Vista 101

1
Vista 101

• A High Level Overview

2
What is Vista?

• Vista is a course delivery system used for
  instructional purposes
• Initially created by WebCT, the company has been
  purchased by Blackboard
• Because of these changes, the name WebCT Vista
  will be phased out shortly
• The name will change from WebCT Vista to
  GeorgiaVIEW

3
MSC Vista administrators

• Charles Smith 757-3163 (primary)
• csmith_at_mail.maconstate.edu
• Geoff Dyer 757-2637 (secondary)
• gdyer_at_mail.maconstate.edu
• Mary Wolfe 471-2876 (tertiary)
• mdwolfe_at_mail.maconstate.edu

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WebCT VistagtGeorgiaVIEW

• Vista is hosted by Advanced Learning Technologies
  (ALT) in Athens
• Each college in the university system has the
  option of using Vista
• There are two instances of Vista they are named
  D.View and U.View
• MSC data is hosted on the D.View instance

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Vista 3.x Architecture

• 2 Production Sites
• d.view 13 institutions
• u.view 19 institutions
• 1 institution self-hosted
• 1 Testing and Training Environments (these
  environments have been moved to DB300-Athens
  D.View)

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WebCT VistagtGeorgiaVIEW

• It follows that all of the MSC data is located in
  Athens
• All MSC data originates from the MSC Banner
  database
• Both Banner and Vista are driven by Oracle
  databases

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WebCT VistagtGeorgiaVIEW

• How does the data get from MSC Banner into the
  Vista database?
• Data is extracted by a Banner program called
  ICGORLDI
• ICGORLDI can filter the data extract based on
  several parameters (or options) such as date,
  category of user (instructor, student), specific
  user
• ICGORLDI outputs the information into a file
• This file is transmitted to Athens for loading
  into Vista by OTR using a program called FTU

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WebCT VistagtGeorgiaVIEW

• The output datafile is XML
• It is based on the IMS standard for the data
  definitions and specifications
• Each file is scrubbed or checked for
  consistency before it is loaded into the Vista
  database

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WebCT Vista gt GeorgiaVIEW

• After verification, the data is imported into the
  Vista database (SIAPI)
• The total time for this process is less than 48
  hours
• In most cases, it is less than 24 hours

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Data Flow (Banner-gt Vista)
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Data Cycle

• After midterm, an extract (via ICGORLDI) that
  contains classes and instructors for the upcoming
  semester is sent to Athens
• This extract contains next semesters classes
• Faculty can begin working on next semesters
  template
• Near the beginning of classes, students will be
  included in the extracts (ICGORLDI)

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Data Cycle

• The first student extract will include all
  students who are currently registered
• Each subsequent extract will include faculty and
  students who have registration activity since the
  last extract
• Thus, extracts are incremental and additive

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Data Cycle

• Extracts are sent every few days during drop/add
  at the beginning of the semester
• The final extract for regular session classes
  will be sent after drop/add
• The next load will be right before second session
  classes begin
• More extracts are made every few days during this
  time

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Vista Data that moment in time

• Since the data is from Banner - all faculty and
  students included in Banner at the time of that
  extract will be included in the file
• Extracts are a representation of what is in
  Banner at the time it is performed.
• Students who register (or have registration
  activity) after the extract will not be included
• For consistency, all user accounts must be
  created in Banner

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Vista enrollments

• If a student exists in Vista, as a result of a
  previous load, they can be added into a class by
  their instructor
• This is done via the grade book by selecting the
  Add Members button
• Faculty need to know the user name of the student
  in order to find them in user query

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MSC Vista Support

• Support is divided into two categories Student
  and faculty
• Student support venues (in priority order)
• Online Support Center (http//help.view.usg.edu )
• Online help for students at the URL above.
  Consists of knowledge base articles, chat capable
  and voice assistance
• Available 24/7
• Under contract by USG/BOR

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MSC Vista Support (students)

• OSC (Cont)
• This website is a campus bookmark inside of Vista
  
• It can be reached from the Vista logon page by
  clicking on the Online Student Helpdesk link on
  the page
• OSC can assist students with Vista password
  problems and browser configuration issues

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MSC Vista Support (students)

• Technology Assistance Center (TAC)
• Provides support for passwords and browser
  configuration issues
• 471-2023
• Walk-in support available
• Open Monday - Thursday 8 AM 6 PM
• Friday 8 AM 4 PM
• MSC Vista administrators

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MSC Vista Support (faculty)

• Vista Administrators
• OSC Website There is support for
  instructors/designers from this source
• MSC Vista Working group (peer support)

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Other Vista Resources

• Vista 3 4 manuals available on MSC website
• http//www.maconstate.edu/technology/vista/vistare
  sources.aspx
• MSC Vista Listserver Updates about the latest
  ICGORLDI loads
• Online Vista class
• Setting Up and Managing a Vista Course
• Faculty can be enrolled into this class. It has
  an overview on how manage a class as an
  instructor. Also has Flash videos in it

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Other Vista Resources

• A student tutorial is being developed that can be
  imported into any Vista class. Let OAS know if
  you want to help evaluate it.
• ALT is working on building a Learning Repository
  that will contain shared training materials for
  all of the USG schools
• ALT is collecting links to training materials at
  various campuses

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Some Vista Links

• Columbus State
• http//vista.colstate.edu/tutorials/students/index
  .htm
• Georgia Southern
• http//academics.georgiasouthern.edu/etc/webct/tut
  orial.php
• University of Minnesota
• http//webct.umn.edu/instructors/
• Georgia Perimeter College
• http//www.gpc.edu/training/handout.htmvista
• Face to Face training Handouts
  http//gpc.edu/7Etraining/handout.htmvista
• Animated Helplets (Flash) http//gpc.edu/7Etrain
  ing/vistaindex.htm  
• Podcasts http//gpc.edu/7Etraining/podcasting.ht
  m
• Respondus (Bainbridge)
• http//fsweb.bainbridge.edu/ngriffin/sscel06/sscel
  _handout.pdf

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More Vista links

• Weber
• http//wsuonline.weber.edu/faculty/training/Vista3
  .0/index.html
• University of New South Wales (template mgmt)
• http//www.edtec.unsw.edu.au/inter/dload/flex_ed/v
  ista/teacher_resources.htm
• University of West Georgia
• http//www.westga.edu/distance/vista/

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Vista Training plan -faculty

• Courses planned
• High Level Vista 101 (this powerpoint)
• Introduction to Vista (Vista Tools 101) I am
  working on getting a certified trainer on campus
  for this class for MSC Online users
• Teaching a class in Vista (Mary Wolfe and Barry
  Monk taught this class months ago) focus on
  course design issues
• Focus on specific Vista tools - either in class
  presentations or lunch and learn

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Vista Training -Students

• Once the student learning module is tweaked, it
  will be made available to all MSC faculty for
  adding into their Vista courses
• Vista orientations taught by ARC staff are being
  considered
• MSC Vista login page will be expanded and
  redesigned soon
• More resources/information will be added to MSC
  website for students and faculty
• This will include a high level orientation (from
  MSCC 1000 class) on how to access Vista. Does not
  require users to log into Vista
• Captivate tutorials will be added also.

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Questions/Comments
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Contact Information

• Charles Smith 757-3163 (primary )
• csmith_at_mail.maconstate.edu
• Geoff Dyer 757-2637 (secondary)
• gdyer_at_mail.maconstate.edu
• Mary Wolfe 471-2876 (tertiary)
• mdwolfe_at_mail.maconstate.edu
• Online Support Center (http//help.view.usg.edu )