Cengage Learning Online Learning Platform User Guide

CONTENTS
INSTRUCTOR REGISTRATION GUIDE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .VII
GETTING STARTED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
SYSTEM SETUP FOR CENGAGENOWV2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
REGISTRATION AND SIGN‐IN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Registering as a New User . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Signing In as a Returning User . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Adding Titles to Your Resource Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
As a live, Web­based program, CengageNOWv2 is regularly updated
with new features and improvements. Please refer to the
CengageNOWv2 online Help for the most current information.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. i
Contents
USING THE HOME PAGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
USING THE ACTIONS TABLE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Actions Table Columns. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
SETTING UP QUICK LINKS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
USING THE HEADER LINKS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Using the Student View/Instructor View Toggle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Basic Calculator. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Sign Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
MANAGING COURSES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
SETTING UP COURSES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Creating and Managing Course Folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Building a Course Manually . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Copying an Existing Course . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Importing a Course. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Using Your Course/Section Created Page. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Creating Course Sections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015
Contents
MODIFYING COURSES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Editing Course Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Using the Courses and Sections Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Setting the Courses Page Display Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Using the CengageNOWv2 Clipboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Viewing Your Course Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
USER ENROLLMENT OPTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Setting Up Student Self‐Enrollment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
CREATING AND MANAGING ASSIGNMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
USING THE ASSIGNMENTS PAGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Uploading Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Advanced Assignment Page Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
CREATING ASSIGNMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Assignment Types Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Starting the Assignment Creation Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
CREATING HOMEWORK OR TEST ASSIGNMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Question Filtering Options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Creating and Editing Pools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
CREATING ADAPTIVE STUDY PLANS ASSIGNMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
CREATING READING ASSIGNMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
CREATING EXTERNAL ASSIGNMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015
Contents
CHOOSING ASSIGNMENT OPTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Creating and Managing Option Sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
USING THE ASSIGNMENT CREATED/SUMMARY PAGES . . . . . . . . . 115
EDITING ASSIGNMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Editing content in Homework or Test assignments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Editing assignment dates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Managing Content in ASP assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Modifying item point values in Homework or Test assignments . . . . . . . 121
Editing External assignments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
ARCHIVING COURSES AND ASSIGNMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Using the Archived Materials Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Archiving Your Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Retrieving Archived Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Copying Items from Archived Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Deleting Archived Items. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
MANAGING GRADES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
GRADEBOOK TERMINOLOGY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
USING THE GRADEBOOK OVERVIEW PAGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Basic Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Gradebook Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Filtering Gradebook Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Using an External Gradebook Column . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Creating and Editing Custom Grading Categories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015
Contents
EDITING GRADE DETAILS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Editing Scores in External and ASP Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Editing Scores in Homework and Test Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Adjusting Multiple Assignment Scores . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
USING THE STUDENT GRADE DETAILS PAGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
EDITING ASSIGNMENT DETAILS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Assignment Details Page Basic Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Assignment Details Page Advanced Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
QUERYING STUDENT DATA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Sending a Search Results Email . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
CUSTOMIZING ASSIGNMENT OPTIONS FOR SPECIFIC STUDENTS . . . 174
EXPORTING A COURSE GRADEBOOK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
GRADE REPORTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Using Custom Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
USING GRADEBOOK ANALYTICS REPORTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Using the Gradebook Analytics > Class Aggregate Reports . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Using the Analytics Student Reports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015
Contents
MANAGING USER ENROLLMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
MANUALLY ENROLLING INSTRUCTORS OR STUDENTS . . . . . . . . . . 196
Manually Enrolling Instructors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Manually Enrolling Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Emailing Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Enrolling Yourself as a Student . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Removing Users from a Course or Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
USING THE STUDY TOOLS PAGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
WORKING WITH STUDY TOOLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
ACCESSING CENGAGE TECHNICAL SUPPORT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Contacting Nelson Technical Support. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
CENGAGENOWV2 SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
INDEX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015
INSTRUCTOR REGISTRATION GUIDE
First Time User Registration
Adding Titles to Your Bookshelf Sign up to access all of your instructor online resources by using the Cengage Learning single sign‐on system.
1. To begin registration, go to
https://login.cengage.com
2. Under Instructor Resource Center, click New Faculty User?, then click Continue.
3. Use the Location selector to indicate your institution’s country and the page will refresh with additional fields. Enter the requested search criteria (institution type, state, city, zip code, etc.) and click Search.
4. Click Continue and enter your personal account information. Accept the License Agreement and click Register.
Your account request will go to Cengage Learning, and within 48 hours you should receive an email that your account is validated and active.
If you can’t find your institution, or need to use your account at more than one institution, please contact Technical Support. Returning User Sign­In
1. Go to https://login.cengage.com
2. Enter your account email address and password exactly and click Sign In.
3. From your Instructor Resource Center page, click the link for your text under My Course.
1. Sign in to your account at https://
login.cengage.com
2. Find the Add a product to your Instructor Resource Center text box. Enter the book’s ISBN number, Title, or Author and click Search.
3. If necessary, select any additional resources for that title and click Add selected to Instructor Resource Center.
4. The selected resources are added to your Instructor Resource Center. You can use the Products in your Instructor Resource Center menu to choose between your different books.
Creating a Course in CengageNOWv2
If you don’t already have a course or section to use, copy, or import, it’s easy to create one.
1. On the CengageNOWv2 Courses page, click Create a New Course.
2. Select Build a Course Manually and click Continue.
3. Select the textbook for the course (when available, also select the appropriate IAC title students will buy); then enter the course’s name, number, start and end dates.
4. (Optional) Link to a document or web page as your course syllabus. Choose email and Student ID preferences.
5. Click Create Course. To create a section, click the Create a Section link on the Course Created page.
Note: To access CengageNOWv2, you need at least one CengageNOWv2 title in your resource center.
Technical Support
You can click any of the Cengage Learning Technical Support links in CengageNOWv2 to open the Technical Support Knowledge Base website. Also, you can direct your browser to http://
poweron.cengage.com/magellan/TechSupport/
login.aspx. Then either Sign In or click Select Product or Learning Tool.
GETTING STARTED
Welcome to CengageNOWv2™ (CNOWv2), a newly improved version of CengageNOW. In this update you will find a streamlined assignment creation wizard, a “hands on” blank sheet of paper accounting problem type that duplicates manual forms, and a Gradebook analytics report that provides an easy to read analysis of performance data for your course, assignments, and includes comparisons of outcomes from the student to national level.
The CNOWv2 learning system supplies you with the same easy, online access to your courses, materials, and students—where you can work at your pace and on your schedule. When setting up and managing your instructional materials, you can refer to this guide for helpful information. Audience
This user guide serves as reference manual to help instructors get started using CengageNOWv2—helping with information on managing accounts, setting up courses, creating assignments, managing a gradebook, and overseeing course enrollment. The CengageNOWv2 Home Page
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 1
Getting Started
SYSTEM SETUP FOR CENGAGENOWV2
To use CengageNOWv2, all you need is an Internet connection and a computer with basic requirements running on either a Windows or Macintosh operating system. To check your computer’s compatibility with CengageNOWv2 and find links for the supported Web browsers and plug‐ins, see the “CengageNOWv2 System Requirements” on page 212.
Each time you log in, CengageNOWv2 automatically performs a system check and informs you if your computer does not meet the system requirements. You can then click an option to Enter CengageNOWv2. Once logged in, you can use the Browser Setup Help link located in the Quick Links pane of your Home page to access instructions for managing browser settings and add‐ons.
REGISTRATION AND SIGN­IN
Through the Cengage Learning single sign‐on page you can access your course resources all from one place. Once you have created an account and it is validated, you can add new materials to your online bookshelf and access CengageNOWv2 and as you wish. Through the use of a single sign‐on procedure, everything you need to teach your course is found by logging in to a single Cengage Learning website. Resource Center Sign In for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 2
CengageNOW v2 ‐ Brief Users Guide for Instructors
Getting Started
Registering as a New User
Instructors can request a Cengage account without using a Access Code from their book. You simply enter your account information online and submit it to Cengage Learning. Step
Action: To create a new account with Cengage Learning
1
Direct your browser to https://login.cengagebrain.com and click the New Faculty User? button.
2
Click Continue in the Create a Faculty Account confirmation window (click Cancel to return to the Cengage Learning Sign In page).
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 3
Getting Started
Step
Action: To create a new account with Cengage Learning
3
Use the Location drop‐down menu on the Select Your Institution page to select the country for your school.
4
Use the Search features to locate your school by various criteria such as institution type, vicinity, state, city, or postal code.
5
Select your institution and click Continue. (Click Search Again if your institution doesn’t appear.)
Note: If you are unable to find your school, please go to the Cengage Learning Contact page (http://www.cengage.com/contact/). From this site you can locate our phone number or find the contact information for a sales representative.
