Bookmarks

• The existing window.
• A new window.
• A frame within the ALCA Community. 

Calendars

The Calendar Resource helps the user in scheduling events using a calendar format. Not only can a Calendar Resource be embedded in community activities, it and other calendar resources can be subscribed to in a user’s Calendar Tab and room Calendar Areas. 

 

Files

A File Resource helps a user in uploading and documenting desktop files uploaded into their Resources Tab. Any file can be uploaded.

Web friendly files such as graphics, QuickTime movies, Flash, and audio automatically work. For example, a QuickTime movie-based File Resource can be set automatically to play, complete with desired dimensions. Also, uploaded graphics can be easily accessed and placed within the Web Page Resource. 

A Folder Resource helps a user in organizing their resources. Folders can be kept private allowing only the user access to their content. They can also be shared with others allowing a group of users to integrate resources into curriculum units, web sites, or other resources. 
 

Forms

A Form Resource helps the user in collecting information or data from other users or visitors to the community.

Forms can be created to collect data such as:

• Science data from geographically dispersed users.
• Conducting evaluations for grant projects.
• Assessing Professional Learning Community progress.
• Curriculum-based activities.

Form data can be viewed by all community members or restricted for viewing only by the Form author. Data can be exported as a CSV file for importing into spreadsheets. 


 

Activities

An Activity Resource supports a user in creating and delivering curriculum units and activities. These activities address:

• Student and teacher goals and objectives.
• Engaging questions.
• Prerequisites.
• Required and optional resources.
• Activity instructions.
• Student, teacher, and facilitator notes.

Activities can be embedded within each other creating comprehensive sets of curriculum resources. 

 

Locations

A Location Resource helps a user document a physical location on the earth. Entering the decimal version of the latitude and longitude in the Location Resource results in a Google map when viewing the Location.

The Google map combined with other resources can be added to the Location Resource. Photographs, video, narrative text and extensive documentation can occur for a particular site.

A Location Resource can be used to show a map location of a particular meeting or geocaching site. 
 

Outlines

An Outline Resource helps a user in creating an outline or bulleted list of information, including titles linked to resources. An Outline is ideal for creating a series of linked articles.

An Outline can have embedded or nested lists. This allows the author to use a preselected list of bullets. 
 

Presentations

A Presentation Resource helps a user in creating presentations. Linked resources serve as slides in the presentation.

Example Presentations could focus on:

• Water quality slides consisting of Location Resources documenting a testing site complete with attached forms.
• A series of curriculum activities using Lesson Resources.
• A series of QuickTime-based video interviews related to local history.
• A collection of learning Portfolios for a student addressing multiple disciplines.
• A collection of art work used as a Work Sample artifact.
• A series of Text Resources each serving as a page in a presentation “book”.
• Create a simple web site with each slide being a Web Page Resource. 

Rubrics

The Rubric Resource helps the user document performance or completion of tasks, including learning activities. A Rubric Resource can address quality of performance or simply check off the completion of tasks.

A Rubric Resource can be imported into a Room Task. Once imported, it can be used as an assessment for the learner and instructor. It can also be used as a project management tool in Project rooms. In this context, the rubric can be used to check off completion of items within a particular Room Task.

When viewing a Rubric Resource, it displays the rubric items as multiple choice items with radio buttons or checkboxes, depending on item preferences. This makes the Rubric very easy to understand and use in online and offline assessments. 

 

Tests

The Test Resource helps the user develop and assess members of a Room using multiple choice, short answer, essay, and true and false test items.

Test items can include images and other resources to support extensive applications of objective-based testing. For example, test items can include:

• Videos to select the best practice.
• Language audio files for Foreign Language assessment.
• Comparison of data tables in Form Resources.
• Images as multiple choice responses.

The Test Resource can be viewed as a practice test or it can be imported into a Room Task to be used as formal assessment. In Room Tasks, the test assessment is automatically graded (multiple choice and T/F). 
 

Text

A Text Resource helps a user in publishing large amounts of text containing minimal formatting.

Example Text Resources can be:

• Articles.
• Essays.
• Stories.
• Work Sample reflections.
• Container for html text.

As resources can be linked to and displayed at the bottom of the Text resource, it is ideal for introducing linked resources. This is especially the case when the introduction is over 4,000 characters long. 
 

Plans

The Web Archive Resource helps a user in publishing web and Flash-based content. This content can be developed in Flash or web site development software programs.

To publish the content the user creates the index. html file along with the other web pages, CSS, Flash, and JavaScript files. Place the content into a single folder and compress it in a zipped file.

The user simply uploads the zipped file as a Web Archive resource, set the frame dimensions, and it displays as a web site within the community.