Interactive Digital Video SystemTM
Technical Support Issues
Working With Projects
Introduction
A project is a “virtual workspace” hosted on an e-Mod/iDVS™ server that provides the capability for a number of users in different locations to interact with and annotate the same media file, or files. This feature provides an extension of the “Interactive Distance Learning” capabilities of the e-Mod.com, Inc. Interactive Digital Video System and adds an exciting dimension to the educational opportunities provided by the software.
In one sample interactive distance learning “scenario”, a teacher could create a project and add media files that could be viewed by individual or groups of students in different locations and then each could provide an additional set of annotations and/or review comments for the project that subsequently could be reviewed by the teacher and the other students who are project members.
(As with any e-Mod/iDVS™ activity, the local computer(s) being utilized to work with projects must have the e-Mod/iDVS™ viewer software properly installed and configured.)
Creating Projects
A project is created by accessing the Projects menu from the main screen of an e-Mod/iDVS™ web site. The person who is logged in to the web site at the time the project is created becomes the “project owner” and must have previously been assigned the right to create projects by a local e-Mod/iDVS™ site administrator. This is very important, because the project owner has a number of “rights” that other members of the project do not have. The project owner can add (and remove) users to the project and upload (and delete) assets (media files) to the project. Other project users do not have these rights. To create a project, click on the tab “Create New Project” and enter the project name, description, and the date the project is due. Click on “Create” to create the project. Next, click on the appropriate screen tabs to add members and assets to the project. (The members must be registered users (login names) on the e-Mod/iDVS™ web site. Contact your local e-Mod/iDVS™ Site Administrator for assistance.)
Working With Projects
Project users can perform a number of tasks, including viewing and annotating media files, approving or rejecting media files, and adding a review of a media file. To begin, click on the Projects Tab on the Main screen and then click on the name of the project with which you wish to work. The Project Info screen will appear. This screen lists general information about the project, such as the title, project owner, description, date created and date due, and registered project users. The screen will then list the assets (media files) that have been uploaded to the project and the existing Review Information for the project. Click on either the Info button or the Review Info hyperlink to view the existing review information. Clicking on the save button will save the asset media file to the download directory you specified during e-Mod/iDVS™ viewer configuration on your computer.
Clicking on the Add a Review button will bring up the Add Review/Review Options page. On this page you can add a comment regarding the project or asset, mark the asset as approved or rejected, or add an annotation file to the project using the e-Mod/iDVS™ viewer annotation tools. A comment may be entered into the text box and sent by clicking on the Submit button. Clicking on either the approve or reject buttons will mark the project appropriately and return you to the project screen. Clicking on the Annotate button will cause the asset to be downloaded to your computer and opened in the e-Mod/iDVS™ viewer so that annotations can be created. Once annotations have been added, click on the upload (arrow) button on the bottom e-Mod/iDVS™ viewer toolbar. Do not save the file locally, as it must first be uploaded to the project prior to continuing any other activity with the file. After the annotation file has been uploaded to the project, it can then be downloaded again and saved on the local computer.
A Word About “Project Rights”
As previously mentioned, the designation of “project owner” is extremely important, as the person who creates the project has rights that other users do not have. The project owner can add and remove project members and add and remove project assets. Project users can create/edit/upload annotations for a project asset. Project users can view annotations created by other project members, but cannot add/modify/edit them and then upload them to the project. Those users can, however, download and view the existing annotations, add to them, edit, delete, or change them and then save the file on the local computer. The changed file cannot, however, be uploaded to the project. Only the project member (including the project owner) that created an annotation for an asset can download that annotation, continue to add, delete, edit, or change annotations and then upload the modified file back to the project, where it will be listed with the date and time of the most recent upload. A project owner or user can download annotations created by another user, view and/or edit them on the local computer, but cannot then upload the file back to the project.
The different rights accorded to the project owner and project users have significant implications for the management of projects in educational settings. A teacher may create a project, add student users and assets, and provide initial comments and annotations, which are to be viewed by students. The teacher would be the “project owner” and the students could login as project members to view the information provided by the teacher, but they could not change the teacher’s annotations or comments and could not add additional assets to the project. Those students could login using their own project student ID and password and then add their own “reviews” and “annotations” to the project, which could then be viewed (but not changed) by the teacher or other students (utilizing different login names and passwords). Remember, only the person who created an annotation for a project asset can subsequently edit/add to it and then upload it back to the project.)
To create situations in which various types of projects will be utilized with users with different rights, three different types of login/passwords must be considered:
Owner: Only the project owner has the right to create a project and manage users and add/delete project assets. If it is necessary for students to be able to add asset files to a project, they must be provided with the project owner login ID and password. Assign this right carefully, as student “project owners” will have all the rights of ownership discussed above.
Group User: If a number of students in the same or different locations need the right to create/edit/upload the same annotation files, then all of the affected students must be provided with the same login ID and password. In this situation, all students who were provided with the same project login ID and password would have the right to create/edit/upload annotations originally created under that student login ID and password.
Individual User: If a single student is to be provided with access to a project with the right to create/edit/upload annotations, then that individual student must be provided with a unique project login ID and password. In this situation, only that individual student would have the right to create/edit/upload annotations originally created under that student login ID and password. Others could view/download the information, but could not change it and then upload it back to the project.
Technical Assistance
Contact your local e-Mod/iDVS™ Site Administrator for information regarding additional iDVS™ professional development opportunities. Contact e-Mod.com, Inc. Technical Assistance for further information regarding this project feature and e-Mod/iDVS™.