Week #3 Evaluation

Introduction

This week I am continuing my evaluation of each learning management system. Online courses need a good balance of social, cognitive, and teaching presence because they are essential to the learning process. Distance education can often make students feel isolated and lonely because it lacks the face-to-face interactions that many are accustomed to. Sometimes students become frustrated with online courses because they think they need more feedback or help to navigate the courses. Additionally, instructors can often feel like they cannot engage students with asynchronous learning experiences. Therefore, I evaluated tools that address students' complaints about distance education and instructors' needs for engagement.

The five tools I chose to evaluate were the following:

Creating Electronic Gradebook Category/Items
Create Groups
Create Group Discussion Topics
Create Synchronous Web Conference Session
Award and Badges for Gamification

"How To" Tutorials for D2L Brightspace

Create Electronic Gradebook Category/Items

Create Groups

Creating Groups Information:

Step 1: Select the "Communication" tab in the navigation bar.

Step 2: In the drop-down menu, click on "Groups."

Step 3: On the Manage Groups page, select "New Category Folder."

Step 4: Type in a Category Name.

Step 5: Select an Enrollment Type.

Step 6: Select the Number of Groups you want to have.

Step 7: Click on "save" to save your

Step 8: Click "okay" while waiting for your groups to be created.

Step 9: On the Manage Groups page, your groups were created. However, students have yet to be added to any of the groups. You must select one of the groups you created to add students individually.

Step 10: Select "Enroll Users."

Step 11: In the "Display" options, select the group number and search students by name.

Step 12: Click "Save" to finish adding members to the group.

Create Group Discussion Topics

Create Synchronous Web Conference Session

Brightspace Creating Web Conferences Diagram 2

Creating Synchronous Web Sessions Information:

Step 1: Select the "Communication" tab in the navigation bar.

Step 2: In the drop-down menu, click on "WebEx."

Step 3: On the Set-up page, under Choose your Features, select "Virtual Meetings."

Step 4: Click on "Apply." Once you select "Apply," the "Virtual Meetings" tab will be added to the navigation bar on the Set-up page.

Step 5: Click on the "Virtual Meetings" tab in the navigation bar.

Step 6: Click on "New Meeting."

Step 7: Click on "Sign in with WebEx."

Step 8: Enter your email address and click "Sign In."

Step 9: On the New Meeting page, give your meeting a name, date, and duration.

Step 10: Click "Create Meeting" to create a new meeting.

Awards and Badges for Gamification

Brightspace Awards and Badges Set-Up Diagram 2

Set-Up and Activating Awards & Badges Information:

Step 1: Select "Course Admin on the navigation bar.

Step 2: From the Course Administration page, click on "Tools" to activate awards.

Step 3: Verify that "Awards" is set to the "On" status (look for the checkmark to verify).

Now it's time to add "Awards" to the navigation bar.

Step 4: From the course home page, hover over the Navbar and select the three ellipses when they show.

Step 5: Click "Edit This Navbar" to add awards options. (You will be asked if you wish to create a copy of the Navbar to customize it. Select "Yes! I'll work with a copy of the Navbar."

Step 6: The Edit Navbar page will appear.

Step 7: Select "Assessment" from the Edit Navbar page.

Step 8: Scroll down the list of links for assessments.

Step 9: Click on "Add Existing Link" at the bottom.

Step 10: From the add links page, select "Awards" and verify a checkmark appears.

Step 11: Click on "Add."

Step 12: Click on "Save."

Step 13: Click on "Save and Close."

Step 14: Click Assessment: on the navigation bar.

Step 15: Verify "Awards" has been added.

Create an Award Information:

Step 1: Select "Assessment" from the navigation bar.

Step 2: Click on "Awards."

Step 3: Click on "Add Awards To Course."

Step 4: Click on "Create."

Step 5: From the New Award page, give the awards a meaningful name.

Step 6: Select "Award Type," and in the drop-down, select badge.

Step 7: For the "Expiry" options, select "Never."

Step 8: Choose an award image.

Step 9: Click on "Close and Save."

Step 10: From the Course Awards tab, your award should appear.

Issue an Award Information:

Step 1: Click "Assessment/Awards" on the navigation bar to launch the Awards tool.

Step 2: Select the "Classlist Awards" tab.

Step 3: Select the box to the left of the student.

