Instructor Semester Checklist
From CLEW Wiki
Contents |
Checklist for Starting a Semester
We look forward to working with you on your CLEW sites each term. Following the suggestions below will ensure that your CLEW sites are ready for use when the semester begins.
Request a Course Site
All instructors wishing to use CLEW must request a course site each term. Although sites from previous semesters can be copied for the upcoming semester, course sites must be renewed for each new class. You may request a site at http://www.uwindsor.ca/newclew or on the CLEW Gateway page http://clew.uwindsor.ca at the Instructor Request a New Site link.
Launch This Site
New course sites are activated by clicking the link, "LAUNCH THIS SITE," which is visible in the upper left menu of the site. Its purpose is to enable an instructor time to prepare a course site before students have access. When the site is ready, instructors are to click the link "LAUNCH THIS SITE" to publish the site. This makes it visible to students, creates a link to the course in Class Notes, and couples the class list from the Student Information System to the site. Students who are then registered in the course will then appear in the Site Editor and Roster tools. If students withdraw from the course, they will not be visible in the site (except in the Drop Box and Discussions tools).
End of Student Access to Site
Student access to course sites ends on the first day of the following semester. Important dates for campus, including the first day of classes, are listed at http://www.uwindsor.ca/registrar under Important Dates. If you require your course site to remain open to students for two or three weeks longer, please contact clew@uwindsor.ca.
Clean-up Tool List in Site
Are there tools in the left-hand menu of your course site that you do not intend to use this semester? Use the Site Editor tool in the left-hand menu to remove tools from your site. (It's a good idea to leave Roster and Site Stats as students do not see these tools but they are very handy for instructors, site owners, and the CLEW Administrator.) Remember to include your contact information in your Syllabus, and consider using the Email Instructor tool in your site, so your students will be able to contact you in a consistent and predictable way.
Please use the navigation buttons within CLEW to move through your site, or activate/cancel the features within the tools. If you use the web browser tools, such as the back button or the refresh button, you may lose all the hard work you've just entered into your CLEW site!
For quick help at any time, use the search function in this wiki for your topic, contact the HelpDesk at helpdesk@uwindsor.ca or at ext. 4440.
You can contact clew@uwindsor.ca whenever you need one-on-one help, training, ideas, or are unsure of how CLEW might better meet your teaching and learning needs. We encourage your questions and feedback.
Online Classroom Database
Also, don’t forget to check out your classroom at http://apps.medialab.uwindsor.ca/classrooms/. This site will give you information about seating capacity, accessibility options, available audio visual equipment, and much more!
Checklist for Starting a Course
If You are Starting a New Site
- Check your Site Information to ensure it is correct. To edit, select the Site Editor link on the left-menu of your site, and select the Edit Site Information link to edit accordingly. When you request your site, the information from the University Calendar is imported into your site (Title, Description) so you shouldn't need to do much, but in the event you do want to edit information appearing, this is the way to do it.
- Add your syllabus or course outline to your site using the Syllabus tool.
- Upload materials to your site. Most instructors use the Resources or Lessons tool for the majority of their content.
- Other tools that enable uploads and attachments include Forums, Discussions, Calendar, Drop Box, Assignments so you may need to set them up as well.
- Add TAs and GAs to your site by selecting the Site Editor tool and click the Add Participants link. Only enter their UWin ID before the @uwindsor.ca part of their email address. Select the role you'd like them to have in your course. Check the Permissions and Roles page for further details.
- Set up Gradebook and / or the Feedback tool if you are planning on using these for tracking grading.
- Copy materials from other CLEW sites you might want to use by selecting the Site Editor tool and selecting the Import from Site option. Review the methods available and determine what applies to you. Then select that link, select the site you wish to import material from, and finally select which tool(s) you want material to import from. Complete by clicking Finish. Note: this method will bring in all the materials from that tool. You cannot select specific files, assignments, Gradebook Items, etc. unfortunately.
- Remember to disable any tools you do not plan on using in the semester by selecting the Site Editor tool and click the Edit Tools link to display a checklist of tools in your site. Deselect those that aren't required, and click Continue and then Finish.
- Once you are done setting up your site, click the LAUNCH THIS SITE link in the upper left menu. This will enable students who are registered in your course to enter the course site automatically. It may take a few hours for the site to become active. This will also publish a link in the Courses website for the university.
- Preview your site to see what your students are viewing by selecting the Enter Student View option in the upper right corner. To return to the instructor view, select the Exit Student View link and the interface will return you back to the instructor view.
- Consider sending out a welcoming Announcement to your students. Perhaps you might want to give tell them a bit about the course, introduce yourself, and share some tips about using your site or where you want them to start.
- A helpful place for students to get started using CLEW is available on the main page of this wiki. You can visit the Wiki Main page, right click on the link that you think would be most useful to them, select the copy option for your browser, and then in your editor for Announcements, select the link tool (looks like a globe with a chain in front of it) and paste in that link. Check that it works by previewing the announcement before you send. Remember under the Email Notification option to select High-All Participants or your students won't get your announcement.
If Duplicated from a Previous Semester
Once you have access to your new site, look through for the following:
- Review all the content in areas like Resources, Forums, Assignments, Discussions, Quizzes & Tests, Wiki, and Calendar, Lessons
- Look for:
- Correct Dates in:
- Assignments
- Quizzes & Tests if they need to be adjusted contact the LMS Administrator at clew@uwindsor.ca
- Calendar - Some entries that get updated in Assignments will be reflected in the Calendar. Add additional relevant dates or subscribe to the Academic Calendar dates.
- Correct Information
- Links are valid and working
- Confirm that the information is relevant
- Update the copyright status of Resources you've posted or contents within the Lessons tool and confirm you have permission to use the resource for the current semester with the copyright holder. More information is available at the Library hosted Copyright pages.
- Correct Dates in:
- Look for:
- Update/create your own personal introduction in the Resources, Forums or Discussions tool if you desire.
- Check that all assignments that correspond with course outline are present and have proper grading scheme
- Send a welcome Announcement
- Publish any "DRAFT" Forums/Topics in Forums or check to see there aren't any locked Discussions forums or topics or ones that need to have the visible date altered, or check publish dates in Lessons (if you are using those tools.)
If there are any issues please correct them or notify the appropriate individual.
We are constantly trying to improve the information in this Wiki.
If you notice any errors or omissions with this material, please advise the CLEW Team.
