Teachers/Course Directors - EDSPORA

How To: Add Images in Edspora

Edspora makes it easy to attach or insert photos in a forum post or other textbox.

Important information about images and Edspora

Images must be saved as individual files in order to be inserted in Edspora.
Acceptable image file types are .jpg, .gif, and .png.
To insert an image in a forum post, click on Use advanced editor and other options before you begin typing your response.
You cannot copy and paste or drag and drop an image into Edspora. You must use the Insert/edit image icon on the toolbar, as described at right and in the guide linked below.
Images will display in their “native” (original) size, so be prepared to adjust them for best fit.

Large image files (more than 500K) are slow to load and take up valuable storage space. Use a photo editing program to reduce a big image or contact the Help Desk for assistance.

Add an Image Using the File Picker

In the Text editor toolbar, click the Image icon. The Image properties window will open.
In the Image properties window, click Browse repositories…. The File picker window will open.
In the File picker window:
1. To upload a file from your computer, click Upload a file (at left).
2. To use a file already uploaded to Edspora, click Recent files, Server Files, Private Files or Embedded files.
3. To copy a file from Google Drive into Edspora, select Google Drive.
Navigate through the folders and files in the selected repository to locate your image.
Click the icon or name for the image to use. The Select window opens.
In the Select window, click Select this file. You’ll be returned to the Image properties window.
In the Image properties window:
For Describe this image for someone who cannot see it, (required) enter a brief description of the image or check Description not necessary. We strongly recommend describing each image to make your content accessible to all.
Note: You will be unable to insert an image unless you provide a brief description of the image in Describe this image for someone who cannot see it or check Description not necessary.
1. o resize your image, check Auto size, then enter a new width or height. (When you click away from the entry box, the other dimension will auto-complete).
2. To align your image to the left or right of the text (for example), use the Alignment drop-down menu.
Select Save image. The image will be inserted in the Editor window.

Note: You can reopen to the Image properties window by double-clicking an image to adjust the alignment, size, etc.

Add an Image Using a URL

If the image you will add is stored on another website, you can embed it using its URL.

In the Text editor toolbar, select Add Image. The Image properties window will open.
In the Enter URL field, enter the complete URL for your image. (Important: Be sure to include the http:// or https:// prefix.)
Set additional image properties:
- For Describe this image for someone who cannot see it, (required) enter a brief description of the image or check Description not necessary. We strongly recommend describing each image to make your content accessible to all.
  - Note: You will be unable to insert an image unless you provide a brief description of the image in Describe this image for someone who cannot see it or check Description not necessary.
- To resize your image, check Auto size, then enter a new width or height. (When you click away from the entry box, the other dimension will auto-complete).
- To align your image to the left or right of the text (for example), use the Alignment drop-down menu.
Select Save image.

Note: You can reopen to the Image properties window by double-clicking on an image in the Editor.

Align an Image

The alignment of images loaded in Edspora is configured in the Image properties window of each image.

In the Editor entry box, double-click the image. The Image properties pop-up will open.
The Alignment drop-down menu gives you an option to select either Top, Middle, Bottom, Left or Right alignment.
Select Save image. The Image properties window will close and the image will appear in the Text editor entry box aligned as set.

Resizing images

Edspora will scale each image automatically to fit within the available area the image is placed in, such as a forum post, label, or block. This makes images “responsive” (meaning that even a very wide image will fit on the screen, whether viewed on a mobile phone, tablet or large computer display).

While Edspora also allows you to force the size that an image appears on a page, the image file still downloads at its original dimensions. Therefore:

If you upload a large image (e.g., from a camera) and set it to display very small, page-load time will be slow.
If you upload a very small image and set it in Edspora to appear larger than it’s actual pixel dimensions, the image will appear blurry.

We strongly recommend that you resize an image before uploading to Edspora, ideally no wider than 500 or 600 pixels for insertion into Edspora. We also recommend that you resize photos before inserting them into a Word or PowerPoint file. This helps to keep the file size manageable, especially if you plan to post that file in Edspora. Fortunately, it’s not hard to resize photos, even without special editing software.

