Collaborate - allow students to record video
While students can record and upload videos in Kaltura using the Desktop Recorder, there may be circumstances where Collaborate may be more suitable (e.g. group recordings, recordings for an entire class). Warning! Recordings will be available to all students in the topic.
To set up a collaborate session where students can record themselves:
Information to give to studentsSend them the following information so they know what to do:
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Collaborate - building guideCollaborate is a live, collaborative space that provides the ability to chat, screen-share, share audio and video, poll students, collaborate using a virtual whiteboard or group participants into small 'break-out' spaces. Using the Collaborate activity in a topic ideally consists of the following 5 stages. 1. Plan | 2. Build | 3. Test | 4. Administer | 5. Review || Support
Collaborate is the official web conferencing tool for learning and teaching at Flinders University.
Disabled features
To help increase the stability of the system and increase performance, the following features are temporarily disabled by the vendor:
Add Collaborate to your FLO topicBlackboard Collaborate uses modern browser technologies and, for the best experience, please use Google Chrome. Before using Collaborate, please ensure your Google Chrome is up-to-date. Scheduling sessions and Moderator (teacher) access is facilitated through an integration in FLO. Generally, students will also access Collaborate through a FLO topic, but public URLs can also be generated if required (e.g. the Collaborate session will involve users external to Flinders University). By default, a Collaborate link will be placed in your FLO site and hidden from students (until you unhide the link). However, a link can be added manually. To utilise Collaborate in your topic, complete the following steps:
The Collaborate landing page for your topic will be displayed. Note: Please contact your eLearning Support team if you require assistance adding Collaborate to your topic.By default, the only room available is the 'Course room' - the course room is a room that is perpetually open and does not have a set start or end time. This is useful for ad-hoc appointments or testing your device for use with Collaborate (e.g. browser version, webcam and microphone). We recommend leaving the Course room enabled, but this can be disabled if desired by selecting the menu icon for the Course room and choosing 'Lock course room':
See the Collaborate support materials for more information. This is a quick guide to Collaborate with a brief but comprehensive listing of how to set up/manage a Collaborate session. It is recommended these be used when running sessions, feel free to make the participant guide URL available to your students via a link in your FLO topic https://staff.flinders.edu.au/content/dam/staff/documents/collaborate/collaborate-participant-visual-guide.pdf Create sessions for teachingBy default, Collaborate provides a 'Course room' which is always open for impromptu sessions. If you'd like to schedule one (or more repeating sessions) with a start and an end date, you'll need to create sessions within the Collaborate interface.
To add sessions in Collaborate, access the Collaborate activity created in the step above and refer to the detailed information on creating and editing sessions. When creating repeat sessions, you can select show occurrences to view all occurrences of the session. Note: Collaborate is currently testing an experimental feature called Amazon Chime. Amazon Chime is not supported for teaching at this time, and we do not recommend that you use it for teaching.
The default settings for a Collaborate session are as follows:
For more on session settings, please review the support materials. |
Collaborate - conduct a secure session with someoneCollaborate is a live, collaborative space that provides the ability to chat, screen-share, share audio and video, poll students, collaborate using a virtual whiteboard or group participants into small 'break-out' spaces. Using the Collaborate activity in a topic ideally consists of the following 5 stages. 1. Plan | 2. Build | 3. Test | 4. Administer | 5. Review || Support
Disabled features
To help increase the stability of the system and increase performance, the following features are temporarily disabled by the vendor:
At times you may have a need to run a Collaborate session and be confident no-one else can just “wander in”. Examples could be:
Creating a Collaborate session within a teaching topic means anyone enrolled in the topic can see the link and access the session, so be aware the session is not private. If you need to create a private session we recommend using an instance of Collaborate within your own sandpit. If you do not have a sandpit you can request one by submitting a Service One request to Education Services > FLO - general query. Step 1 - Open your sandpit
Step 2 - Create your session
Step 3 - Copy the guest link
Step 4 - Invite the participant
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Collaborate - hybrid classesCollaborate is a live, collaborative space that provides the ability to chat, screen-share, share audio and video, poll students, collaborate using a virtual whiteboard or group participants into small 'breakout' spaces. It is also compatible with a
growing number of classrooms.