July 7, 2015 pg. 4
CengageNOW v2 ‐ Brief Users Guide for Instructors
Getting Started
Step
6
Action: To create a new account with Cengage Learning
Enter the required information for your new account and make a record of the password you enter for future reference.
Note: The email address you supply during account registration is used later when students contact you from within CengageNOWv2.
7
Accept the License Agreement and click Register.
Clicking Cancel returns you to the Sign In page without creating an account.
8
At this point your account is established and your information is sent to Cengage Learning for validation. In the meantime, you can begin adding resources to your Resource Center.
Within 48 hours, you should receive an email that your account is validated. Once your account is validated, you can click the link for your CengageNOWv2 course under the My Course heading, and CengageNOWv2 will open in a new browser window.
Signing In as a Returning User
Once your CengageNOWv2 instructor account is validated, you can sign in as a returning user from anywhere you have Internet access.
Step
Action: To sign in as a returning user
1
Connect to the Internet and go to: https://login.cengage.com to open the Cengage Learning Sign In page.
2
Enter your email address and password exactly and click the Sign In button to open your Instructor Resource Center.
3
If necessary, select the appropriate book from the Products in your Instructor Resource Center drop‐down menu.
Note: Select your course textbook and add it to your list of books, if necessary. You need access to at least one book or other resource before creating an online course and assignments.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 5
Getting Started
Step
Action: To sign in as a returning user
4
Under the My Course heading, click the link for your course to open CengageNOWv2 in a new browser window.
5
Your next steps depend on the type of course you are creating. See “Setting Up Courses” on page 24 for step‐by‐step instructions on creating each type of course.
Note: Generally it is recommended that instructors start with a Cengage Learning Template course that is pre‐populated with assignments. For specific instructions, see Modifying a Template Course Designed by Cengage Learning on page 50.
July 7, 2015 pg. 6
CengageNOW v2 ‐ Brief Users Guide for Instructors
Getting Started
Adding Titles to Your Resource Center
You can easily add titles to your Instructor Resource Center. You may find and add books by entering their Access Code or ISBN.
Step
Action: To add titles to your Resource Center
1
Sign in at https://login.cengage.com and go to your Instructor Resource Center page (if you have not already done so). 2
Enter the ISBN of the book to be added under Add a product to your Instructor Resource Center. (You can also search for books by Title or Author.)
3
Click the Search icon and the Selected Product page will open. Note: If you are searching by Title or Author the Search Results page may open, if necessary make the appropriate selection and click Continue.
4
(Optional) Choose from the listed resources, when multiple selections are available, and click the Add Selected to Instructor Resource Center button to return to your Resource Center. The new title should appear.
5
Confirm that you have the correct title listed and select any supplemental materials you wish to include.
6
To switch between books, simply select from your registered titles in the Products in your Instructor Resource Center drop‐down menu.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 7
Getting Started
July 7, 2015 pg. 8
CengageNOW v2 ‐ Brief Users Guide for Instructors
USING THE HOME PAGE
The CengageNOWv2 Home page is used to get a quick overview of your course status, as it supplies handy links to past‐due assignments, recently graded assignments, and assignments that require manual grading. On the right‐hand side of the Home page are customizable Quick Links that serve as shortcuts to frequently use areas in CengageNOWv2.
The CengageNOWv2 Instructor Home Page
From this page and most pages in CengageNOWv2 there are a series of links in the heading, which provide access to all the main pages in CengageNOWv2, such as Home, Courses, Users, Assignments, Gradebook, and Study Tools. See “Using the Header Links” on page 13 for more information.
Note: To conserve system resources, the Home page is updated automatically only when you first sign in. If you perform an action that may affect the status of your course or any assignments, you should click Refresh to update those changes in the Actions table.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 9
Using the Home Page
USING THE ACTIONS TABLE
The Actions table is the focal point of the Home page. It is a reference for changes in any of your assignments’ status and provides quick access to actions for tasks such as grading assignments that require manual grading, sending reminders to students about late assignments, and reviewing recently graded assignments.
If you have recently made edits elsewhere in CNOWv2, click Refresh to update the Actions table to display any changes from your current session.
You can customize the options displayed on your Home page by clicking the Edit Page link at the top of the Quick Links pane. For more details see “Setting Up Quick Links” on page 12.
The Actions Table
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 10
Using the Home Page
Actions Table Columns
You can specify the options appearing in the Actions table by clicking Edit Page. The Display Preferences page opens and allows you to choose which actions you want displayed. For more details see “Setting Up Quick Links” on page 12.
Course | Assignment
Displays the course and assignment names.
Unavailable Date
Displays the assignment’s Unavailable Date, which determines when the assignment is closed for all students in the course. “Closed” means that no student in the course is able to open a new take or previously‐unfinished take of the assignment.
Action Column
Provides quick access to frequently used commands. Click View to open the Assignment Details page. For late assignments, you can click Remind to send students a reminder email message.
Note: When several assignments appear in one of your Actions tables, a Show First 4 toggle is displayed. You can use this toggle to limit the number of listed assignments. CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 11
Using the Home Page
SETTING UP QUICK LINKS
Quick Links are shortcuts on your Home page that take you to common tasks such as creating a new assignment or course, viewing your Gradebook, or viewing your Archived Materials.
The Home Page Quick Links
You can specify the options and appearance of your Home page by clicking the Edit Page link at the top of the Quick Links pane. Clicking this link opens the Display Preferences page, where you can select from the various Quick Links, or you can also set display preferences for the type of information appearing in the Actions table.
Home Page Display Preferences
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 12
Using the Home Page
USING THE HEADER LINKS
The global navigation area at the top of most pages in CengageNOWv2 provides a convenient menu of helpful tools and options. Here you will find the links to open your Home, Courses, Assignments, Gradebook, and Study Tools pages. The link to the page you currently have in focus is highlighted in blue.
The Header Links
It’s important to always use the buttons and links provided in CengageNOWv2 to log out or go to another page. If you use your browser's Close button or Back/Forward buttons instead, you may unintentionally lose modifications from your current session.
Note: When your browser window is scaled down, the header links to your pages in CengageNOWv2 are consolidated into a single drop‐down menu .
On the top right side of most page headings in CengageNOWv2 are two buttons that provide you with help and useful resources.
Global Actions Menu
Click the person icon to access an extensive list of system Tools and Help options. Use a link below to see details on a specific system resource:
• “Using the Student View/Instructor View Toggle” on page 14
• “Preferences” on page 15
• “Basic Calculator” on page 16
• “Help” on page 17
• “Sign Out” on page 17
Cengage Technical Support Click this icon to open the Cengage Learning tech support site in a new browser window. This site contains helpful links to downloads, tutorials, a live online chat, and articles for instructors and students. See “Accessing Cengage Technical Support” on page 208 for more details.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 13
Using the Home Page
Using the Student View/Instructor View Toggle
To switch to a student’s view of the current course, click the Change to Student View link in the Global Actions Menu (person icon). This automatically enrolls you in the selected course as a student so you can see your assignments, messages, grading, and so forth as your students do. In addition, you can use this view to access the student online Help system.
To switch back to your instructor account from the student view, click the Return to Instructor View link.
Before toggling between types of accounts, you must have a course set up and selected. Also, keep in mind that you cannot be enrolled as a student in more than one section of a particular course. If you do switch to a different section and enroll (i.e., click Student View), this automatically unenrolls you from the previous section and you will lose your student‐view assignments and grades.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 14
Using the Home Page
Preferences
The Preferences link, available from the Global Actions Menu (person icon), opens a window where you can control the general appearance of your CengageNOWv2 pages and determine access to certain advanced features. When you are finished changing your preferences, click Save These Changes to keep them, or click Cancel to exit without saving. Your changes will take effect when you load a new page.
The Preferences Window
Setting display options
This setting allows you control the default appearance of all CengageNOWv2 pages with Show All Options/Hide All Options links. To show all options by default on all pages, select Show All Options. To hide any additional or expert options by default on all pages, select Hide All Options.
Selecting Hide All Options keeps additional or expert options out of the way until you need them. If you use the expert options frequently, you may want to have them shown by default. You can always change this setting manually on any page.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 15
Using the Home Page
Table length
This setting allows you to set “lengths” of 20, 50, or 100 items. For example, you can use this setting to display a list of 100 students as one page of 100 students, two pages of 50 students each, or five pages of 20 students each. The default setting is 50 items. To divide long lists of information, select the check box for Break up a table into separate pages when it contains more than the following number of entries. You can then select the number of entries per page from the adjacent drop‐down menu.
To display long lists without using pages, clear the check box.
Order of assignments in dropdown menus
This setting lets you select the default sorting method for assignment lists throughout CengageNOWv2, such as those in the Assignments and Gradebook pages. Courses that I see
Selecting this option limits the display of course folders to only those that contain courses you are teaching or enrolled in. This option affects which folders are available on the Courses page and those listed in the Course or Section drop‐down menus on the Assignments, Users, and Gradebook pages. By default, Courses that I see is set so all public folders in your institution are shown.
