Chalk Titles are course cartridges that are integrated with external applications and content from publishers. Chalk Titles include both content and tools. Tools included in a Chalk Title connect to an outside source to run each tool.
Chalk Titles are installed in the same way as other course cartridges. Like other course cartridges, Chalk Titles require a download key and student access keys.
Important features in Chalk Titles include the following:
- Integration with the Course: Chalk Titles link courses to applications running on the publisher's servers. These applications are often popular tools that are familiar to instructors. To learn more about the applications included with a Chalk Title, contact the publisher.
- Single Sign-on: Users that are logged into the course are logged into the publisher applications linked to the course. Users pass between the course and the publisher application seamlessly.
- Roster synchronization: Users enrolled in the course are automatically enrolled in the publisher application.
- Grade passing Grades from the publisher application are passed to the course.
Chalk Title tools appear in the Tools area of the Control Panel after a Chalk Title is added to a course. If allowed by the institution, instructors can restrict availability to Chalk Title tools in the same way that they can restrict availability to other tools.
Administrators can restrict the availability of Chalk Title tools in all courses. By default, instructors can use Chalk Title tools in courses.
Chalk Title tools can synch with the Grade Center in a course to report student performance. Note that student attempts are stored on the server that runs the tool, not within the course. Therefore, student attempts are not included when a course is archived. The reported grade is the only recorded information about a student attempt.
Chalk Title tools will not work if a course that contains Chalk Title tools is exported or archived and later added to a system that does not support Chalk Titles.
Troubleshoot
Use the logs available from the Manage Chalk Titles page to troubleshoot installation problems. Problems accessing a Chalk Title took may be a problem with the publisher's server or a problem with an access key. If it appears that a problem is related to a Chalk Title tool, please contact the publisher for assistance.
Manage Chalk Titles
The Manage Chalk Titles page lists the following information about each Chalk Title in a table.
- Chalk Title: The name of the cartridge.
- Version: The version of the cartridge. The version is determined by the publisher.
- Catalog Number: The catalog number of the cartridge.
- Vendor: The publisher.
- Processing Time/Date: The date and time that the cartridge was processed.
- Status: State of the Chalk Title in the system Installed, importing, incomplete, or error.
The page also includes options for managing each Chalk Title.
- On the Administrator Panel in the Tools and Utilities section, select Chalk Titles.
- In the Chalk Title's menu, select Edit. This table describes the available tasks.
Chalk Title Tasks To... Select... View more details about a Chalk Title Properties. The Examine Chalk Title page appears. This page lists all courses that are using the Chalk Title. This page also lists the tools from the Chalk Title that are in use. View the log of a failed Chalk Title installation View Log. This link only appears when a Chalk Title fails to install. The log provides details that will help identify the problem. Select OK to verify that the steps are correct. Retry Chalk Title installation Retry. The Chalk Title will attempt to install again. - Select Submit.
