December 15, 2010

Preparing for the 2011 Spring Semester ?

While you’re planning for the upcoming semester, please consider adding Infolit Modules to your courses.

We have twelve module topics that offer students an opportunity to learn and practice concepts related to finding and using information for their assignments.  Each module is designed to foster skills about how to identify, access and use information sources.

If you have questions about using the modules, please contact us.

End of semester reminders:

Due to upcoming system maintenance and updates, the Infolit Modules will not be available on the following dates:
12/17 10am-12pm, 12/19 9am-6pm, 12/20 (upgrade), 12/27 7am-12/28 5pm

We’d also like to draw your attention to a few recommended procedures related to saving scores for your current module instances and creating new module instances for the spring:

1. Download scores from the last term and save to your computer. If you have not already done so, we would suggest downloading scores from your instances and maintaining them with your student records. Reminder: you may use this same download process at any point in the term as the basis for uploading scores into MyUCFGrades, Webcourses@UCF, or any other grade book program that supports importing.

2. Make new instances. We recommend creating new instances each term since scores are permanently associated with a specific instance. Having spring term students using instances from a previous term will result in both sets of student data appearing on your score sheet.

To make new instances, begin here: http://infolit.ucf.edu/faculty/getting-started/

3. Update any URLs that link to the old instances. Each instance URL ends with a unique ID number,so you may simply change this number in order to update URLs.

4. Delete old instances. In order to de-clutter your “My Instances” area, you might find it helpful to delete instances from previous semesters.

5. Provide the link to log-in information when you provide instance URLs to students. Detailed information on logging in to the information literacy modules is available for students at http://infolit.ucf.edu/students/help/#article457

6. Provide tech support links to students when you provide instance URLs. Tech support for students (and faculty) is available through the Ask A Librarian service (http://library.ucf.edu/ask). Please encourage students to make contact with Ask A Librarian via phone, email, IM, or chat if they encounter any difficulties with content or technology. You might also refer students to the Frequently Asked Questions at http://infolit.ucf.edu/students/help. (If you choose to help students yourself, you might also find the faculty FAQs useful in addressing student issues: http://infolit.ucf.edu/faculty/faq.)

Happy Holidays!

Prepare for a New Semester!

Amazing, but true, a new fall semester is approaching.  To prepare, consider cleaning out any old “instances” of information literacy modules in the repository (http://obojobo.ucf.edu/repository) and in your online course or syllabus.

We recommend that you delete old instances and create new ones each semester. Any old links will still be populated with students from previous semesters. Make new instances of the information literacy modules each semester. To delete an old instance, highlight the instance and click Delete.

Once you create new instances, you should replace any old links with the new URL.

If you need technical support or have questions about the modules, please contact the Ask A Librarian service via chat, email, phone, or instant message.

• Flash Player 10
• JavaScript
• Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari

Once students have taken an assessment using an instance URL, their scores will be available in the repository. (Note: If you used  Canvas and the ‘Add an Assignment’ option, student scores will  SYNC to your Canvas grade book.)

To access student assessment scores from the repository:

• Log into the repository, and select the “Published Instances” tab at the top of the window.
• Select the title of the instance from the list associated with your course.
• Select the “Assessment Scores” tab near the top of the window.
• The assessment scores will be displayed, and you can use the ‘Download Scores’ option to save them as an Excel file.

To give students access to module instances:

• Log in to the repository and go to “Published Instances” tab at the top of the window.
• Select the title of the instance from the list of instances displayed on the left.
• Locate the URL for the instance in the “Instance Details” panel next to the Instance Link label.
• Share this URL with students.

When students use this URL they will need to log in with their NID and NID password and they will be able to access that instance’s unique log in page. When assigning modules to students, it may be helpful to include the following text along with the instance URL for the module.

Below are links to Information Literacy Modules that you will complete. You will need to log in with your NID and your NID password. If you don’t remember your NID, you can look it up here https://my.ucf.edu/nid.html

If you’re unsure of your NID password, you can reset your password using this online form
https://www.secure.net.ucf.edu/selfreset/pages/nidpidcheck.aspx?type=nid

If you need help or have questions, you can use the FAQ http://infolit.ucf.edu/students/help OR
contact the Ask A Librarian service at the library http://library.ucf.edu/Ask

There is no limit on the number of instances that can be made from a module.

To create an instance in the respository:

• Log in to the repository and click the “Community Library” tab at the top of the page.
• Select the module you want to create an instance of from the list on the left.
• Select the red “Publish Instance” option just above the title of the module.
• Enter the required information about the new instance in the “Publish Instance” window that displays. Information should include course name, start and end time/date that this instance will be opened for students, the number of attempts students will have to complete the module assessment and whether you will allow students to import past scores (if students have previously completed the same module).
• Select “Publish” at the bottom of the panel to finish creating the instance.
• The instance is now ready for distribution to students, and you can locate it by selecting the “Published Instances” tab where all instances are automatically displayed.

There are two ways you can assign Information Literacy Modules:

*Note: Even if you have used the modules in the past, please create a new instance from the community library to insure you are using the most up to date version.  Previous versions may contain Flash objects and will no longer work.

Graded:

1. Create a new assignment
2. Select “External Tools”
3. Select “Obojobo Classic”
4. Select “Community Library”
5. Select the module you would like to include
6. Select “Create new instance” (note: if you would like to preview the module first, you can do so by selecting the “Preview” link located below the “Create new instance” button.
7. Modify the number of attempts you would like your students to have
8. Uncheck the “import previous scores” box if you would like to ensure students complete the modules again, even if they have completed it in the past for another course.
9. Select “Create new instance”

—OR—

Ungraded:

1. Navigate to the course module you would like to add the infolit modules to.
2. Click on the “+” sign to the right of the title of the course module
3. Select Add “external tool” from the drop down menu
4. Select “Obojobo Classic”
5. Select “Community Library”
6. Select the module you would like to include
7. Select “Create new instance” (note: if you would like to preview the module first, you can do so by selecting the “Preview” link located below the “Create new instance” button.
8. Modify the number of attempts you would like your students to have
9. Uncheck the “import previous scores” box if you would like to ensure students complete the modules again, even if they have completed it in the past for another course.
10. Select “Create new instance”

If you are creating an instance of a module and assigning it to students, it may be helpful to include the following text and distribute it with the URL to your students:

Below are links to Information Literacy Modules that you will complete. You will need to login with your NID and your NID password.

If you don’t remember your NID, you can look it up here https://my.ucf.edu/nid.html

If you’re unsure of your NID password, you can reset your password using this online form
https://www.secure.net.ucf.edu/selfreset/pages/nidpidcheck.aspx?type=nid

If you need help or have questions, you can use this FAQ  http://infolit.ucf.edu/students/help/ or contact the Ask a Librarian service http://library.ucf.edu/Ask