This chapter explains the process for testing the LearnLinc environment.
In this chapter you will learn how to:
• Test the LearnLinc Virtual Campus
• Test the LearnLinc Virtual Classroom
• Test additional components
In addition, this chapter answers the following questions:
1. What do I need to complete the tests?
2. What do I need to test the connection between multiple sites?
What You Need to Know Before Reading This Chapter
To benefit from the information in this chapter, you should have a basic understanding of the following concepts:
Virtual Classroom “Overview: Using LearnLinc” on page 32.
Installing the LearnLinc server and classroom software
“Installing LearnLinc” on page 43.
Key Concepts
Review the following concepts to ensure that you understand the importance of testing the LearnLinc environment, and the elements necessary to do so. Specifically, you need to know:
• Required Elements for Testing
• Multiple Sites
Required Elements for Testing
To test the LearnLinc environment, you must have installed the proper software and have at least two people from your LearnLinc team available to conduct the tests. These requirements are described in detail in the remainder of this topic.
Software
You must install the LearnLinc server, enable all your licences, and install the classroom software on two computers before conducting your LearnLinc tests.
LearnLinc Information
The LearnLinc Virtual Campus has sample users, and a sample course with resources and classes that you can use to complete the tests outlined in this chapter.
Multiple Sites
To test the connection between multiple sites, you must install the LearnLinc classroom software on at least one computer at each site. Each computer must be connected to an intranet or the Internet so that it can connect to your LearnLinc server.
Detailed Directions
The following step-by-step instructions describe the processes for testing the LearnLinc environment.
Check Your Licences
1. Launch a web browser on the server, or on another computer.
2. Navigate to “http://servername/ll/ll.dll/ServerInfo”, where servername is the name of your LearnLinc server.
The “LearnLinc Server Information” page displays.
3. Scroll down to the entry “Classroom Service Licences”.
Your licences are listed by conferencing type. You can see the total for each type, the number currently in use, and the expiration date for each license type.
If you have chosen to password protect your Server information page, you will be prompted to enter your Windows user name and password.
See “Server Information Page” on page 46 for more information.
• If your LearnLinc licences are not enabled, refer to “Enabling Your Server Licenses” on page 52. Once your licences are enabled, return to this chapter.
• If your LearnLinc licences are enabled, proceed to the next task.
Log-in as an Administrator
Logging-in to the Virtual Campus tests your LearnLinc server installation. If you can log-in, the web server and LearnLinc Name Service database are functioning properly.
1. Launch a web browser and navigate to your Virtual Campus.
The address of the Virtual Campus is the server’s domain name and the virtual directory you chose during installation, for example, in “http://www.xyzlearning.com/
learnlinc”,”xyzlearning” the server name, and “learnlinc” is the virtual directory name.
The welcome page displays.
Quick Steps
1. Launch a web browser and navigate to your Virtual Campus.
2. Click “I’m a LearnLinc user and I’d like to log-in”.
3. Enter the default administrator account information.
Log-in ID: Administrator Group: System
Password: Administrator 4. Click Login.
5. Change the password for the default account immediately.
2. Click “I’m a LearnLinc user and I’d like to log-in”.
The log-in page displays.
3. Log-in using the default administrator account.
The account information is:
Log-in ID: Administrator Group: System
Password: Administrator 4. Click Login.
The home page for the default administrator displays.
You are now logged-in as the default LearnLinc administrator.
Change the password for this account immediately. Refer to the next section, “Change the System Administrator Account Password” for detailed directions.
Change the System Administrator Account Password
Changing the system administrator password not only ensures the security of your LearnLinc environment, it tests the LearnLinc Name Service as well. During this task you will retrieve data from the LearnLinc Name Service as well as add new data to it.
1. Click “User directory” in the left navigation pane of the Virtual Campus.
The User Directory displays.
