Harmonize for Students

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Overview
• How to Access Harmonize, Due Dates, and Tips for Short Videos
  • Access & Browser Permissions
  • Two Due Dates & Notifications
  • Recording Short Videos with a Narration over a Slide Deck (Easiest way)
• Introduction Videos
• Harmonize Posting Options
• Milestones/Multiple Due Dates
• Additional Resources & Support

Overview

Harmonize is a robust multi-media collaboration and discussion tool that resembles popular social applications. Please watch the videos below for an introduction to the tool and view this Getting Started with Harmonize document before using Harmonize.

How to Access Harmonize, Due Dates, and Tips for Short Videos

Access & Browser Permissions

When you open an assignment that is using Harmonize, you will scroll down to the bottom of the assignment and see a gray information box with a link inside. The text above it says: "This tool needs to be loaded in a new browser window." Click the link in the gray box to open Harmonize and begin your assignment. If the instructor has separated the class into groups, you will only see your group activity in this new window. You will not need to go to the groups area of Canvas.

Please Note: Harmonize is accessed via Canvas but relies on your browser for certain permissions. Browsers ask permission to access your camera and microphone, many browsers only ask once and it can be easy to miss - if you experience any issues when trying to use your camera or microphone in Harmonize, please check the settings in the browser. We link to pages below that show you step-by-step how to check these settings depending on which browser you like to use.

• Chrome: Use your camera and microphone in Chrome
• Firefox: How to manage your camera and microphone permissions with Firefox
• Safari: Change Websites settings in Safari on Mac
• Edge: Windows camera, microphone, and privacy

Two Due Dates & Notifications

Harmonize assignments usually have two due dates, one for the original post and one for leaving comments on a peer's work. Harmonize due dates automatically sync with your Canvas calendar. You can locate these two due dates via your Canvas to-do list and the Canvas calendar. The two due dates will not appear in the Grades section. You are responsible for keeping track of all due dates for Harmonize assignments. If you have questions, please ask your instructor. We recommend reviewing the module assignments at the beginning of the week and turning on Harmonize notifications.

Recording Short Videos with a Narration over a Slide Deck (Easiest way)

Harmonize has a built-in screen recording button that records your microphone and screen.  When you click the screen record button in Harmonize, this allows you to easily narrate a PowerPoint slideshow or a Google slide deck for a presentation, by sharing your screen and speaking while you click through the slide deck. Please see "Screen Record for Presentations" below for a video tutorial on how to use this screen record feature. 

Introduction Videos

Creating a Post ( ~2 minutes)

Commenting on a Post (~1 minute)

Screen Record for Presentations (~3.5 Minutes)

We find this is the best way to share narrated slideshows in Harmonize. Please watch the video below to see an easy way to share slides and speak over your slide show or photo.

Harmonize Posting Options

When you enter a Harmonize Discussion you will be asked to + Add a Post.  A Post can be made up of several different media elements, layered one on top of the next, such as text and an image, or text and a screen recording, and then a link. You can continue to add layers to your post until you are happy with it. Select publish for your peers to view your post and interact with your content.

The options to add as a layer to your post are as follows: Add Text, Add Code, Add an Image, Add a Link, Record a Video, Record Audio, Record your screen, Schedule a Meeting, Add a Poll, and Annotate.

Please note: To annotate on/comment directly on specific media another student shared you will see a box below the picture or video that says “Respond by Drawing”. This will generate a copy of the original media for you to comment or annotate on. 

Please note: The video in Harmonize counts down automatically from 5:00 minutes (or whatever time frame your instructor has selected). If you record on your mobile device and plan to upload to Harmonize, you will want to lower your video resolution on your mobile device so you can easily upload.

The following icons can be helpful when you are inside a Harmonize discussion. They will be found near the instructions of the assignment in the top right: 

Watch Topic - Toggle this button on for an assignment to be notified when any activity occurs 

Your activity - This button will allow you to view all the activity you have had in an assignment 

Box with outward arrows - Enlarge screen to full screen for easier viewing of posts.

Milestones/Multiple Due Dates

To confirm that your post and comments to other students were published, we recommend double-checking your to-do list and the milestone progress bars at the top of the Harmonize screen. (Picture of filled progress bars below)

Both progress bars will be green, filled, and checked off, if you have met all of the assignment requirements. Additionally, any requirements that remain incomplete will still appear on your Canvas to-do list and your Canvas Calendar.

You can always confirm the current status of your discussion contributions by selecting the "Your Activity" button in Harmonize to view all published discussion activity as well as totals, along with Milestone completion status.

Troubleshooting tip: If you have left two comments to two peers' posts but are not seeing the second milestone as green, full, and completed with the checkmark, we recommend double-checking your two comments to see if they are replies to the original main post of a peer or if they are, in fact, comments to other comments in the thread. For both comments to count towards the milestone in Harmonize, please select the reply button attached to the original post.

Additional Resources & Support

• Screen Record in Harmonize
• Setting Notification Preferences
• Setting up your Harmonize Profile
• Creating Image, Video, and PDF annotation
• Supported Browsers and Apps

For support with Harmonize, please reach out to your instructor and let them know you have experienced an issue, and then email us at online-learning-help@sas.upenn.edu.