For Teachers and Admins
The Vocareum file system is mounted in all container labs. The files within the system will serve different purposes depending on the folder in which they are placed. Creating a new file, uploading a file, deleting, and other useful functions can be accessed by right-clicking on a directory in the file system.
Folder Structure
The following sub-folders are contained within the /voc folder:
Directory | Visibility | Description |
/course | Instructor Only | This directory is common to the entire course and is available only to the grading script. |
/data | Read-only for Learners
Full access for Instructors | Place files here to make them available for learners to view, but not edit. This is the more efficient way to deliver large data sets. Every lab gets access to a read-only copy of the data. |
/docs | Read-only for Learners*
Full access for Instructors | Placing your README.md, README.html, README.txt, or README.pdf files in this directory will allow them to be presented in the learner workarea in a collapsible panel. |
/private | Instructor Only | Place necessary course content or data that does not need to be seen by the learner. For Cloud Labs, this includes policy and template files. |
/scripts | Instructor Only | This directory will contain a customizable grading script. |
/startercode | Read-only for Learners*
Full access for Instructors | Course material (such as Notebooks) placed in the startercode directory will be copied to each student's work directory. The first time a student opens their Vocareum Notebook, they will have the startercode contents available to work on. |
/work | Instructor and Learner | Individual work area for each user.
In Configure Workspace, this folder can be used to develop and test coursework, starter code, scripts, etc. for an assignment part.
In learner environments, the work folder is pre-populated with the contents of the startercode folder. |
*Hidden from learners in the file tree for Vocareum Notebook assignments, but still accessible via the terminal.
When are file updates shown to learners?
When instructors update files in Configure Workspace, the enclosing folder determines when those changes are reflected in learner environments.
Changes within folders that are read-only for learners will be reflected immediately.
The contents of a learner's own work folder are only modified under the following conditions:
Condition | Action | Affect |
First Access | Learner accesses an assignment for the first time | Current startercode contents are copied into the learner's work folder |
Reset | Learner or instructor resets the learner's workarea | All files in the learner's work folder are permanently deleted and replaced with current startercode contents |
Learner Edit | Learner edits the files in their own work folder | Changes are autosaved every 10 seconds |
Instructor Edit | Instructor accesses the learner's workarea via the Class page and edits the learner's files directly | Changes are autosaved every 10 seconds |