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Western Online FAQ

• How do I activate my course(s)?
• How do I set the start and end dates for my course(s)?
• How do I email all of my students?
• How do I cross-list multiple sections of a course?
• Why are there people enrolled in my course or not enrolled in my course that should or should not be?
• Why am I not seeing my courses in my course list?
• Why is there another instructors name in the title of my course?
• How do I copy content from one course to another?
• What is the difference between the role switch demo student and the zzz demo student in the classlist?
• How do I add a TA or co-instructor to my course(s)?
• Why can't I see the Calendar widget when viewing as the demo student?
• How can I see a list of my students in a course?
• How can I export my roster?

• How can I give a student with special needs more time on a quiz?
• How do I delete a students quiz attempt?
• How do I upload a test bank?
• How do I create and link a grade item in the grade book to my quiz?

• How do I create a grade category?
• How do I delete a grade category?
• How do I create a grade item?
• How do I delete a grade item?
• How do I enter grades?
• What is the difference between the Final Calculated Grade and the Final Adjusted Grade?
• How do I tell the system which final grade (calculated or adjusted) to release?
• How do I release the final grades to my students?

For more information on the grade book, please see the grade book tutorial on our tutorials page at http://www.wiu.edu/CITR/resources/tutorials.sphp

• How do I create a learning module?
• How do I delete a learning module?
• How do I upload a file to a learning module?
• How do I show/hide a learning module?
• How do I show/hide a topic?

• What is the difference between a forum and a topic?
• What is the difference between the visibility and locking options?

 

 

 

How do I activate my course(s)?

• Find the course in your My Courses widget on the system home page.
• Click the Pencil icon to the right of the course title. This will take into the course and to the Course Offering Information page.
• About half way down the page under Active put a check next to Course is Active.
• Click Save.

Note: If your course is active and the Course has start date and Course has end date are note checked, students will automatically have access to the course. To set your start and end dates see How do I set the start and end dates for my course(s)

 

How do I set the start and end dates for my course(s)?

• Find the course in your My Courses widget on the system home page.
• Click the Pencil icon to the right of the course title. This will take into the course and to the Course Offering Information page.
• Start Date: Place a check next to Course has start date. Click the Select Date calendar icon and choose a new date. Use the drop down menus to change the time.
• End Date: Place a check next to Course has end date. Click the Select Date calendar icon and choose a new date. Use the drop down menus to change the time.
• Click Save.

How do I email all of my students?

• Click Communication and choose Email.
• Click Compose.
• Click Address Book.
• Click the Filter By drop down menu and choose the course you want to email.
• Check off all the names of the students you want to email.
• Click To.
• Click Add Recipients.
• Compose your message and click Send.

How do I cross-list multiple sections of a course?

• To have multiple sections of a course cross-listed into one course please contact the uTech help desk at 298.2704.

Why are there people enrolled in my course or not enrolled in my course that should or should not be?

• For enrollment issues please contact the uTech help desk at 298.2704.

Why am I not seeing my courses in my course list?

• Please contact the rigistrars office at 298.1891 to double check that you are listed as the intructor of record.

Why is there another instructors name in the title of my course?

You may notice that course names in your course list may occasionally show a different section or instructor name. The reason is that the course names are created only once (on first import to WesternOnline) and are never changed after that, and the course may have previously been assigned to another individual or had a different section number. Courses are not rename automatically because Instructors are free to rename the course, and if a course is renamed automatically after first creation, it may potentially overwrite a course name that was changed by an instructor.

Your courses in your course list should be correct. If you see a course in your WesternOnline course list with the wrong name, you can rename it. Here's how:

• Find the course in your My Courses widget on the system home page.
• Click the Pencil icon to the right of the course title. This will take into the course and to the Course Offering Information page.
• Change the title in the Course Offering Name text box
• Click Save

How do I copy content from one course to another?

• From within your blank course (the course you want to copy the content into) click Edit Course in the nav bar.
• Click Import / Export / Copy Components under the Site Resources section.
• Under the What would you like to do? section the Copy Components from Another Org Unit and Include protected resources options will be selected by default. Leave these options selected.
• Click Start.
• Under the Copy the selected course components from section, choose the course you want to copy the content from using the Existing Offering drop down menu. Wait a moment for the next window to appear automatically.
• Under the Choose Components to Copy section click Select All Components, or you can pick and choose which components to copy (Please note that if you only choose Content, this will bring over your learning modules. However, if you do not choose Course Files then the links in your learning modules will not work).
• Click Continue.
• Next Confirm Components to Copy and click Finish.
• Wait for all components to copy successfully. Each component will have a green check mark next to it indicating that it is finished. Click Done. Now all content has been copied over to the new course section.

