Course Coordinator User Guide

Watch a Video: Adding and Removing TAs from Your Course 

This guide provides a thorough overview and how-to instructions of the core functionalities of the Vantage Coordinator role. If you have any questions or issues while working in the Coordinator role, reach out to Sage’s LMS Support team for assistance ([email protected]). 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Coordinator Dashboard Overview
  •     1. Templates Tab
    • Create a New Template
    • Edit a Template
    • How to Turn a Course into a Template
    • Create a Template from a Course
    • Search Templates
  • 2. Courses Tab
    • Create Courses from a Template
    • Search for a Course
    • Change an Instructor or Teaching Assistant
  • 3. Instructor Tab
    • General Guidelines & Reminders
    • Create a New Instructor
    • Search for Instructor

Coordinator Dashboard Overview

From the Coordinator Dashboard, you can access the Templates, Courses, and Instructors tabs. The dashboard defaults to the Templates tab.

Here is a brief overview of what you can do from each tab:

1. Templates: From the Templates tab, you can create and edit Vantage course templates; Turn Vantage courses into templates to create multiple courses; View all templates created in their departments.
2. Courses: From the Courses tab, you can create multiple copies of a template (up to 25 at time); Assign and un-assign courses to instructors in your approved departments for your institution; Assign and un-assign teaching assistants; View basic course information.
3. Instructors: From the Instructors tab, you can search for existing approved Vantage instructors in your assigned departments at your institution; Create new Vantage instructor accounts for the departments you manage.

Before you can start creating and assigning your Vantage courses to an instructor, you must create a template. Once you have created a course template, you may create courses using that template and assign them to instructors. You can add instructors during course copy/creation or afterwards, as you have the option to leave courses unassigned.

    1. Templates Tab

From the Templates tab, you can: 

• Create and edit Vantage course templates.
• Turn Vantage courses into templates to create multiple courses.
• View all templates created in their departments.

You have two options for creating templates:

1. Select “CREATE TEMPLATE” to build your template from scratch and follow creation steps. OR
2. Select “CREATE TEMPLATE FROM COURSE” to copy an existing Vantage course from a Vantage user within your department.

TIP: You can always edit your templates once they have been created by selecting the “Edit” button for the template that needs changes.

Create a New Template

Select CREATE TEMPLATE and complete the "Template Information" page. 

In the drop-down menus, select your institution and department. Then search for the Vantage text title or discipline. You will also need to create a Template Name.

Fill out the "Gradebook & Assignment Settings" page.

Choose whether or not to accept late assignments and if you wish to assign short answer questions and Critical Thinking Checks.

Fill out the "Assignment Details" page as desired. For each chapter you are able to select due dates and even preview assignments. 

Finish Template Creation by reviewing the settings and selecting "Complete."

Note your Template ID once you have successfully created your template.

Edit a Template

You can edit your templates at any time from the Templates tab. Selecting “EDIT” next to the template you wish to change will take you to the global settings screen where you can make alterations at three levels.

In the Template Details you can edit the Template name, Section Name, Start and End Dates, Time Zone, and Description.

In Gradebook Settings, selecting the edit icon will take you to the global Gradebook Settings where you can change the overall setting for Chapter Test, Knowledge Checks, Critical Thinking Checks, and Multimedia Activities. 

In Assignment Details, selecting the edit icon will take you to the Assignments page where you can adjust due dates and assignments.

Select "Save" when you are finished editing your template.

How to Turn a Course into a Template

You have the option to turn Vantage courses from instructors within your approved departments into Templates. All that is required is the Course ID of the course you wish to create a Template from. Once the course has been converted into a template, you can create multiple copies and assign them.

Create a Template from a Course

Select “CREATE TEMPLATE FROM COURSE.”

In the Search box, enter the Course ID of the course you want to turn into a template and click the magnifying glass icon.

If the course is found, select "Yes, Create Template from Course."

Make any edits to the global settings, and save your changes.

Search Templates

Search for existing Templates using either the Course ID, Short Name, or Full Name. Type in the "Search for Template" box and click the magnifying glass icon.

2. Courses Tab

From the Courses tab, you can create multiple copies of a template (up to 25 at time), assign and un-assign courses to instructors and teaching assistants in your approved departments at their institution, and view basic course information.

Create Courses from a Template

Select “CREATE COURSES FROM TEMPLATE.”

On the Template Selection page, use the "Select a template to copy" drop-down menu to make your choice.

Select the number of copies you would like to create and select "CONTINUE." You may create up to 25 at a time.

On the New Courses screen, you can edit the Course Name, Section, Start/End Date, and assign a course to an instructor. 

Tip: Courses cannot have identical names. Either the Name, Section name, and/or Start/End Date must be unique for all courses copied from this template.

At the bottom of the page, make sure to select "COMPLETE" to finish and save your new courses.

Search for a Course

From the Courses Tab, you can search for courses by either the Course ID or the Course Name.

Change an Instructor or Teaching Assistant

You can change, assign, or un-assign a course to an instructor and add or delete a teaching assistant in your approved department(s) if they already have a Vantage account (which can be checked on the Instructor Tab).

From the Courses Tab, select "Instructor" or “Teaching Assistant.”

Enter the email address of the instructor you want to change, assign or un-assign a course to or the teaching assistant you want to add or delete.

Select either the "Save" button/icon or the “UNASSIGN COURSE”/delete icon.

3. Instructor Tab

From the Instructors tab, you can search for existing approved Vantage instructors in your assigned departments at your institution and create new Vantage instructor accounts for the departments you manage.

General Guidelines & Reminders

You can create new Vantage instructors for the departments that are associated with your account.

If you cannot find an existing instructor when you search on them,

• They do not have a Vantage account and need to have one created,
• The instructor you are searching for is associated with another department. (Reach out to our LMS Support team ([email protected]) to fix the issue.)
• The instructor has never logged into Vantage but has an account. Have the instructor reset their password and log into Vantage. Then you can assign a course to them.

If you have any issues finding or creating instructor accounts, reach out to your primary Sage contact for assistance.

Create a New Instructor

From the Instructor’s tab, select the “CREATE INSTRUCTOR” button.

On the "Let's Get Started Page," enter the instructor's email address and select "Register."

Complete the "You are creating a new instructor account" form for Title, First Name, Last Name, Department, and select “Register.”

Search for Instructor

In the "Search for Instructor" search box, enter the First Name, Last Name, or Email to confirm if an instructor exists for your department and then select Enter.