1. Plan | 2. Build | 3. Test | 4. Administer | 5. Review || Support
This entry relates to the Collaborate tool.
Good practice guides and tip sheets
Good practice guides and tip sheets have been developed to support quality in both curriculum design and teaching practice. Good practice guides provide a pedagogical overview and tip sheets provide you with practical strategies and ideas for implementation. Links to Collaborate-related resources are provided below. Running hybrid classes | Teaching offshore students online | Engaging students in a synchronous session | Using online teaching tools to optimise face-to-face time
Disabled features
To help increase the stability of the system and increase performance, the following features are temporarily disabled by the vendor:
1. PlanFinding a compatible classroomNot all classrooms are set up for hybrid teaching. Check your topic’s timetable against the list of compatible classrooms. If your room is not compatible, lodge a Service One request to change your classroom. If you cannot get a compatible room, contact your local eLearning team to borrow a group chat kit. The kits are ideal for small group sessions, have a 30m wireless range and are best placed in the middle of the room. 2. BuildCreate a session so that online students can attend. Notify students how to access the online session. Keep the design of your lesson in mind: What are you trying to achieve with students during their class? Your college’s Academic Developer and Learning Designer may be able to provide some guidance. Content preparationYou may need to put resources and activities online that you would normally deliver in class, so both your online and face-to-face students can access them.
3. TestProvide a time before the first class where students can test their technology setup. Some students may need to purchase a headset or webcam to be able to fully engage in a hybrid class raising equity issues; to assist Adelaide-based students the library is equipped with spaces where students can access Collaborate using a computer with the necessary equipment. 4. AdministerThe Collaborate - administration guide provides a view of the key features you may use while using Collaborate. The following resources may help you achieve the most from using Collaborate:
When a class starts, encourage some students in the classroom to log into Collaborate with their cameras on and microphones off, to help the sense of inclusion for remote students. The camera can be directed at a wider room, and does not have to be recording a particular student. Tips for after a session:
5. Review
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Collaborate - main entryCollaborate is a live, collaborative space that provides the ability to chat, screen-share, share audio and video, poll students, collaborate using a virtual whiteboard or group participants into small 'breakout' spaces. It is also compatible with a growing number of classrooms. Using the Collaborate activity in a topic ideally consists of the following 5 stages. 1. Plan | 2. Build | 3. Test | 4. Administer | 5. Review || Support
This entry relates to the Collaborate tool.
Good practice guides and tip sheets
Good practice guides and tip sheets have been developed to support quality in both curriculum design and teaching practice. Good practice guides provide a pedagogical overview and tip sheets provide you with practical strategies and ideas for implementation. Links to Collaborate-related resources are provided below. Using online teaching tools to optimise face-to-face time | Communication, interaction and collaboration tools in FLO |
Considerations associated with planning the creation of videos for teaching |
Engaging students in a synchronous session | Facilitating Student-Teacher interaction in FLO | Running hybrid classes | Authentic and Active Learning | Online topic orientation
Disabled features
To help increase the stability of the system and increase performance, the following features are temporarily disabled by the vendor:
Collaborate is the official web conferencing tool for learning and teaching at Flinders University.
1. PlanThe following provides information on best practice and use cases for Collaborate, along with guidance on adding and creating Collaborate sessions within your FLO topic. In the Collaborate planning guide, explore the key topics associated with planning to use Collaborate, such as:
You may also want to check out our guide to using Collaborate in hybrid classes. 2. BuildYou have planned your use of the Collaborate virtual classroom. Now add the Collaborate shortcut to FLO (if it's not already there) and create your sessions.
3. TestWhen using a tool like Collaborate for the first time, it is a good idea to give yourself and your students the opportunity to test they can enter the room. This will help reduce unnecessary technical issues before scheduling important sessions. 4. AdministerThere are several key aspects associated with the management of sessions.
An introductory PowerPoint slide for Collaborate (available here) can be placed as a starting slide to help students get started and troubleshoot common technical
issues.
