Semester Start Tasks for Online Instructors

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Task #1: Locate your upcoming course

In your Moodle site navigation menu, you’ll see the “Dashboard” tab. Once selected, you’ll find a list of all your courses under Course Overview. On your filtering options, select the first dropdown, and select “Future”.

Task #2: Import your course content into the empty shell

Use the importing page to assist you with importing content into your course. If you import your material into the wrong course, or you import your material twice by accident, please contact someone in the eLearning Department.

Task #3: Update/check your course

Update your due dates
You may find the Edit All Dates page useful to complete this task.

Update your syllabus
Ensure all syllabus information is current and accurate. Ask yourself a few questions:

    • Is your textbook the correct version?
    • Are your grading directions accurate and match your Moodle gradebook setup?
    • Do you have an updated attendance policy statement (cannot miss two consecutive weeks plus your own policies)?
    • Have you included all the instructions you want to students to know for your course?

Read you syllabus over at least once. Ask your Department Chair to look at it if you think any important items are missing.

Update/check your faculty block
Ensure your your faculty information is up to day and that there are no additional faculty blocks left over in the course if you imported

Check all external course links
Ensure all your external course links are working. Update or remove broken links.

Setup/check your gradebook
Ensure your gradebook is setup correctly. Use the grading with points and grading with weights guides.

Task #4: Update/check Orientation Quiz

eLearning supplies an Orientation Quiz every semester in your template. This quiz should not be removed or replaced when building your course! The only thing that should be updated for that quiz is the due date to align with your 10% (census) date. So, if you teach a course that is not 16-weeks, you MUST update your orientation quiz due date to the proper date. It is vital students complete this assignment as this is how the College receives funding.

If you have personalized questions or wish to create an orientation assignment of your own, feel free to do so separately from the pre-built orientation quiz we’ve added in your template.

Task #5: Check your class enrollments

Moodle enrollments typically start on the weekend prior to the start of the semester. In your course, click on the Participants link on the left side menu. You will see a list of all enrolled students. Students are enrolled and dropped automatically. When you assign a grade of DR or NA, the student will be removed from the course after turning in the grade. Please make sure you add the Blocked Student role to the student in your course in the meantime.

If you need to enroll another instructor in your course, please refer to the Add a Teacher page. After the course begins, check your participants list often. It will also show you the last time the students accessed the course.

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Task #6: Make Course available on first day of class (NOT Before!)

If you teach an online course, you must make the course available on the first day of the semester. Read Course Visibility

Task #7: Upload your Syllabus into CX Manager

You must upload your syllabus to CX Manager once it is complete. Go to the For Faculty and Staff link at the bottom of the Sandhills Homepage. Click the CX Manager link and login. Choose the Syllabi Management link and upload your syllabus. If you do not see this option, submit a ticket to ITS.

Task #8: Upload your 10% Report

After the 10% date of the semester, you must upload your orientation quiz logs to the Online 10% Rosters area of CX Manager. To complete your 10% report, follow the directions here.

Task #9: Teach

The final task is the best part: Teach your class! Remember to respond promptly to student emails and phone calls. Post announcements, give feedback in a timely manner, keep an eye on the gradebook and reach out to struggling students.The first few weeks in your online course are critical for student success.

If you run into any technical difficulties with your online course, or have general Moodle questions, please reach out to eLearning for assistance.