What is Discendum Optima?
Discendum
Optima service solution is an
innovative learning environment, which offers opportunities to utilize
different learning models and pedagogical ideas. Optima is a versatile, adaptable web-based learning platform that supports learning, a
functional work community
and fluent project management. Optima is developed by Discendum
Oy.
What can you do in the environment?
You
can carry out courses
or projects in 'Workspaces'
in
an Optima environment. By
clicking the 'Workspaces'
title in
the left frame you can see the workspaces you are member
of.
The 'Workspace classes'
can be used to
organise workspaces. If they are in use in the Optima environment you
are using, you can see the list of workspaces by clicking the workspace
class icon.
In a workspace you can perform various tasks:
In
'Your
space' 
you can manage your work in different workspaces, view your documents,
messages and results and change your settings.
What are the hardware and software requirements for using the service?
In order to use Discendum Optima service you must have a computer, an Internet connection and a web browser. We recommend the latest versions of the browsers Internet Explorer 8.0 or 7.0 (6.0) or Mozilla Firefox 3.0 (2.0).
Some objects in Discendum Optima need a Sun Java plug-in. See more information from Instructions about web browser setting.
How do you login to the service?
Type the Optima address that has
been given
to you into your browser's address line. For example:
https://optima.discendum.com/. (The address might be different, for
example the name of the organisation can be included in the beginning
or in the end of the address.) Check your Optima address from your
organisation. Finally press Enter.
The beginning of the address is typed "https". The site is secured by
an SSL protocol, so that IDs and
passwords will not be exposed. This is why the browser verifies that
you want to access the login page:
Once the connection is established,
write your 'Login name'
('Käyttäjätunnus')
and 'Password'
('Salasana').
Please
note that the text field for password is case sensitive (the
capital letters are
interpreted different from lowercase letters).
Finally, click the 'Login'
('Kirjaudu
sisään') link
or press Enter.
Basic structure
Top frame
The top frame can include (depending on profile settings) function like:
'Switch environment'
If you are a user in more than one Optima environment, you can use this link to switch between environments.
'Links'
You can find links to other web sites. The links shown here are usually links chosen by your organisation.
'Search'
The 'Search' function will help you find documents and messages in the environment. Advanced search allows you to use various search criteria simultaneously.
'Help'
You can find Optima instructions here.
'FIN / ENG'
You can select the user interface language. You can also change the language in 'Your space / Settings'.
'Logout'
When you want to stop working in the Optima environment, use this function to logout. You can also end your session by simply closing the browser.
Under the Top frame
There can also be 'Quick link' icons under the top frame upper toolbar. There you can see functions like: 'Calendar', 'New and modified', 'User information', 'Change password', 'Announcements', 'Your results', 'Result management', 'Enrollment' and 'My portfolio'.
The 'Quick links' functions can also be found from 'Your space' (depending on your profile settings).
Left
frame
- You can open the 'Start view' of
Optima.
- You can open 'Your space' and
manage your personal settings and actions in Optima. More info below
in Your space.
- Users, who have
rights to administrate the environment, have
also an 'Environment
tools' icon in the toolbar.
- You can move the
left frame to left or right from the arrow icons.
,
you are a member of, in the left frame. The 'workspace classes' can be used to
organise workspaces. More info in Workspaces.The main frame (the working area in the middle of the screen) displays for example instructions and links as well as functions and documents that you open from the left frame.
Right
frame
The right frame can be opened from the 'Object tools' icons
or 
or 
. Settings for the
objects, workspaces and environments are defined in
the right frame. You can also find the list of the most essential
settings by clicking the icon next to the object name
(in the left
frame).
Your space
- You can use the 'Back
to
workspaces' icon to exit 'Your space'.
If you use the 'Back to
workspace' icon, you can come back to the
same element you were, when exiting 'Your space'.
- You can use the 'Close
Your space' -button to exit 'Your space'.
There are different functions you can do in 'Your space' (depending on the profiles specified by your Optima administrator):
Personal information
'User
information'
Your user information is shown to the other members of the workplace
and you can see the user information of the other members by clicking
'Workspace members'
icon in top right corner
of the workspace. You can block other members from
seeing your user information in 'Your
space / Settings / Can others see
your card'. The supervisors of the workspace will still
see your user information.
You can add a picture into your user information by clicking the link 'Try another image'. Select the picture from your computer by clicking 'Browse' ('Selaa'). Picture is added to your user information. You can reset the picture by clicking the link 'Reset image'. You can change your user information when needed. Save changes by clicking on 'Submit Changes'.
