ClassBot was designed by the Classroom Management team to make it easier to run classes in #ubuntu-classroom. It automates several tasks that previously were required to be performed manually.

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 do not begin the line with QUESTION:, ClassBot will not recognize it, and your question will most likely not get answered.

Instructor Interaction

Automatic Tasks

Channel Topic

Using the Learning Events Calendar, ClassBot will update the /topic in #ubuntu-classroom and #ubuntu-classroom-chat to contain information about the current session. Currently, this information includes the session title, names of the instructors, and the event (if present).

Channel Moderation

By default, classroom sessions are not moderated (-m). This means that anyone is able to talk in #ubuntu-classroom. However, if the session is part of an event (if it contains an Event: field on the calendar), it will be moderated by default (+m). During a moderated session, users are encouraged to join #ubuntu-classroom-chat, where they can ask questions and comment on the current session.

The 'Moderated:' field in the calendar can be used to change this default behavior. If you are leading a session, please let a member of the Classroom Management Team know whether you would like the channel to be moderated or not moderated, and they will take care of making the necessary changes on the calendar.

Voicing Instructors

All instructors will automatically be voiced in both #ubuntu-classroom and #ubuntu-classroom-chat at the start of their session. They will also automatically be devoiced at the end of the session.

Session Helpers

Some instructors prefer to have session helpers to assist with processing questions that are asked in #ubuntu-classroom-chat. Session Helpers have access to the same ClassBot features as Instructors. The only difference between an Instructor and a Session Helper (as far as ClassBot is concerned) is that Session Helpers will not appear the /topic.

Slides

If your class utilizes the slide feature in Lernid, ClassBot will announce the URL of the slides at the start of the session in both #ubuntu-classroom and #ubuntu-classroom-chat. It will also add a link to the slides in the /topic of those channels.

Instructor Commands

The following commands can be used by instructors (or session helpers) to interact with the bot. They must be sent via private message to ClassBot.

Question Handling

!question / !q

Issuing this command to ClassBot will allow you to review the next question in the queue. You can then accept the question with !yes or reject the question with !no [comment].

!yes / !y

Replying !yes or !y after ClassBot has shown you a question for review (after doing !question) will post the question to #ubuntu-classroom for everyone to see. You can then proceed to answer the question.

!no / !n [comment]

Replying !no or !n after ClassBot has shown you a question for review (after doing !question) will reject the question. If you include an optional comment, (i.e.: !no This is not a support class. Please join #ubuntu for support.) ClassBot will send your comment to the user in #ubuntu-classroom-chat.

A question can be rejected if:

• the question is not relevant to the current 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

Depending on the type of session you are running, ClassBot may or may not moderate #ubuntu-classroom by default. You can easily change if the channel is moderated or not.

!moderate / !m

The !moderate command can be used to quickly and easily toggle whether #ubuntu-classroom is moderated (+m) or not (-m).

Bugs and Feature Requests

If you run into any issues with ClassBot, or have any suggestions on ways to improve it, please file a bug!