What is an Electronic Resource?
Creating an Electronic Resource
You can create a new electronic resource in both the Repository or in the Learning Path. If you do it in the Repository, click on Resources > Electronic Resource and then Add New. By creating it here, you will still need to add it to your learning path, so the students can view the resource.
EDITING AND ADDING WITHIN THE LEARNING PATH
To edit an electronic resource, all you need to do is make sure you are in edit mode and click on the resource you want to change. You can also remove the links within the Learning Path for direct access to that chapter.
To add an electronic resource, you need to be in edit mode and use the plus sign to add.
Clicking on the plus sign allows you to add both resources, assessments, and instructional units to your path. You will click on the appropriate plus sign depending on where you want the resource to go. As shown above, if you want the resource to go within the module or chapter area, but not within a section, you will use the plus sign that is associate with the module (next to Introduction to Psychology). Once you click on the plus sign, you will be able to add or create a new electronic resource.
ELECTRONIC RESOURCES
An electronic resource allows you to add a file, web site, embed code, zip file, or description.
As stated above to get started, make sure you are in Edit Mode.
Remember, click on the plus sign to add a resource to your Learning Path. Once you are in the add resource area, to create a new Electronic Resource, click on “Electronic Resource” and then “Author New” at the bottom.
You are required to include a Name for the resource, determine how you want to bring in the content, and Dates. All other areas are optional.
A. Name: be as descriptive as you can, so students will know what the resource will contain.
B. Content Type: what type of content is this? As a resource it should be Essential Reading, Related Reading, Case Study, Activity, etc.
C. Description: this area can provide additional information to the students on what they should expect. You can also use this area to provide a citation for the materials. You can also use this are to provide information or instructions to the students without uploading anything else. If you want to do this, make sure you select the “None” option.
D. Upload Type: You have five options when authoring an Electronic Resource:
- Attachments allows you to upload any type of file for students to open and download. Word, PDF, and PowerPoint will render inline.
- URL allows you to copy and paste a URL address, so students can go directly to a web page. If it is from a secure site, it will render inline.
- Web Content allows you to zip up a file package and upload it into the system.
- Embed Code provides an area to copy and paste an embed code, so a video or other media will play within the course.
- None allows you to type text into the description and provide that to students and instructions or additional information.
E. Meta Tags: allows you to include tags for the content you want to include. You will use comma to separate tags if you have more than one.
- Dates: allows you to include visibility dates for your resource.
F. Dates
All resources have the option to add visibility dates, so you can control when students will see the Resource within the Learning Path. You can also do this at an instructional unit level. This area will go through how to set up visibility dates.
When creating a resource, there will be a section titled Dates. When you expand this, you can customize visibility dates to your course.
You are required to include a Name for the resource, determine how you want to bring in the content, and Dates. All other areas are optional.
A. Name: be as descriptive as you can, so students will know what the resource will contain.
B. Content Type: what type of content is this? As a resource it should be Essential Reading, Related Reading, Case Study, Activity, etc.
C. Description: this area can provide additional information to the students on what they should expect. You can also use this area to provide a citation for the materials. You can also use this are to provide information or instructions to the students without uploading anything else. If you want to do this, make sure you select the “None” option.
D. Upload Type: You have five options when authoring an Electronic Resource:
- Attachments allows you to upload any type of file for students to open and download. Word, PDF, and PowerPoint will render inline.
- URL allows you to copy and paste a URL address, so students can go directly to a web page. If it is from a secure site, it will render inline.
- Web Content allows you to zip up a file package and upload it into the system.
- Embed Code provides an area to copy and paste an embed code, so a video or other media will play within the course.
- None allows you to type text into the description and provide that to students and instructions or additional information.
E. Meta Tags: allows you to include tags for the content you want to include. You will use comma to separate tags if you have more than one.
- Dates: allows you to include visibility dates for your resource.
F. Dates
All resources have the option to add visibility dates, so you can control when students will see the Resource within the Learning Path. You can also do this at an instructional unit level. This area will go through how to set up visibility dates.
When creating a resource, there will be a section titled Dates. When you expand this, you can customize visibility dates to your course.
As you see by the red asterisk, Dates are mandatory. The default for dates is “Always Visible.” If you want to apply specific visibility dates, select “Visible From.”
Hint: You are able to set all your dates in the Planner, instead of going to each resource to change the date.
You can also set a specific time for your date. The default is 00:00:00, which means the resource will open at midnight.
You also have the option of adding to the student calendar. You can put a suggested start date or start and end date to show the students on the calendar when you feel they should be working with the resource. The end time will always default to 23:59:59, which is 11:59:59 pm. The times are in military time, so be careful when you want something to start or end in the afternoon or evening.
G. Learning Objectives: you can align this content with any of the learning objectives you added to the class. All resources in the course are already aligned to the learning objectives from the book.
H. Make sure when you are done, click “Save.”
ADDING A DESCRIPTION
To add a description or information for the resource, click on the box next to Description.
Once you click on the box, the HTML Editor (WYSIWYG) will appear.
This will allow you to format your text and media. You can format your text, bullet your message, add a table, links, images, or media. To do this, click on the icon within the editor. For example, if you want to add an image, click on the image icon.
This will bring up a box to browse for your image on your computer.
After you browse for your image, make sure you write a description of the image for accessibility requirements and then click “Ok.”
You can also use the video option within the HTML Editor to embed a video, instead of using Embed Code. This will allow you to write information above and below the video if you want to provide context and references.
NOTE: Make sure if you only add information in the description area that you select “None” under this area, so you can save. If not, the system will be looking for additional information for the electronic resource.