Use WebSync to present web content or browse the Internet while participants watch. This chapter describes how to launch and use the web browser during your session.
What Is the WebSync?
WebSync is an "add on" to your web browser. When you are the floor holder in an iLinc session, you can use WebSync to lead all attendees as you navigate web pages on the Internet or
intranet.
When WebSync launches, you see your regular web browser, and you can navigate the web as you would normally. Each time you go to a new URL, or click a new link on a web page,
participants also follows that link. In between your navigation clicks, participants can browse at their own pace.
The speed at which each user is connected to the Internet or your network will affect how quickly they receive your web synchronization. Although all users will receive your navigation change at the same time, some may not be able to see the page as quickly as others, due to the speed at which they download the page.
Web Elements that Are Not Synchronized
Many web pages contain other content, such as CGI scripts, JavaScript, VBScript, ASP (Active Server Pages), Java, and Macromedia Shockwave presentations. These elements are not synchronized by WebSync.
If you want to use web pages that are not synchronized in your presentation (for example, a site that has personal settings or that runs individual scripts), bring users to the page using the Synchronized Web Browser and then instruct them to proceed individually. You can ask participants to raise their hand or answer in Feedback when they are finished viewing the content, and then you can restart the Synchronized Web Browser to get everyone re-synchronized.
Deciding to Use WebSync
If your content changes often and must be readily accessible to users during and outside of a session, consider creating HTML content and browsing it with WebSync. Assuming you have access to a web server, or to someone who can help you post your content to a web server, you can make last minute changes quickly and easily without worrying about distributing those changes to your attendees. Additionally, you can create your HTML content in a variety of ways, including:
using an HTML editor, such as Microsoft Front Page or Macromedia DreamWeaver.
converting existing documents to HTML using popular office applications.
using the Communications Center to convert your PowerPoint presentations to HTML and add them to courses and sessions.
Browsing on an Intranet or the Internet
Before you use WebSync, you will need to decide where you can navigate to during a session.
For example, will you navigate through web content on your company intranet or will you navigate through sites on the public Internet. Whether your attendees join your session from within an intranet, the Internet, or a combination of both, controls where you can synchronize web browsing.
Launching WebSync
When you launch WebSyncfor the session, each attendee's web browser opens up to the URL you selected in your own browser. Your navigation from that point on is synchronized with everyone in the session.
To Launch WebSync
1. Make sure you are in a session, and you are the current floor holder. If you are the current floor holder, your name and image displays in the Floor Holder panel.
2. Click the WebSyncicon . OR
Double-click a URL that has been added to the Content tab. WebSynclaunches on your computer, and on each attendee's computer.
3. Type a web address in the Address field of your browser and press <Enter>. Everyone in the session navigates to that address.
4. Continue to navigate to different web sites. As you navigate, all attendees follow in their own browsers. Once they have received the page, they are free to scroll, follow links on that page, or navigate to other sites as desired.
Each time you follow a link or navigate to a new page, all attendees are
"resynchronized" to your new location.
Closing WebSync
When you are done with WebSync, the current floor holder can close it for the class. Click the Close x to close the browser on everyone's machine. The floor holder is then prompted to Close All, Close Mine or Cancel the close.
Polling
Polling, iLinc’s Question and Answer application, is a powerful communication tool that you can use to gather information from other participants. Use it to prepare knowledge assessments before any session or on-the-fly to gather feedback from attendees on important issues.
Whichever way you decide to use Polling, this chapter will get you started by describing how to use it both within and outside a session.
What Is Polling?
Polling is iLinc's question and answer tool. Use Polling to ask your attendees a series of multiple choice questions during a session. You can make up questions before a session, or add them on-the-fly. When you ask a question, attendees see it and all its possible answers in their Polling Tab.
Each attendee can select an answer, and can change his or her answer for as long as the question is available. The leader or floor holder’s window updates automatically as attendees select their answers.
Answer Statistics
As attendees answer a question, you see a bar chart of their responses. The bar chart is continually updated as they send and change their answers. You can share the bar chart with everyone.
Answer Details
As attendees answer, you can also view the answer details to see which attendees chose each answer.
Floor Control
As with other iLinc session tools, the floor holder and the leader control Polling. While an attendee has the floor, he or she can open question files, create new questions, ask questions, and view and share the results with everyone.
Making a Question List before a Session
You can create and upload a Polling file before a session so that you can launch it during the session. You can choose whether the Polling file will be available “in session,” on users’ home pages, on the “Public Sessions” page, and or in e-mail invitations.
To Create a Polling Question List
A Polling Question List can be prepared as a new Content item using the Communications Center. To a new question list:
1. Log in to your Communications Center
2. Click Content from the navigation menu and click Add New Content. 3. From the drop down menu, select Polling.
Add Content - Polling
4. Fill in the required information (Owner and Title) and a description, if needed.
5. In the Polling section, a default first question appears. To edit this question and answers:
a. Click Question Text and a text field appears. Type in your new question and hit
<ENTER> or click Save Change. Additionally, if you hover over the question text, a command line appears to the right with actions you can take on that question.
b. Change the default text in your new answer and hit <ENTER> or click Save Change. Additionally, if you hover over the answer text, a command line appears to the right with actions you can take on that answer.
c. To add answer options, click Add Answer. 6. To add questions, click Add Question.
a. Click Question Text and a text field appears. Type in your new question and hit
<ENTER> or click Save Change. Additionally, if you hover over the question text, a command line appears to the right with actions you can take on that question.
b. Change the default text in your new answer and hit <ENTER> or click Save Change. Additionally, if you hover over the answer text, a command line appears to the right with actions you can take on that answer.
c. To add answer options, click Add Answer.
