Provide link (blizz)

Last modified by Carina Enke on 18.01.2024

The following instructions describe how to provide a link in the platform. The example link used in this description is the URL to a video conference which was created with the blizz conference tool.

After a simple tabular overview, which may also serve as a check list, a more detailed description of the configuration follows including illustrations.

Explanation of terms: The user who provides the link in the platform will be referred to as author. Those who are to access the link will be referred to as participants.

Content

Related topics

The URL to the link of the meeting can be made available in the platform wherever an external link can be embedded.

For example:

  • in the description fields of all course element types
  • in HTML pages that can be provided as independent course elements (e.g. the course element Single Page ) or displayed when opening course elements.

For different project element types, the link can also be embedded in the course without access to the editing environment, provided that these course elements already exist in the course.

  • as a notification
  • as a forum entry
  • in a folder, within a document
  • in the condition of an enrolment
  • in a return document to a user, as in the element Topic Assignment , or within a task element.

Depending on the user scenario, you may decide which component is the most suitable.

1

Laying the foundations:

  • The author must have created or be allowed to edit a course resource in the platform.
  • (The author must be able to create and configure new meetings in the video conferencing tool blizz.)
  • The URL of the link to the created meeting must be known as well as any other required data (e.g. the password).

2

Log on to the platform and open the desired project.

3

Switch to the project editor and embed the link in a relevant place.

4

Publish your changes to make them available for participants.

Short digression: How to create a meeting in blizz and copy the URL to the meeting ...

1

Open blizz and log in with your account. To generate a new meeting, select the entry Calendar from the selection list on the left.

blizz - Neues Meeting_de.png

2

Click on New meeting... to create a conference.

3

Enter the necessary data in the dialogue. Select Save to create the meeting.

blizz - Meetingdaten_de.png

4

A note will automatically appear containing all the necessary dates of the meeting.

blizz - Link_de.png

5

Copy the URL or also other information and provide the URL as will be described below.

Instructions: Provide link in text field

After you have logged in to the platform, open the desired course resource and then the desired element. Now switch to the editor. (Alternatively, you may also create a new course element.)

Add course element ...

To integrate a course element into your course, proceed as follows:

1

Open the course you want to edit.

Use the pencil icon at the top of the page to open the editing mode.

Kurs-zum Editor wechseln_en.png

2

Select a course element from the menu on the right.

Kurseditor-KB auswählen_en.png

3

In the new window, you can define the position of the new course element within your course structure (left navigation pane). The available positions are marked with an insert icon.

To insert the new course element into an existing substructure, you need to open the substructure by clicking on the small triangle symbol next to its title. The area will open and you will again see insert icons at the positions which are available.

Click on the insert icon at the desired position within the structure. The selected area will be highlighted.

Confirm your choice with Insert course element.

Kurseditor-KB in tree einfügen_en.png

4

The element will be inserted into the course structure at the selected position.

Depending on the course element, you have to make additional configurations or add content in order to complete the configuration.

For these changes to take effect, you must publish the course. The course element will then also become available in the course view.

Kurseditor-KB konfigurieren_en.png

 

 

Kurs - Editor oeffnen_en.png

In the middle area of the editor window, you can see all the configuration settings available for the selected course element. In the first tab Title and description , you can enter notes to the course element in the text field. For example, you can share the link to the meeting with the users. To provide the link within the note, proceed as follows: Enter your description in the appropriate text field. At the desired location in the text, select the icon insert/edit link from the header of the text field. A dialogue window opens.

(Alternatively, you may also use Insert>Insert link or the key combination Ctrl+K to open the dialogue.)

Tiny - Link einfuegen_en.png

Copy the URL of the link to the meeting to the text field Url and enter the text for the user in the field Text to display (e.g. start meeting). In the last selection field of the dialogue, select the option New window .

If this setting is configured, access to the meeting will be provided in a new browser window after clicking on the link in the course.

Tiny - Dialog Link einfuegen_en.png

To make the link more visually attractive by simple means, you can use text formatting templates. Mark the displayed link text in the text field, select Format from the header area of the text field, and then click on the list entry Formats , which allows you to choose from multiple entries.

Tiny - Formate_en.png

Later in the project, your link will look like this:

 

Kursrun - formatierter Link_en.png

Please pay attention to the setting Display at the end of the text field in the editor: For the description information to be displayed in the project, the entry Title, description and content must be selected.

 

Kurseditor - Titel Beschreibung Inhalt_en.png

Save your entries in the editor and publish the changes to the course element to make them available for your participants.

Kurseditor - Aenderung publizieren_en.png

If there will be a need to change the link text to be displayed or the link URL later, select the link text from the text field in the course editor and click again on the insert/edit link icon. The same dialogue as before will open, which allows you to make the necessary changes and publish them afterwards.

 

If a participant clicks on a link provided like this, the home page of the meeting will open. Depending on the configuration in the blizz tool, the meeting only opens if, for example, the moderator of the meeting is present, or the optional password has been entered. Therefore, you should provide your participant with all the information necessary to ensure a smooth process.

Selection of a suitable course element type

The selection of a course element to provide the link should depend on the scenario in which the conference will be used.

  • If more extensive information is required in addition to the link or if you wish to apply a custom CSS design for the link to the meeting, you may use a single HTML page. You can integrate an HTML page, for example, into the course element types Single Page , Structure , and Test .
  • If the video conference serves as an introduction to a topic which is to be discussed further and worked on in groups, a course element Forum will be a good choice.
  • If you wish to evaluate the participation of a user within the conference, you may want to use the course element Assessment .
  • If you wish to offer the conference to a single participant, you may also use an HTML return document for a course element Task or Topic Assignment to provide the link.

For more information about the different types of course elements, refer to the section Course elements.