Upload Test Exercise Please Pass This Document to Your ICT Coordinator

Upload Test Exercise – Please pass this document to your ICT Coordinator

Information for ICT Coordinator:

MakeWaves is a network of online School websites used for educational purposes. It is designed for students to upload and share educational content in a secure environment. Your school has joined the MakeWaves network, and is in the process of arranging a training day. This network test exercise MUST be completed before the training day can take place.

Content on the MakeWaves site is hosted on our server. Students create programs using the Audacity software, then save the programs as mp3 files and upload them to the MakeWaves website.

The purpose of this network test is to make sure that MakeWaves can be accessed on your school network by students. Some school firewall settings can block stories playing and uploading – this test will allow us to see if this is happening in your school.

In order to use MakeWaves, students will need the following network access and permissions:

·  Access to the internet and to the MakeWaves website (http://www.makewav.es)

·  The ability to save large files on the network (at least 25MB space per student)

·  Permission to upload and download mp3 files to and from the MakeWaves site.

·  Use of a USB drive

Please work through the test then email this document back to once completed. Alternatively, fax the completed form to 0870 751 8263. If you need any help with the exercise please contact us on 0113 246 9989. Once the test is returned we will confirm a training date with your school.

To complete this test you will need to use an mp3 file, 1MB or larger.The test should take no more than 15 minutes to complete.

1.  School and Technician Details.

School Name:

School Tel:

Technical Contact:

Mobile:

Email:

2.  Basic ICT Information

1.  Do you use: PCs Macs

2.  Internet access is: Broadband Dial-up

3.  Teacher able to load files onto individual computers: Yes No

4.  Teacher able to load software onto individual computers: Yes No

5.  Teacher able to load files onto shared space for students to access: Yes No

6.  Students able to use USB drive: Yes No

7.  Students have access to the internet and the Radiowaves website: Yes No

8.  Is a network key required? If yes, enter here: Yes No

9.  Students have access to a shared area on the school network: Yes No

10.  At least 25MB network space per student to save files: Yes No

11.  Your internet service provider (ISP):

Please answer the remaining questions for computers to be used for training day

12.  Number of computers for training day (minimum is 1 per 2 trainees):

13.  Sound card and speakers / headphones on each computer: Yes No

14.  Headphone splitters available to use: Yes No

15.  Flash player 7 or higher installed on each computer: Yes No

16.  Audacity version 1.2.6 installed on each computer: Yes No

17.  Access to a data projector and speakers for trainer: Yes No

3.  Using Radiowaves – Creating a Test Story on the Radiowaves Site

1.  Login to your school network using a STUDENT login.

In your school, the MakeWaves site will usually be used by students. It is therefore very important to check that students have the necessary network permissions to use standard functions on the site.

2.  Play a Radiowaves Story

a) Go to http://www.makewav.es

b) On the homepage you will see several stories produced by schools. An example of a story is shown below.

c) Click the title to open the story.

d) On the story page click Play to listen to the story.

Did it play within 5 seconds? Yes No

Comments:

3. Download the Audio Test File

From www.makewav.es/test, download the file called Test MP3, and save it to your computer, to use at a later stage of this test. (If the file opens automatically in a media player, right click on it and select Save Target As.)

4. Login to MakeWaves

Click Login at the top of the homepage, then log in using these details:

username: networktest

password: networktest

This will take you to a test page on the MakeWaves site.

In the Things To Do menu on the right hand side, click on Make A Story.

This will take you to a page where you can create a trial radio story.

5. Add a story and mp3

a) Use the name of your school as the title of your story, and test story as your introduction.

b) Click Upload in the Audio section.

d) Click Browse and select the Test MP3 file from where you have saved it on your computer or network.

e) Write a name for your audio file, for example: Test audio

f) Click the blue ‘Save’ button

6. Uploading your mp3 file

When you click Save to add your audio file, you should see an upload bar, as follows:

Did you see the upload bar? Yes No

7. Confirming the upload

If your file has uploaded successfully, you will see it appear on your story like this:

Did your file upload successfully? Yes No

a) Click ‘Play’ to listen to your audio

Could you listen to your file? Yes No

b) Click Save on the tab at the top of the page

This completes your story.

8.  Testing Audacity is installed correctly

Is Audacity version 1.2.6 installed on all computers being used on the training day? Yes No

Note: Please do not use Audacity Beta version 1.3.12 which is unstable

You can download audacity from the Radiowaves site http://www.makewav.es/story/101436

a) Double click on the audacity icon

Does Audacity open and look like this? Yes No

b) Check the LAME encoder is installed

Click on ‘Edit’ then ‘Preferences’

Under MP3 Export Setup does it list the LAME v.3.96? Yes No

If not, download the LAME encoder from here http://www.makewav.es/story/101436

Once downloaded, click ‘Find Library on the Audacity Preferences tab and browse for the LAME encoder. This will need to be done on every machine but only needs to be done once.

Please return this form.

Email to or fax to 0870 751 8263.

Thank you for completing the Upload Test Exercise. Best of luck for your training day!

Problems completing the network test exercise? See our Frequently Asked Questions helpsheet below.

1.  I can’t view the Radiowaves site

This is most likely due to Radiowaves being blocked.

Please call your internet provider/ICT coordinator and ask them to add www.radiowaves.co.uk to your firewall white list.

2. The audio doesn’t play on the Radiowaves site

Please check that you have Macromedia Flash installed. Radiowaves will work on Macromedia/Adobe Flash 7.0+. If it is not installed please download the latest version from www.adobe.com

If this doesn’t work, please call your internet provider/ICT coordinator and ask them to add the Radiowaves media-server (http://www.radiowaves.co.uk and http://media.radiowaves.co.uk to your firewall white list. The audio streams, using Flash over port 80.

3. I can’t upload an mp3 to the Radiowaves site

This is most likely due to the Radiowaves media server or mp3s being blocked.

Please call your internet provider/ICT coordinator and ask them to ensure that the following conditions are in place:

The Radiowaves media-server (media.radiowaves.co.uk) has been added to your firewall white list.

Mp3s must be allowed over port 80 using http post to the Radiowaves media server (media.radiowaves.co.uk).

Any Questions?

Call Radiowaves on 0113 246 9989 or email