added on the left-side navigation bar.


Click on the second button across the top - “Unit Content Items” (may read “Week Content Items” if the unit heading has been changed).

Click on “Add Items” and then choose “…add Placeholder for Content.”

1. Provide a name for the new content item.

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2. As shown in the example above, click on the “Select a type…” drop-down menu and select the

appropriate type, depending on how you choose to use the content item (refer to page 41 for a description of each content item type).

3. Decide if the item requires a Dropbox basket, and if so, mark the box next to “Create dropbox basket.” Other options include adding the item to a different unit by using the “Add to:” drop-down menu, assigning the item to a group of students using the “Assign to:” drop-down menu, if a group has been created, and hiding the item from the students by marking the box next to “Hide from students.”

4. Content item placeholders can be easily duplicated using the “Select existing item name…” box. This is used if the same content item (and content item type) is to exist in multiple units. Highlight the name of the content item to be duplicated (hold „Ctrl‟ or „Apple‟ to select multiple items at once).

5. Then, select the new unit by using the “Add to:” drop-down menu.

6. Click “Add Items” or “Save & Add More Items” and the new content item will appear on the left-side navigation bar. To save steps, click “Save & Add More Items” to be brought back to the same form and continue adding content items. This is the quickest way to build the course skeleton.

It is imperative that the appropriate content item type is selected upon creation, as this cannot be changed later. Therefore, make sure you know how you intend to use the content item before you create the placeholder. Do you want to upload a PowerPoint® file here? If so, select “Microsoft Office Document (Content Manager)” from the drop-down menu. Do you want to create an exam? If so, make sure to select “Exam” from the drop-down menu.

To change the title of the content item placeholder, click on the unit in which the content item exists (in “Author” mode). Then click on the “Unit/Week Content Items” button (second across the top). See the nugget named “Rename Items”. Select the content item placeholder from the drop-down menu. Click “Go” and update the name. Finish by clicking “Update.” If this content item was duplicated, the name will be updated in all other instances of the item as well. To delete or reorder a content item placeholder, click on the specific content item which requires editing (in “Author” mode). Then click on the “Toolbox” button. The available options include editing the schedule, adding (or removing) a Dropbox basket , reordering the content items in the unit, deleting the content item, assigning the content item to a group of students, and hiding the content item.

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Can you move content items from one unit to the next? If you create a content item within the wrong unit, and want to move it to the correct unit, simply click on the content item to be moved (in “Author” mode). Then open the “Toolbox.” Click the button to “Move” the content item. You can then either reorder the item within the same unit, or select to move it to a different unit. Select the correct unit from the drop-down menu and click “Save Changes” under that particular nugget.

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This will show you how to add content to the “Text/Multimedia (Content Manager)” placeholders within your units. You must have already created the content item placeholder in order to add the content, following the steps as outlined in this section.

Click on the item to which the content will be added on the left-side navigation bar.


Click “Create New Content”.

Compose using the Visual Editor

Enter the required Metadata information (see page 28) and click “Continue.”

The Visual Editor will now appear and text and/or images can be entered and formatted (see page 23).

Click on “Save and Done” and depending if you want to save the content as a draft or publish the content, click the appropriate option. To finish publishing the content follow the publish directions on page 29.

In order to change the content, click on the item (in “Author” mode) and click on “Start New Draft.” Note that the “Start New Draft” button is only available if the content has been published on the placeholder. The first step will ask if you want to change your title for the Metadata information. This is not necessary, so simply click “Continue.” You will then return to where you left off in the Visual Editor. Publish the new version.

There are multiple saving options when you are done. “Save & Done” < “…Publish Version #” is the only option that allows you to publish the content.

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Another way to edit the content is to click on the item (in “Author” mode), and then click the “Remove” link – this will remove any previously created content and allow you to start over on this placeholder.

The “Text/Multimedia (Content Manager)” content items are not formatted to allow users to upload documents from Microsoft Office®. If you intend on uploading a Microsoft Office document (Word®, PowerPoint®, and Excel®), you should do so to a “Microsoft Office Document (Content Manager)” content item placeholder.

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The following screen will appear: 1. Select “…add Placeholder for Content”

2. On the next screen select, “Web Content Upload (Content Manager).

3. Select the unit the content should go under.

4. Click “Add Items” to add the item to the left hand navigation.

5. Click “Save and Add More Items” if you want to continue to add more items to the left hand navigation.

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Once the item is added to the left hand navigation, click on the link. Make sure you are in “Author” mode and the following screen will appear. 6. Click “Upload Content”.


Click the “Browse” button. Find the file which will serve as the content. Once the appropriate file has been selected, click “Upload File.”


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When attempting to upload a file, you may receive an error message stating that you have a bad file name. The cause could be either that your file is embedded too deep on your computer (simply place it on the desktop if this is the case), or that you have bad characters in the name (&%$, for example). In this case, simply rename the file before uploading it. You may also receive an error if you attempt to upload a Microsoft Office file. Remember that those file types are not accepted here.

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In order to edit the content, it is necessary to change the information in the original document and then upload the new version of the file to replace the old version. To do this, click on the item (in “Author” mode) and click on “Start New Draft.” Note that the “Start New Draft” button is only available if the content has been published on the placeholder. The first step will ask if you want to change your title for the Metadata information. This is not necessary, so simply click “Continue.” You will then return to a “Browse” screen, where you can upload the newer version of the file. Publish the new version.


What happens when I upload a zip file? As a content item, when a zip file is uploaded, you get to select the first file amongst those zipped to be seen by students. Therefore, uploading a zip file to a content item placeholder is best reserved for uploading web pages (choosing the html file as the file to be seen by students).

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This will show you how to add content to the “Microsoft Office Document (Content Manager)” placeholders within your units. You must have already created the content item placeholder in order to add the content, following the steps as outlined in this section.



One option for creating the content will appear, reading “Microsoft Document: Create or Search for Content”.

Click “Create New Content.”


Click the “Browse” button. Find the file which will serve as the content. Once the appropriate file has been selected, click “Upload File.”


In order to edit the content, it is necessary to change the information in the original document and then upload the new version of the file to replace the old version. To do this, click on the item (in “Author” mode) and click on “Start New Draft.” Note that the “Start New Draft” button is only available if the content has been published on the placeholder. The first step will ask if you want to change your title for the Metadata information. This is not necessary, so simply click “Continue.” You will then return to a “Browse” screen, where you can upload the newer version of the file. Publish the new version.


When attempting to upload a file, you may receive an error message stating that you have a bad file name. The cause could be either that your file is embedded too deep on your computer (simply place it on the desktop if this is the case), or that you have bad characters in the name (&%$, for example). In this case, simply rename the file before uploading it. You may also receive an error message if you attempt to upload a file other than Word®, PowerPoint®, or Excel®.

