The dropbox tool is a Content Management Tool facilitating peer-to-peer data exchange. It accepts any filetype (Word, Excel, PDF etc.) It will overwrite existing files with the same name only if directed to do so.

Learners can can only send a file to their teacher, unless the system administrator has enabled sharing between users. A course manager, however, can opt to to send a file to all course users.

The system administrator can configure the dropbox so that a user can receive but not send files.

If the file list gets too long, some or all files can be deleted from the list, although the file itself remaims available to other users until all users have deleted it.

In the received folder, the dropbox tool displays files that have been sent to you and in the sent folder it shows files sent to other course members.

To send a document to more than one person, you need to hold CTRLand check the multiple select box(i.e.the field showing the list of members).

The Course Homepage displays a range of tools (introductory text, description, documents manager etc.) This page is modular in the sense that you can hide or show any of the tools in learner view with a single click on the 'eye' icon (hidden tools can be reactivated any time.

In order to browse the course, you can simply click on the icons; a 'breadcrumb' navigation tool at the top of the page allows you to retrace your steps back to the course homepage.

To help motivate learners, it is helpful to make you course appear 'alive' by suggesting that there is always someone present 'behind the screen'. An effective way to make this impression is to update the introductory text (just click on the yellow pencil) at least once a week with the latest news, deadlines etc.

To give an online live streaming conference, you need a streaming server and probably a technical administrator to help you use it. This guy will give you the URL you need to type in the live streaming form field once you edit your conferencesettings.

$\"Chamilo$
Chamilo streaming

Do it yourself : install, configure and admin Shoutcast or AppleDarwin.

Or contact Chamilo. We can help you organise your conference, asssist your lecturer and rent you a low cost streaming slot on our servers : http://www.Chamilo.org/hosting.php

"; $langHClar = "Chamilo Help"; $langHDoc = "Documents Help"; $langDocContent = "

The Documents tool allows you to organise files just like you do on your pc/laptop.

You can create simple web pages ('Create a document') or upload files of any type (HTML, Word, Powerpoint, Excel, Acrobat, Flash, Quicktime, etc.). Remember, of course, that your learners will need to have the appropriate software to open and run these files. Some file types can contain viruses; be careful not to upload virus-contaminated files, unless your portal admin has installed server side anti=virus software. It is, in any case, a worthwhile precaution to check documents with antivirus software before uploading them.

Documents are presented in alphabetical order.

Tip : If you want to present them in a different order, number them (e.g. 01, 02, 03...) Or use the Learning Path to present a sophisticated Table of Contents. Note that once your documents are uploaded, you may decide to hide the documents area and show only one link on the Homepage (using the links tool) or a Learning Path containing some documents from your Documents area.

Create a document

Select Create a document > Give it a title (no spaces, no accents) > type your text > Use the buttons in the wysiwyg (What You See Is What You Get) editor to input information, tables, styles etc. To create effective web pages, you need to become familiar with three key functions: Links, Images and Tables. Be aware that web pages offer less layout options than e.g. Ms-Word pages. Note also that as well as creating a document from scratch in the editor, you can also cut and paste existing content from a web page or a Word document. This is an easy and quick way to import content into your Chamilo course.

To add a link, you need to copy the URL of the target page. We suggest you open two browser windows/tabs simultaneously, one with your Chamilo course and the other to browse the web. Once you find the page you are looking for (note that this page can be inside your Chamilo course), copy its URL (CTRL+C or APPLE+C), go back to the page editor, select the word to be the link, click on the small chain icon, paste the URL of your target in the popup window and submit. Once your page is saved, test the link to check it opens the target. You can decide in the Link popup menu whether the link will create a new page/tab or replace your Chamilo page in the same window.
To add an image, the process is the same as for the link feature : browse the web in a second window, find the image (if the image is inside your course's documents area, copy its URL (CTRL+C or APPLE+C in the URL bar after selecting the whole URL) then go back to your web page editor, position your mouse where you want your image to appear, then click on the small tree icon and copy the URL of the target image into the URL field, preview and submit. Note that in web pages, you cannot redimension your images as in a PowerPoint presentation, neither can you re-locate the image anywhere in the page.
To add a table, position your mouse in the field where you want the table to appear, then select the table icon in the Wysiwyg editor menu, decide on the number of columns and lines you need and submit. To get nice tables, we suggest that you choose the following values : border=1, cellspacing=0, cellpadding=4. Note that you will not be allowed to redimension your table or add lines or columns to it after its creation (sorry about this, it is just an online editor, not a word processor yet!).

