In an effort to make running a session in the Ubuntu Classroom easier, the Classroom Team has introduced our new bot, ClassBot. ClassBot will automate some of the tasks that need to be done to run a classroom session.

User Interaction

Asking Question

To ask a question, you need to be in #ubuntu-classroom-chat and ask your question in the following format:

question: <question>

Where <question> is your actual question. If you don't begin the line with question: ClassBot will not recognize it.

Instructor Interaction

Automatic Tasks

Channel Topic

The ClassBot will parse from the iCalendar schedule the name of the current session as well as the instructor and change the topic in both #ubuntu-classroom and #ubuntu-classroom-chat to reflect the session that is in progress. This is done automatically with no interaction needed from the instructor. To do this however, your session must be in the iCalendar. If it is not on the iCalendar, please contact a member of the Classroom Management Team to get it added.

Channel Moderation

The default setting for any classroom session is now for #ubuntu-classroom to be moderated. This can easily be changed if the instructor does not want the channel moderated.

Granting Voice to Instructor

All instructors that are listed for a class on the iCalendar will automatically be granted voice in both #ubuntu-classroom and #ubuntu-classroom-chat at the sessions start time as listed on the iCalendar. The instructors will also automatically be devoiced at the end of the scheduled session.

Bot Commands

The following commands can be used to interact with the bot. They can ONLY be entered via private message, and are only authorized to the current session leader as defined by the iCalendar.

Question Handling

!question / !q

Issuing this command to ClassBot will provide a reply from the bot that shows the next question in the queue. The instructor can then accept the question !yes or reject the question !no [comment].

!yes / !y

Replying !yes or !y after ClassBot has shown the question for review will send the question to #ubuntu-classroom for the instructor to answer.

!no / !n [comment]

Replying !no or !n will reject a question that has been asked. If you reply with a comment (!no this is not a support class. Please join #ubuntu for support) ClassBot will send your comment to the user in #ubuntu-classroom-chat.

Rejections can be done if:

• the question is not relevant to the session
• the question is a support question that is not appropriate for the classroom setting
• the question will be answered later in the session

#ubuntu-classroom moderation

By default, and time a session is scheduled in #ubuntu-classroom, the channel will set to moderated by ClassBot. This can easily be changed by the instructor(s) listed in the iCalendar event.

!moderate / !m

If you do not want your class to be moderated, then PM ClassBot with !moderate or !m and it will toggle off moderation of #ubuntu-classroom. If you decide that you want the class to be moderated again, just PM !moderate or !m to ClassBot again.

Bugs and Feature Requests