Basic Calculator
Clicking this link in the Global Actions Menu opens CengageNOWv2’s Basic Calculator in a pop‐up window. This provides you with quick access to a simple calculator that includes functions for addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, erasing the last digit or number, and clearing all.
Note: Students have the Basic Calculator available to them when taking a Homework or Test assignment.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 16
Using the Home Page
Help
While using CengageNOWv2, you can get online help by opening the Global Actions Menu (person icon) in the heading of almost any page. Clicking this link opens a drop‐down menu where you can select between accessing the Textual Help or the Training Videos. Clicking the Textual Help link opens the entire CengageNOWv2 Help System from its introduction, with the associated Table of Contents, Search, and Index tabs displayed. On most CengageNOWv2 pages, you can get help for specific features by clicking an adjacent help icon . When you open the CengageNOWv2 Help System by clicking one these icons, the Contents, Search, and Index tabs are hidden.
Sign Out
Use the Sign Out link in the Global Actions Menu (person icon) to close your current session. This officially logs you out of CengageNOWv2 and informs the system that you are done. If you simply close the browser window without signing out, there is a chance that you may lose unsaved work, or that your session may not terminate successfully.
Your log‐in session expires automatically after 2 hours of inactivity, however, a warning overlay will pop up to inform you when 10 minutes remain. If you are using your account normally you do not need to worry about your session expiring. Each time you click to load a new page or save an entry, your session timer resets. Be sure to sign out by clicking the Sign Out link if you need to leave your computer for an extended period.
Note: Always use the provided CengageNOWv2 buttons and links to close assignments or go to another page. If you use your browser’s Close button or Back/Forward buttons instead, you may unintentionally lose work from your current session. CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 17
MANAGING COURSES
In CengageNOWv2 your courses serve as containers used to manage and organize the assignments, grades, and other activities and information you provide for your students.
You can use the features on the Courses page to create or copy new courses and sections, use a CengageNOWv2 template to create a course with prebuilt assignments, control course access, and archive courses and course folders.
The Courses Page
Once you have one or more courses in place, you can begin creating your own assignments, enrolling students, and managing the entire class.
Note: On the Courses page, courses are indicated by a red, circular icon appearing after the course name. Sections are not marked.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 18
Managing Courses
You can find descriptions and procedures for CengageNOWv2’s primary course‐
management features in the following sections:
€ To create courses, see “Setting Up Courses” on page 19.
€ To create folders for organizing your courses, see “Creating and Managing Course Folders” on page 20.
€ To set up course access and control enrollment, see “User Enrollment Options” on page 69.
€ To manage and adapt existing courses for changing circumstances or new purposes, see “Modifying Courses” on page 59.
SETTING UP COURSES
This section covers how to set up and organize a course, along with any sections or folders that might be required. Before you can create a course, be sure to have at least one current Cengage Learning eBook registered to your instructor account. You can then create a new course in minutes, or quickly copy or import an existing course (and most of its contents) for re‐use. You have three basic processes to choose from when creating a course:
€ Build a Course Manually. Use this option to create an empty course shell. Afterwards you can populate the new course your own assignments. For details, see “Building a Course Manually” on page 33.
€ Copy an Existing Course. Use this option to either create a course from a copy of an existing course or by using one of your textbook’s template courses. During this process you can modify the course’s basic information and dates.
These types of courses are already populated with assignments. After the course is created you can add additional assignments and modify the existing assignments as needed. For details, see “Copying an Existing Course” on page 37.
€ Import a Course via a File Previously Exported from CengageNOWv2. Use this process to import and adapt a previously exported course from another CengageNOWv2 account or institution. For details, see “Importing a Course” on page 46.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 19
Managing Courses
The Choose Process Page
Depending on your school’s procedures, courses might be set up by an administrator or lead instructor, particularly for large classes with multiple sections such as discussion groups or labs. With course sections grouped under the parent course, the lead instructor can control assignment lists and grading across all of the sections. For details, see “Creating Course Sections” on page 54.
Creating and Managing Course Folders
Creating and managing your own course folders is a simple and effective way to help keep your courses and sections well organized. You can rename folders and change their file‐sharing settings to suit your needs. By organizing your courses in folders and sub‐folders, you can sort your courses and sections by class, department, and term.
When working with courses and folders you should plan the organization of your folders in advance so you can avoid moving courses around during the term. You can create folders in which to file your courses at any time, but when copying and pasting courses enrollment and syllabus information is lost.
Note: It is possible to limit your view of course folders to only those that contain courses you are teaching or in which you are enrolled. See “Preferences” on page 15 for more details.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 20
Managing Courses
Working with course folders
Function
Looks like This...
Use the Expand All or Collapse All links to either fully open or close the folder icons in the Folders window.
Use the + or ‐ icons next to specific folders to open and close them individually.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 21
Managing Courses
Function
Looks like This...
To use advanced controls, you may need to click the Show All Options/HIde All Options toggle to display the Folders drop‐down menu, which will provide the following options:
€ Archive Folder
€ Create Subfolder
€ Delete Folder
€ Import Course
€ Paste Course
€ Rename Folder
Click on folder names to view the contents. Shared course folders will display a hand icon.
Private folders may not be viewable or have limited access. Folders are created as private by default.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 22
Managing Courses
Archiving course folders
Step
Action: To archive a course folder
Archiving a course folder moves it and its contents to the Archived Materials page. You can continue to manage archived materials or return them at any time to their original working area in CengageNOWv2. See “Using the Archived Materials Page” on page 124 for details. 1
On the Courses page click Show All Options, if necessary, to display the options for Folders.
2
Select a folder in the Folders window.
3
Select Archive Folder from the Folders drop‐down menu.
4
When asked to confirm the archival, click OK.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 23
Managing Courses
Creating a course subfolder
Step
Action: To create a subfolder
1
On the Courses page click Show All Options, if necessary, to display the options for Folders.
2
Open the main Courses folder and the subfolder (if any) in which you want to place your new subfolder.
3
Select Create Subfolder from the Folders drop‐down menu.
4
Enter a name for the new subfolder in the Create a subfolder dialog box, and click OK. Your new subfolder should appear nested inside the folder you selected.
Note: If the main folder is private, you will not have the option to share its subfolders. Once the main folder is shared, you can go through and share the subfolders as well.
Note: If the main folder is private, you will not have the option to share its subfolders. Once the main folder is shared, you can go through and share the subfolders as well.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 24
Managing Courses
Deleting a folder
Step
Action: To delete a folder
You can permanently delete a folder, however, first you must archive all of the courses it contains. (To retain the contents for future use, it is recommended you archive the entire folder instead.)
1
(Optional) On the Courses page, create or select an appropriate folder in the Folders window.
2
If necessary, click the Show All Options link to display the Folders options.
3
Open the folder you want to delete and select the courses and sections it contains (if any).
4
Click Archive in the Courses and Sections drop‐down menu.
5
Select Delete Folder from the Folders drop‐down menu.
6
When asked to confirm the deletion, click OK.
Importing courses
Step
Action: To import a course
By using the Import Course option in the Folders drop‐down menu, you can quickly import a CengageNOWv2 course directly into one of your folders. You are only able to import course files exported from CNOWv2.
1
On the Courses page click Show All Options, if necessary.
2
Select Import Course from the Folders drop‐down menu and the Choose File page will open.
3
Click the Choose File button and locate the course export file (.ECX file) you would like to import, select it, and then click Open.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 25
Managing Courses
Step
4
Action: To import a course
Confirm that the correct filename appears for File to Import, and then click Continue button to open the Course Information page.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 26
Managing Courses
Step
5
Action: To import a course
If available, the Textbook field displays the textbook associated with the imported course. If there is no associated book, the field will display the Textbook drop‐down menu. You can then select the book you want to use from the menu and any associated IAC title. Note: Your textbook will not appear on the menu if you have not yet registered it, or if it has been retired by Cengage Learning. In this case, you can Cancel the new course and register the appropriate book before proceeding.
6
Update the imported Course Name.
This can match the name of the new course as it appears in your department or institution catalog. (Required)
7
Update or confirm the imported Course Number. This entry can be the number of the course as it appears in your department or institution catalog.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 27
Managing Courses
Step
Action: To import a course
8
Use the calendar widget to select the appropriate date and time for the Course starts on and Course ends on fields. (Required)
9
(Optional) Adjust the assignment dates by selecting the option to Adjust all assignment dates based on moving the start date of the first assignment to:, and then using the calendar widget to select a new date and time. Click Done when you are finished. All assignment dates in the course should now be changed relative to the new Start Date you selected for the first assignment.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 28
Managing Courses
Step
10
Action: To import a course
(Optional) If you have an updated Syllabus you want to provide for the student’s Courses page, you can link the course to an existing web page or external document.
