Interactivate: What's New

Shodor has just released a huge upgrade to Interactivate. Regular users of the website will notice a number of changes, ranging from a new look to a number of new options for locating materials based on subject, audience, or even similarity to other materials.

Printing Instructions and Java Detection

We have included easy instructions indicating how to print activities found on Interactivate. Also, we have improved our detection process for Java, improving the load time of activities and increasing overall web browser compatibility. You may have to clear your cache to view the activities successfully.

Browsing and Searching

The most important new features in Interactivate are those that provide new ways for users to find materials.

Browsing

Interactivate's new browse feature (accessible from the top bar) allows users to look at the materials on the site from a number of different angles.

Users start by picking a a category (i.e., Subject, Topic, Audience, or Resource Type) to browse by, and then to select a certain value within that category (i.e., Algebra, or Grades 6-8).
They are then presented with a list of all materials that match their request.
Users can go to what they want immediately, or they can add another limit to the browsing (i.e., both Algebra AND Grades 6-8).
Quickly, users can limit down the list to find what they are looking for.

Full-Site Searching

The new Interactivate adds a search box to the top right corner of every page. From that box, users can search all of Interactivate's materials instantly by typing a query and pressing "return."

In-Page Searching

As well as site-wide searching, Interactivate supports an amazing new feature for searching within single pages that contain lists of many materials or other items. A search box appears at the top of every searchable list. Users can type directly into this box and see the items of the list being filtered in real time to match what they type.

Linking of Associated Materials

Within every Interactivate activity, under the "Learner" tab, you will find an improved list of "Associated Interactivate Resources," automatically generated by a database. The old version of Interactivate had similar links, but they were often inconsistent or incomplete. Similar upgrades have been introduced for "Textbooks Alignment" and "Standards" under the "Instructor" tab.

Navigation

The navigation system for Interactivate has been substantially changed. It now uses pulldown menus in the top bar to let users "jump to" a specific section of the site, to "browse" the site, or to "search" the site. In addition, a small bar below the title of every page shows the location of that page within the hierarchy of the Interactivate site.

Database-driven

The new version of Interactivate is completely database-driven. The new architecture allows the site to provide exciting new features for users, such as the search and browse functionality described above.

A Comparison of General Navigation

Feature	Interactivate 1.0	Interactivate 2.0
General Navigation	Navigation bar contained at the bottom of most pages linking Student page, Activities index, Dictionary index, Interactivate home page, Lesson index. Discussion index, Site Map, Teacher page.	A drop down menu allowing you to jump directly to all index pages plus textbook and standards listings. A drop down menu allowing you to browse with branching by broad subject, specific topic, audience, and / or resourse type. A textbox allowing you to identify resource by keywords that may relate to resources you seek. A "breadcumb" navigation feature that shows the path of links to the current page and is located toward the top left of the screen. For example: Yet another search textbox that allows you to narrow the Search Results by keyword if the list is too long to look through: .
Browsing	N/A	The new Browse feature helps you find materials suited to your needs by initially selecting from a drop down menu broad subject, specific topic, audience, and / or resource type. Links to resource matching your selection will appear in the lower half of the page. After the initial selection from the drop down menu you can pare down the list by continuing to select from the choices left over from the menu.
Searching	N/A	Simply type in keywords in the Search textbox and the links to resources matching your search will appear in the lower half of the page.
Home page links to:	Teacher's section, Student's section, Lessons index, Elementary related lessons and activities index, What's New page, Activities index, Dictionary index, Tools index, Site index, Featured Activity	Same pages as Interactivate 1.0 A drop down menu allowing you to jump directly to all index pages plus textbook and standards listings. A drop down menu allowing you to browse with branching by broad subject, specific topic, audience, and / or resourse type.

A Comparison of Navigation from Main Index Pages

Feature	Interactivate 1.0	Interactivate 2.0
Locate activity index	Link on the navigation bar at the bottom of most pages	Select Activities from the drop down menu located at top of all pages. Note however, that it may be easier to find a specific resource by using the Browse or Search features (also located at the top of all pages).
Locate lesson index	Link on the navigation bar at the bottom of most pages	Select Lessons from the down menu located at top of all pages. Note however, that it may be easier to find a specific resource by using the Browse or Search features (also located at the top of all pages).
Locate discussion index	Link on the navigation bar at the bottom of most pages	Select Discussions from the down menu located at the top of all pages. Note however, that it may be eaier to find a specific resource by using the Browse or Search features (also located at the top of all pages).
Locate standards index	Home page ->->Standards drop down menu. Note the Standards indices only link to lessons not activities.	Select Standards from the drop down menu located at top of all pages. Note the Standards indices only link to lessons not activities.
Locate dictionary index	Link on the navigation bar at the bottom of most pages	Select Dictionary from the drop down menu located at the top of all pages
Locate tools index	Link on the navigation bar at the bottom of most pages	Select Tools from the drop down menu located at the top of all pages.
Locate textbook index that links to related lessons	Home Page ->->Textbook drop down menu. Note that this listing links only to lessons.	Select Textbooks from the drop down menu located at the top of all pages. Note that this listing links to both activities and lessons.
Locate textbook sections related to a specific activity	Specific Activity->Why?->Textbook Link	Specific Activity->Instructor tab->Textbooks Aligned: drop down menu.
Locate standards related to a specific activity	Specific Activity->Why?	Specific Activity->Instructor tab-> Standards drop down menu. (Similar to Textbooks above. As of the date this was written this feature is not yet implemented.)
Locate other supporting resources for an activity	An Activity's What? page contains links to other related Activities, Discussions, and Worksheets for that Activity. As well, the What? page gives a brief description of the mathematics used in the Activity. An Activity's How? page explains how to use the Activity. An Activity's Why? page contains all of the same links as the What? page and, in addition, contains links to related Lessons and Textbook alignments. The Why? page also gives ideas that may need to be covered prior to the use of the activity.	The Learner, Help, and Instructor tabs shown are equivalent to the What?, How?, and Why? pages from the 1.0 version. However, the Instructor tab now allows you to select related sets of standards and texts from drop down menus.
Locate textbook index that links to related activities	Home Page->->Textbook drop down menu. Note that this listing links only to activities.	Select Textbooks from the drop down menu located at the top of all pages. Note that this listing links to both activities and lessons.

A Comparison of Main Module Navigation

Feature	Interactivate 1.0	Interactivate 2.0
Activities Link to:	What? How? and Why? pages. General Navigation bar at bottom of page linking to most index pages.	Learner, Help, and Instructor pages. Jump To drop down menu, Browse feature, Search feature.
Lessons Link to:	Dictionary terms related to Lesson Activities used in the Lesson Discussions used in the Lesson Worksheets used in the Lesson General Navigation bar at bottom of the page linking to most index pages.	Dictionary terms related to Lesson Activities used in the Lesson Discussions used in the Lesson Worksheets used in the Lesson Jump to drop down menu, Browse feature, Search feature.
Discussions Link to:	Dictionary terms related to discussion General Navigation bar at bottom of page linking to most index pages.	Dictionary terms related to discussion Jump to drop down menu, Browse feature, Search feature.