[LON-CAPA-cvs] cvs: loncom /html/adm/help/tex Docs_Overview.tex

[raeburn]

raeburn		Tue Aug 27 17:41:44 2013 EDT

  Modified files:              
    /loncom/html/adm/help/tex	Docs_Overview.tex 
  Log:
  - Clarify differences between Main Content and Supplemental Content.
  - Information about how to go about acquiring an Authoring role and why
    it can be useful to have one. 
  
  
Index: loncom/html/adm/help/tex/Docs_Overview.tex
diff -u loncom/html/adm/help/tex/Docs_Overview.tex:1.12 loncom/html/adm/help/tex/Docs_Overview.tex:1.13
--- loncom/html/adm/help/tex/Docs_Overview.tex:1.12	Mon Jul 22 03:02:46 2013
+++ loncom/html/adm/help/tex/Docs_Overview.tex	Tue Aug 27 17:41:44 2013
@@ -1,37 +1,65 @@
 \label{Docs_Overview}
 A LON-CAPA course is managed through
-the \textbf{Course Editor} screen and accessed by selecting 
-\textbf{Course Editor} on the Inline Menu or by selecting
-\includegraphics[width=0.03\paperwidth]{docs}
-\textbf{Edit course contents}
-on the Main Menu. 
-This screen allows you to create new resources and arrange 
-LON-CAPA resources from the LON-CAPA network. 
+the \textbf{Course Editor} screen which can be accessed in a number of ways.
 
-\textbf{Main Content Editor} tab makes up the heart of course itself. Students use the navigation 
+\begin{itemize} 
+\item Selecting \textbf{Course Editor} in the Inline Menu
+\item Selecting \includegraphics[width=0.03\paperwidth]{docs} 
+\textbf{Edit course contents} from the Main Menu.
+\item Clicking the \includegraphics[width=0.03\paperwidth]{docs} icon in the Tools at the top of
+the Course Contents screen.  
+\item Clicking \includegraphics[width=0.015\paperwidth]{editmap} to the right of a folder name 
+on the Course Contents screen. (Editor will open that specific folder). 
+\item Clicking \includegraphics[width=0.015\paperwidth]{docs} in the Functions menu when viewing 
+content in the course. (Editor will open that specific folder).
+\end{itemize}
+The Course Editor screen allows you to create new resources, upload resources or import 
+LON-CAPA resources from the LON-CAPA network.  The screen also allows resources to be 
+rearranged within the course.
+
+The Course Editor contains three tabs: 
+\begin{enumerate}
+\item Main Content Editor
+\item Supplemental Content Editor
+\item Content Utilities
+\end{enumerate}
+
+\textbf{Main Content Editor} tab is used to manage the primary content of the course. 
+Content within this area can:
+\begin{itemize} 
+\item Have parameters set (including dates controlling availability)
+\item Can be incorporated in PDFs for printing, created by LON-CAPA's print utility
+\item Can be a part of sub-folders for which different students may see a subset of
+      contents picked from a pool, and/or contents displayed in a different order.
+\item Be organized within a hierarchical arrangement of folders and sub folders.
+\item Can originate in a variety of ways including import from the shared content pool.
+\end{itemize}
+
+Within the course, students use the navigation 
 controls to move through the Main Content. \textbf{Main Content}\index{main content} is listed on
 the \textbf{Contents} screen. Main Content was added to
-LON-CAPA in 2003, so pre-2003 courses (as well as courses deliberately created in
+LON-CAPA in 2003 (version 1.0), so pre-2003 courses (as well as courses deliberately created in
 the old style) will not have Main Content. The Main Content was called 
-Main Content\index{main content} from then until version 2.11.
+Main Course Documents\index{main content} in versions 1.0 through 2.10.
 
-\textbf{Supplemental Content} is on another tab on the \textbf{Course Editor} page. 
-It is attached to the course but does
-not appear in the main course sequence or main course folder. Students access these documents by
-selecting 
-the \textbf{Supplemental Content} tab while viewing the \textbf{Course Content}. Supplemental Content
+\textbf{Supplemental Content Editor} tab is used to manage supplemental content in the course.
+Content within this area is restricted to uploaded files, a syllabus page, a web page created using
+the HTML editor, or a web page on an external server retrived from a remote site, but displayed within 
+the LON-CAPA interface. A hierarchical arrangement of folders and sub folders can be created. 
+Students access supplemental content documents by selecting the 
+\textbf{Supplemental Content} tab while viewing the \textbf{Course Content}. Supplemental Content
 is particularly useful for auxiliary files that may not be directly viewable
 or usable in a browser, such as PowerPoint presentations or Word documents --
-some of which may not work on all students' computers.
+some of which may require a viewer to be installed on a student's computer.
+
+NOTE: Although the Course Editor provides instructors with the ability to import content
+from the shared content pool, or to copy content from other courses, as well as personalize
+personalize courses with their own syllabi or information pages,  for the ultimate power
+in creating reusable content, you will want to become a content \textbf{Author}.  This is
+especially true if you plan to create your own assignments.  The "simple problem" templates
+available to create assessment items directly with a course, provide a much restricted set of
+components compared to those available when constructing assessment items as an author.
 
-These the two types of Course Documents are essentially identical,
-except Main Content has some options not available
-to the Supplemental Content.
-
-NOTE: These two types of content provide instructors the ability to extend
-already existing courses, or personalize courses with their own syllabi
-or information pages. While coursed can be copied or cloned, for the ultimate power
-in creating reusable content, you will want to become a content \textbf{Author}. 
-Please talk to your LON-CAPA
-Domain Coordinator about becoming an Author. For more information about becomming an Author, see
+Policies and methods for creation of \textbf{Author} roles vary depending on user status and domain. If you are a course instructor, and you do not have an authoring role, and you do not see a "Request author role" link on your Roles page, make a request through the "Ask Helpdesk" link available on the "Help" page.
+For more information about content authoring in LON-CAPA, see
 the LON-CAPA Author's Manual available online at \texttt{http://help.lon-capa.org}.