€ Select Link to This URL to display an existing web page syllabus. Enter the entire web address, including the protocol such as http:// or https://. € Select Link to This File to display an existing syllabus document. Then click Choose File to navigate to the file, and click Open to enter the path to the file automatically.
Note: The file must be in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format, and no larger than 10 megabytes.
€ Select None if you do not intend to provide an on‐line syllabus by either of the preceding methods.
11
(Optional) When available, select the checkbox next to Allow students to send emails to the instructor while taking assignments. With this feature enabled, students can send an email from their assignment take. The email contains their message, information identifying the assignment, plus a screen capture and a link that allow you to view the specific assignment content.
12
(Optional) Select the checkbox next to Require students to provide a student ID on login if you need to set up unique and anonymous student identification for your course. When enabled, this option forces students to create their IDs.
This feature is especially useful when generating reports for large classes where it is likely that students may have similar names. You also have the ability to create and/or edit individual Student IDs from the Gradebook page.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 29
Managing Courses
Step
13
Action: To import a course
When the Course Information is complete, click Create Course.
The new course is displayed on the Course Created page. This page gives you the basic course information, the Course Key link used by students to enroll themselves, and several links for a Likely Next Step. See “Using Your Course/Section Created Page” on page 52 for more information.
14
At this point, all of the course assignments are using the option settings from the imported course.
If you need to update these options, you can go to the Assignments page and click Edit and select between editing assignment information, options, or content. If you have no further actions to take at this time, click Return to Course List.
15
(Optional) Once the course is imported, you can click the Edit link on the Courses page to open the Course Information page. From this page you can edit the course name, number, dates, or add a syllabus. See “Editing Course Information” on page 60 for more information.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 30
Managing Courses
Copying an existing course
Step
Action: To make a copy of a course
1
On the Courses page, select the checkbox next to the course or section you want to copy in the Courses and Sections table.
2
If necessary, click the Show All Options link to display the Folders options.
3
Select the appropriate action: Cut removes the course from its current location, while Copy simply makes a copy of the course on the CengageNOWv2 Clipboard.
4
On the Courses page, select the folder in the Folders window.
5
In the Folders drop‐down menu, select Paste Course and the CengageNOWv2 Clipboard opens in a new window.
6
(Optional) Adjust the assignment dates by selecting the option to Adjust all assignment dates based on moving the start date of the first assignment to:, and then using the calendar widget to select a new date and time. Click Done when you are finished. All assignment dates in the course should now be changed relative to the new Start Date you selected for the first assignment.
7
(Optional) Delete items from the Clipboard after pasting by selecting the check box to Remove copied items from the clipboard when pasted. If you have selected to Cut an item, the Clipboard is automatically cleared when you click Paste.
8
Determine you have the correct items selected and click the Paste Selected Items button. Note: When pasting a course into a new folder, the new course will include its name, information, assignments, and sections. It will not include its old Course Key information, enrollment, grades, or syllabus (if any).
9
(Optional) Once the course is created, you can click the Edit link on the Courses page to open the Course Information page. From this page you can edit the course name, number, dates, or add a syllabus. See “Editing Course Information” on page 60 for more information.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 31
Managing Courses
Renaming course folders
Step
Action: To rename a folder
1
On the Courses page, select the folder.
2
If necessary, click the Show All Options link to display the Folders options.
3
Select Rename Folder in the Folders drop‐down menu.
4
Enter a new name for the folder and click OK.
Caution: To move courses between folders, you must copy and paste them into the new folder, rather than cutting and pasting them. Also note that copied courses do not retain their syllabus or enrollment information. For details, see “Using the CengageNOWv2 Clipboard” on page 67.
Changing folder privacy settings
Step
Action: To change folder privacy settings
All new folders you create are designated as “private” by default, which means that only you can view or change the contents. If the main folder is private, you do not have the option to share its subfolders. Once the main folder is shared, you can go through and share the subfolders as well. You can make your folders public so that others can view the contents, or make a public folder private again. Shared folders are marked with a hand icon .
1
On the Courses page, select the folder you want to change from private to public (or public to private).
2
If necessary, click the Show All Options link to display the Folders options.
3
In the Folders drop‐down menu, select Make public or private to change the folder’s sharing status.
Note: When working with collaborative instructors, you will need to reset the course folder to “public” and then manually enroll the additional instructor(s) to your course. See “Managing User Enrollment” on page 195for more details.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 32
Managing Courses
Building a Course Manually
You can quickly build your own course from scratch when using the CengageNOWv2 course creation wizard. Once you create the course shell, you can add assignments to the course manually and enroll students afterwards (depending on the procedure at your school).
Step
Action: To build a Course Manually
1
On the Courses page, select the folder where you would like to place your new course.
2
Click the Create a New Course button and the Choose Process page opens.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 33
Managing Courses
Step
Action: To build a Course Manually
3
Select Build a Course Manually, click the Continue button, and the Course Information page opens.
4
Use the Textbook drop‐down menu to select the book you registered for this course and any related digital products. This selection determines the materials from which you can choose content for course assignments. (Required) No selection is necessary, however, if there is only one book available. CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 34
Step
5
Action: To build a Course Manually
When more than one choice is available, make a selection from the IAC titles that may be listed adjacent to Digital product student will buy. (Required)
Note: If you have not yet registered your textbook or if it is retired by Cengage Learning, it may not appear in the menu. In this case, you can Cancel and complete the registration process before proceeding. See “Adding Titles to Your Resource Center” on page 7 for more details.
6
Enter the Course Name. You can use the name of the course as it appears in your department or institution catalog. (Required)
7
Enter the Course Number. You can use the number of the course as it appears in your department or institution catalog.
8
Click on the date field to use the calendar widget to select the appropriate dates for the Course starts on and Course ends on input boxes. (Required)
Note: The Course starts on and Course ends on dates are used by default if you later create copies of the course or its sections.
9
If you want to provide a Syllabus for the student’s Courses page, you can link an existing web page or document. € Select Link to This URL to display an existing web page syllabus. Enter the entire web address, including the protocol such as http:// or https://. € Select Link to This File to display an existing syllabus document. Then click Choose File to navigate to the file, and click Open to enter the path to the file automatically.
Note: The file you use for your syllabus must be in Microsoft® Word .DOC or Adobe® Acrobat .PDF format, and no larger than 10 megabytes.
€ Select None if you do not intend to provide an on‐line syllabus by either of the preceding methods.
Managing Courses
Step
10
Action: To build a Course Manually
(Optional) When available, select the checkbox next to Allow students to send emails to the instructor while taking assignments. With this feature enabled, students can send an email from their assignment take. The email contains their message, information identifying the assignment, plus a screen capture and a link that allow you to view the specific assignment content.
11
(Optional) Select the checkbox next to Require students to provide a student ID on login if you need to set up unique and anonymous student identification for your course. When enabled, this option forces students to create their IDs.
This feature is especially useful when generating reports for large classes where it is likely that students may have similar names. You also have the ability to create and/or edit individual Student IDs from the Gradebook page.
12
To proceed, click Create Course and the Course Created page opens.
Your new course is ready to go, however, at this point it does not contain any assignments. Under the Likely Next Step heading on the Course Created page are helpful suggestions for additional tasks. You can add assignments to it with Create an Assignment, Export or Copy the course, or Create a Section. You can also Edit Course Information or simply Return to Course List. See “Using Your Course/Section Created Page” on page 52 for more details.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 36
Managing Courses
Note: You can enable student self‐enrollment by distributing the Course Key link or the Student Registration Information document, both of which direct your students to a CengageBrain page where they register for your course. You can choose distribute this information either via email or as part of a class handout. The Course Key is the 14 character alphanumeric sequence at the end of the URL. For more details, see “Setting Up Student Self‐Enrollment” on page 70.
You can also enroll students manually, depending on the enrollment procedure at your school. For more details on enrollment, see “Manually Enrolling Instructors or Students” on page 196.
Copying an Existing Course
By selecting the option to Copy an Existing Course, you can quickly copy one of your current courses or a Cengage Learning template course as a way to reuse assignments, sections, and settings. If you use one of your pre‐existing courses, the copy will not include data such as student takes, grades, and enrollment. After your new course is created, you can update basic course information, dates, syllabus (if any), and enroll your new students.
Once you have selected Copy an Existing Course from the Choose Process page, you can choose between the options to Start with a course already in your account or Modify a template course designed by Cengage Learning. Note: Depending on the type of content in your textbook, the option to Modify a template course designed by Cengage Learning may be disabled. For more details, see “Modifying a Template Course Designed by Cengage Learning” on page 42.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 37
Managing Courses
Starting with a Course Already in Your Account
The option to Start with a course already in your account is available to any instructor who has a pre‐existing course in their CengageNOWv2 account.
Step
Action: To copy one of your existing courses
1
Click the Courses link and on the Courses page, select the folder where you would like to place your new course.
2
Click the Create a New Course button and the Choose Process page opens.
