Features Guide

Announcements

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Assignments

Grades linked to Gradebook

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Blogging

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Version available in 2.3 but not ready for widespread use.  No changes for 2.4.
Should we recommend free / commercial alternatives?

Chat

only allows one active chat room at a time; no private chat/IM feature.

will support multiple concurrent chat rooms

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Class mailing list

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 (in e-mail archive)

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In SmartSite, course mailing lists are set up automatically, with no wait involved. You can also set your mailing list to have any mail ID you wish,for example FoodAndCulture@smartsite.ucdavis.edu or Physics10@smartsite.ucdavis.edu. These tend to be easier to remember than the mailing list IDs generated by MyUCDavis.

Discussion Forums

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Discussion Forums

grading student work

can connect individual forum posts to Gradebook

Discussion Forums

import forums from other sites

Discussion Forums

group-specific

Discussion Forums

expandable to view messages, not just subject headings

Discussion Forums

topic moderation

Drop Box

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E-mail archive

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Gradebook

points

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Gradebook

letter grades

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Gradebook

weighting

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SmartSite will support weighting of grades by the end of calendar year 2007.

Gradebook

Can set item due date

Gradebook

Can create categories, in which GradeBook performs a grade calculation per the category

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SmartSite will support categories by the end of calendar year 2007.

Gradebook

Can create items and sub-items

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Gradebook

Can import from spreadsheets

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Gradebook

Can import grades directly from tools

X Can be set up from QuizBuilder

X (can be set up from discussion forum, tests and quizzes, assignments)

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Gradebook

section management

can grade by section or by class

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Gradebook

Can upload Grades from spreadsheet

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Gradebook

Can submit grades to Registrar

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Gradebook

Can assign extra credit categories with GradeBook performing the grade calculations

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Gradebook

Can create items with score modifiers, e.g, drop points for a particular student for late submittal

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Gradebook

Can drop low item scores from category with Gradebook performing the grade calculation

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Gradebook

Can set some items to use equal item weighting while others do not

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Gradebook

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Gradebook

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Gradebook

Can set a category or item to include extra credit

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Mneme Test Center Authoring

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Mneme Test Center Delivery

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Mneme Test Center Test Manager

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Podcasting (Akamai)

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Benefits: Distributed delivery - no network or server impact, automated lecture titling

Podcasting (SmartSite)

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Available in 2.3 but not for general use. Benefits: Secure delivery, quick deletion, very simple, associated with a SmartSite.

Podcasting
(iTunes U)

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Free service up to 500GB currently for entire campus. No clear management structure regarding how pages are created or how much storage various departments are allotted. Forms required by department chairs for authorization/copyright clearance. Very visible and public service.