What is the difference between the role switch demo student and the zzz demo student in the classlist?

The Demo Student role switch is not the same as the zzz demo student in the classlist. By doing the role switch you are simply getting a view of the course as a student would see it. However, you are still in as an instructor and cannot do thing like take quizzes. To view the course as the zzz demo student you have to Impersonate that demo student. Here's how:

• Click Communication (or Grade Tools) in the nav bar and choose Classlist.
• At the bottom of the list you will see a zzz Student, zzz Demo. Click the drop down arrow and choose Impersonate.
• It will ask you to confirm, click Yes. At this point you are completely out of the class as an instructor and in as a real student role. So you can do things like take quizzes and see the grades in the grade book that you have entered for the zzz demo student.
• To get back to your instructor role you need to click the zzz Student drop down menu located at the very top right of the screen choose Restore.

How do I add a TA or co-instructor to my course(s)?

• In your course click on Communication in the nav bar and choose Classlist.
• Click Add Participants and choose Add existing users.
• Type in the persons name in the Search For text box.
• Click the magnifying glass.
• Click to put a check next to their name.
• Select the role you want them to have from the Select a Role drop down menu.
• Select the course section from the Section drop down menu.
• Click Enroll Selected Users at the bottom.
• Click Done.

Why can't I see the Calendar widget when viewing as the demo student?

• There is a bug where instructors are able to go through the calendar while impersonating the demo student and get to other peoples courses. So the calendar widget has been turned off for the demo student only. The calendar will appear to your students.

How can I see a list of my students in a course?

• Click Communication (or Grade Tools) in the nav bar and choose Classlist.

How can I export my roster?

D2L does not have a way to export from the Classlist. However, you can export the grade book and just uncheck all of the grade items. Here's how:

• Click Grade Tools in the nav bar and choose Grades.
• Click Enter Grades.
• Click Export.
• Under Export Options click Username, Last Name, First Name.
• Under Choose Grades to Export uncheck all grade items.
• Click Export to Excel.

 

How can I give a student with special needs more time on a quiz?

• Click Assessments on the nav bar and choose Quizzes.
• Click on the quiz to go into it.
• Click the Restrictions tab.
• Select Allow selected users special access to this quiz under the Advanced Availability section.
• Click the Add User to Special Access button.
• Set the date and time you want to give to the student(s).
• Place a check next to the student(s) you want to have the special access.
• Click the Add Special Access button.
• Click Save to save your changes.

How do I delete a students quiz attempt?

• Click Assessments on the nav bar and choose Quizzes.
• Click on the quiz to go into it.
• To the right of the quiz title at the top click the drop arrow and choose Grade.
• Find the student in the list and click to put a check next to their Attempt 1.
• Click the trash can icon to delete the attempt.

How do I upload a test bank?

• Click Edit Course in the nav bar.
• Click the Import/Export/Copy Components link.
• Choose Import Components.
• Choose from a file.
• Click Choose File and select the .zip file.
• Click Next.
• Click Next again.
• Under Select Components to Import choose Select all Components.
• Click Next.
• Click Next again.
• When it finishes click Next again.

How do I create and link a grade item in the grade book to my quiz?

• Click Assessments in the nav bar and choose Quizzes.
• Click on the quiz to edit it.
• In the Properties tab under the Grade Item section click the [add grade item] link.
• A window will open. Give the grade item a name (same name as the quiz).
• Type in the Max. Points.
• Click Save to close the window.
• Under Auto Export to Grades (below the Grade Item) check allow automatic export to grades.
• Under Automatic Grade check allow attempt to be set as graded immediately upon completion.
• Scroll down and click Save and Close.

 

How do I create a grade category?

• Click Grade Tools in the nav bar and choose Grades.
• Click Manage Grades at the top.
• Click the New button and choose Category.
• Give the category a name.
• Click Save and Close.

How do I delete a grade category?

• Click Grade Tools in the nav bar and choose Grades.
• Click Manage Grades at the top.
• Click the More Actions drop down menu and choose Delete.
• Place a check next to the category you want to delete.
• Click the Delete button at the bottom.
• In the Confirmation pop up window that appears click the Delete button. Note: This will also delete any grade items in the category.