3
Select Copy an Existing Course, then select Start with a course already in your account. CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 38
Managing Courses
Step
4
Action: To copy one of your existing courses
Select a course from the Available Courses pane on the Choose Course page. (Required)
When you highlight a course name, basic information on that course is displayed to the right of the Available Courses pane.
5
(Optional) If your account includes inactive courses you can choose to have them displayed by deselecting the option to Show only active courses. 6
Click the Continue button when you have the appropriate course selected. This opens the Course Information page.
7
Enter a new Course Name to replace the default “Copy of” naming convention. (Required)
8
(Optional) Enter a new Course Number. You can use the course number as it appears in your department or institution catalog.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 39
Managing Courses
Step
9
Action: To copy one of your existing courses
Use the calendar widget to enter new Course starts on and Course ends on date and time. (Required) Note: The dates you select now are also used to set the default Course starts on and Course ends on dates for any copies of the course or sections that are created later.
10
(Optional) Adjust the assignment dates by selecting the option to Adjust all assignment dates based on moving the start date of the first assignment to:, and then using the calendar widget to select a new date and time. Click Done when you are finished and all assignment dates in the course are adjusted relative to the new Start Date selected for the first assignment.
If you choose not to adjust the assignment dates, all assignments are automatically given the same start and due/unavailable dates as the course start and end date, respectively.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 40
Managing Courses
Step
11
Action: To copy one of your existing courses
If you want to change or provide a Syllabus for the student’s Courses page, you can link this course to an existing web page or document. € Select Link to This URL to display an existing web page syllabus. Enter the entire web address, including the protocol such as http:// or https://. € Select Link to This File to display an existing syllabus document. Then click Choose File to navigate to the file and click Open to enter the path to the file automatically.
Note: The file must be in a Microsoft Word .DOC or Adobe Acrobat .PDF file format, and no larger than 10 megabytes. € Select None if you do not intend to provide an on‐line syllabus by either of the preceding methods.
12
(Optional) When available, select the checkbox next to Allow students to send emails to the instructor while taking assignments. With this feature enabled, students can send an email from their assignment take. The email contains their message, information identifying the assignment, plus a screen capture and a link that allow you to view the specific assignment content.
13
(Optional) Select the checkbox next to Require students to provide a student ID on login if you need to set up unique and anonymous student identification for your course. When enabled, this option forces students to create their IDs.
This feature is especially useful when generating reports for large classes where it is likely that students may have similar names. You also have the ability to create and/or edit individual Student IDs from the Gradebook page.
14
Click Create Course when the Course Information is complete. The information for your new course is now displayed on the Course Created page.
15
Under the Likely Next Step heading on the Course Created page are helpful suggestions for additional tasks based on the make‐up of this specific course. You can add assignments to it with Create an Assignment, Export or Copy the course, Modify Dates, or Create a Section. You can also Edit Course Information or simply Return to Course List. For more details, see “Using Your Course/Section Created Page” on page 52.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 41
Managing Courses
Modifying a Template Course Designed by Cengage Learning
Depending on the type of textbook you are using, you may have a course template provided by Cengage Learning. You can use these templates to create new courses already containing prebuilt assignments, which are designed to work with that textbook’s content. Later, however, you can edit these assignments or create your own assignments to include additional questions and content from any of your other registered materials.
Step
Action: To create a course from a Cengage Learning course template
1
On the Courses page, select the folder where you would like to place your new course.
2
Click the Create a New Course button and the Choose Process page opens.
3
Select Copy an Existing Course, and then select Modify a template course designed by Cengage Learning.
4
Click the Continue button and the Choose Template page will open.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 42
Managing Courses
Step
Action: To create a course from a Cengage Learning course template
5
If your course textbook contains multiple templates, select one from the Template drop‐down menu that appears. (Required)
6
Enter a new Course Name. (Required) You can use the name of the course as it appears in your department or institution catalog.
7
Select the appropriate dates for both the Course starts on and Course ends on date fields. (Required)
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 43
Managing Courses
Step
8
Action: To create a course from a Cengage Learning course template
You can click on the date field or calendar icon to open the calendar tool for the date field.
Note: The dates you select now are also used to set the default Course starts on and Course ends on dates for any copies of the course or sections that are created later.
9
(Optional) Adjust the assignment dates by selecting the option to Adjust all assignment dates based on moving the start date of the first assignment to:, and then using the calendar widget to select a new date and time. Click Done when you are finished and all assignment dates in the course are adjusted relative to the new Start Date selected for the first assignment.
If you choose not to adjust the assignment dates, all assignments are automatically given the same start and due/unavailable dates as the course start and end date, respectively.
10
If you want to provide a Syllabus for the student’s Courses page, you can link this course to an existing web page or document (Word .DOC or .PDF). € Select Link to This URL to display an existing web page syllabus. Enter the entire web address, including the protocol such as http:// or https://. € Select Link to This File to display an existing syllabus document. Then click Choose File to navigate to the file and click Open to enter the path to the file automatically.
Note: The file must be a Microsoft Word .DOC or Adobe .PDF file format, and no larger than 10 megabytes.
€ Select None if you do not intend to provide an on‐line syllabus by either of the preceding methods.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 44
Managing Courses
Step
11
Action: To create a course from a Cengage Learning course template
(Optional) When available, select the checkbox next to Allow students to send emails to the instructor while taking assignments. With this feature enabled, students can send an email from their assignment take. The email contains their message, information identifying the assignment, plus a screen capture and a link that allow you to view the specific assignment content.
12
(Optional) Select the checkbox next to Require students to provide a student ID on login if you need to set up unique and anonymous student identification for your course. When enabled, this option forces students to create their IDs.
Requiring Student IDs is especially useful when generating reports for large classes where it is likely that students may have similar names. You also have the ability to create and/or edit individual Student IDs from their column in the Gradebook page.
13
Click Create Course when the Course Information is complete. The information for your new course is now displayed on the Course Created page.
14
Under the Likely Next Step heading are helpful suggestions for additional tasks based on the make‐up of this specific course. You can add assignments to it with Create an Assignment, Export or Copy the course, Modify Dates, or Create a Section. You can also Edit Course Information or simply Return to Course List. For more details, see “Using Your Course/Section Created Page” on page 52.
Since all assignments start and due dates are set to match the course start and end dates, you may want to use the Modify Dates option where you can bulk edit the dates for all assignments in your course.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 45
Managing Courses
Importing a Course
If you have access to a course or section previously exported from CengageNOWv2, you can quickly import and modify it to create a new course. This allows you to recreate the entire course with less effort than rebuilding it from scratch, and can ensure consistency with the original version.
An exported course includes its sections (if any), course assignments, and other general course information in an encrypted XML file. It does not include the specific Course Key information, students, instructors, and grades. For details on exporting courses, see “Exporting a course” on page 63.
These instructions are for importing a course as part of the course creation process. For information on importing a course directly into one of your course folders see “Creating and Managing Course Folders” on page 20.
Step
Action: To import a previously exported course
1
On the Courses page, select the folder where you would like to place your new course.
2
Click the Create a New Course button and the Choose Process page opens.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 46
Managing Courses
Step
Action: To import a previously exported course
3
Choose Import a Course via a File Previously Exported from CengageNOWv2 and click Continue to open the Choose File page.
4
Click the Choose File button. Locate the course export file (.ECX format) you want to import, select it, and then click Open.
5
Confirm that the correct filename appears to the right of File to Import and the Choose File button. Click Continue when you are done.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 47
Managing Courses
Step
6
Action: To import a previously exported course
The Course Information page opens with information from the imported course as default entries. If necessary, use the drop‐down menu listing your registered textbooks to select the primary Textbook for this course. The Course Information page opens with information from the imported course as default entries.
The Textbook drop‐down menu displays the core textbook or Study book previously associated with the imported course. This selection determines the default materials from which you can create course assignments. If there is no designated core book, the field displays Select a textbook.... You can then select the registered book you want to use for this course from the drop‐down menu. CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 48
Managing Courses
Step
Action: To import a previously exported course
7
Update or confirm the imported Course Name. This can match the name of the new course as it appears in your department or institution catalog. (Required)
8
Update or confirm the imported Course Number. This can be the number of the course as it appears in your department or institution catalog.
9
Enter the appropriate dates in the Course starts on and Course ends on text boxes for the course information. (Required)
You can click the date field or calendar icon to open the calendar tool for the date field.
Note: These dates are also used to set the default Course starts on and Course ends on dates for any copies of the course or sections created for this course later.
10
(Optional) Adjust the assignment dates by selecting the option to Adjust all assignment dates based on moving the start date of the first assignment to:, and then using the calendar widget to select a new date and time. Click Done when you are finished and all assignment dates in the course are adjusted relative to the new Start Date selected for the first assignment.
If you choose not to adjust the assignment dates, all assignments are automatically given the same start and due/unavailable dates as the course start and end date, respectively.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 49
Managing Courses
Step
11
Action: To import a previously exported course
If you have an updated Syllabus you want to provide for the student’s Courses page, you can link this course to an existing web page or external document.
