Community User Guide

Community User Guide

The ACTFL Online Community is the exclusive online networking tool where language educators can ask advice, share expertise, and connect with other members. Below are steps to help you get started.

 

How to Login

  1. Go to http://community.actfl.org/home and click the “Sign In” button in the top right corner.
  2. You will then be redirected to the member login page on the ACTFL website. Enter your ACTFL member login information. If you do not know your login credentials, click “forgot username,” or “forgot password” in the login box. Not yet a member? Click “create an account” to get started.
  3. When logging into the ACTFL Community for the first time, you will be asked to read and sign the “code of conduct.”

 

Update Profile Information


To update your profile, click the drop down menu in the top right corner and select “Profile.” Here, you can add an image and update your email subscription preferences. You also will be able to add a biography, educational background, job history and much more!

 

 

Have a LinkedIn profile? 
Automatically pull over your information by selecting “Import from LinkedIn” in your profile. Not on LinkedIn? You can still manually upload a photo and enter your information.

 

Join a Community

To join a new community, click “Communities” and select “All Communities.” 

 

 

Once inside the Community list, from the second drop down, choose “Communities I can join.” This will populate a list of all the Communities you are eligible to join. 


 

Start a Discussion

Hover over the “Participate” tab and click on “Post Message.” This will start a new discussion.

 

Reply to a Discussion

There are two ways to reply to a discussion.

  • Reply – Reply to the original post and is visible to everyone in the group. This option will post a reply directly under the original post. In general, we recommend you select this option, unless you’re providing sensitive information or a personal message. This option will automatically add your account to "follow" the discussion and receive any responses to your post.
  • Reply Privately – Reply privately to the original sender through a private message.  This option will send your reply only to the person who posted the message to which you are replying. This option is appropriate when sending a simple “thank you” or similar message that is intended only for the sender.
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Following a thread
By utilizing the "reply" option, you will automatically be subscribed to the thread and follow it. To unfollow, once inside the post, click the blue star next to the title of the thread and it should switch to an outline which will signify you are no longer subscribed to the thread. Please note, the following thread option enables real-time emails of the discussion and overrides any current communication settings.

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Accessing Library Documents and Uploads
In each Community, there is a library where uploads and documents are stored. There are two ways to access these documents. First, in the Community home screen, on the right side are the latest shared files. Click "more" to access previous uploads
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The second way to access the library is at the top of the Community:
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Community libraries may have sub-folders to organize the content by topic area.

Email Reply and Community Notification Email Settings

In your profile, under the "My Account" options, you can manage your notification settings under the "Community Notifications" option. This will give you control over how you'd like to receive emails that contain a summary of posts in your Communities. There are currently five subscription options:

  • Real Time: You will receive the messages to your inbox as they are posted.
  • Daily Digest: You will receive one email per day, combining all of the posts made to that specific community for that day.
  • No Email Notifications: You will not receive discussion notifications via email. However, you can still read and reply to messages online.
  • Plain Text: You will receive an email in plain text as discussions are posted.
  • Consolidated Digest: You will receive on email per day, combining all of the posts made in all the communities you are a member of.

We strongly encourage you to opt for the "daily digest" or the "consolidated digest" option so you do not miss anything that has happened on the community.

  

To change subscription settings, click the drop-down arrow in the top right corner and select “Profile.”  

Next, click “My Account” and select “Community Notifications.”


A list will show of all the communities you currently belong to, and your current email settings for each individual community.

 

How to Find Members (members only)

Members have access to a special member directory. You can build your contact list using the directory. When you click on the Directory tab, you are taken to the Find a Member page. Search by first or last name, company name or email address. You can also do an advanced search if you have specific criteria you are looking for. 


 

Adding Members as Contacts

Once you find the member(s) you are looking for, you can add them as a contact. Adding contacts creates an organized list in your profile where you can easily access who you are looking for. To add a member, click on the button at the right where it says “Add as Contact”. That member is now saved in your contact list.

 

Benefits of Adding Contacts

  • From your profile, you have quick access to your contacts’ profile information and the ability to send private messages faster.
  • Other members can see who your contacts are, which helps you connect with more members.

 

Need Additional Help?

Please contact membership@actfl.org for further assistance.