Resizing images for Macs
Residing images for Windows

Set Image Size Attributes

To force the maximum dimensions that an image displays:

In the Editor text box, add a new image or double-click an already existing image. The Image properties pop-up will open.
In the Image properties window locate Size. Select Auto size (at right) to prevent distorting the image.
Change the value inside one of the boxes to shrink the image (we do not recommend enlarging). The editor will automatically adjust the other dimension (width x height) .
To confirm changes, click Save image. The Image properties window will close and the image will appear in the Editor text box.

Note: This process only changes the size an image is displayed in Edspora. It does not affect the image file. This process can be repeated as many times as needed without affecting the original dimensions of the uploaded file

How To: Add Resources to a Edspora Course

A Resource is an item that an instructor can use to support learning, such as a file or web link. Each resource appears as a link preceded by an icon that represents the resource type (File, Folder, Page, URL, etc.). Most resources allow settings such as conditions for viewing, or display properties. They can be moved, hidden, and edited by a Teacher or Course Designer, but only viewed/downloaded by students.

Types of resources

Available Resource types include:

File – Post a file for your students to download. A File can be a text document, a spreadsheet, an audio file, video file, etc.
Folder – To save space on your Edspora course page, you can put multiple files in a Folder.
IMS content package – Upload and post content packaged in the IMS format, typically from text book publishers.
Label – Organize and add visual interest to your course home page by using Labels to add sub-headings, annotations, and images to Topic or Weekly sections.
Page – Students see a single, scrollable page that an instructor creates with the robust HTML editor.
URL – Send your students to any location they can reach on their Web browser.

Add Resource using the activity chooser

On your main course page, click Turn editing on (top right). Editing icons and links will appear..
Locate the Section where you want the resource to appear, and click the Section title to open if it is collapsed. Click + Add an activity or resource. The Activity Chooser will open.
Scroll down to the Resources heading. Click a Resource one time to see a description of the resource and support links in the right side of the window (double-clicking will add the resource to your Edspora page).
Select the type of resource you want to add, then double-click or click Add. The Add Resource page will open.
Depending on the type of Resource you’ve chosen, you will have different settings options. Click particular headings to view those settings, or Expand all (top right) to view all settings.
Complete all required fields, then click Save and return to course or Save and display.

Once you have added a resource, you can:

Move the resource link up or down the course page by dragging it by its Move icon. You can even drag items between Sections. (If you use the Collapsed topics format, the target section must be toggled open.)
Configure its settings by clicking Edit (at the right of resource), then selecting Edit settings from the Edit drop-down menu.
Hide a resource that you are not ready to release to students by clicking its Hide icon from the Edit drop-down menu.

How To: Organize Your Edspora Course Page

Careful planning and design of your Edspora course is essential for creating a positive and effective learning experience for your students. Before you begin to design your course online, review your current teaching strategies, the course learning outcomes and the learning activities used to assess the outcomes. There are a number of ways to add structure and visual interest to your Edspora course page. The less cluttered and better organized you make your course page the easier it will be for your students to use.

Customize Course Image

Add a custom header image at the top of your Edspora course page. You can use this to make it easier to recognize your courses and add personality.

On your course page, select Course Management. The Course Management panel will open.
On the Course Management panel, under Course settings, select Edit course settings. The Edit course settings page will open.
On the Edit course settings page, under the Course Summary locate the Course image file upload block. Drag and drop your image file into the upload block. Note: Alternatively, you can also select the file icon. The File picker will open. Select Browse…and select your file and click Open. Select Upload this file.
Select Save and display (bottom of page). Your Course page will refresh and the header image will appear.

Avoid unnecessary content on your course page

Avoid long paragraphs of text, embedded videos, or large images on your course page.

Provide instructions in an activity or resource Descriptions, and avoid displaying Descriptions on the course page unless they are very brief.
Embed media in Descriptions for activities such as Assignments or Forums rather than on the main course page.
Use a Page resource to deliver video or large images on a separate page.

Customize section names

Sections in Edspora courses are named “Section 1,” “Section 2,” “Section 3,” etc. To help orient students and encourage engagement with the material, provide a descriptive Section name.

On your course page, select Turn editing on. Editing links will appear.
Next to the Section name, select the Pencil icon. The name will become highlighted.
Enter a new Section name and press enter/return to save your changes (or esc to cancel).