5. ReviewIt is important that you evaluate your use of Collaborate at the conclusion of each session. This will help you to improve your use of the tool and therefore enhance learning and teaching. If you wish to collaborate as a teaching team (ie with other staff) you could use Teams – an online video
and audio-enabled meeting place that allows you to meet with anyone, anywhere, in real-time using a web browser on your computer or mobile device, including iPad, iPhone or Android.
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Collaborate - planning guideCollaborate is a live, collaborative space that provides the ability to chat, screen-share, share audio and video, poll students, collaborate using a virtual whiteboard or group participants into small 'break-out' spaces. Using the Collaborate activity in a topic ideally consists of the following 5 stages. 1. Plan | 2. Build | 3. Test | 4. Administer | 5. Review || Support
Collaborate is the official web conferencing tool for learning and teaching at Flinders University. Below is a summary of considerations when planning to use Collaborate in your teaching:
Good practice guides and tip sheets
Good practice guides and tip sheets have been developed to support quality in both curriculum design and teaching practice. Good practice guides provide a pedagogical overview and tip sheets provide you with practical strategies and ideas for implementation. Links to Collaborate-related resources are provided below. Accessibility and inclusivity in FLO | Accessibility and Inclusivity in the Classroom | Using online teaching tools to optimise face-to-face time
Disabled features
To help increase the stability of the system and increase performance, the following features are temporarily disabled by the vendor:
What do you want to achieve with Collaborate?Collaborate can be used for a range of different purposes: One-to-one, one-to-many and, many-to-many.
What does Collaborate look like?Collaborate provides Moderators (teachers in a session) and Participants (students in a session) with a simple, clean and user-friendly interface. The following video provides a quick introduction to the Collaborate interface: For more information on the Collaborate interface, please see the Collaborate support material for Session Interface Update Things to consider when planning your session
In some circumstances (eg large sessions, break-out rooms etc.) it may be best to have multiple Moderators present to facilitate the online session. Multiple Moderators allow a presenter to concentrate on presenting while other moderators monitor the chat, provide basic technical support to students etc.
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Collaborate - session reportsCollaborate is a live, collaborative space that provides the ability to chat, screen-share, share audio and video, poll students, collaborate using a virtual whiteboard or group participants into small 'break-out' spaces. Using the Collaborate activity in a topic ideally consists of the following 5 stages. 1. Plan | 2. Build | 3. Test | 4. Administer | 5. Review || SupportDisabled featuresTo help increase the stability of the system and increase performance, the following features are temporarily disabled by the vendor:
After a Collaborate session, you can view and download an attendance report, and download the results of any polling undertaken. These reports will be available approximately 5 minutes after the last person has left the session. How to view session reportsYou can view reports of completed sessions on the Collaborate Sessions page.
Session attendance reportThe Session attendance report provides an overview of when attendees joined and left the session. It also gives you an idea of how long attendees were present in the session on average. See the steps above on how to view session reports and then click the View report link under Attendance.
Download poll resultsIf you've used the Polling feature in a Collaborate session, you can download the poll results. See the steps above on how to view session reports then click the download icon under Polls. The report includes the poll question/s, how each attendee responded and the date/time of their response. |
Collaborate - testing guideCollaborate is a live, collaborative space that provides the ability to chat, screen-share, share audio and video, poll students, collaborate using a virtual whiteboard or group participants into small 'break-out' spaces. Using the Collaborate activity in a topic ideally consists of the following 5 stages. 1. Plan | 2. Build | 3. Test | 4. Administer | 5. Review || Support
Disabled features
To help increase the stability of the system and increase performance, the following features are temporarily disabled by the vendor:
To ensure you don't disrupt your Collaborate teaching sessions with troubleshooting issues, it's advisable to run test sessions with students at key times. To do this you can either create a session and informally invite your students to visit during a scheduled time, or you can encourage your students to visit you using the 'Course Room'. Orientation / troubleshooting session for your students
Course room (unlocked room)By default, Collaborate provides a 'Course Room' which is always open for impromptu sessions. It is also a good place to test access to a room for future scheduled sessions. The Course Room is open at all times and gives students the opportunity to meet with you or with each other at any time without the need to schedule sessions. It also enables users (you and your students) to check that they can enter the room and use some features, like video, audio and chat.
