Interact2 Help and Support

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1 Sharing content stored in Interact2 Content Collection Contents Terminology... 2 What is the Content Collection?... 2 Student view of the Content Collection in course and subject sites... 4 Summary of the process of sharing from within the i2 Content Collection The 360 o view... 7 Appendix B: Creating and sharing a pass Page 1

2 Terminology This document explains the basics of sharing content within Interact2 - that is, allowing others to access a file or folder to view from a location not otherwise visible to them. The process does not make multiple copies of the shared file. Within Interact2 the term re-use will be associated with the rolling over of material from one session to the next by export/import or copy functions. In this case, multiple copies of files will be created. One way of sharing files or folders is to store them in a Digital Object Management System (DOMS) Collection and link to them from there (see separate instructions). Another way is to link to files or folders in the Interact2 Content Collection, which is the focus of this document. Note that sharing in this sense applies to files and folders, not tool content. Interact2 tool content, such as discussion postings, is not sharable. What is the Content Collection? The Content Collection is the file repository within Interact2, and is accessible to all users from the Content Collection tab. Those with the Instructor or Leader role in a site can also see a link to the Content Collection from the site s Control Panel. Within the Content Collection there are three levels. Within each level you will see or be able to discover all content to which you have access: My Content - Storage area for personal content. Course Content - When a course or subject site is created in i2, a corresponding folder is created in the Collection. Organisation Content - When an organisation is created in i2, a corresponding folder is created in the Collection. Page 2

3 Options for accessing content include: Search Content Search Content allows you to locate all files and folders that have been shared with you. When a search is performed only those items to which you have permissions will be returned. If permissions are granted on a nested folder (and not the top-level folder) you may search for the folder and bookmark it. Bookmarks Bookmarks give quick access to frequently used content a without having to navigate through several folders. You can organise bookmarks into folders and subfolders as needed. Go To Location (Jump to > Tools > Go To Location) Go to Location allows you to go directly to a specific folder that has been shared with you in the Content Collection if you have been given the URL to the file or folder. You can enter the path to open a folder and bookmark the location at the same time. See Appendix A step 4c for an example. Passes Passes Passes can be used to share a file with a user for a specific amount of time. This is especially useful for sharing files with users who do not have system accounts. When you create a pass, you decide whether to grant read or read and write permission to the file with the pass. When the time allotted for the pass is over, the user will no longer be able to access the file. Page 3

4 Student view of the Content Collection in course and subject sites Students will be able to access all Content Collection files that are used in a CSU course or subject site from the Interact2 tool that links to or uses the content for example, a file attached to an announcement because they are members of the site. However, default permissions are not to make the site s top-level folder visible in the Content Collection to students. It is visible by default only to Instructor, Course Builder and Teaching Assistant roles. This means that by default students will not be able to find content in the course/subject folder via the Content Collection, but will only be able to access it via links within the subject or course site. This has implications for the design of a site content and activities will need to be presented to students in a logical, organised manner. If a Subject Coordinator needs to allow students to see a folder and its contents from the Content Collection view (perhaps to allow them to upload content), appropriate permissions must be given to students. See the Appendix A for step-by-step instructions. Page 4

5 Summary of the process of sharing from within the i2 Content Collection. All users are able to store content (files and/or folders) in one or more of the levels of the Content Collection and control access by setting permissions on the file or folder. Permissions can be set for specific individuals, for course/organisation memberships or groups within them, or for others by institutional role. This allows others who wouldn t have otherwise had access to the folder to see files and folders by searching. You could also share by publishing the URL(s) of the resource(s) or issue a Pass. Permissions can also be set to allow anyone with the URL to access the content. You can use the 360 o view to see which sites are using files or folders. Step-by-step example Step 1: Decide which folder you will use to store material to be shared for example, a folder called For sharing in My Content, and upload some files to it. Tip: Try to create folders in which all items are to be shared with the same users. When items shared with the same users are spread out among different folders, it may become difficult to manage. Files are automatically available to the user that added the file but must be shared if other users are to view the item. Files inherit permissions from the folder they reside in. This means that if a file is added to a folder that already has read and write permission for certain users or user lists, then those same users will also have read and write permission on the newly added file. Step 2: At the folder level, click on the Permissions icon......to bring up permissions options Page 5