Upload a document

Select the file on your computer using the Browse button \ton the right of your screen.
\t\t\tLaunch the upload with the Upload Button .\t\t
\t\t\tCheck the checkbox under the Upload button if your document is zip file or a so-called SCORM package. SCORM packages are special files designed according to an international norm : SCORM. This is a special format for learning content which allows for the free exchange of these materials between different Learning Management Systems. SCORM materials are platform independent and their import and export are simple.\t\t

\t\tRename a document (a directory)\t

\t\t\tclick on the \t\t\tbutton in the Rename column\t\t
\t\t\tType the new name in the field (top left)\t\t
\t\t\tValidate by clicking .\t\t

\t\t

\t\t\tDelete a document (or a directory)\t\t

\t\t

\t\t\t\tClick on \t\t\t\tin column 'Delete'.\t\t\t

\t\t

\t\t\tMake a document (or directory) invisible to users\t\t

\t\t

\t\t\t\tClick on \t\t\t\tin column 'Visible/invisible'.\t\t\t
\t\t\t\tThe document (or directory) still exists but it is not visible by users anymore.\t\t\t
\t\t\t\tTo make it invisible back again, click on\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tin column 'Visible/invisible'\t\t\t

\t\t

\t\t\tAdd or modify a comment to a document (or a directory)\t\t

\t\t

\t\t\t\tClick on in column 'Comment'\t\t\t
\t\t\t\tType new comment in the corresponding field (top right).\t\t\t
\t\t\t\tValidate by clicking \t\t\t.

\t\t

\t\tTo delete a comment, click on ,\t\tdelete the old comment in the field and click\t\t.\t\t

\t\t

\t\t\tYou can organise your content through filing. For this:\t\t

\t\t

\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCreate a directory\t\t\t\t\t

\t\t

\t\t\t\tClick on\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t'Create a directory' (top left)\t\t\t
\t\t\t\tType the name of your new directory in the corresponding field (top left)\t\t\t
\t\t\t\tValidate by clicking .\t\t\t

\t\t

\t\t\tMove a document (or directory)\t\t

\t\t

\t\t\t\tClick on button \t\t\t\tin column 'Move'\t\t\t
\t\t\t\tChoose the directory into which you want to move the document (or directory) in the corresponding scrolling menu (top left) (note: the word 'root' means you cannot go higher than that level in the document tree of the server).\t\t\t
\t\t\t\tValidate by clicking on .\t\t\t

\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCreate a Learning Path\t\t\t\t\t

This learning path will look like a Table of Contents and can be used as a Table of Contents, but can offer you much more in terms of functionality. (See Learning Path Help)."; $langHUser = "Users Help"; $langHExercise = "Tests Help"; $langHPath = "Learning Path Help"; $langHDescription = "Description Help"; $langHLinks = "Links Help"; $langHMycourses = "My Courses Help"; $langHAgenda = "Agenda Help"; $langHAnnouncements = "Announcements Help"; $langHChat = "Chat Help"; $langHWork = "Assignments Help"; $langHTracking = "Reporting Help"; $langUserContent = "

Adding users

You can subscribe existing learners one by one to your course, by clicking on the link 'Subscribe users to this course'. Usually however it's better to open your course to self-registration and let learners register themselves.

Description

The description has no computer related function and does not indicate any particular rights or privileges within the system. It simply indicates who is who, in human terms. You can therefore modify this by clicking on the pencil, then typing whatever you want: professor, assistant, student, visitor, expert etc.

Admin rights

Admin rights, on the other hand, provide technical authorization to modify the content and organization of this training area. You can choose between allowing full admin rights or none.

To allow an assistant, for instance, to co-admin the area, you need to be sure he/she is already registered, then click on the pencil, then check 'Teacher', then 'Ok'.

Co-Trainers

To mention the name of a co-teacher in the heading (co-chairman, etc.), use the 'Course settings' tool. This modification does not automatically register your co-Trainer as a course member. The 'Teachers' field is completely independent of the 'Users' list.

Tracking and Personal Home Pages

In addition to showing the users list and modifying their rights, the Users tool also shows individual tracking and allows the teacher to define headings for personal home pages to be completed by users.

"; $langGroupContent = "

Introduction

This tool allows you to create and manage workgroups. On first creation (Create groups), groups are 'empty'. There are many ways to fill them:

automatically ('Fill groups (random)'),
manually ('Edit'),
self-registration by users (Groups settings: 'Self registration allowed...').