If you'd like to schedule one (or more repeating sessions) with a start and an end date, you'll need to create sessions within the Collaborate interface. |
Database - build a database activity (step 2)
Once you have created the database activity 'shell', you need to build it (using fields) and create templates. To build the database you can: Choose a predefined set of fields (preset)
Create your own fieldsYou will have thought about the following questions in the database activity planning phase:
Steps
Customise the database searchOnce you and your students have populated the database beyond a certain size, you'll want it to be (more) searchable. The database is searchable by default, but you can customise the search to suit the database.
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Database - create a database activity (step 1)
First you have to create the activity (steps below). This provides the 'shell' for the activity. Then you will need to build the database (fields and searchability) (step 2) and create templates to aid usability (step 3). When setting up the conditions for adding entries, you can decide whether entries need to be approved, and whether/who to give ratings to entries (if ratings are used for marking).
Steps
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Database - customise the templates (step 3)
Templates for the database activity allow you to control the visual layout of information when listing, viewing or editing database entries. A basic level of HTML knowledge may be necessary to edit database templates. If you need help, contact your local eLearning support team. Before you create a template, you first need to Create a database activity (step 1) and Build a database activity (step 2).
There are six template types, but the most important ones (for a good user experience) are the Add template, Single template and List template. You will need to make changes to all three templates. The instructions below are for basic customisations only. For more sophisticated customisations, contact your local eLearning support team. Then create your templates in the following (logical) order:
View template optionsThese instructions tell you how to bold the field names, and make the table that field names and field types sit in more viewable and usable. To view the complete list of templates, and access the View list, View single and Add entry types:
1. Create an Add templateThe Add template determines what users see when they click on the Add entry prompt (ie how the fields are displayed). In this template, you can provide more information/instruction to users about what they need to enter into a field (eg instead of just having the field title, have a question and/or examples). Example field name: 'Duration' – the question could be 'How long did this task take? (Please enter in hours, rounded to the nearest full hour)'
These instructions tell you how to bold the field names, and make the table that the field names and field types sit in more viewable and usable.
2. Create a Single templateThe Single template determines how one result looks to the user. This is the template where you can add a user tag so that you know who has contributed.
These instructions tell you how to bold the field names, and make the table that field names and field types sit in more viewable and usable.
Add a user tagIf
you add a user tag, you will be able to see who has added an entry, which will
be useful for adding comments etc. You can update the template with this tag
even after the database is open for adding entries (and entries have been added). These instructions assume you have already set up this template (see above).
3. Create a List templateThe List template determines how a list of results (entries) looks to the user. You do not need to include every field (eg as for the Add template), particularly when there are lots of fields. The list can just be some key fields (eg Journal name).
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Database - main entryUsing a database activity in your topic is one way to allow students to create content
and share it with others. Using the Database activity in a topic ideally consists of 5 stages, in a looped process.
1. Plan | 2. Build | 3. Test | 4. Administer | 5. Review || Support
The database entries need to be exported/imported separately if you want to use the database in another site (eg the topic's next version) – only the database shell will be copied over. Contact your eLearning support team. Good practice guides and tip sheets
Good practice guides and tip sheets have been developed to support quality in both curriculum design and teaching practice. Good practice guides provide a pedagogical overview and tip sheets provide you with practical strategies and ideas for implementation. Links to database-related resources are provided below. 1. PlanThe success of the database activity is in the planning. Once students begin adding content (entries), it can be tricky to change the fields, so thinking ahead is key. What is the intended purpose of the database activity?
The structure of the entries is defined by the teacher as a number of fields. The visual layout of information when listing, viewing or editing database entries is controlled by templates. When creating a database for the first time, it can be helpful to think about it like an Excel spreadsheet. The teacher creates the columns (fields), and students and/or teachers add rows of content. 2. BuildOnce you have planned your database fields, you are ready to set up your database.
3. TestThe database activity is a highly customisable and very versatile tool, so it's important to test what you've built thoroughly before releasing the activity to students. Ask your local eLearning support team
to check your Database for you (especially if this is your first time). It is best to amend mistakes before students add entries.
