User Guide : Virtual Classroom

For Teacher User

[Introduction]

Virtual Classroom is a simulated classroom via Internet, which provides a convenient  communication environment for distance learners just  like  traditional face-to-face style classroom.

As well as traditional classroom, virtual classroom is teacher-dominated. Students could not change webpage/video/audio shown in classroom unless they get the permission from teacher. 

Before using teacher toolkit, a user name (usually First Name and Last Name) and password will be given by tool provider.

Briefly, following functions are ready to go with teacher toolkit:

1. Online Communicating with students in classroom using Text or Audio Messages.

2. Pushing Webpage/Video/Audio to students.

3. Drawing diagrams on white board and showing them to students.

4. Managing (Granting / Revoking) pushing permission of students, which could let students  lead a discussion or make a presentation.

5. Managing information of students in class and sending group Emails (may include personal Grade Vector) to each student.

[Minimum System Requirement]

• Intel Pentium processor
• Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, Windows XP
• 32MB of RAM (64MB recommended)
• 10MB of available hard-disk space
• Internet Explorer 6.01 or Higher 
• Microsoft Office 2000/XP Installed. (For exporting grade sheet to Excel)

Step1. Download/Copy Installation package from provider, for example, teacherinstall.exe.

Step2. Double click to run it. Follow installing instruction step by step.

Step3. Once finished Step2, a new program named "Virtual Classroom Teacher Toolkit" will be added into programs group, which includes five tools shown as Figure1.

Figure 1. Installation

[Configuration]

Before first time using, please Click Start--> Program-->Virtual Classroom Teacher Toolkit-->Configuration Tool to set your information correctly. The interface for configuration is shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2. Configuration

Note: In most cases, there is no need to change Name Server's address and Port unless provider requires. SMTP Server is for Email sending service,  Sever and Port are common configurations as same as any universal Email clients such as Microsoft Outlook. Name and Email are for sender's information shown on outgoing messages to students. To avoid confusion of receivers, MAKE SURE to set them as your name and Email address before using group email service.

Note: Once press the "update" button, all configuration will be saved.

[Getting Start]

• Online Communication

Click Start--> Program-->Virtual Classroom Teacher Toolkit-->Communication Tool (Figure 3)

Figure 3 Login To Communication Tool

Next Window is asking you to choose the classroom you want to enter (Figure 4).

Note: One teacher could teach multiple classes, so more than one choices may be offered. 

Figure 4 Choose Courses

Trouble Shooting: If you get message "Can't find Name Server", please use configure tool mentioned in [Configuration] to set the name server's information. If the problem persists, check to see if you are using any firewall software. In some cases, system fails because communication port is blocked by a firewall. Opening the port or disabling firewall could solve the problem.

• Student Information Management

Click Start--> Program-->Virtual Classroom Teacher Toolkit-->Information Center:

Figure 5. Login to Information Center

Next Window is asking you to choose the classroom you want to enter, exactly as same as Communication tool (Figure 4).

[Basic Functions]

• Communication tool

1. Online Communicating with students in classroom using Text or Audio Messages.

Figure 6 Chatting Room

There are text input areas located on the left bottom of chatting room where user can input the text/audio message. (Figure 6)

• Click SEND (Ctrl+X) button to send message to teacher and other students.
• Click CLEAR button to clear the input area.
• Click SAVE button to save the all the chatting history.
• Click Color Bar to choose the color of your message.

Note: by changing drop list "TO", private talking is allowed between teacher and any student in classroom. (Other students will not see the messages). 

Note: The audio messages are allowed by checking the audio box above text input field.

 

Figure 9 Pushing Permission Management

 

As shown in Figure 9, the left list is all the students online. The right list is the students who have push permission. Once students get the push permission, they could push Webpage/Video/Audio to teacher and other students. Meanwhile they could send Audio message as well. 

 

Note: Teacher can revoke students' permission at any time. Teacher may give multiple students push permission. ONLY online students can get push permission.

1. Managing information of students in class (Figure 10)

Figure 10 Student Information Management

Grades could be inputted into a spreadsheet-style grid shown in Figure 10.

• Click Export button to export all data into Microsoft Excel, in which user could easily print, do some statistic and other advanced functions. 
• Click Save button to save the data.

Note: Teacher may have different needs for student information. System provides maximum flexibility. For the information of students, only following fields are required:

• First Name

• Last Name

• Email

Beside these, teacher may customize other fields, for example {ex1,ex2,project1, project2} , {quiz1,quiz2,midterm,final} and so on. Please send the format which you want to the software provider . They will set grade vector for your class. The "information Center tool" will AUTOMATICALLY FIT the format.

2. Sending group Emails (may include personal Grade Vector) to each student.

Figure 11 Sending Group Email

Use check box list at the top left to select who you are going to send email.

All items listed in interface (Figure 11) are similar as what you see in any universal Email clients such as  Microsoft Outlook. Furthermore, a personal grade vector could be inserted into email by checking the box "Including the grades in the message". Once you finished, press SEND button. A preview email window will show up (Figure 12):

Figure 12. Email Preview

You still have a chance to cancel the sending action by click "Opps...something wrong" button.

Trouble Shooting: In case sending email address is rejected by SMTP server, an exception message will list all invalid email addresses. All emails will be cancelled even for correct emails in group. The reason for this "all-or-nothing" policy is that at any time users could correct invalid emails and try sending again, no worrying about duplicated emails for others.

[Un-Installation]

You may need to remove the teacher toolkit from you computer. Here is some tips for Un-installation:

Click Start--> Program-->Virtual Classroom Teacher Toolkit-->Uninstall. Follow the instructions.

Figure 13 Uninstallation

[Live Update]

A live update tool is provided to download the latest version without re-install the whole system.  Click Start--> Program-->Virtual Classroom Student Toolkit-->Live Update, a window will be shown as Figure 14.

Figure 14 Live Update Tool

By clicking  "update" button, system will automatically check  availability of new version. If yes, it will  overwrite the current version by new one.

Questions and Comments, send them to flying@cs.pitt.edu.

--End--

Updated: 04/12/2005