'Change
password'
You can use numbers
and small and capital letters in your password. The password
must have at least 6 characters. Do not use special
characters in the password. Enter your old password and then your new
password twice
and click on 'OK'.
Please note that you will not be able to
check your
password later from Optima. If you forget your password, a new password
will have
to be created for you.
'Settings'
You can change the language of the user interface. Please note that the
language settings you select will not necessarily affect all
workspaces.
For
example the
tutor can define the English language workspace to function only in
English.
You can define whether you will allow the 'Mail reminder' to send email notifications to your email address. Mail reminder checks for new messages, announcements and calendar events once a day. It sends you an email notification when you got new message(s), announcement(s) or calendar event(s) in Optima. Please note, this feature will only work if the function has been activated in your environment.
You can have the possibility to change your 'Login name'.
You
can
define whether you want other users to see
your contact
information in the 'Workspace
members' folder.
'Personal
statistics'
You
can view your own statistics. For example number of sessions and
time of your last login and your 'Multiple
choice exercise' summary.
The statistics are updated once a day.
New
and actual
'New
and
modified'
This
function lists new and
modified material and new messages
in
different workspaces. Every time you start
working, you can check here what has happened in Optima since your last
login.
New and modified also shows every new object created within
last
24 hours and all the unread messages in the workspaces.
Your materials
'Bookmarks'
You can see here all of the bookmarks you have
created in the
environment. You can add a bookmark to objects in object tools in the
right frame ('Object
tools / Other tools / Add bookmark').
'My
documents'
Your objects in different workspaces are listed here.
'Home
folder'
This is your personal folder where you can
create you own objects.
Workspaces
The workspaces (you are a member in) are displayed in the Optima left frame. You can have different profiles in different workspaces. That means you can be a common user in one workspace and a supervisor (with larger access rights) in another workspace.
Click on the title 'Workspaces' when you want to return to the workspace start view.
A workspace is a separate working area within the environment. For example it can be an area created for an online course. If you are participating in only one online training program, you will not necessarily notice the difference between a workspace and an environment. If you are working in two or more workspaces, you will notice that you can work in one workspace at a time and that the environment is a larger entity which includes workspaces.
Workspaces
may differ from each other more than
just by content. The structure of the workspace, the language
used in the
workspace and features available can differ. The tutor or
other
responsible person of each workspace has determined workspace specific
settings in order to match the training requirements in
question.
By clicking on a name of a workspace you can see its content. Usually
you'll see first folders which contain the actual training,
assignment or other material. These documents, exercises, discussion
lists and functions will open when you click the name of the objecy. An
exclamation
mark 
icon
next to a name indicates that you have not yet opened it. If a name is
followed by a 
icon, the
material includes sub-objects.
Click on the icon to display the list of sub-objects.
The
workspace classes
can be used in the environment to
organise workspaces. If they are in use in the Optima environment you
are using, you can see the list of workspaces by clicking the workspace
class icon.
You can have different kind of
documents, tasks and messaging tools in a workspace . By
clicking the workspace you can see the contents (for example folders 
).
When you open the folders you can see the material, tasks etc. You can
open all of the documents, tasks, discussion lists etc. by clicking
the name of the object. For example:
All of these documents and functions, external documents (.doc, .pdf and .html etc.) and links are called objects in Optima.
You can sometimes see an exclamation
mark next to the
object name. This means that you have not yet opened this object or the
object has been changed / something has been added to this object since
you last opened it.
The objects (for example multiple choice exams) will be opened in the
main frame. Answer the questions or fill out the forms as instructed in
the object and finally save your answers with the 'Save' or 'Proceed' function.
If you can see a sub-object
icon next to the
object name, that means there are some sub-objects added to this
object. Click on the icon to open the function.
Return
box
You can upload one or several documents from your own computer or from Optima to the 'Return box'. When you are uploading the document from your computer, confim the document name and click on 'Proceed' in order to upload the document to Optima.
You can see the comments and the grading from all the 'Return box' type of objects from 'Your space / Your results'.
Participating
in a discussion
You can participate in a discussion with other users in the Optima 'Discussion list'. When you open the discussion list you can see the list of unread messages in the main frame. Messages will open when you click on the subject of the message.
New messages will be opened by default (or another default view that has been selected by the course tutor or administrator). You can also access all messages you have received by selecting the 'All messages' from the menu. You can also view the messages for example by subject.
When you want to send a message just select the 'Reply to sender' or 'Send a message'. Select the recipient(s), enter the subject and the text, and click on 'Send'.
