Setting Levels of Use
I have existing subjects in UTSOnline. How can I change them to the levels I want to use?
- Level 1 - course/ subject information only
- Level 2 - information plus unmoderated discussion board
- Level 3 - information plus moderated discussion board with a statement reflecting the level of teacher response in the discussion boards
- Can I change the level during semester?
For Level 1
1. Let students know of the proposed level of use in your subject.
A good way of doing this is to post an Announcement in UTSOnline (you may wish to make this a permanent announcement). Here is one example:
In this subject UTSOnline is used at level 1 and is for communicating information only.
UTSOnline will be used to support your studies as follows (delete those that do not apply):
- announcements about this subject will be posted by the subject co-ordinator or lecturers
- to provide electronic copies of the subject outline, lecture notes, PowerPoint slides or subject documents
- to provide links to other digital resources and websites
- for sending and receiving emails between tutors, lecturers and students
2. Disable features in UTSOnline that will not be used in Level 1.
For example:
- Discussion Board
- Groups
- Virtual Chat
Here you will find some step by step instructions for making these areas unavailable to students.
3. Let students know whether you will use the Gradebook to communicate their grades to them and/or the Digital Drop Box for them to submit their assignments electronically.
Add a message about this into the Announcements.
4. Provide resources to students to help them to use UTSOnline at Level 1.
For Level 2
1. Let students know of the proposed level of use in your subject.
A good way of doing this is to post an Announcement in UTSOnline (you may wish to make this a permanent announcement). Here is one example:
In this subject UTSOnline is used at level 2 for communicating information and for facilitating un-moderated discussions.
The lecturer or tutor will not respond to questions or comments made on the discussion boards, but you may use the discussion board facility to talk with other students as you wish.
UTSOnline will be used to support your studies as follows (delete those that do not apply):
- announcements about this subject will be posted by the subject co-ordinator or lecturers
- to provide electronic copies of the subject outline, lecture notes, PowerPoint slides or subject documents
- to provide links to other digital resources and websites
- for sending and receiving emails between tutors, lecturers and students
- to talk with other students about your studies and share resources or ideas
- to use the group area to work with other students on a group task or assignment
2. Add Discussion forums on the Discussion Board and include a message that these forums will not be moderated by a lecturer or tutor.
Examples of two possible forums to add to the discussion board are:
Student Discussions
This is a forum where students can have discussions about their studies with other students. NOTE: the discussion is un-moderated so a lecturer or tutor will not be responding to your postings.Resources
A place where students can share ideas and resources that relate to their studies or professional interests with other students.
3. Let students know whether you will use the Gradebook to communicate their grades to them and/or the Digital Drop Box for them to submit their assignments electronically.
Add a message about this into the Announcements.
4. Make resources available to students to help them to use UTSOnline at Level 2
For Level 3
1. Let students know of the proposed level of use in your subject.
A good way of doing this is to post an Announcement in UTSOnline (you may wish to make this a permanent announcement). Here is one example (including some suggestions for the turn-around time for response to student questions which will need to be set by staff):
In this subject UTSOnline is used at level 3 for communicating information and moderated discussions.
The lecturer or tutor will respond to any questions in the 'Please Answer My Question' forum within 2 hours, 1 day, 2 days, 1 week (on working days).
Examples of the ways UTSOnline could be used to support your studies include (delete those that do not apply):
- announcements about this subject will be posted by the subject co-ordinator or lecturers
- to provide electronic copies of the subject outline, lecture notes, PowerPoint slides or subject documents
- to provide links to other digital resources and websites
- for sending and receiving emails between tutors, lecturers and students
- to talk with other students about your studies and share resources or ideas
- to use the group area to work with other students on a group task or assignment
- to ask the lecturer/tutor questions about assessments or subject requirements
- to engage in required online discussions (eg debates, critiquing readings)
2. Let students know whether you will use the Gradebook to communicate their grades to them and/or the Digital Drop Box for them to submit their assignments electronically.
Add a message about this into the Announcements.
3. Make resources available to students to help them to use UTSOnline at Level 3.
Can I change the level during semester?
Yes you can!
A level of use is only an initial framework for a UTSOnline subject area with certain features enabled.
When a new UTSOnline subject area is set up for a level, staff still have access to all Instructor rights. So, everything that comes with the UTSOnline subject area can be edited, removed, added, renamed, made not visible via the Control Panel.
If you change the level of use during semester (or at another time) then let students know by adding an Announcement about the new level. Adding the student resources to help them use that new level is also a good idea.