UNSW Smart Sparrow Support for Staff

UNSW Smart Sparrow Support for Staff

This page provides support for staff using Smart Sparrow Adaptive eLearning Platform (AeLP) at UNSW. 

Smart Sparrow AeLP is a learning design platform that allows staff to create online interactive and adaptive lessons. 

Adaptive in three ways:

  1. Feedback
  2. Pathways / Branching
  3. Instruction

See what Smart Sparrow AeLP is all about in 3 minutes.

I would like to sign up for a Smart Sparrow account

For all staff at UNSW (except staff in the Faculty of Science or the Faculty of Medicine)

  1. Go to https://www.smartsparrow.com/signup/
  2. Complete the form
  3. Please wait 24 – 48 hours for approval of your membership.

 

For staff in the Faculty of Science or the Faculty of Medicine

If you are a staff member of the Faculty of Science or Medicine, it is recommended you sign up for a BEST account. A BEST account provides you with a Smart Sparrow account and grants you access to additional annotation features, a repository of existing online lessons and images shared with the Medical and Science academic community.

  1. Go to https://www.best.edu.au/join/
  2. Complete the form
  3. Please wait 24 – 48 hours for approval of your membership.
Please ensure you provide your staff email address when sign up to Smart Sparrow as this will be used to integrate your lessons to UNSW Moodle.

If you encounter issues signing up for an account please email support@smartsparrow.com.

Some sample use case videos are available here. 

The first video provides an overview of the Adaptive eLearning platform. In the second video, Dr Louise Lutze-Mann (Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences) discusses her experience of using the platform for teaching.

I cannot sign into my Smart Sparrow workspace

  1. Go to the Smart Sparrow AeLP login page: https://aelp.smartsparrow.com

  1. Use your existing Smart Sparrow login details. If you have problems signing into your account, click on ‘Forgot your password?’ and follow the prompts.

  1. If you continue to have issues accessing your workspace, please email support@smartsparrow.com with your login username and contact details to resolve this. Do not email your password.

NOTE: The Lesson Authoring Tool requires Adobe Flash Player 11.1 and above.

You can do an automatic minimum requirements check by going to https://aelp.smartsparrow.com/check/.

 
 
 

I would like to deploy or add a Smart Sparrow lesson to my Moodle course

Smart Sparrow AeLP has been integrated with UNSW Moodle. This means that you can add/deploy a Smart Sparrow lesson to your Moodle course for your students to access.

You will need a Smart Sparrow teacher’s account to proceed. The email address you registered with Smart Sparrow must be the same email address associated with your zID that you use to log into Moodle.

If you are testing this for the first time, ensure you have a lesson in your workspace that has not been activated or previously deployed.

Note: Students do not require a Smart Sparrow login. The integration means a single sign on will operate for students logged in to Moodle and marks are synced with the Moodle gradebook (if you would like grades associated with the Smart Sparrow lesson).

  1. Create an external tool activity:
    • Go to your course and click Turn editing on .
    • Select External tool in the pop-up activity chooser.
  2. Insert an activity name.

  1. Choose from the External Tool type dropdown menu ‘Adaptive eLearning'.

  1. Click on ‘Save and Display’.

  1. Click on 'Open in new window'.

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  1. A new window should pop up with your list of lessons (if this does not occur, please ensure you allow cookies or pop up items as you may be blocking the pop up window).

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  1. Tick the lesson you would like to add to your course page and then click ‘Associate lesson’.

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  1. Another pop up window should appear with additional settings – untick/tick the settings you would like then click ‘Associate’.

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  1. The lesson should now appear on your course page.

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  1. You can preview the lesson in Moodle by switching your role to a student.

I received an error message

  1. If you receive an error message, try to log into your account again as it may be due to your internet connection.
  2. If you are still receiving error messages you may have identified a bug. Please follow the steps below for the Smart Sparrow support team to investigate:

a. Take a screenshot of your screen

b. Provide the steps you took for the bug to appear

c. Note the browser you are using and the version. You can find the browser version when you go to ‘About [browser]’.  

For example, if you are using Firefox, go to ‘Firefox’ then ‘About Firefox’.

d. Email support@smartsparrow.com with these details for Smart Sparrow support team to troubleshoot. 

I need help on how to use a feature

  1. Check the Smart Sparrow help center in your workspace: https://www.smartsparrow.com
  2. If you cannot find the feature information in the help centre please contact the Smart Sparrow support team by emailing support@smartsparrow.com

Contacts

If you have a technical issue or require technical support please contact the Smart Sparrow support team by emailing support@smartsparrow.com.