4. AdministerWhen setting up your database activity, you can enable a number of optional settings. Some of these settings require administration by a teacher:
To encourage students to add entries, you could add an initial entry to model good practice, setting a standard and ensuring that instructions are not misunderstood. You could add the first entry in the Test phase). This is equivalent to making the first post in a forum. The fields you set up when you built the database will also prompt students as to what to add to create an entry. Students like examples and will engage more promptly with the tool. You can see how many students have contributed on the topic homepage:
5. ReviewHow did your database activity go? Would you set up the activity differently next time round? Talk to colleagues and/or your local eLearning support team to get ideas for improvement.
If you are happy with the activity and you want to use the content in a future topic version/other topics, you can ask your eLearning support team to roll over or import the database activity. The entries will need to be exported/imported separately.
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Designing a banner for your FLO siteWhether you are starting from scratch or working with an existing site, using a banner transforms your site and makes it instantly recognisable.
1. Plan | 2. Build | 3. Test | 4. Review || SupportA banner is designed to give a face to your site and make it recognisable to your students. The banner is visible on top of the site, as well as on the topic 'card' on the My FLO page. Image specificationsThe same image file is used for both the topic site banner and the topic card viewed on My FLO, with each displaying different elements of the picture. It should also be noted that these two regions can vary slightly depending on window size, device and whether the navigation menu is open. Most landscape orientation photos will be roughly 4x3 aspect ratio (width x height). If a full image like this is uploaded, the central area is displayed as in the example below.
To ensure a high quality banner, images should be optimised and cropped to 1920 x 850 pixels (px), the recommended dimensions. The example below shows the image which would be uploaded to FLO.
On My FLO, this banner image would appear like this in topic cards:
Within the topic, this banner image would appear like this:
The FLO topic name and navigation breadcrumbs sit over the left side of the banner. Depending on the image content, it may be useful to flip the image horizontally. In this example, the image has been flipped and the darker less interesting region has the topic title overtop.
What if the area of interest in the image is not central?If the area of interest is not central in the image, it may still be a suitable image for a banner, as long as it can be cropped to 1920 x 850 px region centred around the area of interest. Examples:
For staff who wish to prepare their own banner image, Snagit is a University-supplied program which can do everyday image editing. Snagit is available through the IDS Support Portal. Home-use licences are also available (request via Service One) Banners for teaching sites will be uploaded by college eLearning teams. Send your image via a Service One request. You can either send them a cropped, optimised image or a candidate image that they can prepare for you. If you wish to see how your banner looks, try uploading it to your sandpit. Note: Images must be royalty/copyright free. Suggested sources of free images |
FLO interface - WebPET (Web Presence in Every Topic)1. Layout | 2. Customisation | 3. Topics | 4. Logout || SupportThis entry relates to the FLO interface. This information has now been replaced by the digital learning guidelines.What is 'WebPET'?WebPET (Web Presence in Every Topic) aims to provide:
And in addition:
Students are generally happy with using FLO for their studies but have expressed their desire for more consistency across their topics.
What does it look like?As a minimum, each FLO site has:
Expectations of staffAll staff are required to:
What you can expect from the UniversityThe University will:
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Upload banner to FLO siteWhether you are starting from scratch or working with an existing site, using a banner transforms your site and makes it instantly recognisable.
1. Plan | 2. Build | 3. Test | 4. Review || SupportA banner is designed to give a face to your site and make it recognisable to your students. The banner is visible on top of the site, as well as on the topic 'card' on the My FLO page. 1. PlanIt is advised that you have a process for creating your banner. Decide what elements, colours, image(s) you need and discuss your requirements with your local eLearning team. Either you can design the banner image or we can assist you. A FLO banner has certain guidelines:
![]() For instructions on how to make a banner, view our guide on designing a banner for your FLO site (your local eLearning team can also make a banner for you). 2. BuildYou will need a sandpit to upload and test the banner on. If you don't already have a sandpit, please contact your local eLearning team.
