OpenOLAT & Panopto Instructions

OpenOLAT (Open Online Learning And Training) is the central learning management system (LMS) of Koblenz University.
OpenOLAT is a spin-off of the open source e-learning platform OLAT developed at the University of Zurich and is developed as open-source software by the company frentix.

Typical functions of OpenOLAT include:

• Content presentation

• Communication tools

• Work in groups and cooperation

• Assignments and exercises

• Evaluation and assessment tools

• Working with students, colleagues or guests

The web address to OpenOLAT is as follows: olat.vcrp.de

You can find instructions on how to log in via Schibboleth authentication in this step-by-step manual.

If you do not yet have a Uni-ID yet but are already enrolled at Koblenz University, you can apply for a computer ID electronically. You can apply for a computer ID here.

As soon as you have the computer ID, you can log in to OpenOLAT.

Please do not create an OpenOLAT account using a private e-mail address!

• Via the OpenOLAT-course catalogue.

• Ask your lecturers directly. Many lecturers will send a link to the respective OpenOLAT course once it is prepared and ready.

• Some lecturers also provide the link to the OpenOLAT course in the respective KLIPS entry of the course.

• Shortly before and at the beginning of the lecture period, many OpenOLAT courses are still being prepared and are not yet searchable.

The content of the OpenOLAT courses is in the hands of the lecturers.
OpenOLAT is mainly used to provide access to learning material asynchronously and to work on tasks asynchronously – for synchronous teaching, Big Blue Button is predominantly used. Your lecturers will inform you about these matters.

Lecturers are advised to employ asynchronous formats for digital aspects to make sure that students with a bad internet connection face no problems and that those students can participate "with delay". You are not supposed to face any disadvantages resulting from your bad internet connection.

• In most seminar video conferences, your lecturers might ask you to turn off your camera to enhance the connection quality.

• If you have to record a presentation, you can either do that as an audio recording accompanying slides (screencast), or you can use your smartphone camera (if available).

• In workshops or seminars in small groups (e.g. the workshops from the IKaruS Skills Academy), the employment of a camera and microphone are expected.

• If you face any problems, please contact the respective lecturer/organiser.

There are different user roles in groups and courses:

Courses:

• Participant: All persons who book the course have participant rights. They can see the content released by the course owners and interact with elements according to the releases (e.g. participate in tests, write forum contributions, download files from folders, etc.). Persons with participant rights cannot view the data or results of other participants.

• Coach: This role is well suited for tutors. People with tutor rights can make assessments (e.g. on tests or assignments) and have access to course statistics.

• Owner: People with owner rights have full control over the course. They can, for example, add, configure, move or delete elements, manage course members, release the course or cancel the release, etc. In addition, owners have access to all participant data, such as contact data, test results, etc.

Groups:

• Participant: By default, group participants are all persons who book the group. They can only interact with the existing modules and see the information the group coaches have released.

• Coach: The role of group coachi s not to be confused with the role of course coach. Group coaches have full control over a group and can configure it as they wish (add or remove elements, manage members, share or delete the group, etc.).
  

• OpenOLAT (Open Online Learning and Training) is the central learning management system (LMS) of Koblenz University. It can be used to provide learning material, organise learning activities, and manage course participants and groups. It thus allows (partial) digital events to be held.

• The e-portfolio platform Mahara in many ways supports competence-oriented courses with a high proportion of self-study, reflection, and production by the students, as well as project work.

It is recommended to use the university's standard platforms, as these are supported by the university services, have proven their worth, and also comply with data protection regulations. This is not the case with third-party services. However, teachers can, of course, also use other tools within the framework of the freedom of teaching. If you have problems with such tools, please get in contact touch with the respective lecturers directly or, alternatively, your student representatives.

At the OpenOLAT-screencast of the VCRP.

The Virtual Campus Rhineland-Palatinate (VCRP) offers screencasts on various topics for both teachers and students. A screencast is a video recording of the screen that shows and describes various processes when using a software. You can get a short introduction to OpenOLAT by clicking on the "Info" tab in OLAT and selecting "OO Videotutorials" and then "Für Studierende" in the menu on the left.