€ Select Link to this URL to display an existing web page syllabus. Enter the entire web address, including the protocol such as http:// or https://. € Select Link to This File to display an existing syllabus document. Then click Choose File to navigate to the file, and click Open to enter the path to the file automatically.
Note: The file must be in Microsoft Word .DOC or Adobe Acrobat .PDF format, and no larger than 10 megabytes.
€ Select None if you do not intend to provide an on‐line syllabus by either of the preceding methods.
12
(Optional) When available, select the checkbox next to Allow students to send emails to the instructor while taking assignments. With this feature enabled, students can send an email from their assignment take. The email contains their message, information identifying the assignment, plus a screen capture and a link that allow you to view the specific assignment content.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 50
Managing Courses
Step
13
Action: To import a previously exported course
(Optional) Select the checkbox next to Require students to provide a student ID on login if you need to set up unique and anonymous student identification for your course. When enabled, this option forces students to create their IDs.
This feature is especially useful when generating reports for large classes where it is likely that students may have similar names. You also have the ability to create and/or edit individual Student IDs from the Gradebook page.
14
When the Course Information is complete, click Create Course. The new course is displayed on the Course Created page. At this point, all of the course assignments are using options settings from the imported course. 15
If you have no further actions to take at this time, click Return to Course List. You can also add new assignments to your course with Create an Assignment, click Modify Dates to adjust the dates of the assignments imported with the course, or you can use the Create a Section to add a section. You can opt to reuse this course by selecting either the Copy Course or Export Course options. You can also make changes to Course Information by clicking Edit Course Information. See “Using Your Course/Section Created Page” on page 52 for more details.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 51
Managing Courses
Using Your Course/Section Created Page
You are directed to the Course/Section Created page when you complete the process of creating either a course or section. You can use this page as a way to review the general information for your newly created course or section and use the provided links for a Likely Next Step.
The Course Created Page
On the left side of the page, the Course Created page displays the course or section information highlights:
€ Course Key. The Course Key is a 12‐ 14 character alphanumeric sequence that students use for self‐registration. The Course Key URL takes students to a CengageBrain site set up to register them in your course.
Click the Email link to open an email form where you can send a pre‐
attached Student Registration Information document (i.e Boarding Pass) either to your own account for forwarding or directly to your students, whichever is more convenient. This document provides student with the Course Key URL and complete instructions on how to register themselves.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 52
Managing Courses
Click Print to open a printable version of the Student Registration Information document in a new browser window. Click Copy to copy the Course Key link to your system clipboard. You can provide this link to your students, which directs them to a walk‐through registration site. The Course Key is the alphanumeric sequence at the end of the URL (i.e E‐QQ943WZLYSEU8).
See “Setting Up Student Self‐Enrollment” on page 70 for more details.
€ Course Name
€ Course Number
€ Course Starts On and Course Ends On dates
€ Syllabus link (if any). Click to view the current syllabus.
€ Sections (if any). Click the section name link to see the Section Summary page for that section.
On the right side, this page also contains links under the Likely Next Step heading which provide easy access to additional tasks associated with creating a new course or section.
€ Create an Assignment. This link starts the assignment creation process where you can create one or more new assignments for the course. For more information, see “Creating Assignments” on page 81.
€ Modify Dates. For courses that are already populated with assignments, you can access the Modify Dates page. From this page you can edit the assignment Available, Unavailable, and Due dates. You can also determine the display of assignment details, responses, and scores for those assignments that allow it.
€ Edit Assignments. For a course with assignments, or a section with its own uninherited assignments, this link takes you to the Edit Assignments page where you can modify the dates for several assignments at once. For details, see “Editing Assignments” on page 116.
€ Create a Section. From the Course Created page, this link starts the process for creating a new section for the current course. For details, see “Creating Course Sections” on page 54. CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 53
Managing Courses
€ Copy Course. From the Course Created page, this link starts the process of making a copy of the current course. For details, see “Copying an existing course” on page 31. (Start with step 7, editing Course Information.)
€ Export Course. From the Course Created page, this link starts the process to export the current course. For details, see “Exporting a course” on page 63.
€ Edit Course Information. This link opens the Course Information page, where you can change the course’s name, dates, syllabus links, and so on. For details, see “Editing Course Information” on page 60.
€ Return to Course List. This link takes you back to the main Courses page.
Note: If you are creating a section, the links you see are instead labeled Edit Section Information, Create Another Section, etc.
Creating Course Sections
If you need to set up several classes with similar curricula and schedules, you have two options. You can create multiple copies of a course, or create multiple sections from a “parent” course.
€ Several copies of a course. This method allows you to modify each course’s assignments and due dates independently. However, making any global changes later will require you to edit every course separately.
€ Multiple sections of the same “parent” course. This method allows you to create sections with a separate gradebook, but the textbook, assignments, options, and due dates are inherited from the parent course. Any subsequent changes or assignments made in the parent course will cascade through and update all of its sections automatically. One common use for sections is setting up a main lecture course with several lab sections taught by adjunct instructors. Each instructor can manage the gradebook, create new assignments, and edit assignment dates for his or her own section, but cannot alter the content or options assigned in the parent course.
If you have adjuncts who are teaching their own courses, you can create a course export file to distribute to fellow instructors or adjuncts to import into their own account. See “Exporting a course” on page 63 for more details.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 54
Managing Courses
Sections are also useful to a single instructor who teaches several identical classes. This allows the instructor to maintain separate grade books for each section while managing content and assignment dates across all sections from the parent course. You have the ability to create unique assignments for specific sections, but in general, sections are most useful where the class assignments and due dates are very similar if not identical.
Additional Section Features
€ The parent course instructor is enrolled as an instructor in all sections. To delegate section grading and assignment creation to another instructor, simply enroll that instructor into the section and have them manage the gradebook.
€ Only the parent course instructor can edit the assignment content or main options of the parent course. The section instructor can view but cannot change parent course content and settings.
€ Sections can include both parent assignments and section assignments. Section instructors can edit assignment dates inherited from the parent course.
Note: On the Assignments page, you will see an icon in the Status column that indicates which assignments are Assigned to Parent Course. € Parent courses do not share uploaded files with their sections. € Both the parent course instructor and section instructor can review and edit grades for a particular section, or create and edit additional assignments.
€ The section instructor can customize the due dates and number of assignment takes for specific students on the parent assignments, if necessary.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 55
Managing Courses
Step
Action: To create a course section
To create a course section, you will first need to create your parent course. You can then create the section beginning on the Course List page (described below), or from the parent course’s Course Created or Course Summary page.
1
On the Courses page, click the Create section link in the Actions column for the appropriate course. The Section Information page opens. 2
Enter the Section Name following the format used at your school and enter the appropriate Section Number.
3
To enter new dates for this section, enter the dates you want in the Section starts on and Section ends on fields using the calendar tool.
4
You can use the parent course’s syllabus, if any, or link to a new or revised Syllabus link if appropriate for the section.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 56
Managing Courses
Step
5
Action: To create a course section
(Optional) When available, select the checkbox next to Allow students to send emails to the instructor while taking assignments. With this feature enabled, students can send an email from their assignment take. The email contains their message, information identifying the assignment, plus a screen capture and a link that allow you to view the specific assignment content.
6
(Optional) Select the checkbox next to Require students to provide a student ID on login if you need to set up unique and anonymous student identification for your course. When enabled, this option forces students to create their IDs.
This feature is especially useful when generating reports for large classes where it is likely that students may have similar names. You also have the ability to create and/or edit individual Student IDs from the Gradebook page.
7
Click the Create Section button to save and create your new section and open the Section Created page.
8
From the Section Created page, you can Create an Assignment for this section, Create Another Section or Export Section, further Edit Section Information, or simply return to the course list. CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 57
Managing Courses
Step
9
Action: To create a course section
The remaining steps for creating a course section is the same as for creating a course (other than some fields being labeled “section” instead of “course”). For more information, see “Building a Course Manually” on page 33.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 58
Managing Courses
MODIFYING COURSES
Over time, you may find it convenient to reuse most or all of an existing course. The Courses page includes functions for reviewing course content, archiving courses and folders, and an advanced clipboard interface that makes it easy to copy and paste entire courses for a new term.
Please remember these points when working with controls on the Courses page:
€ By using the CengageNOWv2 system Clipboard you can reuse existing courses. Simply select and copy a course, and then update the basic information and dates to use it again.
Caution: Courses can be moved from one folder to another, but you will lose enrollment information. Do not move courses during the term.
€ When moving a course from one folder to another, you must copy and paste it into the new folder (rather than cutting and pasting it) to retain syllabus information. Enrollment information will not be carried over to the new folder.
€ A section that is moved from one folder to another becomes a course (rather than a section) in the new folder. The course created from moving a section will not contain any assignments.