The option to delete a message is usually blocked. Discussion lists function as a sort of a common mailbox. If someone deletes a message he/she has sent to the discussion list, the message is not shown anymore to the other users. If you accidentally send a message with incorrect content or send it to a wrong discussion list, please contact the tutor who can delete the message.
In some discussion areas you may have the option to participate in a discussion anonymously. If this is the case, the message window will display a 'Nickname' field where you can enter the nickname you want to use in the message.
How can you produce material in Optima?
You can create objects to Optima with Optima editors (like 'Light web-editor'). You can also upload documents from your computer (for example PDF files). When you have the right to create objects or upload documents to Optima you can see the 'Add a new object' link in the left frame.
Click on the 'Add a new object' and you will see a list of objects you can add to the workspace. (The list of objects will depend on the profile settings that the administrator has done.) Different workspaces can contain different object lists depending on the profiles.
You must define the name and the
settings to the object. Optima will add a default name to the object,
but the name can be defined to one that describes more of the contents
of the object.
When the object is created you will
get a notification. You can also see a link to the 'Access control',
where you can define the rights to the object. The reading right allows
you see the object and the writing right allows you to
modify the object. By default the reading right is defined to
either
you or to everyone, and writing right is defined to you.
You can modify the settings and access control later. Click on the
object and then click on the 'Object
tools' icon in the top frame. You can see the object tools
in the right frame. From the 'Administration
/ General' you can change the object name and other
settings. From the 'Access
control' you can define the read and write rights. You can
also
copy, move or link the object to another location in the Optima
environment.
Please
note, you can see a
toolshortcut 
icon in
the left frame next to the object name.
When you click the
icon you can see a shortcut to the most relevant object tools. By
clicking on the titles you can open the function.
If you can see the 'Your space' and the 'Home folder' in it, you can create objects there. When you open the home folder, you can see an 'Add a new object' link where you can add objects. You can create text and webpages or upload documents from your computer (depending on the rights given to you). The home folder is personal and no one has the access to the objects there except you. You can move objects from you home folder to the workspaces and folders that you have the right to add objects.
Add a new object > Folder
You can organise materials in the workspace with folders.
1. Write a name to the folder.
2. You can write a short description
of the folder or its contents to the folder information.
3. Finally click on 'Proceed'.
4. Check the 'Access control'. The writing right will give the users the right to create objects into this folder, reading rights will give the right to see this folder. The users will see the object(s) inside the folder, if they have a reading right to the object(s).
Folder
tools
You can click the menu open by clicking on the shortcutmenu icon. If you cannot see the
function you need, select the option 'Folder tools' where
you can open the whole menu to the right frame. You can open the 'Folder tools' also
from the 'Folder
tools' icon
from the right frame.
As the owner of the folder you can define and edit the settings, access control and organise the object order in the folder.
You can also set a startpage to the folder. You can hide the object in the folder ('General settings / Hidden object'). The users cannot see the hidden object in the left frame, but they can see it as the startpage of the folder if they have a read right to the object.
Add a new object >
File
You can upload any type of documents
into Optima. Some documents are opened in the browser like HTML and PDF
documents. Some documents will require an external application to open
the document, for example a word processor. When uploading documents to
Optima, make sure the users have an application to open the files. In
some cases it is good to check the settings in the browser and the
default programs for the documents in your computer.
1. Select 'File'
from the 'Add a new
object' list.
2. Select the file from your computer by clicking on 'Browse' ('Selaa').
3. Select a document and click on 'Open'
('Avaa').
4. The file path and name will appear in the upload window.
5. Click on 'Upload the
chosen object from your computer'.
6. Define the name and settings to the object. It is recommended to
save the object name with the file format info (like .doc or .pdf), but
this is not necessary.
Add a new object > 
Upload multiple documents from your computer
Please note, Sun Java plug-in has to be installed in order to use this feature. See more information from 'Instructions about web browser settings > Java and JavaScript settings'
1. You can
upload multiple documents from your computer. Select
'Upload multiple
documents from your
computer' from the 'Add a new
object' list. Before you start to upload multiple
documents, you have to accept a
signed
certificate. You should only accept signed certificate, if you trust
the signed applet. This applet is distributed by Discendum Oy. You have
to accept the
certificate to allow Optima to upload documents from your computer.
2. You can select files to upload by clicking 'Add
files'. After this you can upload the files to
Optima by clicking 'Upload
chosen files'.
You can remove files by clicking
the remove icon (that looks like a red cross).