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This section will show you how to set up a Threaded Discussion in eCompanion. You must have already created the threaded discussion content item placeholder in order to add the content, following the steps as outlined in this section. The Threaded Discussion is meant to initiate discussion amongst your students in relation to a specific topic. Discussions take place asynchronously, so all the students don‟t have to be in eCompanion at the same time. We have found that, often times, participation in a threaded discussion is more thoughtful and intentional. Students are able to think about what they want to say and they will also say things they may not say in a classroom conversation. The Threaded Discussion is great for peer critiques, group work, or a Question and Answer area. However, the threaded discussion is very time consuming. It requires the instructor to be engaged online – participating, monitoring, and answering questions posed in the discussion. If you do not have the time to dedicate to being online and in eCompanion, do not create a threaded discussion.

Click on the threaded discussion placeholder on the left-side navigation bar.


Click on the “Author Content” link.

Enter the required Metadata information (see page 26). Then, click “Continue.”

1. Click “Add Topic to enter the instructions for the discussion.

The following screen will appear:

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Enter the instructions for the discussion. When done, click “Add Topic”.

Click “Done Editing” < “…publish Version #”.

Finish publishing the Thread by following the directions on page 29.

In the past, instructors were able to add more than one discussion to a content item. With the .NeXT version of eCollege/eCompanion instructors are limited to just one discussion entry. To add more than one discussion topic in a given unit, create another “threaded Discussion” content item.

To edit the discussion topic of the threaded discussion, click on the discussion content item on the left-side navigation bar (in “Author” mode). Then click the “Author Content” button. Then click “Start New Draft”. You will see a prompt to edit the discussion name. Either keep or change the name and click “Continue”. On the next screen click the edit button. This will take you to the visual editor.

If you did not select the “Threaded Discussion” content type when creating the placeholder, you will not be able to complete these steps.

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To delete a discussion, make sure you are in “Author” mode and click on the item‟s tool box. You will see an option to delete the item. You will see the following prompt:

To delete an individual response, in author mode click on the response title and a delete icon will appear below it. Click “Delete”.

Remember that documents can be attached to discussion thread posts. This is a great way to facilitate peer critiques or group work.

If you are planning on grading a threaded discussion, it is critical to provide clear and direct instructions to your students, identifying how their participation in the discussion will be graded. Consider the following:

What is the deadline for posting, by date and time (and time zone)? Each post receives a date and time stamp, so this can be easily measured. How often should students post prior to the deadline? Should the students respond to their peers? How many of their peers should receive a response?

What is the required quality of postings? What is a quality response? How will students know if their response meets the standard of quality? Will spelling and grammar be considered?

What are the ground rules for effective discussion? It is always important to clearly define what is appropriate to place in the discussion thread. Inappropriate postings can be removed by the instructor. Will disciple follow an inappropriate posting, and if so, where is this discipline supported in the Student Handbook?

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If a student has technical or access issues and does not post, how will their grade be impacted?

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“EEXXAAMM”” CCOONNTTEENNTT IITTEEMM

This section will show you how to create an exam or a quiz. This function should not replace exams that you would normally give in the classroom. This can be useful for reviews and quizzes to help reinforce your weekly lessons or prepare students for a test. You must have already created the exam content item placeholder in order to add the content, following the steps as outlined in this section.

Setting up the Exam

Click on the exam placeholder on the left-side navigation bar.


You will see the following screen. Notice the three options at the top, “Content”, “Toolbox”, and “Test Banks”

To build your exam, you can create new exam items from the “Content” tab or you can select items from a test bank from the “Test Bank” tab.

Exam Basics

Make sure you are in the “Content” Section of the exam. Click on the “Edit” button under “Title & Introductory Text” to add a title and introduction (explaining the exam subject matter and exam instructions) of the assessment.

A Visual Editor will appear for the entering of the content.

Click “Save Changes” once done entering content.

If you did not select the “Exam” content type when creating the placeholder, you will not be able to complete these steps.

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Building the exam

To build your exam, you can create new exam items from the “Content” tab or you can select items from a test bank from the “Test Bank” tab.

To build items from scratch, stay in the “Content” tab.

Underneath the “Assessment” nugget you will see an “Add:” drop down option. Simply select the type of question you want and click the “Add” button.

The Question Form will appear. The Question Form is relatively similar, regardless of which type of question you are creating.

1. Enter the question into the “Question” text field. Use the functionality of the Visual Editor to change text,

insert links, attach a file, insert an image, or use the Math Editor feature.

2. Then, enter the point value for the question.

3. Next, enter the answer options. In the example above, the options are only True or False; however, with a Multiple Choice question, for example, text fields would be present where the answer options would be entered.

4. Use the radio buttons or boxes to indicate which answer(s) are correct. This is how eCompanion knows how to grade the exam.

5. Provide any explanations that are relevant (an explanation can be provided for each individual answer option, explaining why it is correct or incorrect, or a general explanation regarding the question can be entered).

6. When done, click “Add.”

True/False Questions (students select between true and false radio buttons)

Multiple-Choice Questions (students select between various radio buttons)

Multiple-Answer Questions (students can mark boxes next to various answers)

Fill-in-the-blank Questions (students must enter an answer into a text field that must identically match the answer variations provided by the instructor)

Matching Questions (students enter matching answers into text fields from a list of potential answers)

Short Answer Questions (students enter their answer into a text box, with the ability to check their spelling)

Essay Questions (students enter their answer into a text box, with the ability to check their spelling)

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The quiz questions will start to compound under the “Row” nugget. Click “Expand All” to review the created questions and edit or delete any of the entries.

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Question Pools – Randomizing Test Questions

A Question Pool is a set number of questions randomly drawn from a larger selection of questions. First set up all of the questions that you want eCompanion to pull from like explained in the above “Building the Exam” Section. For instance, you might create 30 questions, and tell eCompanion to give 10 questions to each student. eCompanion will randomize the questions that each student receives on their exam.

Click on the exam content item in the left-side navigation bar.


From the question type drop-down menu, select “Question Pool” (the last option in the drop-down menu, below the line). Then click “Add.”

The “Add Question Pool” screen will appear.

Enter the number of questions that should be pulled from the question pool for each student (how many questions should each student receive on their exam?). Enter a “Pool Title” if necessary. This would help to organize multiple question pools.

Click “Add.”

When creating a Question Pool, it is advised to first create all the questions to be placed in the pool. Add the pool last.

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The Question Pool should now appear in gray in the Exam Builder. The Question Pool, by default, will appear at the bottom of any current exam questions, but can be moved by entering a new row number and then clicking .

To include questions in the Question Pool, they must be captured between the start and end of the pool. The easiest way to do this is to move the start of the Question Pool to include all the questions that should be randomized. Simply change the row number of the start of the Question Pool so that it falls as the row above where the questions to be included start. For example, if all questions in the Exam Builder are to be included in the pool, move the start of the pool to row one. Enter the new number in the box for “Start of pool to row,” then click the button.