7. Repeat step 6 until you have created all your questions and answer sets.
8. Determine the access authority for this set of questions and answers.
9. When finished, click Submit.
The Polling item you just created can then be added as a Content item to any session. When creating your session, you can choose Content from the Library. All Polling lists created in your Communications Center are available in the Library based on the Access settings for each list.
To Create a XML File of Questions
You may wish to create and edit your questions using XML. Once you complete your XML file, you can then import that file as a new Content item for any session. See the next section for steps on importing your XML file.
To download a sample XML file:
1. Log in to your Communications Center.
2. Click Content from the navigation menu and click Add New Content. 3. From the drop down menu, select Question and Answer.
4. From the Question and Answer area, click the Download File link.
5. A sample XML file will open on your computer. You can then choose to save that to a local machine or network drive. Once saved, you can edit the Question and Answer text of the file to create your own custom questions by opening the XML file in a text editor or word processing application.
To Upload the Question File
In the Communications Center, locate the session to which you would like to add the Polling file and click the Edit link. In the Content section of the edit session page, choose Question and
Answer from the drop down menu and click Add.
In the popup window, click the Browse button for the Import XML file. You can then navigate to the proper location on your local machine or network where your XML file is stored. When you return to the Add Content window, click Upload to process your file .
Questions in the imported file will replace any questions that already exist in this content item.
If this is a brand new item, you will only be replacing the default question. When you are finished uploading questions from a XML file, click Submit. Click Cancel if you wish not to save this new Polling content item for your session.
Refer to
Adding Content to Your Session for detailed instructions on adding content.
Asking Questions during a Session
During a session you can launch a pre-created question list from the Content tab, or you can launch Polling and add questions on the fly. As attendees answer, you receive detailed results on the answers. The tasks that you can complete during a session are described in the sections that follow.
To Launch Polling for Everyone in a Session 1. Make sure you are the floor holder.
2. Click the Content Tab to view the content list 3. Double-click the Polling item from the agenda.
4. A new Tab will open for you with all questions listed.
To Add Questions On-the-Fly during a Session
1. Click the Polling icon in the icon bar to the right of the Tabs.
2. Click the Add Question link.
3. Enter your question in the question field. Click Save Change or press the <ENTER> key.
4. Enter at least two answers in the answer fields. Click Save Change or press the <ENTER> key for each answer option. New questions will be added to the original Polling item, not saved as a new Polling file.
5. If you are the floor holder, you can return to the Polling tab at any time to ask your question.
To Ask a Question
1. Locate the question in the Polling Tab you wish to ask
2. Hover over the question until the command line at the right appears.
3. Click Ask to display this question to your attendees.
4. All attendees see the question and its possible answers in their Polling tabs. As each attendee selects an answer your answer statistics are updated.
Note: If you pass the floor to an attendee after you ask a question, your question remains visible until the current floor holder asks a different question.
To View and Share Answer Statistics
As participants submit their answers, the leader, assistant or floor holder sees the answer statistics for each answer option in a growing bar graph.
To share the answer statistics with all attendees, click Share on the command line for the
question. Once you share the answer results, attendees see the results next to each option and can no longer answer the question.
To Withdraw a Question
1. Locate the question in the Tab you wish to ask
2. Hover over the question until the command line at the right appears.
3. Click Withdraw to remove the question from your attendees.
4. The question is removed from the Tab for the attendees.
Note: If you pass the floor to an attendee after you ask a question, your question remains visible until the attendee withdraws this question or asks a different question.
To Close Polling for the Attendees
When you are finished using Polling, the leader or the current floor holder can close it for the entire session.
1. Click the x button on the Tab.
2. Choose Close All to close Polling on all attendees' computers. You have the option of closing Polling only on your machine.
Editing Question Files
You can make changes to existing question files, including removing questions from the list and editing questions. Each task is described in the sections that follow.
To Remove a Question from the List
1. Open the Polling file containing the question you want to remove.
2. Hover over the question in the Questions & Answers list. Be sure you are ready to delete the question. The selected question is deleted immediately and cannot be restored.
3. Select Remove from the command line at the right.
To Edit a Question
1. Choose Content from the navigation menu.
2. Click the Edit link for the Polling file you wish to edit.
3. Under Questions & Answers, hover over the question you want to edit.
4. Click the Edit link in the command line that appears to the right of the question.
a. To make changes to the answers, click the expand plus sign to the left of the question. Hover over the answer to change and click the Edit link. Type in your change to your answer and click the Save Change link or press the <ENTER> key.
5. Type in the change to your question and click Save Changes or press the <ENTER> key 6. When you are done, select Update Original if you want to change the original Polling file.
a. If you are editing the original file within the Activities section of the
Communications Center and if it is used in multiple sessions, you will also have the option to Save as New in a new Polling file.
Deleting a Polling File
You can delete a Polling file just like you would delete any other session content. On the session Content page, click the check box next to the file and click Delete.