Step 4: Click on "Issue" under the Classlist Awards tab.

Step 5: Select the down arrow from the Issue Award page to choose an award.

Step 6: Type the reason or evidence for the award in the box.

Step 7: Click on "Issue" to issue an award.

Step 8: Verify the award badge appears next to the student's name.

"How To" Tutorials for Canvas

Create Electronic Gradebook Category/Items

Create Groups

Groups provide students with a workspace to collaborate by sharing files, having web conferences, and working on group assignments.

Creating Groups Information:

Step 1: Select "People" on the course navigation page.

Step 2: Click "+ Group Set" to add a new groupset. (You have to do this step before creating a new group)

Step 3: Give your new group set a name.

Step 4: Click on "Save" to save the new group set name.

Step 5: From the course navigation page, select "+ Group."

Step 6: Give the group a name.

Step 7: Click on "Save" to save the group name.

Step 8: Unassigned students need to be added to a group. You can add them to a group by selecting the "+" next to their name and selecting the group you want to assign them to. You can also add unassigned students to a group by selecting the ellipses to the left of their names. Then, drag and drop their name to the right of the screen under the name of the group you want to assign them to.

Step 9: You can verify the student has been assigned to the group you chose by selecting the group you assigned them to. You will see their name listed below the group.

Create Group Discussion Topics

Create Synchronous Web Conference Session

Creating Synchronous Web Conference Session Information:

Step 1: Select "BigBlueButton" on the course navigation page.

Step 2: Click "+ Conference" to create a new conference session.

Step 3: You need to give your conference session a name, add attendees, set a time duration, select options for the conference, and add a description.

Step 4: Click on "Create" to create your conference session.

Step 5: Verify that the conference session has been added to the course navigation page.

Awards and Badges for Gamification

Set-Up and Activating Awards & Badges Information:

Before accessing awards and badges in Canvas, you have to sign up for an application using a third-party website to connect to Canvas. Several application options allow you to add badges to Canvas. Still, for this evaluation, I selected the most commonly used badge-creating app for Canvas called Badgr.

Step 1: In a new tab on the web browser, type in www.badgr.com and select enter.

Step 2: You can choose several options to signup/log in to the application. Select the option that best fits your needs.

Step 3: Select "Issuer" in the toolbar at the top of the screen.

Step 4: Select "Create Issuer."

Step 5: Type the Issuer's Name in the Create Issuer window. (This is a required field)

Step 6: Type in a valid website. (i.e., your school website)(This is a required field)

Step 7: Provide a valid email address. You can use the email you created your account with from the drop-down menu. (This is a required field)

Step 8: Provide an Issuer Description. (This is a required field)

Step 9: Read the "Data Processor Addendum" information and select "I have read and agree to the Data Processor Addendum."

Step 10: Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on "Create Issuer."

Prepare to Connect Badgr to Canvas Information:

Step 1: Ensure you are in the Issuers tab in the toolbar at the top of the screen. Select the "Profile" drop-down menu.

Step 2: Click "Privacy and Security."

Step 3: Under the App Integrations Tab, select "Canvas LTI."

Step 4: Canvas LTI provides you with a consumer key, a shared secret, and a config URL. You will need this information to connect the "Badgr App "to Canvas. Keep this internet browser tab open so you can use it for reference when adding the app to Canvas. You are finished setting up your Badgr (badge) account.

Step 5: Now, navigate to the Canvas website to begin syncing your app to the LMS.

Adding an App Information:

Step 1: Select "Courses" from the global navigation bar.

Step 2: Select a "Published Course."

Step 3: From the admin toolbar, select "Settings."

Step 4: Select "apps" in the toolbar at the top of the screen.

Step 5: Click "View App Configurations."

Step 6: Click on the "+App" icon.

Step 7: The Add App window allows you to enter the app you want to add to Canvas manually. Select "By URL" in the configuration type to manually enter the information. Then type in the app's name, copying and pasting in the consumer key, shared secret, and config URL.

Step 8: Click "Submit."

Step 9: From the External Apps page under the Apps tab, verify the app you manually entered is listed under name. The "Badges" tool should be added to the admin toolbar.

Step 10: Select "Badges" from the admin toolbar.

Step 11: From the Welcome to Canvas Badges for Canvas page, read and agree to the "Terms of Service."

