FAQs_Technologies for Courses

Questions:

• Moodle:
• 1. Uploading PowerPoint files to Moodle.
• 2. If I want to insert a video to Moodle, for example, a Camtasia video, should I use Flash or QuickTime?
• Elluminate:
• 1. How come I see my session listed but cannot join the session?
• 2. I uploaded my PowerPoint file to Elluminate to give a presentation, but all the buttons and animations in my PowerPoint don't work. Why?

Answers:

Moodle:

1. Uploading PowerPoint files to moodle.

• File size: If it's very small, you can upload it to the Files section in the Administration block and then link it as a web resource. If the file size is very large (over 8MB or whatever the limit is set on the Moodle server), you'll have to use another server to host the PPT file. You can use NetFiles or your COE server. Then you can add the link as a resource.
• There are several ways you can use PowerPoint slides within Moodle:
• 1. If you have to use the lesson module and want each slide to go into each question, you'll have to save the slides as images. It's easy to save the slides as images in PowerPoint. You'll need to go to file --> save as --> then choose a jpg or a gif format to save your files. Once you save the files, PowerPoint will create a folder within your "My Documents" folder and all the image files will be in there.
  
  
  
  As you add a question in the lesson module, you can use the image icon in the toolbar to upload each image. If you have many slides, this process may be very cumbersome, though.
• 2. You can add the presentation slides as a resource. Then add a quiz or lesson module under the slides. This way, students will download and view the presentation slides. After they're done reading, they can go through the questions. Remember that even clicking on a resource is monitored. You can easily tell if your student read the resource or not.
• 3. You can use a commercial program like Camtasia Studio or Adobe Captivate to import your slides. In that way, you can also add other activities or resources in between your slides, for example, you can embed quizzes between your slides, or you can add your voice, etc. After you create the Flash file, you'll have to upload the file as a resource.

2. If I want to insert a video to Moodle, for example, a Camtasia video, should I use Flash or QuickTime?

We suggest that you use Flash instead of QuickTime because the file size of the Flash version is usually a lot smaller than the QuickTime version. Also, please bear in mind that not all of your potential students will have it installed (especially if they're primarily Windows users). It's a free download, but it does add one more hurdle. It's also going to take a lot longer for your video to download (big problem if you have any students on dialup).

Elluminate:

1. How come I see my session listed but cannot join the session?

Future or ongoing Elluminate session will be shown within 7 days of the scheduled time of the session. However, you can only join the session as early as 15 mins before the beginning of the scheduled time. Also, you will have to leave the session no later than 15 mins after the end of the scheduled time.

2. I uploaded my PowerPoint file to Elluminate to give a presentation, but all the buttons and animations in my PowerPoint don't work. Why?

When PowerPoint file is uploaded to Elluminate for presentation, all the slides in the PPT are automatically converted to images--screenshot of each slide. So during the Elluminate presentation, you can only view the slides.