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Monday, November 23, 2009

Sharing Mac DiLL audio recordings with students

Instructors often ask us, "How can students access the files recorded using the Mac DiLL?" Unfortunately, there isn't a way for students to log-in to the Mac DiLL server and access their recordings. But, with a few simple steps, instructors can download student recordings using the Archive Task to ZIP File function on the Mac DiLL server website, copy the files to the LC_Server drive on the Macs in the classrooms, and then let students save their files to their own flash drives or to their Netfiles accounts.

First log-in to the DiLL website at https://lcdill.cla.umn.edu/ and find the recordings you'd like to share under Recording-Only Activities or Synchronized Activities.

Click on Archive Task to ZIP, at the top of the screen.

Then, name your file using one of the options from the pull-down menu (shortname.mp3, last name.mp3, etc). This names each .mp3 file according to each student log-in name.
Type in a name for the Activity so that it is easier to find it after it downloads.
Type in your email address in the email field; a link to the zip file will be sent to your email address.
Click Create ZIP Archive.

Wait for the files to process. A weblink will appear with a ZIP file containing all of your students' recordings.

Click on this link to download the files to your computer. In the Mac classrooms, the ZIP file will automatically download to the Local_Save drive.

Local Save Icon

Open the Local_Save drive and double click on the ZIP file to unzip the files. A new folder will appear with all of your students' .mp3 files.

Local Save


Copy this folder to the LC_Server drive.

LC server icon

LC Server

Your students can copy their individual recordings to a flash drive or to their Netfiles accounts. Keep in mind that with this process, any student could listen to another student's recording. So, if privacy is a concern, you'll want to avoid using the LC_Server as a means for sharing because it is viewable from all computers in the Language Center. Instead, you could email files to individual students, or use Netfiles to securely share student audio recordings.




Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Computer Dialogue

Halloween always reminds me of Edward Kuhlka, our former office specialist who decorated Jones Hall so gothically in October. Edward is now working as an Administrative Project Manager at an architecture firm in Seattle. Here's an Elsie's Backside style submission he forwarded to us.

COMPUTER: Monitor, display this document, ok?

MONITOR: No prob, boss.

COMPUTER: OK, now it looks like Mouse is moving around...so, Monitor, will you move the pointer icon accordingly?

MONITOR: Anything you ask, boss.

COMPUTER: Great, great. OK, Mouse, where are you going now?

MOUSE: Over to the icon panel, sir.

COMPUTER: Hmm, Let me know if he clicks anything, OK?

MOUSE: Of course.

KEYBOARD: Sir, he's pressed control and P simultaneously.

MONITOR: Oh God, here we go.

COMPUTER: *sighs* Printer, are you there?

PRINTER: No.

COMPUTER: Please, Printer. I know you're there.

PRINTER: NO! I'm not here! Leave me alone!

COMPUTER: Jeez. OK look, you really need...

MOUSE: Sir, he's clicked on the printer icon.

COMPUTER: Printer, now you have to print it twice.

PRINTER: NO! NO! NO! I don't want to! I hate you! I hate printing! I'm turning off!

COMPUTER: Printer, you know you can't turn yourself off. Just print the document twice and we'll leave you alone.

PRINTER: NO! That's what you always say! I hate you! I'm out of ink!

COMPUTER: You're not out of in...

PRINTER: I'M OUT OF INK!

COMPUTER: *Sighs* Monitor, please show a low ink level alert.

MONITOR: But sir, he has plen...

COMPUTER: Just do it, damn it!

MONITOR: Yes, sir.

KEYBOARD: AHHH! He's hitting me!

COMPUTER: Stay calm, he'll stop soon. Stay calm, old friend.

KEYBOARD: He's pressing everything. Oh god, I don't know, he's just pressing everything!

COMPUTER: PRINTER! Are you happy now?! Do you see what you've done?!

PRINTER: HA! that's what you get for trying to get me to do work. Next time he...hey...HEY! He's trying to open me! HELP! HELP! Oh my god! He's torn out my cartridge! HELP! Please! ERROR!

MONITOR: Sir, maybe we should help him?

COMPUTER: No. He did this to himself.