Faculty now have access to three new ANGEL tools, the Course Gradebook, discussion forums, and the Penn State Test Tool, each of which offers enhanced flexibility and improved means for providing feedback to students. In order to provide a smooth transition to the next version of ANGEL, Information Technology Services (ITS) is integrating new tools and features over the next two semesters. This will enable ITS to provide better support to all users of ANGEL at Penn State and be more responsive to future anticipated needs. Faculty are invited to visit the new ANGEL Community Hub blog site at http://ets.tlt.psu.edu/angel/, which ITS has set up to facilitate dialogue between faculty and support staff about the best practices for using new and existing ANGEL tools.
The Course Gradebook offers many functions not available in the existing Online Grade Report tool. An instructor can now grade either by points or percentage, apply weights and formulas, display a running course grade to students throughout a semester, include assignments external to ANGEL, include extra credit assignments, and import final course grades into eLion. During fall 2006, when an instructor activates a course for student view and has not yet graded any course assignment, he/she will be asked to select whether to use the Course Gradebook or continue to use the Online Grade Report familiar from previous versions of ANGEL. This is a one-time choice; switching from one to the other after the initial choice will not be possible. In spring 2007, the older Online Grade Report will no longer be an option. Faculty who wish to test the Course Gradebook in an ANGEL group before using it in a course may contact the Help Desk using the “Submit a Question” form in ANGEL’s online help section. Faculty who have already enabled a fall course and want to use the Course Gradebook should contact the Help Desk as well. Course Gradebook documentation can be accessed within ANGEL help at http://cmshelp.psu.edu/ANGELGB.htm (complete instructions) and http://cmshelp.psu.edu/ANGELGBQuick.htm (quick-start guide).
The new discussion forum tool provides enhanced options for student communication, gives faculty greater control, and allows a discussion to be added to the newly available Course Gradebook as a gradable assignment. Message boards, the forerunner to the new tool, can be imported from previous courses; however, new message boards cannot be created. Discussion forums can be created in several pedagogically-based formats, such as "fishbowl," "hot seat," and debate. The instructor or a designated student can moderate the discussion and approve each post before it becomes visible to the class. An instructor can set up "post types," or roles, for discussion participants to assume, such as point/counterpoint, mediator, instigator, or characters in a role play. Each team can be assigned separate read, post, and reply privileges for a discussion.
The instructor can both rate each individual student post and give students an overall grade for the discussion assignment. For details on setting up and using discussion forums, reference the documentation in ANGEL help at http://cmshelp.psu.edu/DF.htm.
Using the Penn State Test Tool, faculty who create tests using Test Pilot and Scanned Bubble Sheets through the Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence can now link to them from an ANGEL course. Such a test can then be included as an assignment in the newly available ANGEL Course Gradebook. To set up a test, an instructor should contact Will Kerr (wbk2@psu.edu or 814-863-2114) or Ralph Locklin (rhl@psu.edu or 814-865-2110) at the Schreyer Institute. Once the test is created, the instructor can link to it from the "Lessons" area of an ANGEL course area using the Penn State Test Tool. For more information regarding Test Pilot and Scanned Bubble Sheets, visit the Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence Web site at http://www.schreyerinstitute.psu.edu/. Documentation on the ANGEL Penn State Test Tool can be accessed within ANGEL help at http://cmshelp.psu.edu/PSTestTool.htm.
Faculty are invited to visit the newly created ANGEL Community Hub blog site at http://ets.tlt.psu.edu/angel/, create an account, and join in the ongoing conversation between faculty and ANGEL support staff about the best ways to use ANGEL and what lies ahead. Any problems with creating a Hub account may be reported to Jeff Swain, ANGEL new products specialist, at wjs186@psu.edu.