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Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Need for Browser Updates

We have recently performed updates to increase security in eVolve that might affect access to the system from some old web browsers. All the latest browser versions were tested after this update and eVolve is working as expected. However, some users that are still connecting with web browsers that are using obsolete settings may not be able to connect anymore and need to update their browsers.

If you come across users not being able to connect to eVolve, please verify that they are using the latest version of web browsers, or suggest that they try another browser. If the users still can't connect, please let us know what operating system, browser, and respective versions they are using.

Thank you.


eVolve Support

Monday, November 25, 2013

Activity Feature Update

Effective November 26, 5PM (PST) we will be modifying two functions that will impact how your clients experience Activities in eVolve. 

1) The "Submit" button and submission details will continue to be at the top of each activity, but will also be located at the bottom of each activity.  The client will be able to "Submit" activities from either location. 

2) When it is enabled, the Page Comments communication feature will only be located on text slides.  It will no longer be available at the bottom of activity slides.  This will minimize the confusion some clients may have experienced when trying to identify what was in an activity and what was a page comment.   

Thank you.

eVolve Support

Monday, July 15, 2013

New Feature Update - Reports

As of July 15, 2013 a new Reports page has been added to the eVolve Administration application.  Staff users given the role of Administrator have access to the Administration application. The new Reports page lists a number of helpful Reports available to export to Excel in CSV format.  The list of Reports includes:
  • Client List - List of all clients in the organization.
  • Enrollment List - List of all enrollments in the organization.
  • Learning Unit Completion Status -List of viewable learning units and and their completion status for all clients in the organization.
  • Facilitation List - List of facilitator-session assignments in the organization.
  • Organization Data - Export of all organization data.
  • Staff and Permission List - List of all staff and permissions in the organization.
  • Service List - List of services in the organization.
  • Session List - List of sessions in the organization.

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

System Update


To improve the data management for both Administrators and Facilitators, eVolve will be upgraded with the following features on June 12, 2013.
  
New Administrator Features - Setting Status and Filtering Lists
  • Administrators can set “status” for Client registration to: Open or Closed.
  • Administrators can set “status” for Staff registration to: Open, On-Leave, Closed.
  • Administrators can set Enrollment status of a client in a particular session to: Enrolled, Inactive, Closed
  • Administrators can set the “status” for a Sessions to: Open, Full, Closed, or Cancelled.
  • Administrators can filter and view lists of sessions, staff, and clients based on status.


New Facilitator Features -Setting Status, Filtering Lists, and Case Notes Changes
  •  Facilitators can filter and view the list of sessions on their own page by: Open, Full or Closed.
  • Facilitators can now filter dashboard summary pages based on client status in session.
  • Changed layout for case notes for facilitator – moving it from that small box to a larger space in the main top menu.
  • Facilitators can now modify a client’s enrollment dates (start/end dates) right in the dashboard and do not need to go to the administration applet.
  • Facilitators can now mark each individual LU on a client’s content map with a “status” of: Not Specified, Completed, Started, Not Started.
  • Participant Status Report have been improved to include the Enrollment status information and LU status information.

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Client Participation Expectations


Establishing expectations for participation will set your clients up for a more engaging and meaningful eVolve experience. It will also offer facilitators and clients clear entry points for conversation if clients are not able to participate as per agreed upon expectations. Consider the following strategies:

Set Clear Start and End Dates – It is important for clients to have a clear understanding of the start and end times of their eVolve session. This will allow clients to manage their time to complete all work within the time period provided. While it is necessary to allow enough space for participation and completion, often less time (weeks) is better than more (months). For example, for our current EPBC customers, we recommend one week of access for every 2-3 topics, with each topic taking a client approximately 2 hours of time spread over the week.

Encourage Frequency of Participation – Whether completing only a couple of eVolve topics or a bundled program, frequent participation is key to create space for meaning making and dialogue through reflections and the group discussion forums. Encourage clients to set aside about 1-2 hours each day to participate online, which can be at any time of the day. Also consider requesting specific tasks to be completed each day (ie. complete 1 Personal Application Activity and 1 Reflection Question each day Monday to Friday). This will give clients a goal to work towards and help set pace and momentum.