Quick Steps
1. Click “User Directory” in the left navigation pane of the Virtual Campus 2. Click “System”.
3. Click “System Administrator”.
4. Click the “Edit” tab.
5. Enter a new password and verify it.
6. Click Save to update the account.
7. Click “Logout” on the top menu bar.
8. Click Logout to return to the welcome page.
2. Click “System” to see a list of all the users in that group.
3. Click “System Administrator” to see your account information.
The details for your user profile display
4. Click the “Edit” tab.
The edit page for your user profile displays.
5. Enter a new password in the “New password” and “Verify new password” fields.
Passwords are case sensitive.
6. Click Save to update your account.
Your new password is now in effect. Be sure to record your password in a secure location.
7. Click “Logout” on the top menu bar.
The logout page displays.
8. Click Logout to return to the Virtual Campus welcome page.
9. Log-in again using the default administrator account to verify the new password.
10. Log-out and proceed to the next section.
Do not close your browser.
The remainder of the tasks in this chapter are divided between instructor actions and student actions. Make sure that all members of the LearnLinc team who are involved in the test have a copy of this guide, or at least the following pages, to ensure that all tasks are completed in sequence.
Log-in Again as Sample Instructor
Perform this task so that you can enter the Virtual Classroom as an instructor.
1. Click “I’m a LearnLinc user and I’d like to log-in” on the Virtual Campus welcome page.
The log-in page displays.
2. Log-in using the sample instructor account.
The account information is:
Log-in ID: instructor Group: Sample
Password: there is no password for this account 3. Click Login to go to the Sample instructor’s home page.
The sample instructor’s home page displays.
You are now logged-in as Sample instructor.
To ensure the security of your LearnLinc environment, you may wish to change the password for this account before proceeding.
Quick Steps
1. Click “I’m a LearnLinc user and I’d like to Log-in.”
2. Enter the sample instructor account information.
Log-in ID: Instructor Group: Sample Password: leave blank 3. Click Login.
Instructor: Join a Class in the Sample Course
1. Click “Sample Course” under the heading “You are teaching the following courses” on your home page.
The contents tab for Sample Course displays.
2. Click “Join” next to a class.
Join the type of class for which you have enabled conferencing licences.
3. If you have not done so already, you will be prompted to configure your computer’s audio settings.
Complete all the steps in the LearnLinc Audio Wizard to configure your audio settings and join the class.
Quick Steps
1. Click “Sample Course”
under “You are teaching the following courses” on your home page.
2. Click “Join” next to the class for your conferencing type.
3. Wait for the LearnLinc palette to display.
Your web browser minimizes automatically as you begin to join the class. The LearnLinc splash screen displays, followed by the LearnLinc palette. When your name displays in the class list, you are logged-in to the class. The following diagram highlights the features of the instructor’s palette.
.
Instructor’s palette
Student: Join the Same Class on Another LearnLinc Computer
A second LearnLinc team member should join the same class, using the sample student account. You must have at least two users logged-in to complete the remainder of the tasks in this test.
The information for the sample student account is:
Log-in ID: Student Group: Sample
Password: there is no password for this account
For complete directions for logging-in and changing your password, refer to the instructions in the previous sections, “Log-in as an Administrator”, and “Change the System Administrator Account Password” but use the student account information.
To ensure the security of your LearnLinc environment, you may wish to change the password for this account before proceeding.
Quick Steps
1. Click “I’m a LearnLinc user and I’d like to Log-in.”
2. Enter the sample student account information.
Log-in ID: Student Group: Sample Password: leave blank 3. Click Login.
As you join the class, your web browser minimizes, and the student LearnLinc palette displays.
The following diagram highlights the features of the student’s palette.
þ
If the instructor and student are not in the same room, be sure to have a phone available for their use until you are sure they can communicate via LearnLinc.Student’s Palette
Instructor: Talk to the Class
This task tests audio and video conferencing, and is not necessary for users who are in the class
“Data only”. If you are in the class “Data only”, move to the task, “Instructor: Launch the Synchronized Web Browser and Navigate to a URL” on page 91. If you are in any other class, proceed with this task.
