March 16, 2003Lab

Course Management Systems & Your Final Project

So…What are Course Management Systems anyway? create course web pages without HTML upload content

syllabi, assignments, course documents, etc...

use built in communication tools e-mail to your class roster discussion boards chat announcements calendar

Course Management Systems Other tools

polling/survey/assessment builders assignment managers that can sometimes

integrate with gradebooks collaborative annotation tools digital image manager student home pages Built in WYSYWIGs and more…

CMS options for your final project

ICG Toolkit free, only available until 12/2004

NiceNet.org free, available after 12/2004

Blackboard free trial for 60 days $295 / year thereafter

Course management systems available to you at work

Other non-CMS options “Regular” HTML web site

Must have a web server available to you at work that can host it for you (we can not host these sites)

You can manually code the HTML You can use a WYSIWYG --What You See Is What

You Get-- HTML editor (Dreamweaver, etc…) HTML will not be taught in lab -- you must already

know how to code in HTML if you choose this option WYSIWYGs will not be taught in lab -- you must

already know how to use the WYSIWYG if you choose to use one

Other? Talk to the TA if you have another idea

ICG Toolkit

(Instructional Computing Group) ICG Toolkit is a course management

system available to all students in this class to build your final project in.

ICG ToolkitImportant Notes only available until December 2004 Can NOT retrieve an archived replica of course that

would include the design, layout and functionality of the tools incorporated into the web application (i.e., e-mail, discussion board, etc…)

not recommended for students who would like to use this site in the future

is recommended for students who do not need to use site in the future and would like to experiment with a robust set of course management tools

ICG Toolkit For a list of all the features the ICG toolkit has

to offer, please visit: http://icg.fas.harvard.edu/courseweb/tour_features2.html

Portions of administering the ICG toolkit will be covered in lab

Portions of the administering a NiceNet site will be covered in lab

All other options will NOT be covered in lab, so if you choose them, you should ALREADY know how to use them.

What do you choose if you want to use your final project in the future?

…and you need instruction in the lab how to use the course management system

Do not use the ICG toolkit Use NiceNet.org

What do you choose if you want to use your final project in the future?

…and you do not need instruction in the lab on how to use a course management system.

Do not use the ICG toolkit Use NiceNet or Blackboard* Code HTML and post to a web server

available to you where you work Use a course management system in place

where you work*fee required after 60 days

ICG toolkits

Pass out the URLshttp://www.courses.fas.harvard.edu/~ext21979/Assignments/project/icgurl.doc

Login using your HUID and PIN via the “instructors toolkit” link at the bottom of the announcements page

If you need to get a PIN or need help please visit “PIN Management”

Explore the toolkit. Add features to your site by clicking on “Select Tools & Folders”. Change site template by clicking on “Select Site Colors & Page Layout”.

Note the directions

Reorder display and “view as a student”

Note directions

Use the next 15-20 minutes…

• Explore the ICG toolkit– Documentation on the toolkit’s features can be found

at: http://icg.fas.harvard.edu/courseweb/tour_features2.html

NiceNet.org About NiceNet: http://nicenet.org/ica/ica

_info.cfm Start a class: http://nicenet.org/ica

/user_create.cfm FAQ http://nicenet.org/ica/ica_faq.cfm

To create a class…

Use the next 15-20 minutes…

Create a class and experiment http://nicenet.org/ica/user_create.cfm

Explore the features of NiceNet.org http://nicenet.org/ica/ica_info.cfm

Questions?