The weblogger is designed to allow a faculty member to track who has accessed a particular page in a password-protected web folder. This service would be particularly valuable to an instructor of a computer based, independent-study course who needs to confirm that students have accessed important pages such as the course syllabus or critical readings and assignments.
Multiple pages in the same directory can be logged.
To use the weblogger, you will need to request your class alias and add this service. This process is initiated at: https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/acctmgr/calias/index.html
Be sure that you:
Once you have requested the weblog service, ITSS will place several files in the directory you specify. Please do not delete or move these files unless you no longer wish to use this service.
To use the weblogger service, you need to apply a template to your page. This template contains a notice to your students regarding the recording of private information as well as the HTML code that allows the process to function.
To receive a copy of this template, please contact Bruce Reeves at 6831 or Shelly McCauley Jugovich at 6862.
Keep in mind that the page you want logged MUST be in the same directory that you specified when you requested this service.
Since you are tracking information about people, you need to notify users that you are gathering information on these web pages. This notice should be given as early as possible, preferably BEFORE they click on the link that takes them to the first logged page.
We have created a customized privacy statement for use in sites that use the weblogger. A brief notification regarding the recording of access as well as the link to the weblogger privacy statement is given as part of the weblogger template.
You may view the weblogger privacy statement itself at: http://www.d.umn.edu/itss/FacultyWebServices/UMD_Course_Templates/WL_privacy_statement.html
The weblog can only be accessed by the faculty member who requested the service and any TA's added to the list by the faculty member. This is done by accessing the program "show.cgi" which is located in the directory where the weblog is located.
You can access the weblog via your web browser. The URL will have the format: http://www.d.umn.edu/~youraccount/classalias/logged_access/show.cgi
For example, for bjohnson's course itss1000-99, the URL would be:
http//www.d.umn.edu/~bjohnson/itss1000-99/logged_access/show.cgi
For convenience, you can create a bookmark for this URL.
If an error occurs, such as a student attempting to view the weblog file, you will be sent an email message. Please forward a copy of that message to Shelly McCauley Jugovich at smccaule@d.umn.edu.
Note: the weblog file can become quite large, and there is no provision for restricting its size or deleting it automatically. Since it is a simple text file, it will be far smaller than graphics or videos, but you will be charged for the storage space.