Getting Users on to Complex Module Structures the Easy Way

1
Getting Users on to Complex Module Structures the
Easy Way

• Sandra Stevenson-Revill,
• University of Derby
• email s.revill_at_derby.ac.uk

2
Caveats

• All code snippets and samples are based on the
  Linux/Oracle environment.
• Only courses/modules are used in the examples,
  there are equivalents for organisations/
  programmes
• The words course and module mean the same thing,
  a module instance is a Blackboard course

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Complex Structures?

• Multiple data sources (HE, FE, Staff Dev)
• Same data source, different use of the data.
• Each individual tutor has different requirements
• New projects, with new data requirements
• Flexible student enrolment
• Data changing daily

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Basic Snapshot

• CRS_SNPSHT Create Course
• USR_SNPSHT Add Users
• STAFF_SNPSHT Add tutors to modules
• ENR_SNPSHT Enrol Students
• FORMAT DATA gt PROCESS FILE gt DONE

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Hurdles to jump

• Courses, Enrolments, Users were being disabled
  inappropriately.
• Pulling the data out with manual reports was time
  consuming and unpopular
• On scale up and with addition of complex data
  structures this would not work.
• Formatting data was prone to mistakes

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Granularity

• The individual Tutor decides how to split/merge
  classes in to Blackboard instances
• Academic Year
• Semester
• Mode
• Campus
• Semester Campus
• Semester Mode
• Semester, Mode Campus
• Start Date

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Granularity - cont
PeopleSoft
Blackboard
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Your Best Friend

• The Advanced Integration Data Management Manual
• Section 2 Properties File
• Section 3 Feed Files
• Section 4 Snapshot Modes
• Appendix B Data Format Tables for Snapshot
  Files Blackboard Data Dictionary
• or HOW and WHAT
• then decide WHERE and WHEN

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Properties File

• Sample/default file snapshot.properties found
  /usr/local/blackboard/apps/snapshot/data
• Use multiple property files to control data
  exactly
• Can override at command line for small changes
• Sets default data
• Like the DSK

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Feedfiles

• File Format
• Header Row EXTERNAL_PERSON_KEYUSER_IDSYSTEM_RO
  LEFIRSTNAMELASTNAMEEMAILINSTUTION_ROLE
• Delimiters and Escape Characters
• Defaults and /

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Snapshot Modes
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Data Format Tables for Snapshot Files Blackboard
Data Dictionary

• Minimum Data need for each data type,
• Course Data COURSE_ID, EXTERNAL_COURSE_KEY,
  COURSE_NAME
• Lists all the data you can pass.
• Details the required format of the fields

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DSKs DATA SOURCE KEYS

• One for each year, semester, students, staff,
  modules. Why?
• Bulk disables
• Bulk removes
• Use in reports
• /usr/local/blackboard/apps/snapshot/bin/dsm.sh -V
  yourserver.serv.ac.uk" -f LIST
• STUDENT, STAFF, 2007, 2008, DECEASED

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Getting the Data

• Where from? Student Information System
  PeopleSoft
• The Driver!
• Data views that are sorted and manipulated to
  output the module data for the appropriate
  granularity.
• Runs every night
• Passes files to the Blackboard server

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File Types

• Each file for processing has a separate
  extension.
• .CC, Create Course
• .IC, Attach Instructor to a course
• .EC, Enrol Student on course
• Each needs a separate command to run them
• /usr/local/blackboard/apps/snapshot/bin/snapshot_o
  verride.sh "-Ddata.source.key2008" -V
  yourserver.serv.ac.uk" -f ENR_MANUAL -t
  /dirpath/2008_modules/.EC -C /dirpath/snapshot.pr
  operties

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Automate on Bb Server

• Use a cron job and a batch file
• 0 4 1-5 /dirpathtofile/snapbatchlive.sh
• Sort files as you go for easy location later.
• Generate a log file to collect snapshot outputs
• cat /dirpathtofile/.CC.invalid gtgt
  /dirpathtofile/BlackboardSnapshotProcessFile.tdy.
  log
• Make sure the process waits for previous snapshot
  to be completed
• wait

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Automate on Bb Server - cont

• Add descriptors so you can see where the process
  has got to
• echo "This block is for files that start 2008_"gtgt
  /dirpathtofile/BlackboardSnapshotProcessFile.tdy.
  log
• Tidy up
• mv /pathtofile/2008_modules/.
  /pathtofile/2008_modules/archive
• Email the file so you can check the error log
• uuencode /pathtofile/.log /pathtofile/.log
  mail -s "Blackboard Snapshot Processes"
  s.revill_at_derby.ac.uk

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Exception to the rule

• Users not in PeopleSoft
• Mentors
• External Examiners
• Staff Development
• Sand Boxes
• FE Users and Students

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Annual Tasks

• Enable Granularity to be selected
• Set driver to get data for next year
• Add new DSKs for current year
• Add new lines to the batch process

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Any Questions?
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THE END

• Sandra Stevenson-Revill,
• University of Derby
• email s.revill_at_derby.ac.uk