ANGEL Community Hub

On May 19, Information Technology Services (ITS) plans to upgrade Penn State’s Course Management System, ANGEL, to version 7.1. The new version will sport a streamlined interface, allow greater customization of course tabs, and provide more convenient ways to access reports on student progress.

Here are 5 things faculty should be aware of as we get closer to the upgrade; some things familiar and some different:

1. The Syllabus, Calendar, and Lessons tabs are still there. All the functionality we are used to having is intact and these tabs are still the first three tabs listed when you enter your course.

2. Some familiar tabs are being renamed. The In Touch tab is now called the Communicate tab. All the tools you are used to using are still there. Additionally, this is where your course roster and team files are viewed since the the Class tab has been removed.

The Tools tab is now called the Manage tab. All course setting and management tools are located here. Additionally this is the tab where instructors will go to manage the gradebook and the course roster, including teams. This tab is not visible to students.

3. The new tabs, Resources and Reports. The Resources tab combines the functionality of the course welcome page along with the student resources, e.g., the library and communication links.

All instructor reports found under the Tools tab are now housed under the Report tab. This includes the Learner Profile, the WhoDunIt Agent, Grades, and Milestones. Instructors and students should go to the Report tab to view this information.

4. The new guide tool. Located at the top of the left-hand frame, the guide incorporates the course map, the What's New agent, and the search feature along with two new tools, Tasks (items requiring attention such as ungraded items, unread mail and discussion posts, etc.) and Design Help (pedagogical tips to assist with content creation).

5. The new navigational buttons (Home, Log off, Help, and Preferences) replace the text-based links previously found on the top-right and left-hand side of the screen. The navigational buttons are are visible on every screen.

Attached is a document created by a colleague, Ergin Elmacioglu, itemizing the differences between ANGEL 6.3 and ANGEL 7.1. Feel free to use this document to get greater sense of what to expect with the upgrade. Please note, this document is informational only and should not be interpreted as an absolute with regards to ANGEL 7.1.