User Manual for AGORA
This manual is following up the paper “First steps on AGORA”, arranged to introduce
you a bit more to the manifold opportunities AGORA provides you. You have already
learned how to apply for a new account, log in to AGORA and to request participation
in a project workspace. In this paper you will initially learn how to edit your personal
profile. In the second part you will be provided with information on different sections
in your project workspace.
1. Editing the personal profile
After having logged in to AGORA, you can check and/or edit your personal data. In
order to do so, you have to click on the link called “Edit my profile” to be found in the
right column of the webpage. Alternatively, you can click on your name ("Hello, Molly
Moskau") in the commsy bar on the top of the page. A window will open, showing
your personal settings including your name, your user ID and the language you have
chosen.
Fig. 1: Edit profile
On the top of this new window you will find the button “User data”. Clicking on it, you
will be able to edit some of your personal information.
For further information please visit: www.agora.uni-hamburg.de/en/usage-information
1 For example, you can make information on your birthday, your address or further individual data accessible for other users. Even uploading a picture of yourself is possible. Also, it might be helpful for your colleagues to know where to find your phone
number if they need to contact you urgently.
2. Using the project workspace
After having successfully requested participation in a project workspace (compare
“First steps on AGORA”), you find a great amount of things you are able to do or to
look at. Every workspace is divided into different sections to be found at the top. Below you can see a short overview of those sections (fig. 2).
Fig. 2: Sections of a workspace
Announcements: Here you can read announcements issued by your colleagues or
publicise your own ones.
Events: In this section you will find an interactive calendar, preferably already provided with important dates concerning the whole team.
Materials: This is the proper place to upload any material relevant to your particular
project. There are no constraints whatsoever regarding the type of file. Whether it is
pictures, videos, charts, tables or documents, you are able to upload whatever you
want.
In order to do so, you have to click on the small plus-symbol ("Add new item") in the
top-right hand corner of the section. A new window will open entitled with “Enter new
entry” (fig. 3). You are obliged to provide this new material with a title (the field is labelled with a red asterisk) and bibliographical reference. Thereafter you can give a
short description of the file to be added.
At the bottom of the framed white window, you will find a button called “Select files..”.
Click on it. A small window will appear and display the files on your computer. Now
you only have to choose the relevant material and click on “Upload”. To finalize and
save your new material after finishing your upload, click on “Save” at the bottom of
the window.
For further information please visit: www.agora.uni-hamburg.de/en/usage-information
2 Fig. 3: Create new material
Discussions: The section “Discussions” is quite similar to the section mentioned
right above. Even though its main purpose is giving you the ability to discuss easily
with your colleagues, you might want to upload some documents in this section as
well.
For starting a new topic, you literally have to follow the same steps as for providing
new materials (clicking on the plus-symbol, choosing a title and so forth).
If you however want to join a discussion already existing, you firstly have to open the
relevant thread. In order to participate, do not click on the big plus symbol - that
would automatically start a new discussion thread instead of answering to the one
you're looking at. Just scroll down to the bottom of the page where you will find an
open text space to enter your thoughts on the discussion.
Members: Clicking on this particular item, you will find a list of all the members of the
relevant workspace. Additionally you are getting access to all the personal information the several members edited within their personal profiles.
Stand: 15.04.2013 MB
For further information please visit: www.agora.uni-hamburg.de/en/usage-information
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