3. You can see a list of files, which will be uploaded to Optima.
You can change the settings ('Settings'
link) and set access control
rights ('Access control').
4. Finish by clicking on 'Proceed'.
Editing the document
See more information from How do you edit material?Add a new object >
Importing a Zip archive into Optima
1. Select 'File' from the 'Add a new object'
list. Please note, when importing a Zip archive to Optima, you cannot
use the letters from Scandinavian alphabets
(å,ä,ö) or special charachters in the file
names (inside the Zip archive).
2. Select the file from your computer by clicking on 'Browse' ('Selaa').
3. Select a document and click on 'Open'
('Avaa').
4. The file path and name will appear in the upload window.
5. Click on 'Upload the
chosen object from your computer'.
6. When you define the settings there is a question 'What shall we do with this zip file?'
'Unzip it under current folder' will unzip the archive with its folder structure into Optima. When uploading HTML documents Optima will automatically fix links in the webpages so that they function normally inside Optima.
'Store it as it is' will save your Zip archive into Optima as it is.
'Unzip with only startpage visible' - see more information below from Publish website with a startpage.
7. Define a name and settings to the object.
Contents
Publish
a website with a startpage
When you import a website as a Zip file you can publish the website as one object, showing the startpage first. If you select the option 'Unzip with only startpage visible' the Zip file will be published as a hidden directory in Optima. This means that the structure of the website will remain the same as in your original website with the same structure and links as in the original Zip file. For example Flash animations or other sites function similarly when unzipped to Optima as in any other www server.
1. Select 'File' from the 'Add a new object' list. Please note, when importing a Zip archive to Optima, you cannot use the letters from Scandinavian alphabets (å,ä,ö) or special charachters in the file names.
2.
Select the file from your computer by clicking on 'Browse' ('Selaa').
3. Select a Zip archive and click
on 'Open'.
4.
The file path and
name will appear in the upload window.
5. Click on 'Upload the chosen object from
your computer'.
6. Select the option 'Unzip
with only startpage
visible'.
7. You can see the files from the imported Zip archive. Select one of these pages to be the startpage of the website. You can see the website icon in the left frame. By clicking the icon, you can open the startpage of the website.
You can upload a new version to the pages to the website in 'Object tools / Administration / Resources'. In 'Resources' you can also change the startpage and download documents to your computer.
Add a new object >
Link to the Internet
You can
link Internet webpages to the Optima environment.
1. Select 'Link to
the Internet' from the
'Add a new object'
list.
2. Type the Internet address that you want to link to into the text
field.
3. Select the way you want the link to appear, in the main frame
within the environment or in a new browser window.
4. Finally click on 'Proceed'.
5. Define a name and settings
to the object and check the 'Access
control' rights.
Add
a new object >
Text
editor
The
text editor is the easiest and fastest way to create text documents
that are frequently updated. It is suitable for example
for notes. The text editor is simplified and easy to use and
it is suitable for writing short documents that do not need formatting.
1. Select 'Plain text document'
from the 'Add a new
object' list.
2. Type or paste text into the empty field and add text rows.
3. Finally click on 'Save'.
4. Define a name to the object and check the 'Access control'
rights.
Editing the text document
You
need writing rights (in 'Access
control') in order to edit the text document. If you have
created the document you have automatically the writing rights to the
object. You can also edit other text documents as long as you a given
the writing rights to the document.
Open the document that you want to edit. Click the
shortcutmenu icon next
to the object name and select 'Edit'. You
can open the 'Object
tools' also from the 'Object tools'
icon
from the right frame.
Add a new object >
HTML document with Light
web-editor
You can create HTML documents (webpages) in Optima with the Light web-editor. It is easy to edit webpages with this editor. Pages and pictures from Optima can also be linked easily to the webpage.
Click on the empty field to make it active. Then type or copy text into the field. If you are importing text to the editor, you can paste it by using the keyboard’s functions Ctrl+c and Ctrl+v. You can paste text also using the different 'Paste' functions in the editor. Please note, you can find a special 'Paste from Word' icon in the editor. With this function you can paste text from Word document and the editor will maintain the formations you have made in the Word document (for example bolding, italics etc.).Please note, some of the editor icons are active only after you have select a text that you have added to the editor.
When you hover your mouse over the editor icons you will see an information text of the icon function.
