Additional 

Unique Features of this Software

Self- Hosting Video:

Instructors and students have the option of uploading video or photos to the course. The software is self-hosting. This means the video is stored on secure private web servers.

Security of our course content is very important. We don't use Youtube or Vimeo or similar public hosting websites. While these websites have private channels, anyone with access to those channels can copy the video URLs and make them public. 

Instructors can upload video or photos into segments from either their computer, phone, or tablet. 

Students can submit homework video assignments seamlessly and directly from any brand of cell phone or operating system.  

Variable Bit Rates video uploads.

When a video is uploaded (by a student or instructor) it is encoded and stored at three different bitrates: Low, Medium, and HD. When that video is then accessed in the course, the software determines what bitrate will work best on the viewers' computer and it automatically selects that version of the video to stream.

We also have multiple web servers around the world that all contain copies of our classes. This ensures viewers around the world have the same viewing experience. Viewers in Australia or Hong Kong or South America all have the same stream experience.

Forums in Each Module

Each class has its own forum.  If the instructor chooses to allow student video uploading, those student videos are automatically uploaded directly into the current module forum.  

Mandatory student posts in Module Forums

The instructor can require students to make a specific number of posts to a modules forum if they are to get a certificate of completion.

Mandatory Testing

Instructors can set up required Essay tests or Multiple Choice tests that students must take and pass if they wish to get a certificate of completion.

The software scores the multiple choice tests. Instructors can issue grades and provide comments on Essays.

The software notifies instructors when a student has completed a homework assignment. This saves instructors time as they don't have to log into the program to check on the homework assignment.

Live Chats

The instructor has the option of holding "Live Chats" with the entire class. This is compared to all the students sitting around a table and talking with the instructor.  Live chats can be recorded and posted into the course the day after the live chat. 

When the instructor announces a date and time for a live chat, the software determines what timezone a student is in and automatically adjusts the date and time to fit the location of the student. This allows students from around the world to know exactly when a live chat takes place.

A Robust Messaging System

The software has a number of different messaging options:

Private messages (similar to email) - messages are the private communication between instructor and students, or between one student and another student. Messages stay within the system, but students can choose to receive an email notification whenever they have a new message.

Course Announcement from the Instructor is a way that instructor can make one announcement that will be available to the entire class. Dates for Live Chats are one use for a course announcement.

Notifications  The notification tab is on the site's main menu bar. It logs all recent activity by the instructors or students taking classes.

The notification feature is an excellent way to keep track of activity concerning classes.

Watch lists

 Watch lists are powerful tools.  If the instructor or a student creates a watch on a topic or post they have made, they will get an email when there is activity on their watch list.

For example, if a student posts a question in a forum, that student can add their topic to their watchlist to notify them (by email) whenever they receive a reply.

Both WATCH LIST and NOTIFICATIONS have filters that users can set to control the information they receive.

Advanced Media Manager

The file manager (media manager) is designed to help  instructors who build large courses.

Those Instructors who take full advantage of the software tools when they upload files will be able to easily go back into the "file manager" and find those files. This becomes a valuable feature when instructors re-organize a course or when they wish to use files from one course in another new course. 

The file manager is global for each instructor, it encompasses all of the files an instructor has uploaded in ALL OF THEIR COURSES.

Unique Time Saving Design Tools.

When the instructor is adding content to a course and comes to a spot in a segment that needs a video that has not yet been filmed,  the instructor can add our "VIDEO PLACEHOLDER".  

Placeholders look like the image below. They are used to help build a shot list that instructors use when they go out to film video for the course.