Re: SharePoint file server?
Posted by Ralph on 6/18/08
I've used an older version of SharePoint both the Portal
Server and the Windows Sharepoint Services (2003). They
were packaged together, worked together, but met somewhat
different needs.
The Portal Server was used at a more generic and open level
to provide information to the entire school through web
pages in what are called "Areas".
The Windows SharePoint Services (WSS) were directed more to
individual classrooms or in Microsoft speak "workgroups"
Each teacher was given a top level site and allowed to
create their own web pages underneath using templates.
These templates provided a basic structure to each page and
then you could customize this by adding "Webparts" to those
sections. Each web part was really just a list. Again you
could choose a list type from a catalog of predefined lists
or create your own. Two of the more interesting list types
were Document Library and Image Library. With these you can
save any (with a few restrictions) file to your site.
Obviously the document library was desgined for document
files (word, excel, powerpoint, PDF, etc) and the Image
library for images.
The biggest problem I see with the SharePoint product is
that you really need to learn how to "administer" each
site. If you don't have any support, you'll have to do it
yourself and although it isn't too difficult if you're
technically inclined, it will be very difficult if you're
not trained. Most of the administration is about securing
the components of each page and the actual placing of
webparts on each page.
For instance, you want to use it to post assignments. You
will need to make sure that only you can change the entries
in the document library and everyone else can only read the
documents.
If you have a document library for students to submit
assignments, you will want to make sure that only the
student who uploaded the document can change the document or
even no one can change a document once it is uploaded.
A really nice feature is that every item in every list
marked with who created and last changed and item and the
date and time of the creation and last change.
The document libraries also have versioning, which is kind
of neat. Each time a document is changed or re-uploaded the
old one is saved and still available. This is handy again
for allowing students to change their work once it has been
uploaded but also to be able to see if they changed it after
the due date if you didn't get a chance to lock the document
library down.
Aside from the administration, it does make a fairly easy to
use tool for classroom communications and only requires a
web browser to use.
On 6/03/08, zodea wrote:
> Does anyone use this? We are getting it at my school next
> year and I am hoping it will be useful.
>
> It has been described to me as a web page for teachers
> that isn't really a web page.
>
> My goal is to put all my assignments on SharePoint so if a
> student is absent or lost an assignment they can go there
> to get it.
>
> Anyone know how time consuming this will be?
>
> zodea
Posts on this thread, including this one
- SharePoint file server?, 6/03/08, by zodea.
- Re: SharePoint file server?, 6/18/08, by Ralph.
- Re: SharePoint file server?, 8/19/08, by CB.
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