Note: As a way to copy a section, you can create the new section and then copy/paste the assignments from the existing section into the new section. This enables you to select which assignments to include in the new section.
€ Archiving a course or a course folder moves it and its contents to the Archived Materials page for storage. You can continue to manage archived items or return them at any time to their original working area in CengageNOWv2.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 59
Managing Courses
Editing Course Information
After you have created a course or section, you have the option to edit its name, number, syllabus, and other information as needed. Step
Action: To edit your course information
1
On the Courses page, click the Edit link in the Actions column for the course you want to edit. The Course Information page for that course opens.
2
Depending on your course content, you can edit the selected course or section’s name, number, start and end dates, syllabus links, or email options as needed.
Note: You cannot edit the Start Date, if your course has students enrolled.
3
When your changes are complete, click the Save button to save your changes. The Course Summary page will open, where you can review your changes.
Using the Courses and Sections Manager
The Courses and Sections drop‐down menu provides you with easy access to commonly performed course‐related tasks:
€ Archive. To remove items for storage in the Archived Materials page. You can continue to manage archived materials or return them at any time to their original working area in CengageNOWv2.
€ Copy. To make a copy of a course or section which can be pasted into the current location or moved into a different folder.
€ Cut. To remove a course or section from its current location in order to move it to a new folder. (When cut and pasted, a course will lose its syllabus information.)
€ Export. To save a file version of your course or section to your local system that can be imported into another institution or shared with another instructor.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 60
Managing Courses
Archiving courses
Step
Action: To archive courses
Archiving courses works much the same way as archiving folders and assignments. You can continue to manage archived materials and they can be returned at any time to their original working area in CengageNOWv2.
1
Select the check box for the course whose grades you want to view in the Courses and Sections table.
2
(If necessary) Click Show All Options to display the advanced controls.
3
Select Archive in the Courses and Sections drop‐down menu and your selections are moved to the Archived Materials page.
4
Later, you can go to the Archived Materials page to manage archived items or return them to their original working area in CengageNOWv2.
For additional details on using archived courses, folders, and assignments, see “Archiving Courses and Assignments” on page 123
Copying courses
Step
Action: To copy a course
1
On the Courses page, create a folder in which to copy your course. See “Creating and Managing Course Folders” on page 20 for details.
2
Select the check box next to the course to be copied. (You can also select multiple courses for copying.)
3
Click Show All Options to display the advanced controls, if necessary.
4
Click Copy from the Courses and Sections drop‐down menu.
5
Use the Folders browser to navigate to the destination folder, and then click to highlight the folder.
6
Select Paste Course from the Folders drop‐down menu and the CengageNOWv2 Clipboard will open.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 61
Managing Courses
Step
7
Action: To copy a course
(Optional) Adjust the assignment dates by selecting the option to Adjust all assignment dates based on the start date of the first assignment to:, and then using the calendar widget to select a new date and time. Click Done when you are finished and all assignment dates in the course should be updated relative to the new Start Date selected for the first assignment.
8
(Optional) Delete items from the clipboard after pasting by selecting the check box to Remove copied items from the clipboard when pasted?.
9
Click Paste Selected Items.
The course information is now copied into the new folder. By selecting the folder, you will find you now have the course information, name, syllabus, and assignments available for use in a new school term.
Cutting a course
Step
Action: To cut a course
1
On the Courses page, in the Courses and Sections table, select the check box next to the course to be moved. You can select multiple courses.
2
(If necessary) Click Show All Options to display the advanced controls.
3
Select Cut from the Courses and Sections drop‐down menu.
4
Use the Folders browser to navigate to the destination folder.
5
Select Paste Course from the Folders drop‐down menu and the CengageNOWv2 Clipboard will open in a new window.
6
(Optional) Adjust the assignment dates by selecting the option to Adjust all assignment dates based on the start date of the first assignment to:, and then using the calendar widget to select a new date and time. Click Done when you are finished. All assignment dates in the course should now be changed relative to the new Start Date selected for the first assignment.
7
(Optional) Delete items from the clipboard after pasting by selecting the check box to Remove copied items from the clipboard when pasted?.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 62
Managing Courses
Step
8
Action: To cut a course
Click Paste Selected Items.
Note: When cutting a course to move it, the course will lose syllabus information. Use the copy command to retain the current syllabus.
Exporting a course
CengageNOWv2 instructors can export a course to import later at another school or to share it with another instructor. Exporting a course copies and packages the course sections (if any), assignments, and other general course information as an encrypted XML file.
An exported course file includes the following:
€ The selected section or course (selecting a course includes all of its sections).
€ Assignments (including option settings, categories, and linked Cengage content.)
€ Associated books (users need the appropriate access code).
Note: The exported course does not include the specific Course Key information, students, instructors, and grades. A section exported by itself is imported as a course only.
Step
Action: To export a course
1
From the Courses page select the course or section you want to export by selecting its check box.
2
If necessary, click Show All Options to see the Courses and Sections drop‐down menu.
3
Select Export from the Courses and Sections menu and the Select Parent Course or Section window will open, showing your course folders.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 63
Managing Courses
Step
Action: To export a course
4
Confirm the course or section you want to export is highlighted in the Select Parent Course or Section window.
6
Click the Go button once you have made your final selection. You can also click Cancel to exit without making any changes.
7
Depending on the browser you are using, select the Save or Save to Disk option, and select the folder on your local system (use the Browse button as needed to change folders). 8
Click OK or Save to save the exported .ECX file to the selected folder.
The exported course file can now be easily emailed or otherwise transferred to a new user or location. It can then be imported into a different CengageNOWv2 school or account. This lets you quickly reconstitute the entire course with far less effort than setting the course up again from scratch, and ensures consistency with the original version.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 64
Managing Courses
Setting the Courses Page Display Options
Step
Action: To change information on your Courses page
You can easily add or remove the type of information appearing on your Courses page by clicking the link to Change Information Displayed Below. As you make changes in the Courses Page Display Options page, a dynamic Preview window allows you to see your changes as you make them.
1
On your Courses page, click the Change Information Displayed Below link to open the Courses Page Display Options page.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 65
Managing Courses
Step
2
Action: To change information on your Courses page
Select or deselect from the information categories for your Courses and Sections.
You can choose from the following options:
€ Course/Section Number
€ Course/Section Key
€ Start Date
€ End Date
€ Instructors
€ # of Students Enrolled
Note: The columns for Actions and the course or section Name always appear by default.
3
Use the Preview window at the bottom of the page to see how your updates affect the appearance of your Courses page.
4
Click Save when you are done or click Cancel to quit without saving.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 66
Managing Courses
Using the CengageNOWv2 Clipboard
The CengageNOWv2 system Clipboard gives you a way to copy, move, or delete several types of items in CengageNOWv2. The CengageNOWv2 Clipboard
Depending on the area you are working in, you can select courses, sections, assignments, or any of your archived materials and place them on the clipboard to be copied or moved to new locations.
From the Clipboard page that appears you can perform the following functions.
€ Select or deselect items using the check boxes.
€ Select the check box to Remove copied items from the clipboard when pasted.
€ Click Paste Selected Items to place them in a new location.
€ Click Delete Selected Items to remove them from the clipboard.
€ Click Cancel to close the Clipboard page and return to CengageNOWv2.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 67
Managing Courses
€ (Optional) When copying and pasting courses, you modify the assignment dates by selecting the option to Adjust all assignment dates based on moving the start date of the first assignment to:, and then enter a new date. This setting adjusts all course assignment dates relative to the new Start Date you selected for the first assignment.
€ When you are done, click the Close Window link to exit the Clipboard.
Viewing Your Course Summary
To view the general information for your course or section, click the course or section’s name on the Courses page. The Course Summary page opens (Section Summary for sections).
The Course Summary Page
The Summary page displays the course or section information highlights and a link to information students need for student self‐enrollment. CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 68
Managing Courses
€ Course Key. The Course Key is a 12‐14 character alphanumeric sequence students use to self‐enroll in your course. Below this heading is the URL for a CengageBrain site designed for self‐registering for your course (entering the Course Key is not necessary when this link is used).
You can also use the Student Registration Instructions document that allows you to Email, Print, or Copy the instructions for distribution to your students. See “Setting Up Student Self‐Enrollment” on page 70 for specific details.
€ Course Name
€ Course Number
€ Course starts on date
€ Course ends on date
€ Syllabus link (if any). Click the link to view the current syllabus document or web page.
€ Sections (if any). Click the section name link to see the Section Summary page for that section.
When you are finished reviewing the information on this page, click Return to Course List to go back to the Courses overview page.
