Guides >> Using Course Tools

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• Using Course Tools in LionsLink
• How to send an announcement to the class
• How to post news articles for class
• How to post photos for class
• How to post links for class
• How to post files for class
• How to use the message board
• How to use calendar
• How to e-mail the class
• How to use course chat
• How to view member of the class
• How to manage course tools
• How to add members to the class
• How to remove course tools

Using Course Tools in LionsLink

1. Sign on to LionsLink.
   
2. Click the My Courses tab.
   
3. Select Term.
   
4. Click the name of the course.
   
5. The course homepage will be displayed.
   
6. From here you can post an announcement to the class, post files, links or pictures for the class to view, post a message to the class using the message board, access the calendar for the course, initiate a course chat or email the class. You can also add guests or teaching assistants to your course.
7. Select the option you want from the Content Tools menu on the far left side of the screen.

How to send an announcement to the class

A To send an announcement to your class or group:

1. Click the Announcement option under Course or Group Tools.
2. Click Send Announcement link.
3. Enter the announcement title and text.
4. Click the Send button.

A) To delete an announcement that you sent to your class or group:

1. Click the Announcement option under Course or Group Tools.
2. Click the trash can icon beside the announcement you want to delete
   or
   From the Course or Group Homepage click the title of the announcement you want to delete in the Announcements section. When the announcement opens click Delete.

How to post news articles for class

A) To post news articles for your class or group:

1. Click the News option under Course or Group Tools.
2. Click the Post an Article link.
3. Select the drop down arrow beside Status. Change the status to Submitted, Active or Inactive.
4. Enter the article title.
5. Select to use plain text or html for the article.
6. Enter the article text. This box will allow for 25,000 characters.
7. Click the Post button.

How to post photos for class

A) To post photos for your class or group:

1. Click the Photos option under Course or Group Tools.
2. Click the Post a Photo link.
3. Select the drop down arrow beside Status. Change the status to Submitted, Active or Inactive.
4. Enter the path to the photo or select browse to locate the photo you want to post.
5. Enter a Title for the photo.
6. Select to use plain text or html for the photo caption.
7. Enter the caption text.
8. Click the Post button.

Note: Photos must be in .gif, .jpg or .jpeg format. You are allowed 12MB of space for photo storage, with a max of 300 photos.

How to post links for class

A) To post Links for your class or group:

1. Click the Links option under Course or Group Tools.
2. Click Post a Link.
3. Select the drop down arrow beside Status. Change the status to Submitted, Active or Inactive.
4. Enter the Link title.
5. Enter the url for the Link.
6. Select to use plain text or html for the Description.
7. Enter the Description text.
8. Click the Post button.

How to post files for class

A) To post files for your class or group:

1. Click the Files option under Course or Group Tools.
2. Click Add a new file to ….
3. Enter the path to the file or click browse to search for the file you want to post.
4. Click the Add button.

How to use the message board

1. Click the Message Board option under Course or Group Tools.
2. Click Post a Topic.
3. Enter a title for the topic then in description box enter the information for the topic.
4. Click Post.

To view replies or post another message on the same topic click the topic name from the list.

To delete a topic from the message board:

1. Click the [d] beside the topic you wish to delete.
2. When the question "Are you sure you want to delete this topic?" comes up click OK.

How to use calendar

How to e-mail the class

1. Click the E-mail option under Course or Group Tools.
   
2. You can select students or group members to e-mail by checking the box by the name of the user.
   
3. If you wish to remove a user name from the list of selected users un-check the box by the name of the user.
   
4. You can check the Select All button at the top to email the whole class or group.
   
5. Click the Send E-mail button to compose your message.
   

   **NOTE: This message will be sent blind carbon copy (Bcc:) to the users you selected, even though their names are not displayed in the 'Bcc' field.

   Feel free to add any other recipients, but remember that any addresses you add to the 'To' or 'Cc' fields will be visible to all recipients of the message.

6. A separate compose window will be opened. You can compose your message then click the Send button.

How to use course chat

This application is used primarily for student-to-instructor communication. LionsLink automatically creates a Chat Room for each unique course or group.

Click on the Chat option.

• When you enter a chat room you will see the class or group title at the top of the screen. The comments made in the Chat are in the center of the screen with names of the participants who have logged in to the right.
• The text box for entering messages is at the bottom of the screen. Once the message is typed, pressing Enter will move your comment to the center screen where it is available to everyone.
• Students and instructors can send private messages to one or many users in the room, using the Whisper button.

How to view member of the class

A) To view a list of class or group members:

Click the Members option under Course or Group Tools.

How to manage course tools

A) To manage all of the Course or Group Tools:

Click the option for the Tool that you wish to manage under Content Tools.

How to add members to the class

How to remove course tools

A) If you don’t want a particular Course or Group Tool to be available in your course or group:

1. Click the Applications link under Configuration Tools.
2. Uncheck the box beside the tool to be removed.
3. Click the Update button.