Tag Archives: turningpoint anywhere

Jumped the Shark

Turning Technologies will last a few more seasons, but Fall 2014 will be the year when they jumped the shark.  It’s too close to the advent of newer methods of student responses for such a large hiccup.  Really a shame they couldn’t have gone out more peacefully.

I’m happy to say that it is supposed to work much better this spring. (Installing the new version on my computer as we speak.)  You can check to see if you have the newest version by opening up your application, then clicking on the TurningPoint Cloud logo at the bottom on the screen.  A window will appear and one of the buttons is Check for Updates.

 

fonz

 

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checklist of Turning Technology Cloud woes

We use clickers with an LMS – namely Blackboard (9.1.110082.0).

  • When you use an LMS, you need to register your online Turning Technology account with your school email address and indicate that you are either an instructor or a student.
  • Once registered as a student you can not start the TurningPoint Cloud program.  So, if you have to use clickers for a class – and you have to run the software because you are a TA, you will need to use a non-university email to register as an instructor. You won’t be able to sync anything like your roster, because the email address isn’t associated with your LMS.
  • No explanation has been giving for why allowing students to run the program is such a bad thing.
  • Once registered as an instructor, you can not register a clicker.
  • The instructions for how to use your license code that come in the box with a new clicker, contain instructions that are for students that do not use an LMS.  Following them can result in needing Turning Technologies’s support people to assist.
  • Courses that have rosters of more than 400 people cannot successfully connect with the Turning Technologies server without experiencing a time out. This goes for downloading the participant list and also for uploading grades. Turning Technologies currently is manually delivering the participant lists to our instructors via a support account that has been entered into those classes as a TA or Instructor. They are working on this and need to fix it. Fixed by software update from company. On the other hand, maybe not.  they are blaming our Blackboard “trafficking” on server time out issues.
  • Courses with large enrollments also getting server errors when attempting to start responseware. Fixed by software update from company. ??
  • During the first two days of class, students were receiving messages when trying to register saying that the code was invalid – but this was only because their server was over welmed. Apparently it was actually taking the license.  If a student tried again later, they would get a this code has already been used error.
  • Due to the tightening of security on the turningpoint system, session files and participant lists can no longer just be shared with another person by dragging it out of the folder and attaching to an email or shared drive space. (Note course coordinators!) These files must now be exported with a password that you then share with whomever you want to be able to open the file.
  • Also note previous post: https://you.stonybrook.edu/jadams/2014/08/26/turningpoint-cloud-is-damaged-and-cant-be-opened-you-should-move-it-to-the-trash/
  • There is no longer a  lookup device IDs for students who have registered in the Cloud only.  I used to use the Device ID lookup tool quite often to assist with Lost and Found devices.
  • Using RemotePoll for remote clicker sessions (we use it mostly for courses where we have more students than we can fit into one room. In this case we would stream the video into a second room and setup remote poll so that the students in the overflow room can still participate with the clickers), is now only between two windows machines over direct IP.  It used to have to be on a windows box in the remote room, but could be mac on the presenter machine.

I will update this as issues are resolved. Our classes started on 8/25/14.

“TurningPoint Cloud” is damaged and can’t be opened. You should move it to the Trash.

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If you are getting this error when trying to run TurningPoint Cloud from a USB stick on a Mac; here is your solution:

Normally, when you download software from the internet and open it, the message below will appear.

This message is not being displayed and causing the damaged error you are seeing due to a default Security setting on the Mac.

image002

 

To resolve this, I had to access Security & Privacy and do the following: 

1.         Click the Lock
2.         Enter machine password
3.         Select “Anywhere” radio button
4.         Click the Lock

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Turning Technologies Open House

Turning Technologies, maker of the student response system, TurningPoint Cloud, will be here to demonstrate and discuss the new version of their software. Feel free to drop in at anytime.

8/27/14 – Melville Library Classroom A – 9:00am – 12:00pm

FAQ — when getting your participant list through TurningPoint Cloud – the server address at Stony Brook University is https://blackboard.stonybrook.edu

 

 

Just so you know what we are sending…

This letter went out to all SBU students that had previously registered clickers (and were registered for class in the Fall 14 semester) from within our Blackboard system:

Dear Student

As a previously registered clicker user you are receiving this code so that you can have a free Turning Account and ResponseWare license which will last without further payment for 4 years (48 months).

This license code is for you, do not share this with anyone else.

To Create an Account and Activate License:

Create an Account and Register Devices:
1. Log into https://blackboard.stonybrook.edu – go into any course, then Tools -> Turning Account Registration. You will be taken to the Turning Account Registration website.
2. Complete the necessary fields below Sign Up and click Create Account.
3. Complete additional information and click Save.
4. Sign in with Username and password.
5. Click License tab.
6. Click Purchase.
7. Enter 4SBU and submit.
8. Enter your license code: fakecode
9. Click Redeem.

Any questions can be directed to our Technical Support Team at support@turningtechnologies.com or 866.746.3015.

Detailed instructions are attached as well

You need to create an account if you are an instructor using clickers.

If you are a student buying a new clicker – the box should contain a code so that there is no charge to create an account.

If you are a student and have an existing registered clicker and are registered for the fall 2014 semester – you will be receiving a code via e-mail at your stonybrook.edu account. This code will get you a account and a year of responseware free. Do not pay for an account.

This is the link to sign-up for a new turningpoint account:

http://account.turningtechnologies.com/