As of August 1st, 2008, the Edutech web site will no longer be updated. Edutech was funded by the Swiss Virtual Campus programme, which ended on July 31st, 2008. Some activities will be taken over by the e-Learning Services group at the SWITCH foundation.
Inter-Institution-Repository
Introduction
This page provides you with an overview and some pro's and con's concerning the use of a shared repository, with the step by step instructions to implement the repository-type you need. It also provides you with the links to helpful Learning Objects.
'Raison d'être' for a repository
- give a group of users
easy access to a collection of material
- let this group use part or all of this material in their courses
- allow the collection to be kept up to date, corrected and enhanced in one only place
- forward these upgrades without further hazel to all linked courses.
Note: Repositories are placed on a hierarchically higher level then the sections. For sections in different institutions, repositories must be placed on the domain level.
Vistas hierarchical structureOne of the outstanding features of Vista is its capacity to model the different levels of an institution, allowing to place objects, documents, courses, folders etc. in respect to the level of the organization where they will be accessed and used. This allows to clearly separating the different roles and rights, providing an enormous flexibility with a fine-tuned security and secrecy for each level. |
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Comparing three container types: Repository-Folders, templates and Learning Modules
See short descriptions for Repository - Folder - Template - Learning Module.
- If you use a repository-folder as the container (highest possible security and secrecy, for adding new material
during semester)
- Original author can make changes. Other editors can be added by using the Manage Permission from the files Actionlink menu.
- other designer can see and copy any content only if it's status is set to "public".
- each of the files in the folder will have to be linked
individually into the courses that use these files.
- you can only link files, not folders.
- you will have to thoroughly control that each of the elements belonging to one learning object is linked individually to the target section. If you forget to link, for example, an image-file needed in a HTML page, this image will not show in the target section. Note: If you copy or subscribe such linked files located in different folders you need to reproduce the same structure as in the repository folder. Therefore the repository-folder's file structure should be kept as simple as possible (one level only) or any relative links between the files in the repository should be avoided.
- repository files can only be edited by the author or designer with the corresponding in the repository.
- all editing in files of the repository is forwarded immediately to all linked files.
- a linked file can be adapted to the individual needs
of the section in which it is used, if the section designer breaks the
link to the repository. This makes a local copy at the section level.
Go to a step by step instruction on Managing File Subscription.
- If you use a template as the container for the
collected material (On domain level: highest possible security, no
complete secrecy, advantage of permanent upgrade (corrections) during
semester through linked files)
- if the template is on the domain level and set to
"private", only those users can edit and change the template, that are either the owner or have explicit editing permission, but all institution designer can see and copy them, which will make them owner of the copy.
- other users get access to this material when the template is set to 'public' by assigning this
template to their section. Section and template are than total
look-alikes. The only difference being that no student related data can
be put in the template.
- The template assignment procedure will overwrite any existing section details after a backup is automatically created. This overwrite will erase all student related date (student accounts, forum messages, mail messages, etc.) and therefore will be used preferably when the course is no longer used, for example in semester holidays.
- If you want to use material added to the repository
template after the assignment procedure has been carried out, the corresponding files need be placed into a repository folder.
- The assignment produces an exact replica of the templates File Manager in the linked sections' File Manager, which is nice for any relative links that you might have place in your files.
- Linked files in the template are included in the
forwarding process.
- Changes made to the template are forwarded if they are editings, all other changes are not forwarded into the depended section:
- None of the objects (that is files of all format) added after the assignment procedure to the templates' File Manager will be forwarded.
- No lay-out changes made in the template after the assignment procedure is forwarded
Go to a step by step instruction concerning a Associating and Assigning Templates
- If you use a Learning Module as a container (On any level: highest possible security and secrecy, useful for bigger - unlinked - upgrades during semester)
- you can export the Learning Module with all the elements
that it contains and that it links to. A Zip-file is created whose
settings you can edit concerning its private or public status and any
authoring permission. You can than make this
Zip-File available to the concerned users for upload with the importing
menu.
- Linked files will be included, when exporting the
Learning Module (as long as they are not linked by a java script).
- all thus imported files will be placed into the File Manager
of the receiving section
- the imported material is not linked to the original
Learning Module. Each time something is added or edited in the
original Learning Module, the whole exporting and importing has to be repeated.
- You can always break the link of a file and than continue
using it unlinked, and make your own edits.
- You can always break the link between the whole repository and a linked section by cutting of the whole section through a back-up and restore procedure.
Example of a repositoryIn this example there is a repository on the domain level containing learning material from 3 different departments in three folders. Some of the files form the business part is linked into a template placed on the institutions 'group' level. This template has been assigned to a section on the lowest, and could be assigned to any number of sections on a level below the 'group' level. |
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Setting up an inter-institution repository on the domain level
Set up for each inter-institution-project
- one Vista domain designer (who must also have the role of "institution designer" in one of the institutions).
- as many institution designers as participating Vista institutions (they don't need to be institution administrators).
- as many course and section designers and administrators as needed.
The vista domain designer creates on the domain level
- a folder in the Repository (found in the Content Manager) and names the folder: project acronym-Repository. See Creating a repository.
- subfolders for each participating project sub-team
- a template in the Template Manager (with the template name: 'project acronym'-Temp). See Creating a Template.
- containing in it's File Manager a folder: "Repository Imports".
- uploading all the projects' documents into the File
Manager. See Uploading Files.
- eventually creating a Learning Module for each
participating project sub-team.
Each institution designer
- associates the template to the target Course-level.
See Associating and Assigning Templates.
- places any material to be worked on by all team members into the sub-team's sub-folder on the domain level and sets the permission for each file. See Uploading Files.
- creates for each teacher/designer the course-section she or
he wants to use in her or his teaching.
- assigns the projects' template to that section. The section then inherits all details from the project template. See Associating and Assigning Templates.
Creation of a Vista Domain Designer (only for domain Administrators)
Only Domain Administrator can enroll a Domain Designers.- In the Learning Context manager of the domain chose "Enrolment"
- Chose "Domain Designer"
- Chose "Enroll in this role" (below the table
- Chose among the institution designers (only Institution Designer qualifies).
Annex:
A repository isa container holding files that a group of people use together to store their commonly used files. In Vista in the Content Manager there is a specific function called Repository that can be used as defined above.
A folder isa file store, located within WebCT Vista’s database that can be used to store content materials, for use in one or many sections or templates. The folders work in a similar way to the folders on your PC.
Example 1: A Section Designer can edit the folders and files within the section they are enrolled within.
Example 2: An Institution Designer can edit the folders and files placed at the Institution level within Vista that are to be shared across any sections within your institution.
a model course with out students that can serve to literally shape other courses into identical copies. It is an area for course / content design, similar to a section but where students do not have access. The template design area uses the same interface as you would see as a section designer. A template is used to specify the starting material and look for a new section. A template can be used to enable group collaboration on course or content design. A template can also be used to showcase pedagogical or instructional design suggestions.
ROLE: You need the role of Designer at the Course, Group or Institution to have access to the Template manager. If you have this level of access you will see a link on the MyWebCT page naming the Course, Group or Institution and following that link will show you a Tab called Template Manager
A Learning Module isa container that can be placed within a section or a template to organize learning materials and activities together. A learning module presents these materials and activities in a hierarchical structure, with a list of all the items, an action bar for incorporating goals and reference materials, a Table of Contents. A learning module can contain the following:
- Content files (Word, Powerpoint, Excel, HTML, Flash, text, images, etc)
- Assessments
- Assignments
- Discussion topics
- Web links
Selective release can be applied to any component so that the learning materials are personalized to the learners' requirements.