To add additional questions to the Question Pool, simply change their row number so that it will now be captured between the start and end of the pool.

If you‟re using a Question Pool, but there is a question that you would like all students to see, you can make that question mandatory. Expand a question that is currently positioned in a Question Pool by either clicking “Expand All” or the „+‟ icon next to the specific question. Then, click the “Edit” button. Mark the “Mandatory” checkbox that appears below the point value for the question. This “Mandatory” checkbox is only available for questions in a Question Pool.

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Using the Test Bank

The test bank feature allows you reuse any exam questions that you already created within the entire course. The test bank also allows you to save exam questions in the event that you have created an exam, but want to delete it. Any exam question which you create is automatically entered into the test bank and will be carried over when your course is copied for future quarters. To use the test bank, first create a new exam placeholder. Then, go to the test bank to pull previously created questions into the new exam.

Click on the exam content item in the left-side navigation bar.


Select the “Test Banks” tab.

A box titled “Test Banks” will then appear. This is basically a search screen, where the user can search for previously created questions within all past exams. All exams that have been created in the classroom should be listed in the “List questions from:” display box.

Select the exam from which questions will be drawn by highlighting it, or choose “All questions.” To narrow the search, the type of question can also be selected using the drop-down menu.

Lastly, click “Search.”

Mark the box next to the questions to be used in the new exam. There may be multiple pages of search results (questions) from which to choose.

Using the first drop-down menu, select whether to copy the questions to the new exam or move them from the current exam to the new exam. If students have already completed an exam, questions cannot be removed from that exam.

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Using the second drop-down menu, select the destination for the test bank questions. Any exam placeholders created in the course will be available for selection. When all selections are made, click “Go.”

If you would like to delete an exam that was previously built, but not lose the questions that were created in it, go to the Test Banks page. Search for all the questions on the specific exam to be deleted and then mark the boxes next to some or all the questions (depending on which questions you want to save). In the first drop-down menu, select “Move checked items.” In the second drop-down menu, select “To Questions not in use.” This will save the questions in the Test Bank, but remove them from the exam. You can then delete the exam content item.

A few tips for administering exams:

You can reset a student's exam through the grading box (click on the student‟s grade for the exam in the Gradebook). Resetting an exam clears ALL saved information from the individual‟s exam database and allows the user to begin the exam again, as if he or she had never taken it. This feature is only available if the student has at least entered the exam once.

From the grading box, you can also grant a student additional time on an exam. For example, if a student was in the process of taking an exam and his or her Internet connection was lost, the system would "think" that this student had already taken the exam and would, therefore, not let the student retake the exam. This option simply allows the student to access the exam again for the amount of time you specify. Any information that was previously saved in the exam is still there. That is, the student starts the exam wherever he or she left off. This feature is only available if the student has at least entered the exam once.

You can essentially "curve" an exam by modifying the points possible for the exam in the Gradebook. In the Gradebook, click on the “Setup Gradebook” button. Then click on the “Assign Points/Weights” tab. Enter the new possible point value for the exam.

Note that if you use a “Question Pool,” you should make all questions in the pool of the same point value. If this is not the case, eCompanion will refer to the point value for the last question in the pool to determine the total value of the pool. If you would like to have questions in a “Question Pool,” but need to assign different point values, group the same-value questions together and place them into separate pools.

If proctoring a quiz using eCompanion, make sure that all students can access eCompanion, know how to navigate the class, are comfortable taking a quiz online, etc.

How to prevent cheating:

Only proctor online exams in eCompanion in a computer lab, during your regular class meeting time. Be present during the completion of the exam.

Create a password to access the exam. Only provide students the password once they have been marked present in class. Immediately change the password after the class meeting so that it cannot be shared with students who did not attend the class meeting.

Create question pools. Question pools will draw from a set number of questions to randomize which questions are presented to students during the exam. This means that all students will

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receive a different exam.

Create groups of students and assign each group a different exam (use the same questions, just switch the answers around – use the test bank to do this).

Can an exam be printed or can a screen shot be taken of an exam? We know that are students are creative. Currently, eCompanion can not prohibit the printing of an exam or a student taking a screen shot of exam questions. This is why it is so important to carefully proctor your exams during your class meetings. In addition, use other safety features as outlined above. Again – eCompanion should only supplement what you are already doing in class – therefore, no exams should be “take-home” unless you would normally give a “take-home” exam in class. Can previous exam questions be imported? No. Each exam question must be built individually in eCompanion. However, once a question is built, it is banked and can be used any other time in the course or in any future quarters (if the course is copied) without any additional work. Additionally, you can cut and paste the question text into the Question Form when building a question.

For exam grades to display in the Gradebook, you must enter the earned grade as you would any other assignment. The difference is that eCompanion will provide you with the earned score for those questions that were graded by the system. The information will be provided on any screen where grade entry can be completed.

Exam Scheduling The Schedule feature determines when students can take the exam and when they will see it in the Gradebook (by date and time).

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Make sure you are in “Author” Mode. Click on the “Toolbox” option.

Click on “Edit Schedule”.

The following pop-up will appear:

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The default date settings for when an exam is accessible to students are the course (or unit, if scheduled) starting and ending dates. To input more specific access dates, select “Use the following dates:” radio button. Then enter the specific start and end date (click on the calendar icon to do so), making sure to restrict access before/after this date (mark the box next to these selections). To specify access time, set the time next to the date. It is good practice to set the classroom time zone prior to this step. You can change the time zone from the User Settings option, the third icon at the bottom of the left hand naviation. Make sure to enter a Gradebook Review Date in the text field provided (click on the calendar icon to do so). This determines when the student will be able to see their exam score and any question explanations in the Gradebook. Click “Save & Close” when done, and return to the main Toolbox screen.

Other Exam Toolbox Features

Additional features in the Toolbox provide various other setting options for the exam.

To offer the exam once or to allow the exam to be retaken, select the appropriate radio button next to “Exam Type.”

To set the amount of time in which students can complete the exam, enter the hours and minutes next to “Time Allowed.” If students are allowed to re-take the exam, duration will not matter. There is also the option to kick students out of the exam once the prescribed time has expired (mark the box next to

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this option to select it). If the “kick out” option is selected, students will be provided a “two minute warning.” If “kicked out,” the grade will report the portion of the exam completed in the allowed time. If the “kick out” option is not selected, students will be able to complete the exam beyond the prescribed amount of time as long as they do not exit the exam and attempt to return. In this case, questions answered after the allotted time has passed will still be calculated into the grade.

“Grading Options” offered include auto-grading, Gradebook display options, and showing the quick summary grade once the student submits the exam. Mark the check box(es) desired.

If it is necessary to assign a password to the exam, enter it in the text field next to “Security Password.” This feature is used to control access to the exam.

Additional Toolbox features including hiding the exam, assigning it to a group of students, moving it within the unit, and deleting it.