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Training and support |
Troubleshooting |
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Dialogue - main entryThe dialogue tool in a topic ideally consists of 4 stages, in a looped process. 1. Plan | 2. Build | 3. Test | 4. Administer || SupportGood practice guides and tip sheets
Good practice guides and tip sheets have been developed to support quality in both curriculum design and teaching practice. Good practice guides provide a pedagogical overview and tip sheets provide you with practical strategies and ideas for implementation. Links to assignment-related resources are provided below. Communication, interaction and collaboration tools in FLO | Facilitating Student-Teacher interaction in FLO ![]() 1. Plan your dialogueThe dialogue tool has some similarities to other communication methods (e.g. email, forums, messages). Dialogue allows for one to one conversations inside the topic, as opposed to forums which are mainly for group discussions and messaging, which is for one on one discussion, but is not recorded in the topic. You could use the dialogue tool to:
2. BuildThe dialogue tool can be set up with a few quick steps:
3. TestThe easiest way to see how the dialogue tool works is to try it out with a colleague (or multiple colleagues).
4. AdministerYou can send a message to a particular person, or send identical copies of a message to everyone in a group.
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External tool - main entryThe external tool activity enables students to interact with learning resources and activities on other web sites using LTI (Learning Tools Interoperability). 1. Plan | 2. Build | 3. Test || Support![]()
1. PlanDecide what external tool you want to use from the University-wide pre-approved list:
To create an external tool not listed above, please contact your eLearning support team before you sign up for a product. External tool
requests are not automatically added. Requests are
reviewed and assessed on a case-by-case basis.
2. BuildYou have planned what external tool to use, now follow these steps to set it up in your topic.
3. TestCheck the recently added external tool to make sure it is working as expected.
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External tool - ReadingsThis entry relates to the list of External tools
Good practice guides and tip sheets
Good practice guides and tip sheets have been developed to support quality in both curriculum design and teaching practice. Good practice guides provide a pedagogical overview and tip sheets provide you with practical strategies and ideas for implementation. Links to readings-related resources are provided below. Considerations associated with compiling a reading list | Considerations associated with selecting a textbook 1. How does Readings work?You can put any number of resource types into your readings list including (but not limited to):
2. Where can I find it?Readings is added to every topic. If it has been removed from your topic, please contact your eLearning support team.
3. What can I do in Readings?
The Library will:
Support
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Statement of Assessment Methods (SAM)
Good practice guides and tip sheets
Good practice guides and tip sheets have been developed to support quality in both curriculum design and teaching practice. Good practice guides provide a pedagogical overview and tip sheets provide you with practical strategies and ideas for implementation. Links to assessment-related resources are provided below. Authentic assessment | Assessment principles | Completing Statement of Assessment Methods for 2022 | Developing learning outcomes | Policy implications for assessment design | Students are engaged in authentic and experiential learning | Using gradebook | Moderation | Providing students with comprehensive assessment information and support in FLO | Constructive alignment in FLO | Negotiated assessment Where to find the SAM for your topicThe SAM is located in the Assessment module in each topic:
It shows any available SAM for your topic. If 'not available' appears in the 'Link to SAM' column, this means your SAM has either not been created or is currently in draft format and not yet published.
Updating your SAM
Modifying a rejected SAM
Who to contact for help
Additional help materials for SAMs |
Engaging content - pollingStudents provide responses to questions or surveys. Polling can be synchronous or asynchronous. Synchronous or real-time polling in class allows you to display and analyse the results immediately. Asynchronous polling can be used prior to a teaching session where you collect and analyse results to inform delivery of your class. Good practice guides and tip sheets
Good practice guides and tip sheets have been developed to support quality in both curriculum design and teaching practice. Good practice guides provide a pedagogical overview and tip sheets provide you with practical strategies and ideas for implementation. Links to polling-related resources are provided below. Design principles for creating engaging digital content
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Sourcing and creating digital content
FLO Active Quiz
Active Quiz is designed for in-class quizzes. The quiz uses questions from the question bank, questions can be timed/not timed, grades are reported back to the Gradebook. You can view student responses in real time to offer in-class discussion about the
results. Students can use any device. Group quizzing is supported.
Good for
Useful features
Cautions
Tips
Help resources
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