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Testing of beta-functionality

Hannah

Before new plugins and features are released to production, they are extensively tested in the field with some of our users. Are you a teacher looking to contribute to innovating education? Here is a manual on how we organise our testing process. 

We distinguish between: 

Beta plugins

Beta plugins are new tools. An example is Discussion Assignment (beta). This tool is developed in co-creation with MITx as a Dotank project and is now in the stage of being validated. A description as well as setup manual will follow soon, these are not available yet for most beta plugins or features. For more information about one specific beta plugin, please contact our support through email or via the intercom.  
To test a beta plugin, the plugin needs to be integrated in the LMS your institution is using (Canvas, Blackboard, Brightspace etc.). To make this happen the LMS functional management department can contact the FeedbackFruits contact person and/or read up on the LTI manual and appendix in which the URLs and details on how to make the integration are described.
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Feature flagged (beta) functionality

These are features that are part of a production tool. The tool is used by many users, but the new functionality stays hidden for most of them. Only users who specifically want to try a beta feature, will be able to use the functionality after getting in touch with the Partner Success Manager or our support through email or intercom. We will raise the flag of the feature, only for the user that requested this. Information about flagged features can be found in release notes and we are aiming to publish articles online soon after released to beta. If this is not yet the case, please ask our support for more information. 

If you or your teacher supporter is a so called assigned 'super-user', an assignment with beta functionality enabled can be made without having to contact us. If a user is a super-user, then all available beta functionality is enabled for this user at all times. See below an extensive explanation of how this works. 

Beta modules

Beta modules are features that can be added to a production tool, but are not available through feature flagging. Beta modules are not available for super-users right away. If you can't find more information on a specific beta module in the Help Center, please contact our support. Beta modules can be added to an assignment, after you have configured a new FeedbackFruits assignment. Contact our support and hand in your request by stating the name of the assignment and mailadres of your account (not needed when contacted through intercom). Our support team will add the module to your existing assignment.

How does the 'super-user' concept work?
The super-user can make a learning activity with a beta feature. Other teachers enrolled in this learning activity then can make use of this feature as well. In this example below Anonymity-beta can be enabled in the Peer Feedback plugin. 

Edit-mode view for super-user (leaving anonymity disabled).

When enabling this option, the other teachers enrolled in this learning activity see this option in the edit-mode. When the super-user leaves the beta-feature disabled, other teachers will not see this option in the edit-mode.
Meaning the super-user can still set up learning activities for anyone without 'spreading' beta-functionality amongst teachers that are not interested in working with it.

Edit-mode view for teacher with anonymity disabled.

Enabling this feature than shows the following in edit-mode for all teachers enrolled in this learning activity. 

This concludes the Testing of beta-functionality article.
If you have any questions or experience a technical issue, please contact our friendly support team by clicking on the blue chat button (Note: support is available 24h every weekday & unavailable on the weekend).

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