Before leaving the Toolbox screen, click “Save Changes”.

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GGRRAADDEEBBOOOOKK

This section will show you how to set up your Gradebook. It is suggested to have your class set up with all the required assignments and other content BEFORE you set up your Gradebook. This will ensure that all of the assignments are accounted for and entered into the Gradebook and can save you time. Setting up the Gradebook is a linear process. The instructor inputs the information regarding what will be graded, when it will be graded, and how much each item is worth. The “what,” “when,” and “how much” represent the steps in this process and are found using the gray tabs located at the top of the “Setup Gradebook” screen. The Gradebook can be viewed in a variety of ways (using the “Select Gradebook View” drop-down menu) and also exported into an Excel file if a hardcopy of the Gradebook is needed. By clicking on the “User Activity” button in the Gradebook, you can easily identify which students are accessing information placed in the classroom. For example, you would be able to see if a student spent any time in a particular lecture content item. This is not meant to be a gauge of participation, but can help you identify who is accessing eCompanion information.

Click on the “Gradebook” button on the top navigation bar.

To set up your Gradebook

Click on the “Setup Gradebook” button.

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Another screen will show up. Each step of the setup process is a gray tab. Locate the gray tabs across the top of the main page.

The first gray tab reports the “Current Setup”. This will show a summary of assigned points and any current Dropbox or Exam items.

Click on the second gray tab, “Add New Items.”

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In this step, the user tells eCompanion WHAT they want to grade (so what assignments need to be included in the Gradebook). 1. Locate the listing of potential gradable items (two columns in alphabetical order, including “Chat,” “Doc

Sharing,” “Journal,” etc.). Any item that is an assignment in the course that is not already included in the list should be added. This means that if you have additional items to be graded, for instance something that was completed in class and not recorded within eCompanion, locate the “Add Custom Item” text field and enter the name of the assignment or gradable item. Then, click “Add.” Continue adding necessary assignments.

2. Once the list of gradable items is complete, mark the box next to each item on the list that should be included in the Gradebook.

3. Once all items are marked, click “Save Changes” (either “Save Changes” button, at the top or the bottom of the nugget, can be clicked).

Click on the third gray tab, “Select Gradable Items.”

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In this step, the user tells eCompanion WHEN they want to grade each assignment (so, with which unit or week each assignment is associated). This can be interpreted as when the assignment is assigned, when it is due, or when it will be graded. Providing these associations allows eCompanion to chronologically order all assignments.

In the table provided, each row represents a different assignment, and each column represents a different unit or week. The columns mirror the units on the left-side navigation bar (the column reading “Home” represents the “Course Home” on the left-side navigation bar).

1. Mark the box for each corresponding unit/week to indicate when an item will be graded. For some

assignments, the user may choose to mark just one unit; for other items the user may choose to mark several or all units.

2. Once all necessary boxes are marked, click “Save Changes.”

Click on the fourth gray tab, “Assign Points/Weights.”

In this step, the user tells eCompanion HOW MUCH each assignment is worth. This point value is the total possible points that a student could earn on the assignment.

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1. In each unit and row, where it was indicated that an assignment would be graded, a text box will be

available to enter the total point value. Enter the point value for each assignment.

2. When done, click “Save Changes.”

Adding Weighted Grades

If you use a weighted grading system, this information can be entered into the Gradebook for accurate grading. The weighted grading feature can automatically distribute a weight percentage across multiple assignments, and will tabulate the value of each assignment in accordance with the assigned weight. This way, students always know where they stand in the course as related to their weighted grade.

Click on the fifth gray tab, “Preferences.”

Mark the box next to “Use weighted calculations.” Click “Save Changes.”

Return to the fourth gray tab, “Assign Points/Weights.”

There will now be boxes for each gradable item, where a percentage can be entered (a box will also exist for the point value of the assignment, which was entered previously). For example, if a final project is worth

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25% of the final grade, 25 should be entered in the box associated with the gradable item.

If a percentage of the final grade is distributed across several assignments, click the “Distribute Weight %” button at the top of the Gradebook table. Enter the percentage value in the box at the top of the pop-up screen, and then mark the boxes next to the assignments across which the percentage is distributed across.

Click “Save Changes” before moving on.

eCompanion will not prompt you if your weighted grade percentages equal more than 100%; however, it is a good practice to ensure that this is the case.

The Gradebook can be edited at all stages of its set-up. To remove an item from the Gradebook entirely, return to the “Add New Items” tab and unmark the box next to the item. Then click “Save Changes.” To change the unit in which a gradable item is to be graded, return to the “Select Gradable Items” tab and unmark and mark boxes associated with assignments and units as necessary. Then click “Save Changes.” To change point or weight values, return to the “Assign Points/Weights” tab. Enter the new points/weights as needed. Then click “Save Changes.” To turn off weighted grades, return to the “Preferences” tab and unmark the box next to “Use weighted calculations.” Then click “Save Changes.”

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In a fashion similar to distributing weight, you can also indicate assignments as extra credit or to be excluded from the course grade. Go to the fourth gray tab, “Assign Points/Weights.” Locate the “Extra Credit” and “Exclude from Course Grade” buttons at the top of the Gradebook table. Click on the button to open a pop-up window. In this window, mark the box(es) next to the item(s) to be extra credit or excluded from the course grade. When done, click “Save Extra Credit Selection” or “Exclude Selections from Course Grade,” depending on which feature you are using. These selections can easily be altered by returning to the “Extra Credit” or “Exclude from Course Grade” links and unmarking any previous selections.

In the Gradebook, do the percentages have to equal out to 100%? Technically, no. The Gradebook will not alert you if you have more or less than 100% worth of weighted grades. However, it is best to ensure that your Gradebook is standardized to 100% or more if using weighted grades. What is user activity [in the Gradebook]? User activity tracks how long a student has been logged into the classroom and in which areas of the classroom they spent time. This is utilized more in fully-online classes, and would not necessarily gauge anything for eCompanion courses other than whether or not a student has logged in and what they are looking at in the classroom.

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GGRRAADDIINNGG AASSSSIIGGNNMMEENNTTSS

There are several ways to grade assignments. For instance, you can enter grades one student at a time, or you can enter grades one assignment at a time. This section will teach you how to enter grades by student or by assignment.

Click on the “Gradebook” button on the top navigation bar.

It will default to the “View Gradebook” button and show you a list of students and their grade-to date. From here you can either click on the student‟s name that you want to grade and pick a specific assignment, or choose a specific unit and grade all students from there. Use the “Select Gradebook View” drop-down menu to select how you would like to enter grades.

Grade by Student

1. From the “Select Gradebook View” drop-down menu, select the appropriate unit. Then, click “Go.” This allows the user to narrow down their view of the Gradebook so that only the relevant assignments are accessed.

2. Locate the assignment that is to be graded (in a column). Locate the first student in the roster (in a row). At the location where this row and column meet, there will be an asterisk (*). The asterisk indicates that the assignment has not yet been graded. Click on the asterisk (*).