6 Select Specific Users: you can add one or more users by username. Select Specific Users By Place: all users who belong to a course or organisation site, or groups within them. Select Roles: add users who have a particular role, e.g. share with anyone who has the Student role. Permit Anyone: Grants permissions to all users. Adding this permission to a folder allows users with accounts on the system, as well as people in the general public, to access the folder according to the permissions set. The following permissions are available within the Content Collection: Read: Users have the ability to view items or folders. Write: Users have the ability to make changes to items and folders. Remove: Users have the ability to remove items from the folder or the folder itself. Manage: Users have ability to control the properties and settings of items and folders. Step 3: Once permissions have been given, those with permission will be able to access the file or folder from the Search option described earlier. When a user searches for files or folders, or attempts to manipulate files or folders (for example, using copy, move or remove), the user will only be able to view and alter content based on their permissions. For example, if a user searches for an item to which he or she does not have Read permission, the item will not appear in the Search Results. Sharing by means of a Pass A pass creates a URL that can be used to access a file or folder by outside users. Passes can be restricted by setting an expiration time or date. It is also possible to manage pass privileges so that external users (users who do not have access to the Interact2) can collaborate on work or simply view an item or folder without changing it. Sending a pass for a folder grants access to all sub-folders and files within the folder where the pass was created. Pass recipients with read access have the ability to view sub-folders and files. Pass recipients with read/write access have the ability to add and edit folders and files. If comments for the item or folder are shared, the user with the pass may read comments and add new comments. If a user outside the system adds a new comment, the name associated with the comment is 'Anonymous.' Page 6

7 A person who receives a pass must have: An account and access to the internet. An application capable of opening the item, for example, Microsoft Word to open a Microsoft Word document. See Appendix B for information and instructions about creating and sharing a pass. The 360o view The 360 View is accessed from the contextual menu next to the item. The 360 View provides all the information stored about any piece of content in the Content Collection. The 360 o View allows you to see: the basic properties of the item, information on links that exist to the item, and any metadata associated with the item. Use the 360 o View if you need to know at a quick glance who last edited an item, what the permanent URL is, and recent comments or file activity. This view is helpful if you want to look at all the information for an item in one place. Page 7

8 Appendix A: Changing folder permissions to allow student Read or Write access Step1: Within the Content Collection for the i2 site, create a folder for this purpose within the site s top level folder, and add any content that is to be made visible to students. Give it a suitable name (eg, BIO222 students) that will allow for easy searching. Step2: Click on the permissions icon to the right of the folder name and details....and from Select Specific Users By Place select Course Page 8

9 Folder Permissions will now be visible Page 9

10 Step 4: Inform the students of the folder s availability and purpose. There are three main ways that students can access to the folder: a. Publicise the folder s URL b. Students locate the folder from a search and bookmark it for future reference c. Students locate the folder from the Go to Location function and bookmark it for future reference. a. Publicise the folder s URL: From the dropdown menu to the right of the folder name, select Edit Settings... Page 10

11 ...and copy the permanent URL, which is a Blackboard reference to the physical file. This is the URL to use if you wanted to link to this resource from another website, or document. b. Students locate the folder from a search and bookmark it for future reference Page 11

12 c. Students locate the folder from the Go to Location function and bookmark it for future reference Page 12

13 Appendix B: Creating and sharing a pass How to Create a Pass 1. Navigate to the Content Collection folder that contains the item or folder. 2. Select Passes from the item's contextual menu (the drop-down menu to the right of the folder name) i. 3. On the action bar, click Create Pass. 4. Enter information in the following fields and click Submit. Page 13

14 A pass set to have no expiration is technically set to expire on January 1, Users are unable to specify a lifetime that extends past this date. How to a Pass After you create a pass, you can share it with outside users through the Pass page. The Pass page sends an message to outside users with the URL path for accessing the Content Collection item or folder. If the user is granted read and write permissions to the item, the URL path is linked to a file information page. The user may access the file from this page, or they may access additional information such as shared comments and versions. If the user is granted read only permissions to the item, there are two options for linking the URL path. The URL path may be linked directly to the file or be linked to the file information page. The file information page provides access to the item and to any shared comments. 1. Navigate to the folder that contains the item or folder. 2. Select Passes from the item's contextual menu. 3. Select the check box next to a pass. 4. On the action bar, click Pass. 5. Enter the require information on the Passes page and click Submit. Page 14