Post on 11-Apr-2017
Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes made at KU LeuvenA new portal and custom course design
Bert Coenen, Toledo
It's a portal, Jim. But not as we know it...
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• Notifications
• Stream• Chronological• By source• By type
• Overload!
• What's important?• Search?• Filter?
• Enrollments• Courses
• Organizations
• Grouped
• Extra info• Role
• Instructors
• Quick Links• "Internal" tools
• External applications
• Profile- / role-based• Custom set of links
• Student / staff
• Campus-based
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Why?
• Demand• Users• Management• Within team
• Limits• Maintenance• Performance• Flexibility
• edX - pilot for Moocs and Spocs
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How?
• User input• Usability study• User survey• Interviews• Focus groups
• Alpha-release
• Beta-release
Requirements
• Modern• Technology• Look-and-feel
• Fast
• Flexible
• Upgradeable
• Mobile
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Features
• Uncluttered workspace
• Clean navigation
• Separate views• Enrollments• Notifications
• Filters
• Customization
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eg8-_Q79eTo
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Demo• Main modules– Courses and organizations– Targeted information– Schedule
• Navigation
• Search and filter
• Anatomy of a tile
• Updates and messages
Look!It's moving.
It's alive. It's alive...
Why?
• Initially: bug-fixing• Fix layout-issues• Using only CSS
• Later: improvements• Modify elements
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How?
• Brands and themes
• New theme• Based on Bb's default• Extra CSS-files
• New icons
• CSS alone...doesn't get you far
Enter Javascript
• Blackboard themes:• No custom JS
• Modified template• Include JS-file• Dynamically
• Modify features, fix bugs
• Small changes• Modified behaviour
• Medium changes• New features
• Large changes• Custom applications• Mobile accessible layout (
MLFTP)• Exam setup (x-Toledo)
Anything is possible...
Requirements• Never a formal set of requirements• Two categories
– Fixes for actual and perceived bugs (poor workflows)– Addition of functional / ergonomical improvements
• Very much an ad hoc process– Bug encountered?– Missing feature identified?
• When to stop?• Maintenance?
– Impact on upgrades
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCcz_hpXKdc
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Demo• Navigation– Student
• Custom icon set• Directory view• Collapse and expand• Maximize / full screen / print• Tours
– Instructor• Tours• Contextual help• Availability
– Course– Content
Demo• Course contents– Content creation
• Single button• Contextual insert
– Content organization• Drag and drop
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Demo• Learning modules– "State"– Enforced sequential navigation
Demo• Forms– Move form elements
• Date fields in announcement form• Uncheck mail option in edited announcement
– Remove form elements• No "prohibit backtracking" in tests in the dedicated exam
environment• Remove "Save as draft" in assignment form
– Change default values– Lookup in lists
• Mail select users/groups
Demo• Tests
– "Print test"-feature for instructors– "Quiz" behaviour
• Extra option in test's properties page• Immediate feedback
– Skip "unnecessary" steps in test• Confirmation before start• Confirmation on submit (page shown before feedback)
• Completion container– Fix positioning issues
• Un-answer a question
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Mobile accessible design
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Mobile accessible design
• Not: separate mobile access• https://m.toledo.kuleuven.be• Has been in use for + 3 years• Alternative for / complement to
Bb Mobile Learn• Stripped down feature set
• Truly responsive design• Same page, same URL• Same theme• Different layout• ~ Fully featured
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It's Blackboard, Jim. But not as we know it...
Mobile accessible design
• CSS- and JS-based• Custom navigation structure• Customized content view• Customized tables• Major changes to tests• Discussion boards• Journals, blogs, wikis...
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Demo• Portal
• Course View– As student
• Navigation• Course content• Discussion board• Take test
– As instructor• Navigation• Edit mode• Content creation