1. If you have a Talk button click it, or press <CTRL> before you begin speaking. Otherwise, begin speaking to the class immediately.
2. Talk to the class by speaking into your microphone.
As you speak, the volume indicator displays volume level bars. Green bars indicate an acceptable volume level. Yellow or red bars indicate that the volume is too loud.
3. Ask the student to raise his or her hand if he or she can hear you and see you.
• If the student cannot hear you, check your microphone and speaker cable connections, and run your audio wizard by selecting Tools > Local > Audio Wizard, from the LearnLinc palette menu bar. Ask the student to do the same via text chat. Try talking again. If the student still cannot hear you, refer to “Audio Conferencing
Troubleshooting” on page 537.
• If you are using video but the student cannot see you, check your video camera cable connections, and make sure the lens is uncovered.
• If you see the student’s hand raise, the student can hear you.
When your audio or video conferencing is working properly, continue with the next task.
Quick Steps
1. If you have a Talk button, click it, or press <CTRL>.
2. Ask the student to click the hand raise button if he or she can hear you.
• If the student cannot hear you, select Tools
> Local > Audio wizard, to adjust your audio settings. Repeat the test.
• If the student can hear you, continue to the next step.
Student: Raise Hand
If you hear the instructor speaking to you, and/or see his or her image in the LearnLinc palette conferencing window, click Hand raise.
If you do not hear or see the instructor, wait for the instructor to contact you by another means, such as text chat or a phone call. He or she may ask you to run your audio wizard. You can do so by selecting Tools > Local > Audio wizard, from the LearnLinc menu bar.
Instructor: Pass the Floor
This task tests floor control, and gives the student the floor, so that you can test two-way conferencing between the instructor and the floor holder.
1. Double-click the student’s name in the class list to pass the floor.
2. Ask the student to speak into his or her microphone.
• If you cannot hear the student, contact him or her through text chat, and instruct him or her to run the audio wizard by selecting Tools > Local > Audio Wizard, from the LearnLinc palette menu bar. If you still cannot hear the student, refer to “Audio Conferencing Troubleshooting” on page 537.
• If you hear the student, take the floor back. Everyone’s conferencing is working properly. Continue with the next task.
Quick Steps
If you hear the instructor, click Hand raise.
Otherwise, wait for the instructor to contact you by another means.
Quick Steps
1. Double-click the student’s name to pass the floor.
2. Ask the student to speak into his or her microphone.
Student: Talk to the Class
This task continues the conferencing test.
1. Wait for the instructor to pass the floor to you.
Students must have the floor to speak to the class.
2. If you have a Talk button click it, or press <CTRL>, before you begin speaking. Otherwise, begin speaking to the class immediately.
Some users may have a “Talk” button, while others have a “Mute” checkbox. Your computer’s audio hardware determines which of the two you use.
3. When you are done speaking, ask the instructor to take back the floor and click “Talk” or press <CTRL> if necessary.
• If the instructor did not hear and/or see you, run your audio wizard by selecting Tools >
Local > Audio Wizard, from the LearnLinc palette menu bar. Ask the student to do the same. Try talking again. If the student still cannot hear you, refer to “Audio
Conferencing Troubleshooting” on page 537.
• If the instructor heard and/or saw you, two-way audio is working properly.
When your audio or video conferencing is working properly, continue with the next task.
Quick Steps
1. Wait for the instructor to pass the floor to you.
2. If you have a Talk button click it, or press <CTRL>, before speaking.
3. When you are done, ask the instructor to take the floor back.
Instructor: Take the Floor
This task completes the floor control test.
Click Take floor to take the floor back from the student.
Instructor: Launch the Synchronized Web Browser and Navigate to a URL This task tests the synchronized web browser. The synchronized web browser uses your Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator browser–the screen shots in this section may look somewhat different from your web browser.
1. Select the agenda tab on the LearnLinc palette to display the agenda.
2. Click the synchronized web browser shortcut.
Quick Steps
Click Take floor.
