Educational Technology Services

Instructors

General

eLearning Procedures

Account Access to eLearning

Students

A student can log into eLearning until approximately one year after the student leaves the university. (Please Note – Student access to academic courses in eLearning is restricted to the semester in which the course runs. For example, a student enrolled in a Fall 2022 course can access this course in eLearning during the Fall 2022 semester.)

Faculty & Staff

HR will determine if a faculty/staff member who is leaving the university requires continued access to web applications (including eLearning). If HR determines this access is needed, the user can log into eLearning until approximately three years after leaving the university.

Retirees

HR will determine if a retiree requires continued access to web applications (including eLearning). If HR determines this access is needed, the user can log into eLearning for an unspecified period of time (determined by HR or the department).
Section Creation

eLearning sections are automatically created for every academic class, typically around two months prior to the semester start. An announcement will be sent out to all faculty when a semester's sections have been created and are available to faculty.
Cross-list/Combining eLearning Sections
Instructors have the ability to merge/combine two or more sections together in eLearning. Instances in which sections can be merged include (but are not limited to):
- Cross-listed classes
  Example: CS/CE 1301.001 -- Students who are CS majors get credit for CS 1301; students who are CE majors get credit for CE 1301.
- Teaching several sections of one class
  Example: BIOL 1101.001/002/003/501 -- Instructor teaches four sections of the same class; however, she does not want to create content four times, so she merges her sections into one in eLearning.
- Orion-Combined (Cross-Listed) Courses: Courses that are listed as combined/cross-listed in Orion (e.g. CE/CS 2305.001) will automatically be merged in eLearning, typically around one month prior to the start of the semester.
Merge Course Tool: If you're teaching multiple sections of the same course (e.g. ACCT 6334.001 and ACCT 6334.002), you can use the Merge Course Tool to manually merge these courses in eLearning. This tool will become available approximately one month prior to the start of the semester. TUTORIAL: How to use the Merge Course Tool

Edit Existing Merged Course: If you would like to change an existing merge, please submit the Change Existing Course Merge form.
Archived eLearning Course Policy

eLearning sections will remain on the server and be available to instructors for four semesters. Each section will be available for the semester it is offered, plus three semesters (For instance, a Fall 2010 offering would be available for Fall 2010, Spring 2011, Summer 2011 and Fall 2011. In other words, it will be available until the end of the Fall 2011 semester).

The sections will then be removed from the server and retained as archived files for an additional three semesters. These archived files will not be readily accessible by instructors, but can be restored by the eLearning office if necessary (for grade disputes, etc.). After this period, the sections will be permanently deleted (a fall 2010 course would be deleted after the fall 2012 semester).
Course Access Policy
Certain roles in eLearning are reserved for users who have that same role in Orion. These roles are:
- Instructors
- Teaching Assistants
- Students
- Auditors
INSTRUCTIONS: How to add TA to course in Orion

If an instructor needs to add a user to their course in eLearning (and that user is not associated with the course in Orion), the instructor must submit an ADD USER form. In the form they will have the option to select any one of five additional roles listed below.

All requests are subject to approval from the Registrar.
- VISITOR
  - Cannot access the Control Panel.
  - Grades are not recorded in the Grade Center.
- UG TEACHING INTERN
  - Cannot access the Control Panel.
  - Grades are not recorded in the Grade Center.
  - Can post announcements.
- COURSE BUILDER
  - Can upload/edit/delete content (i.e. files, assignments, syllabi, Content Collection, etc.).
  - Can access the Control Panel and view/edit Tests.
  - Cannot access the Grade Center or grade student submissions.
- GRADER
  - Can access the Grade Center and grade Student submissions.
  - Can access the Control Panel and view/edit Tests.
  - Cannot upload/edit/delete content (i.e. files, assignments, syllabi, Content Collection, etc.).
- COURSE COORDINATOR
  - Has most of the functionality of the Instructor role.
  - Name is not listed under the course on the eLearning Homepage. In other words, students will not see this user’s name listed alongside the instructors’ name/s.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at elearning@utdallas.edu.
Course Extension for Incompletes

