Click here to receive your FREE subscription to Campus Technology
News
DyKnow Software Suite Expands Active Directory, Blackboard Integration
5/30/2008
Interactive classroom technology provider DyKnow this week released an update to its DyKnow Software Suite. The new release, version 5.1, includes updates to both components of the suite, DyKnow Vision and DyKnow Monitor, along with general administrative enhancements.
DyKnow Vision is a tool for collaborative note taking, student response, and content access. DyKnow Monitor is a system for wireless networks that allows instructors to block applications from running on students' computers and blank out student screens when the instructor doesn't want the student to be distracted. It displays a thumbnail of each student's screen on the instructor's monitor, providing control over the student's computers.
While the previous 5.0 release added integration with Blackboard learning management systems, the new 5.1 release now allows admins to combine Blackboard rosters with Active Directory user IDs and passwords.
The new version of Monitor also includes real-time screen shots for displaying students' screens; a remote control feature for taking control of students' machines; and direct file transfers to students' computers.
The updates in Vision include an updated UI with a Microsoft Office-like look and feel; audio recording; the ability to store recorded audio on servers for playback by students later; new polling features, including the ability to log student answers; the ability to force save students' work; and the ability to customize thumbnail sizes.
The new suite also provides support for customizing grade cycles.
Further information about the DyKnow Software Suite 5.1 is available here. New server requirements (in light of the new audio recording capabilities) will be posted soon, according to the company.
About the author: Dave Nagel is the executive editor for 1105 Media's educational technology online publications and electronic newsletters. He can be reached at dnagel@1105media.com.
Have any additional questions? Want to share your story? Want to pass along a news tip? Contact Dave Nagel, executive editor, at dnagel@1105media.com.
Cite this Site
copy text (above) for proper citation
Recommended Reading
- Zoho Launches Online Document Management Tool
Online collaborative technology developer Zoho has launched its new Zoho Docs, a Web-based document management tool that's designed to integrate with Zoho's online spreadsheet, presentation, and document creation software.
- Red Hat Makes Strategic Virtualization Buy
Open source server distributor Red Hat Inc., which is carving out a virtualization path unique in the industry, added another arrow to its quiver Thursday with the acquisition of Qumranet Inc.
- Security Exploits to Google Chrome Browser Emerge
Google's Chrome Web browser--complete with quirky marketing comic book--made a splash when announced Tuesday, but what a difference a day makes. On Wednesday, proof-of-concept bugs affecting the Internet app were disclosed. Chrome is still early in its first public beta.
- Sun xVM VirtualBox 2.0 Hypervisor Adds 64-bit Support, Bolsters Performance
Sun Microsystems this week rolled out version 2.0 of its xVM VirtualBox. The product is a cross-platform, open source hypervisor that supports hosts ranging from Mac OS X and Windows to Solaris and 18 varieties of Linux.
- Rarity for China Schools: Nanjing University Deploys Campus-wide Wireless LAN
Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications in China has deployed a campus-wide wireless LAN (WLAN) from Motorola. The WLAN will enable multimedia Internet-based teaching, automatic academic office management, Internet access, long-distance teaching, and other services. Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications is one of the few universities in China to provide complete wireless LAN coverage to every building in addition to the campus' outdoor spaces.
- Pac-10 Teams Score Competitive Insight with BlueArc Storage
The Pacific-10 Conference (Pac-10), a group of sports teams from 10 colleges and universities, has expanded the use of its BlueArc Titan storage solution housed at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) to store dozens of terabytes of game footage. In the 2008-2009 season, all of the Pac-10 football, women's volleyball, and men's and women's basketball teams will access opponents' video for competitive analysis from Titan storage.