Share Facilitator Response Time – At the start of an eVolve session, inform clients of your response time to their reflections, private messages or discussion forum posts. In most cases, we recommend a 24 hour response guideline, but whatever your internal policy is, let clients know ahead of time. By sharing this expectation, clients won’t always expect an immediate response, and will interpret a 24-response delay as part of regular facilitation flow. It will also encourage clients to log in to their session on a regular basis.

To discuss these and additional client engagement strategies in eVolve, contact us!

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Establishing an Online Presence - Preparing Your Learning Space

In order for clients to have a successful experience using eVolve, it is essential for the facilitator to establish a strong online presence from the very start. No different than you would in a face-to-face workshop, facilitators need to show up online to welcome their clients and set the stage for their work together. There is nothing more comforting for a client logging into their eVolve session for the first time, than to feel a sense of personal welcome. Below are a few strategies on how you can prepare your client’s learning space prior to a workshop starting to maximize success:
  • Make yourself visible through the use of Photos, Videos and Bios – photos and bios can be easily added using the Profile feature, available to all users of eVolve. Those with Classic and Premium Design privileges are also able to upload videos, such as personal welcome messages. Once you create your video, upload it to an external video-hosting website such as YouTube or Vimeo. Once uploaded, videos can then be embedded into the HTML code of any slide.  
  • Using the Private Messaging feature, write a personalized welcome message – whether facilitating a group or an individual learning experience, facilitators have the ability to send individual private messages to each client. This is one great way for a facilitator to welcome each client individually, as well as introduce and showcase the private messaging feature. 
  • Start a Group Reflection – if you are facilitating a group workshop, consider starting a Group Reflection titled “Say Hi to the Group” or something similar. If your clients have already met face-to-face, be creative with your first group question (ie. What’s one thing you are looking forward to out of this learning? How do you think this group can be of help to each other?, etc.) Be the first to post a response. It will help clients feel less shy about posting and you will also be able to point out how a client can respond (ie. “just click on New Reply at the top right corner to make a post.") 
  • Link any email instructions to eVolve Content and Features  – many facilitators send out log in instructions to a client over email. Consider including a word or two about what to do first once logged in: (eg. “Once you log in take some time with the unit called Getting Started. You will find it by clicking Development in the menu bar. Also take time to introduce yourself in the Group Reflection called Say Hi to the Group. That way your fellow participants will know you have ‘arrived’!”) 
  • Suggest Where to Start – eVolve is pretty intuitive to navigate, but it is important that your clients orient themselves. This way, they will be able to concentrate on actual learning rather than trying to figure out where to access what. Help clients along, and by using the suggestion feature, point out where a client can start their learning and orientation.
  • Consider posting a response to the first Reflection within 24 hours of the client’s first login Reflections are one of the valuable meaning-making spaces in eVolve, but keep in mind that clients may not initially understand what a Reflection question is or who sees the responses. To introduce a client to the concept of a reflection and to show them how the feature works, consider posting a response to the very first one they will be completing. By doing so, your response will show up on their summary page, showing them how they will be able to see new activity in their learning space. You also have the opportunity to introduce the idea of reflections and let a client know how quickly you will respond to each one they submit.
To keep track of your “welcome communication”, consider keeping a word document with some of these initial communication pieces. While you won't want to use a “one size fits all approach”, by having templates you will save yourself some time.  Tailor your responses based on the information that you have about each client – this will be the most effective way to build rapport and help the client feel supported and welcomed.
For further tips or to discuss your particular delivery scenario, please connect with us!

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

New Feature Update – Reflection and Activity Summary Menu Choices

As of February 1st, you can decide whether to enable or disable Reflections and Activities menu choices from a workspace horizontal menu bar. These two menu items serve as summary lists of all reflections and all activities found within the Learning Units that have been deployed to a client or a group of clients in a certain workspace.

While in the majority of cases you will want to leave these menu choices enabled, here are a few instances when you may consider disabling them:

  • The Learning Units you are deploying have no activities or no reflections
  • You do not want clients to have a long list of activities and / or reflections all at once
  • You want to simplify the look of a workspace

A designer can decide whether to enable or disable the Reflections and Activities Summaries when creating a new workspace, within the client features:



If either the Reflections or Activities Summary is disabled, then the following will occur:
  • Reflections and / or Activities will be hidden from the workspace horizontal menu bar for clients and facilitators
  • References to Reflections and / or Activities will be removed from the Progress widget from the client’s summary page for both clients and facilitators
To discuss further how this feature may assist you in your workshop deployment, feel free to contact us!