Step 12: Select "Continue"

Step 13: Select "Authorize" to all the Badgr App access to your canvas account. This process may take a few minutes to complete.

Step 14: After authorization has been granted, you need to reload/refresh the page. You can do this by clicking the "Refresh" icon at the top of the page next to the website URL.

Step 15: Click "Update Course." Once the course is updated, you must refresh the webpage again.

Step 16: From the Welcome to Canvas Badges page, click "Select Issuer."

Step 17: To verify the Canvas Badge Account, type in the email address you used when creating your Badgr account.

Step 18: Click "Next"

Step 19: In a new web browser tab, you need to log in to the email account you provided. Next, find the email from Canvas Badged and open it. You will find the verification code you need to type into Canvas in the email.

Step 20: Type in the "Verification Code."

Step 21: Click "Next" to finish verifying your account.

Creating an Award Information:

Step 1: Select "Badges" from the admin toolbar.

Step 2: Click "Add Badge."

Step 3: Select the three ellipses.

Step 4: In the drop-down menu, click "+ Create New Badge."

Step 5: Give the badge a "Name."

Step 6: Select a "Badge Image." You can "Upload an Image" or "Design a Badge" for your course.

Step 7: Provide a "Description" of what the badge represents.

Step 8: You must provide a "description" or "Criteria URL under the Earning Criteria Section."

Step 9: Click "Create Badge."

Issuing an Award Automatically Information:

Step 1: Select "Badges" from the admin toolbar.

Step 2: Select the badge you want to award.

Step 3: Under How Will It Be Awarded, click "Canvas Integration."

Step 4: Select "Course Item."

Step 5: Select "Trigger Phase."

Step 6: Click "Add Badge."

Issuing Awards Manually Information:

Step 1: Select "Badges" from the admin toolbar.

Step 2: Select the badge you want to award.

Step 3: Under How Will It Be Awarded, click "Manually."

Step 4: Scroll to Type in all "Specify Requirements."

Step 5: Click "Add Badge."

Weekly Recommendation

My Recommendation is... D2L Brightspace

This week I evaluated five different tools in each learning management system. I viewed each learning management system from a student's and instructor's perspectives. Each tool needed to have the functionality for a student to navigate and make it easy for them to engage in the course by working in groups and having access to feedback. Additionally, each tool needs to be user-friendly and helps instructors to facilitate distance education courses. Initially, Canvas was the front runner because it is set up so that the admin toolbar allows you to navigate from tool to tool quickly compared to Brightspace. However, student engagement and feedback are essential. My recommendation is D2L Brightspace because the electronic grade book has more features. As a student, there were more options in responding to discussion topics, and setting-up and awarding badges was more accessible for instructors.

Below I will provide my rationale for choosing D2L Brightspace by providing a brief evaluation explanation for each tool. My findings are as follows:

Creating Electronic Gradebook Category/Items, both LMS have user-friendly functionality for setting up the grade book. Additionally, for each LMS, from the student's perspective, the grades assigned for each assignment were straightforward to navigate. I am choosing Brightspace to have a slight edge in the grade book set-up because it has more features than Canvas. It should be noted that I am using a free version of Canvas, so should our institution decide to purchase a user's license, more features may be available for the grade book.
Create Groups in Canvas was quick and easy. It required fewer steps to set up, and students could collaborate in their own "Group Site" by engaging in discussion, hosting conference sessions, and uploading files for the group. Although Brightspace was just as easy to set up groups, Canvas has more options.
Create Group Discussion Topics for both LMS made it easy for instructors to create discussion posts to engage students. However, Brightspace had a slight edge over Canvas because Brightspace HTML editor has more options for students to use when posting. Additionally, Brightspace allows students to create new threads and has more setting options for students to choose how they will use discussions.
Creating Synchronous Web Conference Sessions for both LMS was pretty easy. However, users can set up conference sessions in Canvas from one page.
Award and Badges for Gamification for both LMS was a long process. Each system requires instructors to have content created before they can award a badge. Setting up the prerequisites made this process for each LMS difficult. Although each LMS was difficult to use this tool, Canvas was a nightmare. To use this tool feature in Canvas, you must set up an account from a third-party app that you need to connect with Canvas. From there, the steps keep adding up. In Brightspace, you have admin access; while the process is lengthy to set up, you can do all of it from the Brightspace LMS. For this reason, Brightspace takes the edge.

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