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3. The grading box pop-up window will now appear. From this location, an instructor can enter the number of points earned, a letter grade (optional), and any comments to be shared with the student about their work.

4. When done, click “Save and Next.” This will open the grading box for the next student on the roster.

Continue this process until all students‟ grades have been entered for the assignment.

5. When done, click “Save and Close.” If “Save and Close” is not clicked, all grade entry will be lost.

Grade by Assignment

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1. From the “Select Gradebook View” dropdown menu, select the appropriate unit. Then, click “Go.” This

allows the user to narrow down their view of the Gradebook so that only the relevant assignments are accessed.

2a & 2b. Once the appropriate unit has been selected (from the “Select Gradebook View” dropdown menu), locate the assignment names at the top of the columns in the Gradebook table. Click on the specific assignment to be graded, by clicking on the blue assignment link (i.e. the name of the assignment).

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3. This narrows the view of the Gradebook again, so that the user only views the Gradebook for that unit and that particular assignment. Boxes will be available to enter numeric and letter grades for the particular assignment for each student. Comments can also be entered. In addition, the option is given to share or not share the grade with the student. Enter the grades for each student. 2. When done, click “Save & Close”.

To change the grade for a student, click on the specific student‟s name in the Gradebook. Then click on the listed grade for the specific assignment. The grading box will appear, allowing you to edit the numeric and letter grades, as well as comments. Or, return through any of the previous steps and edit what has been entered. If a student has not submitted an assignment, it is imperative to enter a grade of „0‟ (zero). Otherwise the unearned possible points will not be calculated into the overall course grade.

Does the Gradebook convert numeric grades to letter grades? Currently, the Gradebook will not convert numeric grades to letter grades. With each graded assignment, you have the option of entering a letter grade. One suggestion would be to enter a Gradebook item called “Midterm Grade” or “Final Grade” where you could enter the final numeric and letter grade for the student to view. Make sure to exclude this item from the course grade so that any entry is not calculated as part of the overall grade. Will the Gradebook curve a grade? The Gradebook will not curve a grade. This would be something that would need to be calculated manually, prior to entering student grades into the Gradebook. However, you can essentially curve a grade by modifying the points possible in the Gradebook. Can the Gradebook drop the lowest grade, per student? This is something that you would have to do manually. To do this, simply remove the grade (if already entered) from the student‟s Gradebook for the particular assignment (leaving the field blank where the points earned would otherwise be located). If the grade is not currently entered, then simply to do not enter a grade. The Gradebook calculates the “grade to date” for each student individually. The “grade to date” is the student‟s grade based on the points earned, divided by the possible points from graded assignments. It only factors in assignments that have been graded so far. So, if the Gradebook sees that the assignment in question has not been graded, then it won‟t calculate the potential points in the grade calculation. This will leave the assignment ungraded, but also not counted towards the total possible points that student could have earned. This is how you would drop the lowest grade for a student. How are extra credit points calculated into the final grade? First, make sure that you have indicated the extra credit assignments in the "setup" process of the Gradebook. To do this, enter the Gradebook and click on the "Setup Gradebook" button. Then, click on the fourth gray tab, "Assign Points/Weights." At this location, locate the button found at the top of the Gradebook table titled "Extra Credit." Click on this button, and a pop-up window will appear where you can mark the boxes next to those assignments to be considered as extra credit. When done making selections, click "Save Extra Credit Selections."

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What this does is to tell eCompanion only to include the points for the "extra credit" assignments if a grade value has been entered. It adds the earned points directly to the final grade and doesn‟t hurt the student's grade if a perfect point value is not obtained on the extra credit assignment. Items indicated as "extra credit" must be given a possible point value. If you are using weighted averages (see page 68), the "extra credit" assignment(s) must also be given a percentage value. When weighting averages, eCompanion simply adds the earned percentage for each assignment to determine the cumulative grade. Therefore, there needs to be a percentage value attached to the extra credit so that eCompanion can compute the math.

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EEMMAAIILL

This page will explain how to send an email from the eCompanion classroom. This feature allows you to email the entire class at once and eliminates the need to remember student email addresses. This feature also provides students with a consistent way in which to reach their instructor and their classmates. This tool is only a method for sending emails. You actually don‟t receive any messages in eCompanion. Instead, the email is received at the email address associated with your account. For faculty, that is your „aii.edu‟ or „southuniversity.edu‟ email address. For students, that is whatever email address is available in the student information system. The student email address information is only pulled once from the student information system and is not updated in eCompanion if updated in the student information system. Please note: If the student does not have an email address in the student information system, eCompanion will generate a fake email address ([email protected]). As the student does not have an accurate email address, they will not receive the email notifying them of their login credentials. In these cases you will need to instruct the students how to login and how to change their email address in eCompanion as described on page 14. You can also verify which email address is associated with a student‟s account in the “Course Enrollment” area. To do so, follow the steps on page 22.

Click on the “Email” button on the top navigation bar.


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1. The Email page will appear. In the first box, known as the Recipients Pool, highlight the students to send the email to or highlight “(All Class Members)” to send to all.

2. Then, click the arrow pointing to the right.

3. The student or students will then be listed in the Recipient List (the second box). 4. Enter the email subject and then compose the message. The message box only permits unformatted

text. If the email message is to be lengthy, it is advised to type the message in an external program (Microsoft Word®, for example), and then cut and paste the message into the text field.

5. To add an attachment, click the “Browse” button and choose an attachment. Only one file can be

attached per email message. 6. It is encouraged to mark the box next to “do not disclose these recipients (bcc)”. By making this

selection, it prevents the email recipients from seeing each others‟ email addresses.

7. To spell check the message, click the “Check Spelling” icon. 8. To send the message, click the “Send Message” button. A copy of the email should automatically be

sent to the sender.

Does eCompanion maintain a record of a sent email? No. The record is meant to be maintained in the senders email system, which is why eCompanion will automatically copy the sender on any message sent. It is encouraged to also always include yourself as a recipient of any email you send to ensure that you receive a copy and can retain it.

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DDOOCC SSHHAARRIINNGG

This section will show you how to upload a document to the Doc Sharing area of your eCompanion classroom. You can choose to share or not to share the documents that you place in the Doc Sharing area. In addition, students also have the ability to use this tool to upload documents to share with the class or the instructor (as the instructor, you can see who uploaded the file and delete any file that you do not want in the Doc Sharing). By uploading a file to the Doc Sharing, it allows students to open and save the file for themselves. So, only place files in the Doc Sharing that you want students to have access to. You can upload almost any type of file into the Doc Sharing area. Keep in mind that the file size limitation for each individual file is 8 MB. The Doc Sharing also provides download history information to the instructor. This will tell you who attempted to open or save the file, on what day, and how many times.

