Author: Channell C. Walker

Introducing Walker eLearning!

Channell C. WalkerLeave a comment

I have been working hard on launching my own instructional design website. It is a place where I can write professionally about instructional design topics that interest me and where I can also take on more freelance projects. If you are interested in reading my latest blog posts or working with me then checkout WalkereLearning.com.

Q&A: Extra Credit in Canvas

Channell C. WalkerLeave a comment

An instructor asked me if his extra credit setup in Canvas would mess up his gradebook. He was using a weighted assignment group and the extra credit group was assigned a 0% weight, which I know you are not supposed to do, but I also thought that going over 100% in Canvas was also a “no-no.” Back when I was learning Canvas, I was told that there wasn’t a good way to do extra credit; but there have been many updates since then and I had to ask around again for a solution. I was hoping someone would have found a way by now and my coworker, Dena, came in with the win.

If you are also looking for information about adding extra credit to your course, then I encourage you to read this Canvas Instructor Guide article, How Do I Give Extra Credit in a Course?

Canvas: Divide Gradebook for Multiple Graders

Channell C. WalkerLeave a comment

If you have multiple graders in your course and you need to assign each grader a set of students; then, you can use groups to do this.

Randomly assign the students to groups and assign each grader a group(s).

If you have other group work in the course then you should know that you cannot hide groups from students. If you have the groups for the gradebook obviously named then I would have to express a concern for students sucking up to their grader for better grades. To work around this, divide the students into their working groups and assign graders based on those groups. This way students won’t know the gradebook is being divided or who is grading their work.

Moodle 2.8 Kaltura: Make a Video Quiz

Channell C. WalkerLeave a comment

The CaptureSpace recorder for Moodle has the ability to embed quiz questions in videos. These quiz scores cannot be shared with the gradebook, but they are good to use as knowledge checks and as a way to make sure viewers watch the video.  

Access the Editor

  1. In “My Media,” click on the “Edit” button next to the video to which you want to add a quiz.
  2. To access the CaptureSpace editor, click on the “Launch Editor” button located just underneath the video in the Edit screen. This will take you to the web-based video editor.
  3. In the black sidebar click on the cube-shaped button to access the quiz editor.
  4. Click on the “Start” button to create a new quiz. It may take a few seconds to load the quiz editor.
  5. Once the quiz editor has loaded, you can customize the following:

Details

  • Quiz Name – automatically adds “quiz” to the end of your video title as the default. You can change this if you want.
  • Welcome Message – This can contain a brief welcome or your more
  • specific instructions.
  • Instructions – Check this box if you want the default instructions to show on the introduction screen. Scroll down to see the preview text.

Scores

  • Upon Submission – Do not show scores or Show scores.
  • Include Answers – check this box if you want students to be able to go back and review the answers to the quiz.

Experience

  • Question List – Check this box to allow students to download the question list before playing the video.
  • Edit Answer – Check this box to allow students to change their answers before submitting the quiz.
  • Skip for Now – Check this box to allow students to skip a question and go back to it later.

Add Quiz Question

  1. To add quiz questions, click on the divider button to the right of the Quiz header. This will slide the video out to a bigger view.
  • In the timeline, slide your mouse to where you want the question to appear. You could also watch the video and add questions as you go along.
  • Click on the hexagon-shaped button in the middle of the video.
  • Type in your question. For this example, I will use the following question: Which one of these items is not sold at the Hogwarts Express trolley?
  • By default, you already have 2 answer slots. If you want more, click on the hexagon-shaped add button. You can have 2-4 answer options.
  • Type the correct answer in the top answer slot labeled, “Add the CORRECT Answer Here.” The correct answer for this example is Ton-Tongue Toffee.
  • Then fill out the rest of your answer options. I’m going to add Chocolate Frogs, Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans, and Pumpkin Pasties.
  • On the left of the answer slot is a set of tiny dots. When you roll your mouse over them your arrow should turn into a hand. Click on the answer slot to move it up or down the list of answer options or use the shuffle button in the left-hand corner to randomly place the correct answer.
  • Click on the “Save” button when you are finished with your question or you can add a hint and/or feedback.

Add Hint

  1. To add a hint, click on the light bulb icon in the top right-hand corner and select “Hint” from the options.
  • Type your hint in the text box.
  • Click on the “Apply” button.

Add Rationale or Feedback

  1. To add a Rationale or correct answer feedback, click on the light bulb icon in the top right-hand corner and select “Why” from the options.
  • Type your feedback in the text box.
  • Click on the “Apply” button.
  1. When you have finished creating the question, click on “Done”

Moodle 1.9: New Question Categories and Moving Questions

Channell C. WalkerLeave a comment

An instructor sent in an email asking about re-organizing his question categories. He first created a quiz with a new Top-level Activity Question Category and wanted to move those questions to the default question category for the course.