These three ways can be combined. You can, for instance, first ask users to self-register.Then if you find some of them didn't register, decide to fill groups automatically (random) in order to complete them. You can also edit each group to determine membership, user by user, after or before self-registration and/or automatically on registration.

Filling groups, whether automatically or manually, is possible only for users registered on the course. The users list is visible in Users tool.

Create groups

To create new groups, click on 'Create new group(s)' and decide the number of groups to create.

Group settings

You can determine Group settings globally (for all groups).Users may self-register in groups:

You create empty groups, users self-register.If you have defined a maximum number, full groups do not accept new members.This method is handy for trainers unfamiliar with the users list when creating groups.

Tools:

Every group is assigned either a forum (private or public) or a Documents area(a shared file manager) or (in most cases) both.

Manual editing

Once groups have been created (Create groups), you will see, at the bottom of the page, a list of groups along with with several options:

EditManually modify group name, description, tutor, members list.
Delete Delete a group.

"; $langExerciseContent = "

The tests tool allows you to create tests containing as many questions as you like.

You can choose from a range of question formats clearly displayed at the top of the page when you create a test including (for example):

Multiple choice (single or multiple answers)
Matching
Fill in the blanks etc.

A test can include any number and combination of questions and question formats.

Test creation

To create a test, click on the \"New test\" link.

Type a name for the test, as well as an optional description.

You can add various elements to this, including audio or video files, e.g. for listening comprehension, but take care to make such files as small as possible to optimise download time (e.g. use mp3 rather than wav files - they're far smaller but perfectly good quality).

You can also choose between two modes of presentation:

Questions on an single page
One question per page (sequentially)

and opt for questions to be randomly organised when the test is run.

Finally, save your test. You will be taken to the question administration.

Adding a question

You can now add a question to the newly created test. You can if you wish include a description and/or an image. To create the test types mentioned above, follow the following steps:

Multiple choice

In order to create a MAQ / MCQ :

Define the answers for your question. You can add or delete an answer by clicking on the right-hand button
Check the left box for the correct answer(s)
Add an optional comment. This comment won't be seen by the user until he/she has answered the question
Give a weighting to each answer. The weighting can be any positive or negative integer (or zero)
Save your answers

Fill in the blanks

This allows you to create a cloze passage. The purpose is to prompt the user to find words that you have removed from the text.

To remove a word from the text, and thus create a blank, put brackets [like this] around it.

Once the text has been typed and blanks defined, you can add a comment that will be seen by the learner depending on the reply to the question.

Save your text, and you will be taken to the next step allowing you to assign a weighting to each blank. For example, if the question is worth 10 points and you have 5 blanks, you can give a weighting of 2 points to each blank.

Matching

This answer type can be chosen so as to create a question where the user will have to connect elements from list A with elements from list B.

It can also be used to ask the user to arrange elements in a given order.

First, define the options from which the user will be able to choose the best answer. Then, define the questions which will have to be linked to one of the options previously defined. Finally, connect elements from the first list with those of the second list via the drop-down menu.

Note: Several elements from the first unit might point to the same element in the second unit.

Assign a weighting to each correct match, and save your answer.

Modifying a test

In order to modify a test, the principle is the same as for creating a test. Just click on the picture beside the test to modify, and follow the instructions above.

Deleting a test

In order to delete a test, click on the picture beside the test to delete it.

Enabling a test

For a test can be used, you have to enable it by clicking on the picture beside the test name.

Running the test

You can try out your test by clicking on its name in the tests list.

Random questions

Whenever you create/modify a test, you can decide if you want questions to be drawn in a random order from amongst all test questions.

By enabling this option, questions will be drawn in a different order every time a user runs the test.

If you have got a large number of questions, you can opt to randomly draw only x-number of questions from the questions available.

Questions pool

When you delete a test, its questions are not removed from the database, so they can be recycled back into another test via the questions pool.

The questions pool also allows you to re-use the same question in several tests.

By default, all the questions pertaining to your course are hidden. You can display the questions related to a test, by chosing 'filter' in the drop-down menu.

Orphan questions are questions that don not belong to any test.

HotPotatoes Tests

You can import HotPotatoes tests into a Chamilo portal, to use in the Tests tool. The results of these tests are stored the same way as the results of Chamilo tests and as such can be readily monitored using the Reporting tool. In the case of simple tests, we recommend you use html or htm format; if your test contains pictures, a zip file upload is the most convenient way.

Note: You can also include HotPotatoes Tests as a step in the Learning Path.