Click on the “Doc Sharing” button across the top navigation bar. It is not required to be in “Author” mode.

To better organize all the files that you want to share, you can create different categories. For example, create categories for each unit, for each type of assignment, or for student groups. To create categories, click on “Add/Edit Categories.” It is best to create categories first. Documents already posted in “Doc Sharing” cannot be moved to a category later. Once a category is created, it can be accessed using the drop-down menu at the top of the page and clicking “Go.”

To upload a new file, click on the “Upload New File” link.

The option will appear to share the file with the “Instructor Only” or with the “Entire Class.” Please choose one by marking the appropriate radio button. This setting can be changed at any future time. Once this option is selected, it will automatically go to the next step.

Click the “Browse” button and find the file to upload. Then, click “Upload File.”

Then, enter a description for the file. This allows you to explain the relevance of the file, but also helps clarify what it is if the file name itself is not indicative enough.

Lastly, click “Ok.”

The file will then be viewable in the “Doc Sharing” area.

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Documents can be removed from Doc Sharing simply by clicking the “Delete” link within the area for the document listing. The document can also be hidden from student view by clicking on the link under the “Share” column. Simply clicking on the option “Entire Class” will change the view to “Instructor Only” and vice versus. If a document that was previously posted to Doc Sharing has been edited, don‟t forget to delete the old version from Doc Sharing and upload the new one. Student posts to the Doc Sharing area will not remain in the course when the course is copied or duplicated. Only instructor additions to the Doc Sharing area remain a permanent part of the class.

Can students delete something from Doc Sharing? Students can only delete items which they themselves posted to Doc Sharing. As instructor, you have the ability to delete any items from the Doc Sharing area.

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DRROOPPBBOOXX

The Dropbox is associated with content items on the left-side navigation bar. For “Text/Multimedia (Content Manager)”, Web Content Upload (Content Manager), “Microsoft Office Document (Content Manager)”, and Text Multimedia content item types, you can tell eCompanion that you need a place to receive student work. In doing so, you create a dropbox. All dropboxes are housed in the Dropbox area on the top navigation bar. When a student submits their work, it is placed in the dropbox related to a specific assignment, meaning that student work will automatically be organized for you. Without a dropbox, there is no place for students to submit their assignment. Dropboxes cannot be associated with the Threaded Discussion (Content Manager), Exam, or Threaded Discussion content types.

Dropboxes are created upon creation of the content item placeholder (see page 43). If a content item already exists, and a Dropbox basket needs to be associated with it, you can easily do this. Click on the specific content item which requires the addition of a Dropbox basket (in “Author” mode). Then click on the “Toolbox” button. Click the link that reads “Create dropbox basket.” If you need to remove a Dropbox basket, return to the “Toolbox.” However, you will now find a link that reads “Delete Dropbox Basket.” Simply click on this link. Note that each time a student submits work to the Dropbox, it will be date and time stamped.

Using the Dropbox

Utilizing the Dropbox is very simple. Keep in mind that although the Dropbox will consistently remain available on the top navigation bar (whether you choose to use it or not), there will be no location for students to submit their work unless you create a Dropbox basket. To retrieve student work, click on the “Dropbox” button on the top navigation bar. From the “Baskets” tab, select the name of the assignment which you will be grading. This will take you to your “Inbox” where submitted work will be located, along with the student name and date and time submitted. To open the submitted assignment, simply click the “envelope” or “paper” icons next to the student‟s name. The file will open outside of eCompanion, in the program with which the file is associated. If you do not have the program in which the file was created, you will be unable to open the file. If this occurs, save the file to your desktop. Go to the file location and right-click on the file. Then select “Open With…” and choose a relevant program (these instructions are for a PC only). You can also attempt changing the file extension to include a file type that you can open. You can enter the student‟s grade while in the Dropbox and return the file to the student (to indicate completion of grading). This grade will automatically be displayed in the Gradebook without any additional entry. To attach a file back to the student or to enter comments, go to the Gradebook and open the grading window for that student‟s assignment (do this by clicking on the grade itself for that assignment). There you can attach a file for the student to open and/or enter comments.

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If a student has indicated that they submitted their work, but it is not found in the specific basket, you can also search the Dropbox by student name. Click on the “Student” tab, select the student‟s name to search through that student‟s submitted assignments.

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WWEEBBLLIIOOGGRRAAPPHHYY

This will show you how to add a website link under the Webliography button so that you can develop a list of course-relevant websites. The benefit of placing links in the Webliography is the archiving of all websites (the entries will be copied with your course each time that it is copied). You can also categorize these sites to better organize them. In addition, students also have the ability to use this tool to share relevant websites with the class or the instructor (as the instructor, you can see who added the entry and delete any entry that you do not want in the Webliography).

By adding a website entry to the Webliography, it allows students to link directly to that site.

Click on the “Webliography” button on the top navigation area. It is not required to be in “Author” mode.

To create categories in which websites can be organized, click on “Add/Edit Categories.” To place a website into a category, you will select the category from the drop-down menu provided when adding a new entry.

To add a new website entry in a general category, click “Add new Entry.” In the form provided, enter all of the information you have about the website. The two following pieces of information are required; all other information is optional.

The “Title” field will be the title for the website. It does not have to be the name of the specific website. This text is what will serve as the actual link on which students will click to access the site.

Enter the URL into the “Web Address” field. It may be easiest to open the website in a separate browser window and cut and paste the web address here.

After entering all information, click “Add Entry.” The entry will now appear in the Webliography.

Web sites can be removed from the Webliography simply by clicking the “Delete” link within the area next to the specific link. The web site information can also be edited by clicking the “Edit” link. Student posts to the Webliography will not remain in the course when the course is copied or duplicated. Only instructor additions to the Webliography remain a permanent part of the class.

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Regarding Students

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Embed eCompanion information into the course syllabus. Include the following:

1) eCompanion Student and Faculty Support:

email - [email protected] or [email protected]

phone - 866-642-2711

2) Expectations & responsibilities of the student to make use of eCompanion to access course information,

resources & assignments. Be specific!

Have a purpose for using eCompanion and let students know why you will be using it.

1) Upload the syllabus (and associated documents) into eCompanion;

2) Populate the Doc Sharing/Webliography and use for resources & assignments;

3) Configure the Gradebook and keep it up-to-date;

4) “Sell” eCompanion to the students by making it useful & necessary for the course; and

5) USE IT weekly to keep them involved with it.

During Session One (in-class) show the students around eCompanion with a laptop/projector.

1) Use eCompanion to go over the syllabus (displayed on laptop/projector). You have to review the

syllabus anyway, but with this approach, a tour of eCompanion isn‟t taking away from teaching time;

2) Project the Gradebook and show assignments, assessments & weights;

3) Show the Doc Sharing & Webliography with resources already loaded (including the first assignment);

4) Show the Dropbox baskets; and

5) Generally, give a tour of the module (couple this with the student handouts found in this Guide).