All functions listed:
Using HTML templates with Light web-editor
First, download the template with the 'Insert template from Optima' icon. You can see all the templates you have access to (click 'All' to see all and 'Material' to see all the templates is Material libraries). Select a template from the list. You can see the preview by clicking the link 'Preview'. Download template by clicking 'Insert'.Using CSS Style sheets with Light web-editor
You can use default CSS Style sheets or the administrator can create new CSS Style sheets to Optima. If you already know how to use CSS Style sheets the best way to use those is to create a HTML template and associate the CSS Style sheet into the template.
The styles in the
webpages can be defined with the CSS Style sheets. One CSS Style
sheet can define the style of many / all pages. The Optima
environment includes one default CSS Style sheet. The administrator of
the Optima environment can also import new CSS Style sheets to
Optima ('Environment
tools / Actions / Style sheets').
CSS Style sheets can be used in the Light web-editor in different ways:
You can use the default CSS Style sheets or CSS Style sheets imported by your organisations admistrator. If you are already familiar with the CSS style sheets, you can easily create a new HTML template by using CSS Style sheets.
Editing a webpage
You need writing rights (in 'Access
control')
in order to edit the webpage (HTML page). If you have created the
document,
you have automatically the writing rights to the object. You can also
edit other webpages as long as you a given the writing rights to
the document.
Open the text document that you
want to edit. Click the shortcutmenu icon next to the object name and select 'Edit'. You can open the 'Object
tools' also from
the 'Object tools' icon from the right frame.
, 
How do
you edit material?
If you want to edit documents that are uploaded to Optima:
1.
When you have the document saved on your computer *), you can edit the
document and save it and upload a new version to Optima. You can delete
the old document in 'Object
tools / Delete' (Optima will prompt you for a
confirmation in order to delete the document.)
*) Save the document first in to your computer from Optima.
2. If you upload a document with exactly the same name you can overwrite the old document with the new one.
3. In 'Object tools' you can upload a new version of the document with 'Upload a new version'. This will replace the older version. The name of the document will remain as the original file name.
When you upload the document as a new version of the document you can see the old versions of the document in 'Object tools / Info / Versions'.
4. You can edit an external document in the environment, if you have the right to do that (in workspace level profile the option 'User can edit external documents on own computer' is checked). You can edit your own external documents or documents that you have writing rights to. If you have the right to edit external documents on your computer Optima will ask you whether you want to 'open' or 'edit' a document when you clik the document name in the left frame.
Please note, Sun Java plug-in has to be installed in order to use this edit applet. Seemore information from 'Instructions about web browser settings > Java and JavaScript settings'
Editing an external document on your own computer
When you click on 'Edit' and start to edit an external document, you should accept a signed certificate. You should only accept signed certificate, if you trust the signed applet. This applet is distributed by Discendum Oy. You have to accept the certificate to allow Optima to save the document to your computer.
Click the 'Open document' to open the document. Edit the document and save it by clicking the application’s own 'Save' function. After saving the document you will see a notification ('Document uploaded, current version') in Optima. You can close the application or continue editing the document in the application. The 'Save' function in the application will save the document in Optima as long as the edit applet is open.
If there is no information, you can save the document to Optima by clicking on 'Save document to Optima'. You can also change the upload method in 'Settings' to 'Automatic upload'.
In 'Settings' you can
define the upload
method,
temporary directory and application to use. Settings are defined once
and they will apply until you change them.
'Automatic upload'
means that every time the document is saved in
the application, a new version will be uploaded to Optima. 'Manual upload'
means that you have to save the document to Optima ('Save
document to Optima' function) after you have edited
and saved it in the application.
You can define a temporary directory where to save the document
temporarily. The default temporary directory is Temp folder in drive C.
Please note,
You may not have rights to save documents in Temp folder. You
can select the
temporary directory and save document for example to your network
drive. It is also possible that you don’t have rights to save
documents to any temporary directory. In this case, contact
your
organization’s technical support for further assistance.
You can select the application where you want to open the document (for
example
.doc file usually opens in Microsoft Office Word application).
Possible problems
Sun
Java plug-in has to be
installed to your computer in order
to use this edit applet. If the plug-in is not installed, you
can’t edit
documents directly on your own computer. See more information
from 'Instructions
about
web browser settings > Java and JavaScript settings'.
Some organization may have limited users' access to use the computer.
You may not have the right to save
files
to certain (or any) temporary directory. In this case contact your
organization’s technical support for further assistance. If you have
access to certain folders only you
can define the temporary directory in 'Settings' (the
function is
in the bottom of the 'Edit'
window).
In some cases the editing of external document is limited by
the organization’s or your own computer’s firewall. You
should allow this function in the firewall, if you want edit external
document directly from Optima.