To do this he first had to create a new category within the Course Category:

  1. On the homepage of your course, go to the Administration block.
  2. Choose Questions from the list.
  3. Select the Categories tab.
  4. You should see the header, Question Categories for ‘Course: [Insert course name here]. This let’s you know that you are going to edit categories for the course and not for a specific activity. 
  5. Scroll down to the bottom to the Add Category box.
  6. For Parent, choose ‘Top.’ This adds the category as a top level category in the course.
  7. Give the category a title and the category info is optional. 
  8. Click the ‘Add Category’ button.
  9. You should see the new category at the bottom of the list for your course question categories. If your course has multiple pages of categories, then go to the last page to see the new category. 
  10. You can use the arrows next to the category title to move it to a different place in the list. 

Then he had to move multiple questions from the Activity Category to the Course Category:

  1. To move questions from an Activity Category to a Course Category:
  2. Go to the Quiz and click on the edit icon. This will take you to the quiz settings.
  3. Scroll down to the bottom and click on the ‘Save and Display’ button
  4. Under the tabs, click on the Export link.
  5. The header should say, Export Questions to File
  6. For file format, select Moodle XML format
  7. Then for Category, choose the old category with the questions you want to move.
  8. Leave boxes checked.
  9. Click on the ‘Export questions to file’ button.
  10. This will open a page with the questions about to be exported.
  11. Click on the continue button.
  12. You’ll see the Question Bank with the exported questions at the bottom. 
  13. Under the Action column, check the boxes next to each question.
  14. Under With Selected, choose the new category where you want to move the questions.
  15. Click the ‘Move to >>’ button.
  16. Your questions are now listed in the new category. You should see the number questions in parentheses increase by the number of questions added.

Canvas: Merging Quiz Grades

Channell C. WalkerLeave a comment

An instructor emailed me with a question about merging quiz grades in Canvas. Unfortunately, Canvas cannot combine grades in the gradebook, but there is something you can do to work around this.

Here are the problems that need to be solved:

  • 3 Midterms in one semester and the lowest midterm grade gets dropped
  • Midterm #3 was split into 2 parts and now the instructor wants them combined.

I’ll admit, I don’t know Canvas as well Sakai or Moodle, so I asked a colleague. Turns out, it’s basically the same solution I would use for any other LMS.

  1. Manually add the scores for part 2 with part 1, so the total score is combined in one column.
  2. Move part 2 to a different assignment group weighted 0% or adjust the settings for it to “Do not count towards final grade.”
  3. Once you have your 3 midterms ready, move them into one assignment group and apply the rule, “Drop lowest score” to that group.

Moodle 2.8 Kaltura: Save and Edit CaptureSpace Video

Channell C. WalkerLeave a comment

Save a Video

  1. After making your edits, the recorder window will show the following options:

    • Create New – Save the edited video as a different file while preserving the original recording.
    • Edit Original – Save the changes to the original recording
    • Cancel – Cancel the edits and save the original recording.
  2. For this example, we are going to choose “Create New.”

Edit Video Details

  1. When you choose to create a new video, you’ll be taken to the screen with the video details.
  2. Type in the Video’s title.
  3. Add a description of the video.
  4. Include any tags associated with the video to help you search for the video later on. For example, if you have recorded a long lecture, you can use the tags to bullet point the topics covered in the lecture using only one or two words. Separate each tag with a comma.
  5. Click the “Save” button when finished.

Moodle 2.8 Kaltura: Edit a Video with Recorder

Channell C. WalkerLeave a comment
  1. Once you have finished recording and click the “Done” button, the editing window will pop-up.
  2. Here you can:

    • Trim – cut off unwanted bits at the beginning or end of the video.
    • Chop – cut out bits in the middle of the video.
    • Titles – add one of 12 titles screens to your video.
    • Credits – add one of 12 credit screens to your video.
  3. To trim a video, click on the “Trim” button

    1. Look at the video timeline at the top of the editing window. You should see a blue box surrounding the full timeline and blue circular handles at each end.
    2. Move the handle at the beginning of the video to trim off any unwanted bits at the start of the video. The selected area will be shaded in black.
    3. Move the handle at the end of the video to trim off any unwanted bits at the towards the end of the video. The selected area will be shaded in black.
    4. Click “Apply” at the bottom right-hand corner of the recorder window.
  4. To chop parts of a video, click on the “Chop” button

    1. Look at the video timeline at the top of the editing window. You should see a blue box surrounding the full timeline and blue circular handles at each end. The whole timeline should be shaded in black to show that all the video at present is selected.
    2. Move the handle at the beginning of the video to the start of the unwanted clip you want to cut.
    3. Move the handle at the end of the video to the end of the unwanted clip you want to cut. The selected area for cutting will be shaded in black.
    4. Click “Apply” at the bottom right-hand corner of the recorder window.
  5. Make sure to click on the “Apply” button after each change. To make the changes permanent, click on “Done”. To cancel the changes and re-do the edit, click on “Cancel.”
  6. To add a title to the beginning of your video,

    1. Click on the “Title” button.
    2. Choose one of the 12 title screens.
    3. Highlight the text on the title line to type in your own.
    4. Highlight the text on the description line to type in your own.
    5. Click “Apply” to add the title screen to your video.
  7. To add credits to the end of your video,

    1. Click on the “Credits” button.
    2. Choose one of the 12 credit screens.
    3. Highlight the text on the credits line to type in your own.
    4. Highlight the text on the Call to Action line to type in your own.
    5. Click “Apply” to add the title screen to your video.
  8. When you have finished making all your edits, click on the “Done” button to save your work.