Quick Steps
1. Select the Agenda tab on the LearnLinc palette.
2. Click the synchronized web browser shortcut.
3. Navigate to a web site on the Internet or your intranet.
4. Ask the student to raise his or her hand when the web site displays in his or her browser.
The synchronized web browser launches in the content area of your screen.
3. Navigate to a web site on the Internet or your intranet.
4. Ask the student to raise his or her hand when the new web site displays in the synchronized web browser.
• If the student doesn’t raise his or her hand, refer to the synchronized web browser troubleshooting information in “Classroom Tools Issues” on page 522.
• If the student raises his or her hand, the synchronized web browser is working properly.
When your synchronized web browser is working properly, close it and continue with the next task.
If you navigate to an Internet site, both you and the student must be connected to the Internet. If you navigate to an intranet site, both you and the student must have access to your organization’s intranet.
Instructor: Use AppShare
This task tests AppShare, LearnLinc’s application sharing tool.
1. Make sure you have the floor.
2. Select Start > Programs > Accessories > Calculator, from the Windows taskbar.
3. Select the agenda tab on the LearnLinc palette to display the agenda.
4. Click the AppShare shortcut.
Quick Steps
1. Make sure you have the floor.
2. Select Start > Programs >
Accessories > Calculator.
3. Select the Agenda tab on the LearnLinc palette.
4. Click the AppShare shortcut.
5. Check “Calculator” in the Applications list.
6. Click Start.
The “Select Application” dialog displays.
5. Check “Calculator” in the Applications list.
If “Calculator does not display in the list, click Refresh List.
6. Click “Start”.
7. Ask the student to raise his or her hand when the display window and calculator display on his or her screen.
• If the student doesn’t raise his or her hand, refer to the AppShare troubleshooting information in Appendix A, on page 509.
• If the student raises his or her hand, AppShare is working properly.
When AppShare is working properly, your LearnLinc Virtual Campus and Virtual
Classroom tests are complete. If you are using LearnLinc at multiple sites, continue to the next section, “Multiple site testing”.
8. Click Quit to close AppShare.
Multiple Site Testing
By testing locally before conducting a multiple site test, you are ensuring that most of the LearnLinc features and tools will work properly regardless of where your students are located.
Perform the following test to ensure that students at distant sites can connect to your LearnLinc server, and that audio conferencing is configured properly.
1. Make sure the LearnLinc classroom software is installed on a computer at your site, and on a computer at each site with which you wish to test.
2. Log-in to the Virtual Campus as the Sample instructor.
3. Ask the users at each site to go to the Virtual Campus and create new accounts for themselves.
4. Click “Sample Course” on your home page course list, and then click the “Join” link for the class that matches your conferencing type.
5. Instruct the users at the other sites to join that class as well.
6. Wait for everyone to join the class before proceeding.
7. If you have a Talk button, click it before you begin speaking. Otherwise, begin speaking to the class immediately.
8. Talk to the class by speaking into your microphone.
As you speak, the microphone volume indicator, displays green bars to show your volume level.
9. Ask the students to raise their hands if they can hear and/or see you.
• If you see all students’ hands raise, everyone’s conferencing is working properly.
• If none of the students can hear and/or see you, run your audio wizard by selecting Tools > Local > Audio Wizard, from the LearnLinc palette menu bar. Try talking again. If the student still cannot hear you, refer to “Audio Conferencing Troubleshooting” on page 537.
• If some students can hear you, and others cannot, use text chat to ask the students who cannot hear you to run their audio wizards. Try talking again. If the student still cannot hear you, refer to “Audio Conferencing Troubleshooting” on page 537.
Next Steps
Once you have tested your LearnLinc environment, you are ready to roll out a larger pilot installation. Install the LearnLinc classroom software for each person you expect to join your pilot class, or instruct them to download and install the software from the Virtual Campus. Be
Once you have tested your LearnLinc environment, you are ready to roll out a larger pilot installation. Install the LearnLinc classroom software for each person you expect to join your pilot class, or instruct them to download and install the software from the Virtual Campus. Be