During Session One (in-class) actually have students go log into the portal and access their eCompanion courses

1. If in a computer lab – have them login – look over their shoulders & confirm.

2. If in a classroom – have students go to an open lab and login.

3. Have a short online quiz for the students to complete (covering the syllabus, for example).

4. Have students download a document (then track with the Document History tool).

5. Have students upload a “fact sheet” about themselves (they type it in a Word® document in the

computer lab and upload it to Doc Sharing &/or a Dropbox basket. The fact sheet can have their

name and some relevant info (special skill sets, etc).

6. While students are busy logging into eCompanion, have eCompanion running on a laptop in the

classroom to monitor logins – confirm that all students get logged in.

Even if you get all attendees at session one logged in, you will likely be confronted with students who added the course late or were absent for session one.

1. The eCompanion information embedded in the course syllabus will help get those students online.

2. Watch the updated course roster – your roster will automatically be updated with new students and

dropped students will automatically be removed. Send emails to them and make sure they get

logged in promptly.

3. Include announcements in eCompanion reminding students of their responsibilities.

4. Direct late-registered or absent students to eCompanion to get the lecture notes, assignments or

slideshows they missed.

Here are some suggestions for the management of eCompanion use throughout the term.

1. Short online quizzes keep students involved.

2. Keep the Gradebook updated.

3. Have students use the Dropbox to turn in assignments, if possible.



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4. Provide links to eCompanion from other website(s), including Ai Department sites and instructor

web pages. Contact the eCompanion Student and Faculty Support email or phone number if you

would like assistance.

5. Keep eCompanion development simple and easy to use.

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For students…

HHOOWW TTOO LLOOGGIINN AANNDD AACCCCEESSSS EECCOOMMPPAANNIIOONN –– AARRTT IINNSSTTIITTUUTTEESS

eCompanion is an internet-based program, meaning that you can access your class information anywhere that you can access the internet! eCompanion works best in the Microsoft Internet Explorer® and Mozilla Firefox® browsers. If you use a Mac computer, it is recommended that you use the Mozilla Firefox® browser. If you do not have the Mozilla Firefox® browser, you can go to http://www.firefox.com to download it for free. If you use a Mac computer, and prefer the Safari browser, you must “allow all cookies” in your security settings (this cannot be done on most on-campus computers). Go to Safari<Preferences<Security. Next to the “Accept Cookies” option select the “Always” radio button. eCompanion also functions best if you have the latest versions of Adobe Flash® and Java™ installed on your computer. If you do not have the latest versions, you can download them at http://www.adobe.com and http://www.java.com/, respectively.

To login to eCompanion: Go to your campus portal and log in. If you are enrolled in an online eCompanion course you will see the title of that course as an active link. Clicking on this link will take you directly into your eCompanion course. If you are taking a ground or in-person course you will see a red button that says, “Take me to my campus classes”. Clicking on this link will take you to the eCompanion home page. Once logged in, you will see a list of the courses in which you are enrolled in eCompanion. This may not be your entire schedule as some of your instructors may not be using the eCompanion program.

To go to a class, simply click on the course link (blue, underlined title of the course). When you first log in to a course, you will see that there are major sections along both the top and side of the page. This will be the framework within which you will navigate throughout the course.

Left-Side Navigation Bar

Along the left-side is your main navigation. The left-side navigation bar contains course information and materials. These materials are organized by units. When you click on a specific unit to expand it, you will see information for that unit, along with any additional content on the left-side navigation bar. If you click on a specific content item, you will see information regarding that item. Although you can print from this screen, the frames in the program prohibit it from printing very clearly.

Top Navigation Bar

Along the top of each page are some additional resources you will be able to use in your course. Your instructor may or may not be using these features.




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For students…

HHOOWW TTOO LLOOGGIINN AANNDD AACCCCEESSSS EECCOOMMPPAANNIIOONN –– SSOOUUTTHH UUNNIIVVEERRSSIITTYY

eCompanion is an internet-based program, meaning that you can access your class information anywhere that you can access the internet! eCompanion works best in the Microsoft Internet Explorer® and Mozilla Firefox® browsers. If you use a Mac computer, it is recommended that you use the Mozilla Firefox® browser. If you do not have the Mozilla Firefox® browser, you can go to http://www.firefox.com to download it for free. If you use a Mac computer, and prefer the Safari browser, you must “allow all cookies” in your security settings (this cannot be done on most on-campus computers). eCompanion also functions best if you have the latest versions of Adobe Flash® and Java™ installed on your computer. If you do not have the latest versions, you can download them at http://www.adobe.com and http://www.java.com/, respectively.

To login to eCompanion:

1. Go to: http://inside.southuniversity.edu/. 2. Click on the "My Campus" tab across the top navigation menu.

3. Enter your personal login credentials on the right side of the next screen to access your student portal. Once in the student portal, click on the "Go to Online Classroom" link in the upper-right corner of the page in which will take you to eCompanion. Once logged in, you will see a list of the courses in which you are enrolled in eCompanion. This may not be representative of your entire schedule as some of your instructors may not be using the eCompanion program.

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http://inside.southuniversity.edu/

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To go to a class, simply click on the course link (blue, underlined title of the course). When you first log in to a course, you will see that there are major areas along both the top and left-side of the page. This will be the framework within which you will navigate throughout the course.

Left-Side Navigation Bar

Along the left-side is your main navigation. The left-side navigation bar contains course information and materials. These materials may be organized by units. When you click on a specific unit to expand it, you will see information for that unit, along with any additional content on the left-side navigation bar. If you click on a specific content item, you will see information regarding that item. Although you can attempt to print from this screen, the frames in the program prohibit it from printing clearly.

Top Navigation Bar

Along the top of each page are some additional resources you will be able to use in your course. Your instructor may or may not be using these features.

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For students…

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The Gradebook is located across the top navigation bar and is a way to verify your progress in the course at any point in the quarter. Talk with your instructor to verify when assignment grades will be posted each week.

When you access the Gradebook, you will see:

1. Your grades only. 2. Your earned grade for each particular assignment. 3. Your “grade to date” as a percentage. 4. The possible percentage you can earn for each assignment. 5. The weighted average for each assignment, if applicable (not demonstrated in the image above).

If you click on the earned grade for any assignment, you will see the comments posted by the instructor in a pop-up window.

Earned Grade

Grade to Date

Percent of Total Grade per Assignment

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For students…

HHOOWW TTOO SSEENNDD AANN EEMMAAIILL FFRROOMM EECCOOMMPPAANNIIOONN The Email feature in eCompanion allows you access to email the instructor, as well as any of your classmates, and even groups that are set up in your class. This means you always have a way to get in contact with the class. eCompanion only provides a mode for sending emails; the messages are received at the email address associated with your eCompanion account.

