Posting URL links in ICON

What is Possible with ICON’s URL Tool?

• Give your students convenient access to course-related web sites. 
• Post URL links in different areas your ICON course:
• Grouped together in a special Links area
• Alongside course file links in the Content area
• In content files, calendar entries, discussions topics and forums, quiz and survey questions, assignment dropbox instructions, personal homepage (MyPage) files, and news articles
• Have the website open in a new browser window so students can navigate the external site without losing their place in ICON.

Note: Do not confuse the URL tool with MyLinks, one of the available widgets in ICON. MyLinks, much like browser Favorites, is for posting links that will be available to you only (students can also post personal links using this widget).

18 May 2005

Posting a Url in the Links Area

1. Click Links in the navbar (do not confuse this with MyLinks, the widget used for posting personal links much like you would browser Favorites.
2. Click Manage Links (left).
3. If you want to organize your links into categories, click New Category, enter the Category name and a shortened version for the sidebar, and click Create Category.

Now you’re ready to add your link.

4. Click New Link.
5. Enter the link title, the URL, and a short description of the web site.  If you are organizing your links into categories, select the category from the dropdown menu.
6. Click Create Link.

15 March 2007

Posting a Url in a Content Module

Note: Content Modules are folders, or directories, in ICON’s Content area.

1. If you haven’t yet created a Content Module, do so now.  See Creating a Content Module.

Once you have your Content Module, you’re ready to post your URL:

2. From the course homepage, click Content in the menu bar at top.
3. From the menu at right, click Add Topic (a URL is one kind of “Topic”).
4. Select the Parent Module (the Content Module that will contain your URL).
5. Enter a title to be displayed in the Content Module table of contents (e.g., J.S. Bach – Archive & Bibliography).
6. Enter a short title to be displayed in a menu bar at left (e.g., Bach Site).
7. Type or paste in the URL (web address).
8. Click Save.

18 May 2005

Posting a URL in a Content File or ICON Course Tool

ICON’s built-in html editor allows you to insert a link to an external website (URL) when you are creating a content file; a discussion forum, topic, or message; a quiz or survey question; an assignment dropbox instruction; a personal homepage (MyPage) file, or a news article.

To insert a url while creating the item:

1. Click the HTML Editor icon (top right). The HTML editor appears in a popup window.
2. Inside the textbox, place the cursor where you wish to insert the URL and click  Insert QuickLink.
3. From the Category droplist, select URL Link.
4. In the Link To textbox enter the URL.
5. In the Caption text box, enter the words you want students to click on in order to access the URL.
6. Select a display mode:
• Whole Window – Other ICON Frames are no longer visible.  To get back to the ICON course, the student must continue clicking the browser’s back arrow.
• Same Frame – Other ICON frames and controls are still visible.
• New Window – A second browser window opens, displaying the external website.
7. Click Insert.
8. Enter the rest of your text and then click Save.
9. Click Save again in the popup window.

You can also include a link to an external website in a calendar posting. When you are adding the new event, simply type the url in the Link: textbox.

18 May 2005