How do I create a grade item?

• Click Grade Tools in the nav bar and choose Grades.
• Click Manage Grades at the top.
• Click the New button and choose Item.
• Click on the type of grade item you want to create (i.e. Numeric).
• Give the grade item a name.
• Under Max. Points type in the total possible points.
• Click Save and Close.

How do I delete a grade item?

• Click Grade Tools in the nav bar and choose Grades.
• Click Manage Grades at the top.
• Click the More Actions drop down menu and choose Delete.
• Place a check next to the item(s) you want to delete.
• Click the Delete button at the bottom.
• In the Confirmation pop up window that appears click the Delete button.

How do I enter grades?

By User

• Click Grade Tools in the nav bar and choose Grades.
• Click Enter Grades along the top.
• Click on a students name in the list.
• Enter the grades and click Save at the bottom.

By Category

• Click Grade Tools in the nav bar and choose Grades.
• Under the Manage Grades area click the drop arrow for the category and choose Enter Grades.
• Under the Enter Grades area click the drop arrow for the category and choose Enter Grades.
• Enter the grades and click Save at the bottom.

By Grade Item

• Click Grade Tools in the nav bar and choose Grades.
• Under the Manage Grades area click the drop arrow for the item and choose Enter Grades.
• Under the Enter Grades area click the drop arrow for the item and choose Enter Grades.
• Enter the grades and click Save at the bottom.

What is the difference between the Final Calculated Grade and the Final Adjusted Grade?

• The final calculated grade is calculated by adding the total points a user earns. You cannot adjust it to accommodate special circumstances without editing individual grade items or categories and recalculating the total.
• The adjusted final grade enables you to modify or adjust a users’ grade before releasing it.
• You can only release one or the other.

How do I tell the system which final grade (calculated or adjusted) to release?

• Click on Grade Tools in the nav bar and choose Grades.
• Click the Settings link located on the upper right.
• Click the Calculation Options tab.
• Choose the one you want to release under the Final Grade Released section. Note: This does not actually release the grade to the students.
• Click Save.

How do I release the final grades to my students?

• Click Grade Tools in the nav bar and choose Grades.
• In the Manage Grades area click the drop arrow for the Final Calculated Grade (or Final Adjusted Grade) item and choose Enter Grades.
• Place a check for each student in the Release Final Calculated Grade column located on the right Note: If you have chosen to release the Final Adjusted Grade item in your grade settings, than this will say Release Final Adjusted Grade.
• Click Save.

 

How do I create a learning module?

• Click Resources in the nav bar and choose Content.
• Click Add a module... under the Table of Contents on the left.
• Type in a name for the module and hit Enter on your keyboard. The module will appear under the Table of Contents on the left.

How do I delete a learning module?

• Click Resources in the nav bar and choose Content.
• Click to select the module you want to delete under the Table of Contents on the left.
• Click More Actions and choose Delete Module

How do I upload a file to a module?

• Click Resources in the nav bar and choose Content.
• Click to select the module you want to add a file to under the Table of Contents on the left.
• Click New and choose Upload Files.
• In the window that appears choose My Computer and click Upload.
• Navigate to the file and click Done.

How do I show/hide a learning module?

• Click Resources in the nav bar and choose Content.
• Click to select the module you want to hide under the Table of Contents on the left.
• Click the Published/Draft drop down menu. Draft = Hide, Published = Show.

How do I show/hide a topic?

Any discussion, quiz, file you upload, etc. that you put into a learning module are called Topics.

• Click Resources in the nav bar and choose Content.
• Click to select the module that contains the topic you want to hide under the Table of Contents on the left.
• Click the drop arrow to the right of the topic title and choose Edit Properties.
• Click the Published/Draft drop down menu. Draft = Hide, Published = Show.

Discussion Tool

 

What is the difference between a Forum and a Topic?

• A Forum is a category. Every discussion topic is required to go into a forum. You can have multiple forums or you can create one forum and put all discussion topics in it.
• A Topic is an actual discussion. This is what you and your studetns will post to.

What is the difference between the visibility and locking options?

• The Visibility option allows you to show or hide the discussion topic. If the topic is visible but not locked then students are able to post to it.
• The Locking option allows you to show the topic but prohibit anyone from posting to it. If the topic is visible but locked, then students can see it as well as any posts but cannot post to it.

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