1. To send an email, click on the “Email” button on the top navigation bar.

2. From “Select recipients”, select those individuals to whom you would like to send a message. This is done by clicking on the name of the individual and then clicking the arrow pointing right. This moves the individual from “Select recipients” to “Recipients”. If you would like to send an email to the entire class, you can select “(All Class Members)” from the Recipients Pool. You can also email any groups that you may have set up.

3. Next, enter the subject line and message of the email. If you intend on sending a lengthy message, it is

advised that you type it first in Microsoft Word® and then copy and paste it into the email message text box. You can also choose to attach a file to the email and to Check Spelling before sending the message.

4. To send the message, click the “Send Message” button.

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For students…

HHOOWW TTOO UUSSEE TTHHEE DDOOCC SSHHAARRIINNGG The Doc Sharing is located on the top navigation bar and allows for the sharing of course-relevant files with the entire class. In the Doc Sharing, you can open files that have been shared by others and you can also upload new files to share with the class.

1. To open a file, simply click on the blue file name for that entry. This will open a pop-up window, with the

options to “Open” or “Save” the file. 2. To upload a new file, click on the “Upload Document” link. CAUTION: Do not upload a file here that

you do not intend to share with your instructor and all your classmates.

a. The option will appear to “Share file with: „Instructor Only‟ or „Entire Class‟. You must choose one. If you share the file with the entire class, everyone will be able to open and save the file for themselves. If you share the file with the instructor only, then only you and the instructor will be able to open and save the file.

b. Next, click “Browse” to select a file to upload.

c. If you are uploading a zipped file you have the option to unzip the file for the class.

d. Click “Upload Document”.

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The Dropbox is located in the top navigation bar. It is a place in the online classroom where you can electronically submit assignments to the instructor. Assignments can only be submitted here if the instructor created a dropbox for students to submit a particular assignment.

Upon initially entering the Dropbox, you will see your “Inbox” and “Outbox.” Previously submitted assignments will be located in the “Outbox.” Once graded by the instructor and returned, assignments will be located in the “Inbox.” Imagine that the Dropbox functions very much like email, although you are sharing a file only between yourself and the instructor in eCompanion.

1. To submit an assignment, click the “Submit Assignment” link.

2. Use the drop-down menu to select the appropriate basket to which you will submit the assignment. A Dropbox basket is associated with a specific assignment located on the left-side navigation bar in the classroom. You will only submit items to the Dropbox when directed by the instructor.

3. You can then enter any comments regarding the assignment or messages to the instructor.

4. Then, click “Add Attachments” to attach the assignment.

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5. To attach a file, click “Browse…” Then, locate your file on your computer and click “Open”. Almost any file type will be accepted here, and the file size should not exceed 8 MB.

6. Once the file is found, click “Attach File.” This is a critical step, as failure to do this will result in the file

not being submitted in the Dropbox.

7. Lastly, the pop-up window will close and you will see a summary of your attachments in the “Submit Assignment” window.

8. You should verify that the attachment(s) is listed and the appropriate Dropbox basket has been selected from the drop-down menu. Then, click “Submit Assignment”

9. The submitted assignment should be identified in the “Outbox.” If it is not identified there, then it was

not properly submitted.

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For students…

HHOOWW TTOO UUSSEE TTHHEE WWEEBBLLIIOOGGRRAAPPHHYY The Webliography is located on the top-navigation bar and allows for the sharing of course-relevant websites with the entire class. In the Webliography, you can open websites that have been shared by others and you can also add your own websites to share with the class.

1. To open a Webliography entry, simply click on the blue link for that entry. You must allow pop-ups for this to work properly.

2. To add a new website entry, click on the “Add New Entry” link.

a. Enter a “Title” for the entry. This is the text that serves as the link for the entry. This is a way to

describe the website.

b. Then, enter the “Web Address” or the URL for the particular website. It is often easiest to simply cut and paste the web address from an internet browser.

c. Lastly, click “Add Entry.”

d. The website entry will then be viewable in the “Webliography” area.

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Below are common questions we anticipate students asking instructors regarding eCompanion. Common questions regarding eCompanion navigation can best be answered using the student handouts starting on page 84 of this Guide. Remember that the Faculty support contact information can help your students who are experiencing problems logging in or technical issues. Have your student email [email protected] or [email protected] or call 866-642-2711.

General

I don‟t see a link to my class(es). Once a student is enrolled in a course they should receive an email (to what email address? The one recorded in the SIS or eCollege?) telling them to log into my campus portal to go to their classes. If they don‟t see a link either directly into the classroom or to the eCollege/My Courses home page, they are likely not yet enrolled in the course. They should contact the faculty and student support email or phone number to troubleshoot the problem. It may be that they are not enrolled into the course at all or just not enrolled into the eCollege/eCompanion course shell.

There is nothing on my Course Home page. I can‟t see any announcements. There is an error that has occurred on the My Courses Home page. It is a known issue with eCompanion that the Course Home Page will not load in the Safari browser. This will prevent students from being able to view the Course Home Page – including announcements and the course introduction. Students must use an alternate browser or can change their browser settings in Safari to “allow all cookies.”

Do I have to use eCompanion? A student‟s expectation for using the platform is set by the instructor. The instructor may use eCompanion as a place for students to find certain information, such as grades, assignments, etc. Therefore, student usage depends on the instructor. It is important that each instructor clarify how their students are expected to use eCompanion.

Course Tools

When will my grade be updated? This is an expectation that each instructor must personally set with their students. It is helpful for students to know when their “grade to-date” reflects their true grade in the course, so providing information on when the students‟ grades will be updated each week is important.

I am having trouble uploading my assignment to the Dropbox. The Dropbox does have some limitations regarding file size and accepted file types. However, as long as a student is following the instructions, they should not have any problems. Keep in mind that, as eCompanion is internet-based, internet connectivity issues would also present a problem with uploading a file to the Dropbox. Refer your student to faculty and student support email and phone number if they need some help in troubleshooting issues with the Dropbox.

I submitted my assignment to the Dropbox, but received a „0‟ grade. What happened? Verify that the student submitted their work to the correct Dropbox. This error is easily identified by



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searching the Dropbox by student. If the student‟s work is not located in any Dropbox, ask for a screen shot showing that the assignment is in their Dropbox Outbox.

I can view my grade for an assignment, but I can‟t see any instructor comments or more details about my grade? If the student clicks on the actual grade for the assignment in their Gradebook, it will open the Gradebook Details window for that assignment. If any comments were entered, they can be read here.

What do symbols, like the asterisk (*), in the Gradebook mean? Please refer to the following key, found in the Gradebook in eCompanion.

I know my assignments have been graded, but I can‟t see my grades in the Gradebook? Verify that the “Share grade with student” was checked when grading was completed. If not, check this box so that grade is visible to the student. Also, verify that the student is indeed included on the course roster. If the assignment was an exam in eCompanion, then verify that the date on which the grades can be viewed in the Gradebook is set properly in the exam‟s Toolbox.

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