Moodle 2.8 Kaltura: Record a Video

Channell C. WalkerLeave a comment

Record a Video

  1. The CaptureSpace Recorder has four options of videos to record:

    • Screen – Capture your screen along with voiceover audio.
    • Screen & Webcam – Capture your screen as well allow viewers to see you speaking in a picture-in-picture setup using your webcam.
    • Webcam – Record yourself speaking.
    • Voice – Record audio only, no video.
  2. For this example, we are going to choose the “Screen” option.

 

Record a Screen Capture

  1. Click on “Screen” in the recorder menu.
  2. Choose the screen you want to record.
  3. Choose to record the full desktop screen or just a selected portion.
    • If you choose to record the full desktop screen, then viewers will be able to see everything from your desktop background and desktop files to docks, tabs, and browser bars. If there is something you don’t want viewers to see then recording a selected area is the best option. You can place an outline around the window you want to record and everything outside that outline will not be seen in the final video.
  1. Click the record button at the bottom of the recorder window. A countdown will appear. You have 5 seconds to prepare.
  2. When you are finished with video content open the recorder again. The recorder will look different this time. It will be a bar at the bottom of the screen with a counter clock, draw button, play/pause, done (Save), and Cancel. Click “Done” if you are ready to move on.

 

Record a Screen Capture with Webcam

  1. Click on “Screen and Webcam” in the recorder menu.
  2. Choose the screen you want to record.
  3. Choose to record the full desktop screen or just a selected portion.

    • If you choose to record the full desktop screen, then viewers will be able to see everything from your desktop background and desktop files to docks, tabs, and browser bars. If there is something you don’t want viewers to see then recording a selected area is the best option. You can place an outline around the window you want to record and everything outside that outline will not be seen in the final video.
  4. Click the record button at the bottom of the recorder window. A countdown will appear. You have 5 seconds to prepare.
  5. You will see a smaller box with the webcam feed displayed. This is what the viewer will see in the final video.
  6. When you are finished with video content open the recorder again. The recorder will look different this time. It will be a bar at the bottom of the screen with a counter clock, draw button, play/pause, done (Save), and Cancel. Click “Done” if you are ready to move on.

Record with a Webcam

  1. Click on “Webcam” in the recorder menu.
  2. A small box with the webcam feed will take over the recorder application menu and a countdown will appear. You have 5 seconds to prepare.
  3. When you are finished with video content click “Done” if you are ready to move on.

 

Record an Audio File

  1. Click on “Voice” in the recorder menu. The recorder will look different this time. It will be a bar at the bottom of the screen with a counter clock, play/pause, done (Save), and Cancel.
  2. A countdown will appear. You have 5 seconds to prepare.
  3. When you are finished with the audio recording, click “Done” if you are ready to move on.

Use the Draw Tool

  1. Click on the “Draw” button in the recorder bar.
  2. Choose the tool you want to use, the color and the size where available.
  3. Draw on your screen.
  4. Click “done” when the recording is finished.

Moodle 2.8 Kaltura: Access & Download Recorder

Channell C. WalkerLeave a comment

Conditional Release is a way to control access to certain sections or resources in the course. This prevents students from jumping around or moving ahead and releases the content when you, the instructor, are ready. This is helpful when the sequence of the sections are important. Or if you have an answer key to a quiz that you do not want to be seen before the students have taken the quiz.

Access the Recorder

  1. Log in with your user NetID and password.
  2. Roll your mouse over your name in the right-hand corner. This is the user menu.
  3. Choose “My Media” from the list. This will take you to the “My Media” page.

 

Download the CaptureSpace Recorder

  1. In ‘My Media,’ click on the “Add New” button to access the drop-down menu.
  2. Choose from one of the following options:

    • Media upload
    • Webcam recording
    • Record a presentation
    • Video Quiz
  3. For this example, we are going to choose “Record a Presentation.” This will take you to the download screen for the Kaltura CaptureSpace Recorder.
  4. Choose the appropriate download for your computer. If you have a PC or Windows running computer then you choose “Download for Windows.” If you have a Mac or OSX+ running computer, then you choose “Download for Mac.”
  5. Once you have downloaded the recorder, you can either open the application from the folder in which the download was stored or refresh the page and repeat the steps to access the download page. Then a pop-up will appear asking, “Open Kaltura CaptureSpace Desktop Recorder?”
  6. Select the “Open” button. You should see the recorder pop up on your screen.