Using Selective Release

Selective Release is a feature that allows you to make an item (link, quiz, etc.) available to certain students based on certain criteria.

Selective Release of Links on the Navigation Bar
Use this action to specify to whom and on which dates you want a link to appear on the Navigation Bar.

• From the Homepage, select Designer Options, and then either click the bottom link or scroll to the bottom of the page.
• Click Change Course Settings. The Change Settings screen appears.
• Under Navigation Bar, click Go. The Edit Navigation Bar screen appears.
• Select the option button for the link you wish to selectively release.
• Under Modify selected link, select Specify selective release and click Go. The Edit link screen appears.
• To choose which students you want to release the link to, click Select beside Release to. The Member Selection window opens, containing a table of all students registered in the course.
• Select the student(s) to whom you want the link to be available by clicking the check box(es) in the
  Status column. Click Update. The Edit link screen appears.
• Specify the criteria on which you want the release to be based:
  • Release based on allows you to choose such criteria as name, userID, or by the results of a
    submitted assignment or quiz. Select your criteria from the drop-down boxes.
  • Release after allows you to select the date after which you want the link to be available.
  • Release until allows you to specify the date on which the link will no longer be available.
• To apply the changes, click Update.

Selective Release of Links on the HomePage

• From the Homepage, select Designer Options.
• Click in the radio button next to the item you want to select.
• Scroll down and from the right choose Specify Selective Release. Click Go. Change the settings as shown below as desired.

Selective Release of Quizzes

• Enter the quiz area from your homepage (click on the link on the homepage or navigation bar).
• Click on Designer Options.
• Choose Edit Quizzes/Surveys.
• Choose the quiz on the left and click Edit, Go on the right.
• From the right, choose Quiz Settings, and click Go.
• Scroll down til you see the Selective Release options and change as desired.

Note: I had such troubles the first time I used this feature. I had first made the link on the homepage Hidden, and then I was trying to release it to one student. Hidden means it is hidden for everyone, regardless of the release settings. So be sure the item you're trying to release to a student is available to them first! Learn from my mistake! - Janine.

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Instructional Tips for Selective Release

• Use Selective Release to individualize instructions for students. Release links and items that pertain just to the student(s) who need it so as not to confuse the other students.
• Create a pretest and post-test for units of instruction. Use selective release to do a pretest that is automatically graded and students only the score, not the answers. Then the lesson icon shows up after they've taken the pretest and they go through the lesson. When students have finished the lesson, the post-test link appears.