Aula Update – 18th February 2021

This is the fifth update on the Aula platform.  It highlights recent changes to Aula, forthcoming changes and responses to recent queries that have been raised.  A reminder that information on Aula’s development plans are available via the Product Portal at https://portal.aula.education/tabs/3-launched.  This site can be used to propose ideas and also vote on planned developments.

Recently launched changes

Student Engagement Insights

The first phase of Student engagement information is now available through Aula.  This release provides:

• Percentage of students active in space – last seven days
• Average days active in space per student – last seven days
• Activity graph showing percentage of students active over period of time (which can be set)
• Activity graph showing numbers of student comments, posts and reactions
• For individual students, date and time last active in the specific Aula space and data and time last active in Aula generally.

Features still to come in future updates include page specific access and more detailed student specific data.

Student ID in downloaded csv files

When downloading student grade lists from Aula this originally consisted of four fields: First name, Last name, Email and Grade.  Feedback had noted that having the Student ID would help with checking students on Universe where there are queries.  The students ExternalID is now an additional field included in the csv files that are downloaded.

Forthcoming changes

Managing Groups

Enhancing the group management functionality is an on-going work stream for Aula currently.  Phase 1 is due for release soon (https://portal.aula.education/c/77-improved-user-experience-for-creating-groups) and will include the following features:

• The ability to upload a CSV file to set up a new set of groups
• The ability to download a CSV of groups and their participants, so that users can more easily manipulate and use that information in workflows outside of Aula
• Improvements to the ‘auto-generate groups’ option enabling the user to specify both the # of groups and # of students per group
• A more intuitive function to ‘add educators to groups’

Phase 2 will add in the ability to keep groups open to change (late enrolling students, students needing to swap groups) without impacting on assessments already taken.  Phase 2/3 will include an option for students to choose their own groups.

Multiple markers in Turnitin

Not specifically Aula, however it is worth noting here that the Multiple Markers facility in Turnitin is now switched on.  Guidance is being produced and once finalised will be published here on the Knowledge base.

Recent queries

Content being lost/deleted

There have been queries raised recently about newly created or updated pages disappearing.  When content disappears from Aula it is not deleted from Aula servers, only removed from view in that space, so recovery is possible.  In such cases Aula should be contacted – support@aula.education.