When a new semester starts, students will no longer have access to the previous semester courses. For any students who need to complete a previous semester course with an “Incomplete” grade, the instructor of the record can submit this Course Extension for Incompletes Request.
Course Early Opening

All eLearning courses will be accessible to students at the first day of the semester. If any instructors would like to make their courses available to students prior to the first day of the semester, they can submit this Course Early Open Request. PLEASE NOTE: courses can only be opened up to one month prior to the semester start.

Teaching Online FAQ

How long does it take to create a course?

A fully developed 2 or 3 credit-hour online course designed with the assistance of the UTD eLearning instructional designers takes two full semesters to develop. Instructors will spend most of their time during the first semester on developing materials. (See estimated development time breakdown below.) Courses may be scheduled or developed in one of three course development cycles. These cycles typically kick off a few weeks after the first day of classes each semester.

Activity	Number of materials	Estimated Time for each	Total time
Syllabus	1	4 hours	4 hours
Development of learning objectives	30	10 min	5 hours
Textbook selection	1	1 hour	1 hour
20-minute lecture	18	4 hours	72 hours
20-minute preproduced video	3	1 hour	3 hours
Assignment	3	4 hours	12 hours
Test	2	4 hours	8 hours
Self quiz	10	30 min	5 hours
Development of discussion board questions	10	5 min	1 hour
Review materials	68	-	13 hours
Upload materials	68	-	5 hours
Total			128.5 hours

How much technology will I have to learn to develop a course?

For courses that are developed with the assistance of instructional designers, the UTD eLearning Team will take care of the technology. All you have to do is to provide the content and assessments.
Where do I go for assistance developing my online content?

If you need assistance, please contact elearning@utdallas.edu.
How do I record a lecture?

Faculty developing online content can record lecture audio many ways. It is recommended that audio be recorded using the UTD eLearning production studio located in the Jindal School of Management; however, if this option is not utilized, it is strongly recommended that faculty record content in a quiet location with no background noise (i.e. phones ringing, dogs barking, etc.). UTD has a site license for the screen video capture software Camtasia, which is very useful in recording, editing, and producing lecture content. (View list of resources available for faculty use.) Please contact elearning@utdallas.edu if you have any questions, need assistance, or would like more information.
Do I need a teaching assistant?

The eLearning Team has TAs available who are trained on all technical aspects of recording, editing and reviewing your lectures. With the TA focusing on the equipment operation and monitoring of audio levels, you will be free to concentrate on the delivery of content. When the course gets offered, we strongly recommend having your own TA assisting you in teaching the online course.
How do I schedule time for live recording in the studio?

Contact elearning@utdallas.edu. It is recommended that you give as much advance notice as possible because the studio is scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Is there a way to conduct a virtual class?

You can conduct a virtual class session via webconferencing. UTD provides a free webconferencing tool to all faculty - Blackboard Collaborate. Please check the Resources for Instructors page or email elearning@utdallas.edu for more information. By connecting a microphone to the computer, your students can hear you speak while simultaneously viewing what you share on the virtual whiteboard or what is on your computer desktop (i.e. PowerPoint, web pages and computer programs). Students may ask questions and interact with each other as well.
How do I conduct a proctored exam?

You will have to determine a testing window and make reservation with the Testing Center using online exam reservation form. For paper exam, you will submit your exam electronically as an MS Word or PDF file. Please see the Testing Center Guideline for Faculty on the Testing Center home page. Students will take the exams at a pre-approved testing facility (coordinated with the UTD Testing Center). Hard copies of the exams will be returned to you for grading. (View proctored exam procedures for students.)

Instructors

General

eLearning Procedures

Students

Faculty & Staff

Retirees

Teaching Online FAQ