Note: You can change the format of sections from the default collapsed topics to, for example, weekly topics, or single activity format on your Edspora course settings.

Provide summary text for course sections

It may be helpful to add a sentence or two at the top of each section summarizing the goals for the week or topic. The Summary will show at the top of a Section (under the Section name).

On your course page, click Turn editing on. Editing links will appear.
Locate the Section of the Edspora course you wish to edit select Edit (at the top right of Section). A drop-down list will open. From the list, select Edit Section. The Summary page will open.
To add a customSection name, on the Summary page select the Custom checkbox (to right of Section name, in General settings). Type a new name in the small textbox.
To add a Section summary, in the Summary textbox, enter text and/or add images to display below the Section name.
Click Save changes.

Note: If using the Collapsed Topics format you can choose whether or not to show Section summaries when sections are collapsed on the Edit course settings page.

Add text in a label

Use Labels to add subheadings and make your course content easy to find. For example, you might create subheadings within each section for Readings, Discussion, Assignments, Quizzes, etc.

On your course page, click Turn editing on.
Locate the Section of your Edspora course where you wish to add text and click + Add an activity or resource. The Activity chooser will open.
In the Activity chooser, scroll down and under the Resources heading select Label. The Settings page for the label will open.
On the Settings page, for Label text, enter and format your text.
Important! To accommodate accessibility for all students, use Paragraph styles. For example, Heading (medium) could be used to format subheadings rather than choosing bold and larger text.
Scroll to the bottom of the page and click Save and return to course.
New items always appear at the bottom of the section. Use the Move icon to drag the label upwards or downwards into the desired position.

Indent items in course sections to create an outline form

Indenting content in your Edspora course is a way of making it easier to read and more user-friendly (much like a “skimmable” outline).

On your course page, click Turn editing on.
Locate the item you wish to indent and click Edit associated with the item to indent (located below most activities, labels, and resources), and in the Edit drop-down menu, click Move right, or to move back, Move left.

Add an image to a label or section summary

Images in Section summaries or Labels provide landmarks and can create visual engagement, but a little goes a long way. Large images or videos take up space on the page, cause extra scrolling, and cause pages to load slowly.

You can add images in Section summaries or in Labels using the Insert image button on the Edspora Editor toolbar. Be sure to keep images small in dimension and to provide brief “Alternative text” to make your course page accessible to all students.

Note: Edspora will automatically make large images fit in the available area of the page, but the full-sized image file still downloads to browsers. Pages load faster if you resize images before uploading them to your course.

Reorder sections or items

Edspora makes it easy to reorder and move Resources, Activities, and Sections within your course. If JavaScript is enabled in your browser (recommended), you can drag-and-drop the items to a new location on the page. If JavaScript is not enabled, you will be able to click to move items up or down.

The Move Icons

Depending on whether Javascript is enabled in your browser, you will see a different type of move icon next to the movable items in your course.

If Javascript is enabled, the Advanced move icon will let you drag and drop Resources, Activities, Sections or Blocks.
If Javascript is NOT enabled, you will see the Basic move icon and can click to move individual items up or down.

Note: The Gradebook will always show the Basic move icon.

Use Drag and Drop to move items within your course

If Javascript is enabled in your browser, you can drag-and-drop items within the Edspora course page.

Click Turn Editing On (green pencil icon, top right). Editing icons will appear.

To move Activities or Resources
- Click and drag the Move icon at the left of the item link. As you drag, Edspora will dim the items under the item you are dragging. Release the mouse to drop the item into a new location.
- Note: If you are using the Collapsed topics format, open the closed section, by clicking on the Section name to move an item into the Section.
To move a Section
- Click and drag the Move icon at top left of the Section. As you drag over other Sections they will dim. Release the mouse to drop the Section into a new location.
- If you are using the default Collapsed topics format, it may be convenient to click Close All (above top Section), then drag Section into a new order. This makes it easier to see what you’re doing.
- Note: You cannot move the top (General) section.

Use the Basic Move Icon to Move Items in Your Course

When JavaScript is NOT enabled in your browser the Basic move icon shows for Resources, Activities, and Sections.