Method of import

Select the file on your computer using the Browse button \ton the right of your screen.
\t\t\tLaunch the upload with the Upload Button .\t\t
\t\t\tYou can open the test by clicking onto its name.\t\t

\t
Useful link

Hot Potatoes home page : http://web.uvic.ca/hrd/halfbaked/

"; $langPathContent = "The Course tool supports two approaches :

Create a new course (allowing you to author your own content)
Import SCORM course

What is a Learning path?

A Learning path allows for the presentation of a sequence of learning experiences or activities arranged in distinct sections. (In this sense, the Learning path is what distinguishes a 'course' from a mere repository of random documents.) It can be content-based (serving as a table of contents) or activities-based, serving as an agenda or programme of action necessary to understand and apply a particular area of knowledge or skill.

In addition to being structured, a learning path can also be sequential, meaning that the completion of certain steps constitute pre-requisites for accessing others (i.e. 'you cannot go to learning object 2 before learning object 1'). Your sequence can be suggestive (simply displaying steps one after the other) or prescriptive (involving pre-requisites so that learners are required to follow steps in a particular order ).

How do I create my own Learning Path (Course)?

Proceed to the 'Learning Path' section. There you can create as many courses/paths as you wish by clicking the Create a new course tool. You will need to choose a name for the course/path (e.g. Unit 1 if you plan to create several units within the overall course). To begin with, the course is empty, waiting for you to add sections and learning objects to it.
If you set a course to Visible, it will appear as a new tool on the course homepage. This makes it easier and clearer for students to access.

What learning objects can I add?

All Chamilo tools, activities and content that you consider useful and relevant to yourcourse can be added :

Separate documents (texts, pictures, Office docs, ...)
Forums as a whole
Topics
Links
Chamilo Tests
HotPotatoes Tests
(note :tests made invisible on the homepage, but included in a path, become visible for learners onl as they work throught the course.)
Assignments
External links

Other features

Learners can be asked to follow your course in a given order, as you can set prerequisites. This means for example thatlearners cannot go to e.g. Quiz 2 until they have read e.g. Document 1. All learning objects have a status:completed or incomplete, so the progress of learners is clearly reported.

If you alter the original title of a learning object, the new name will appear inthe course, but the original title will not be deleted. So if you want test8.doc to appear as 'Final Exam' in the path, you do not have to rename the file, you can use the new title in the path. It is also useful to give new titles to links which are too long.

When you're finished, don't forget to check Display mode, (showing, as in learner view, the table of contents on the left and the learning objects on the right,one at a time.)

What is a SCORM course and how do I import one?

The learning path tool allows you to upload SCORM compliant courses.

SCORM (Sharable Content Object Reference Model) is a public standard followed by major e-Learning companies like NETg, Macromedia, Microsoft, Skillsoft, etc. They act at three levels:

Economy : SCORM renders whole courses or small content units reusable on different Learning Management Systems (LMS) through the separation of content and context,
Pedagogy : SCORM integrates the notion ofpre-requisite or sequencing (e.g. \"Youcannot go to chapter 2 before passing Quiz 1\"),
Technology : SCORM generates a table of contents as an abstraction layer situated outside content and outside the LMS. It helps content and the LMS to communicate with each other. Mainly communicated are bookmarks(\"Where is John in thecourse?\"), scoring (\"How did John pass the test?\") and time (\"How muchtime did John spent in chapter 1?\").

How can I create a SCORM compliant learning path?

The obvious way is to use the Chamilo Authoring tool. However, you may prefer to create complete SCORM compliant websites locally on your own computer before uploading it onto your Chamilo platform. In this case, we recommend the use of a sophisticated tool like Lectora®, eXe Learning® or Reload®

"; $langDescriptionContent = "

The Course Description tool prompts you to comprhensively describe your course in a systematic way. This description can be used to provide learners with an overview of what awaits them, and can be helpful when you review and evaluate your course.

The items merely offer suggestions. If you want to write a your own independent course description simply create your own headings and decriptions by selecting the 'Other' tool.

Otherwise, to complete a description of the course, click on each image, fill it with your text/content and submit.

"; $langLinksContent = "

The Links tool allows you to create a library of resources for your students, particularly of resources that you have not created yourself.

As the list grows, it might prove useful to organise it into categories to help your students find the right information at the right place. You can edit every link to re-assign it to a new category (you will need to create this category first).

The Description field can be used to provide advance-information on the target web pages but also to describe what you expect the student to do with the link. If, for instance, you point to a website on Aristotle, the description field may ask the student to study the difference between synthesis and analysis."; $langMycoursesContent = "

As soon as you log in to the system, you will be taken to your own main page. Here you will see the following: