Frequently Asked Questions
Who created InLeT?
How does InLeT work?
Who can use InLeT?
Can I get access to activities that other instructors have created?
How long will my activity be kept in the database?
What new features will InLeT add in the future, and when?
A: InLeT had its beginnings in a grant from the AT&T Fellows Program (then SBC Fellows Program) at Indiana University awarded to Sharon Calhoon, a psychology professor at Indiana University Kokomo. Her goal was to create an application similar to what a colleague had seen presented by Dr. Dan Lim from the University of Minnesota Crookston at a conference in June 2002. Dr. Lim had created a means for faculty to create Flash-based interactive games based on ready-made templates.
Upon receiving the grant, Sharon Calhoon approached Digital Media Services (DMS) at Indiana University to do the programming for the project. After an initial meeting with Dr. Lim, Jay Hagenow of DMS set about creating the Flash files for the project while Sharon Calhoon provided the instructional design direction. After some design refinement, Manjit Trehan of DMS was added to the project to create the PHP scripts and database structure for the project. The project, given the name "InLeT" for "Interactive Learning Toolkit" was ready for Kokomo faculty to use in 2004.
It has long been the goal of everyone involved in the project to release the application to a wider audience, and in 2006, using funding provided by the Center for Teaching and Learning at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, an updated version of InLeT was created by Jay Hagenow and Erik Scull of DMS, in consultation with Sharon Calhoon, to include detailed instructions and a more intuitive user interface.
A: The inital information and data for each activity are stored in a MySQL database. When an activity is created, it is given a unique ID and security code. While most of the InLeT site is HTML, both the Authoring Template and the resulting activities are Flash files. When an activity is published, the data entered is converted to XML, which is then entered into the database using PHP scripting. The resulting URL for the activity contains both the ID and security code for that unique activity. When that URL is accessed, a script checks to make sure that the ID and security code match, then passes that information to the appropriate Flash activity file. The Flash file then loads the data for that activity via PHP script and XML.
A: Authoring of activities in InLeT is currently limited to faculty of Indiana University campuses. However, a link to a particular activity can be used by anyone that the author shares it with.
Q: Can I get access to activities that other instructors have created?
A: That is not possible at this time. However, if another instructor gives you permission and the URL for an activity he or she has created, you can use that activity. The usual rules of use apply.
Q: How long will my activity be kept in the database?
A: There are no plans at this time to delete any activities. However, if InLeT activity increases in the future, this may become necessary, at which time, timely notification of those plans will be given.
Q: What new features will InLeT add in the future, and when?
A: Because of the resources necessary to program InLeT, new features will only be added when additional funding is available to make improvements. As users of InLeT increase and their needs are determined, the likelihood of adding new features will increase.
The following are features that have discussed as possible future enhancements:
- The ability to export and import data content
- Giving instructors the option to share their activities with other instructors
- Adding different types of activities
- Creating different sizes of activities, i.e. an Image Drag and Drop designed for vertical images, or capable of displaying a larger image.