Click Turn Editing On (top right). Editing icons will appear.
Click the move icon for the item you wish to move. Edspora uses Move to here boxes to let you place items in a new location:
- For Activities and Resources, Edspora will highlight the available move locations with an arrow and box.
- For Sections, click the Move Up or Move Down arrow on the right.
Click the Move to here box that appears at the location where you want the item to relocate.

View Individual Profile Reports for Students in Edspora

Instructors have access to several tools and reports that can be used to assess student performance in their Edspora courses. Quickly gather information about a particular student’s grades and last access to any activity or resource in a course by viewing a student’s Profile reports.

Today’s Logs

Today’s logs will provide you with information regarding the student activity in your Edspora course within the same day of your request. To request a Today’s log report from Edspora:

On your Edspora course page, select the Navigation tray toggle (hamburger menu, top left), and the Navigation tray will open.
In the Navigation tray, select Participants, and the Participants page with enrolled users will open.
On the Participants page, click the Profile image of the student you want reports for. The Student profile page will open.
On the Student profile page, under the Reports section, click Today’s logs. The Today’s logs page will open showing the individual student activity of a single day throughout your Edspora course.

All Logs

All logs will provide you with information regarding the student activity in your Edspora course during the last month. To request an All logs report from Edspora:

On your Edspora course page, select the Navigation tray toggle (hamburger menu, top left), and the Navigation tray will open.
In the Navigation tray, select Participants, and the Participants page with enrolled users will open.
On the Participants page, click the Profile image of the student you want reports for. The Student profile page will open.
On the Student profile page, under the Reports section, click All logs. The All logs page will open showing the individual student activity throughout your Edspora course from a period of over a month.

Outline Report

The Outline report helps instructors to collect and view a summarized version of an activity and grades in all the Activities and Resources in your Edspora course. The activities and resources are displayed in the same order as they are in the main course page. To request an Outline report from Edspora:

On your Edspora course page, select the Navigation tray toggle (hamburger menu, top left), and the Navigation tray will open.
In the Navigation tray, select Participants, and the Participants page with enrolled users will open.
On the Participants page, click the Profile image of the student you want reports for. The Student profile page will open.
On the Student profile page, under the Reports section, click Outline report. The Outline report page will open summarizing the individual student grades and last logs of the activities and resources of the Edspora course.

Complete Report

The Complete report helps instructors to collect and view a detailed list of an individual student’s last log and activity in the Activities and resources in your Edspora course. The activities and resources are displayed in the same order as they are on the main course page. To request a Complete report from Edspora:

On your Edspora course page, select the Navigation tray toggle (hamburger menu, top left), and the Navigation tray will open.
In the Navigation tray, select Participants, and the Participants page with enrolled users will open.
On the participants page, click the Profile image of the student you want reports for. The Student profile page will open.
On the Student profile page, under the Reports section, click Complete report. The Complete report page will open summarizing the individual student grades and last logs of the activities and resources of the Edspora course.

Statistics

Statistics will provide you with information regarding the student activity on your Edspora course after the creation of the Edspora course. To request a Statistics report from Edspora:

On your Edspora course page, select the Navigation tray toggle (hamburger menu, top left), and the Navigation tray will open.
In the Navigation tray, select Participants, and the Participants page with enrolled users will open.
On the Participants page, click the Profile image of the student you want reports for. The Student profile page will open.
On the Student profile page, under the Reports section, click Statistics. The Statistics page will open showing the individual student activity throughout your Edspora course from the creation of the course.

How To: Grade Group Assignments in Edspora

Grading student submissions

On your course page, click the link to the assignment activity you want to grade. The Assignment page will open, showing the Grading summary and Submission status.
Click View/grade all submissions. The Assignment submissions page will open.
From the Separate groups or Visible groups drop-down menu, select a Group to grade. The page will reload to show only the students from that Group.
Note: The groups drop-down will not appear unless you have completed step 7, above (Common module settings).
Click the Grade icon () next to a specific student’s submission from the Group. The submission Grading page will open.
Provide a grade and feedback comments as you would normally.
If you would like your grade and feedback to only be provided for an individual student, under Group submission settings, set the Apply grades and feedback to entire group setting to No. If set to Yes, the same grade and feedback will to be applied to all students in the group.
Scroll down to the bottom and click Save changes.

For information about configuring group assignments, see How To: Configure Group Assignments in Edspora.