USER ENROLLMENT OPTIONS
Once your course or section is created, at most institutions you have two options for determining how students are enrolled. However, this depends on the procedures in place at your school. For example, student enrollment is sometimes managed by a CengageNOWv2 administrator or a lead teacher. Only if you have the appropriate account permissions, will you have the ability to create user accounts and enroll those accounts directly.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 69
Managing Courses
€ To allow select students to register themselves in your course, you can provide them with the Course Key URL to direct them to a site with a guided walk‐through, or you can send them the Student Registration Information document which provides the necessary steps for creating an account and self‐enrollment. See “Setting Up Student Self‐
Enrollment” on page 70 for more details. € To maintain the most control over enrollment and to add assistant instructors to your course sections, you can manually enroll them yourself from the Users page. See “Manually Enrolling Instructors or Students” on page 196 for details.
Setting Up Student Self­Enrollment
When you first create a course or section, CengageNOWv2 automatically generates a unique, alphanumeric Course Key. Providing your students with either the Course Key URL or the Student Registration Information document provides the most convenient way to manage your course enrollment.
You can choose to send these enrollment details in an email to yourself to forward to students, or email them directly to your students from CengageNOWv2. When you need it, however, manual enrollment is readily available from the Users page. CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 70
Managing Courses
Step
1
Action: To send a self‐enrollment email
Click the Student Registration Instructions link on the Course Summary or Course Created pages. The Student Registration Information page will open in a new tab or window. The registration document or “Boarding Pass” is automatically attached.
Note: You can also click the Email link on the Courses page to open an email form.
2
Click Email in the heading of the Student Registration Information page to open the email form.
3
Populate the Reply‐to field with addresses from your class roster or send the email to your own account for forwarding, whichever is more convenient.
4
Click the Send Email button to send the message to the chosen recipient(s). Downloading the attachment provides a document designed to assist students with creating a new account and enrolling in the specific course.
Note: Only students who are given the enrollment document or the Course Key URL are able to self‐enroll in your course.
Cengage Learning also provides students with a free trial period where for a limited time, students can log into and work in your course without paying for and registering their textbook’s Access Code. Students simply opt not to pay immediately and register using the Course Key only. The trial period is 3 days per week of course duration, for a maximum of 21 days beginning on the course start date. If the trial period should expire before a student has an opportunity to make their purchase, their work is saved, but they cannot access their course. Students can resume the course with the purchase and submission of the Access Code.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 71
CREATING AND MANAGING ASSIGNMENTS
You can easily create a wide variety of assignments in CengageNOWv2, including Homework, Tests, Reading, External, and Adaptive Study Plans. Depending on your discipline and text, CengageNOWv2 allows you to adapt pre‐built assignments bundled with your book or choose specific questions to build your own custom assignments. In addition, you have an extensive range of options to customize how each assignment works, and you can update these settings with ease.
The Assignments Page
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July 7, 2015 pg. 72
Creating and Managing Assignments
USING THE ASSIGNMENTS PAGE
To work with assignments, click on the Assignments link to get started. If you have not yet created a course (or been enrolled in one as an instructor), however, you will need to do that first. See “Setting Up Courses” on page 19 for details.
If you have used the Assignments page before, the assignments listed are for the course previously selected. To view assignments for a different course, select a course from the Course or Section drop‐down list.
Note: Depending on how you’ve set your CengageNOWv2 Preferences, it may be necessary to click Show All Options to display advanced controls.
You can print, save, and edit most of your assignments listed on the Assignments page, where you can find links to modify almost every aspect of its content, appearance, or behavior. For example, you can add questions, reorder items, change the due dates, scoring, or other options. In some cases, you may find yourself copying a proven assignment and editing parts of it to suit a new class.
Basic activities you can perform on the Assignments page include the following:
Create assignments
Click the Create Assignment button to build new assignments using questions from your CengageNOWv2 content sources. See “Creating Assignments” on page 81 for more details.
Upload Files
Click the Upload Files button to open the File Management page where you can upload files into the CengageNOWv2 server. These files are then available for later access by either you or your students. See “Uploading Files” on page 74 for more details.
Search assignments
Use the Search Assignment Names field above the assignments list to find specific assignments quickly. Type in part or all of an assignment name, and click Go to display only matching items.
To return to the full assignment list, click the Show all assignments link.
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Creating and Managing Assignments
Print assignments
Click the Print link in the Actions column to create printed copies of your assignments for in‐class use. After clicking the link, a blank assignment will open in a new browser window. From this preview page you click the Print button to use your browser’s print option settings. (Not all assignment types support printing.) Edit assignments
Click Edit in the Actions column to modify your assignments. Depending on the assignment type and the assignment’s status, you can unassign items, assign new content, rename the assignment, change the assignment dates, or edit the assignment options. See “Editing Assignments” on page 116 for more details.
Note: It may be necessary to scroll the Assignments page horizontally if most columns are selected for display. Status Icons
At the bottom of the page is an icon key that is a legend describing the icons that may appear as labels for assignments or students with special conditions.
Uploading Files
The Upload Files button, available from the Assignments page, opens the File Management page where you can upload files from your local computer onto the CengageNOWv2 server. By default, you have 100 mb of available space. At the top of the page, you can track amount of storage space you have remaining.
Note: Parent courses do not share uploaded files with their sections. However, when courses are copied or archived they retain their associated files.
Students can download your uploaded files by clicking the View Files from Your Instructor button on their Assignments page
Step
1
Action: To upload and manage files in CengageNOWv2
Click the Assignments link to open the Assignments page, if necessary.
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July 7, 2015 pg. 74
Creating and Managing Assignments
Step
Action: To upload and manage files in CengageNOWv2
2
Verify you have the appropriate selection in the Course or Section drop‐down menu.
3
Click the Upload Files button to open the File Management page. Note: Adjunct instructors with limited course access are able to view files on the File Management page, but not upload them.
4
(Optional) Create a folder by clicking the New Folder button and entering a name and description. You can then organize your files by loading or dragging them into the appropriate folder.
Note: Once you have files and folders on the File Management page you can rearrange their order by dragging the left edge of the row with your cursor and moving it to a new location. You can also move files into or out of folders by opening the folder and taking the appropriate action.
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July 7, 2015 pg. 75
Creating and Managing Assignments
Step
5
Action: To upload and manage files in CengageNOWv2
Select and drag a file to upload in the Drag and drop files here area. You can either move a file into the main area or place it immediately into a folder. The file name and upload date will appear in the table.
You can also click the Upload File button to browse through your system files to make a selection. Click Open in the dialog box to load the file. If you have created any folders, a dialog box appears to allow you to select the placement of your file.
6
To the right are controls you can use to manage your uploaded files and folders.
€ Click the pencil icon to open the Edit File or Edit Folder dialog box. Enter your description or edit the folder name in the text box and click OK when you are done.
Your description is also visible to your students on their View Files page.
€ Delete files and folders by clicking the adjacent trash can icon.
€ Download files by clicking the arrow icon.
7
Reorganize your files and folders by dragging the left edge of a row with your cursor to place a row into a new location. Open a folder to move files in or out.
8
Exit the File Management page when you are done by clicking an appropriate page link in the heading.
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July 7, 2015 pg. 76
Creating and Managing Assignments
Advanced Assignment Page Options
The advanced options on the Assignments page are hidden or displayed through the use of the Show All Options/Hide All Options toggle. You may need to click the Show All Options link, if these controls are hidden. If you are a section‐level instructor, you may see some options disabled for assignments inherited from the parent course.
Assignment Page Advanced Options
View Archived Materials
Click this link to go to the Archived Materials page, where you can see the folders, courses, sections, and assignments that are stored and not currently in use. When you archive assignments, they are removed from the assignments list but remain available for you to view, retrieve, delete, or copy. See “Using the Archived Materials Page” on page 124 for more details.
Reorder Assignments
Click this link to open the Reorder Assignments page where you can customize the order of assignments on your Assignments page. You can select an assignment by left‐clicking an assignment name and then dragging the highlighted assignment with your cursor into the desired location.
Once you are done, click Save & Return to save the list and return to the Assignments page. Click Cancel exit without saving.
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July 7, 2015 pg. 77
Creating and Managing Assignments
The Reorder Assignments Page
Change Information Displayed on This Page
Click this link to open the Assignments Page Display Options page, where you can specify the information displayed on the Assignments page table. As you make changes, you can view the new layout in the Preview area. This preview updates dynamically as you change your selections. When you are done, click Save at the bottom of the page before exiting.
The Assignments Page Display Options
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July 7, 2015 pg. 78
Creating and Managing Assignments
Choose assignments and then select an option below
You can use these advanced controls in this section of the Assignments page to archive, delete, modify dates, or cut/copy assignments to different courses. Select one or more assignments that you wish to work with, and then click the appropriate command:
Modify Dates
Clicking this button opens a page where you can edit the Available, Unavailable, and Due dates for the selected assignment(s). For some assignment types, you can also determine the display of assignment details, scores, and feedback. The Modify Dates Page
Depending on how you want to adjust your assignments’ dates, you can choose different views of the Modify Dates page. These options include links for Specify Same Dates for All, Specify Dates for Each, or Adjust all assignment dates based on the earliest Available Date that are available at the top of the page.
Adjust all assignment dates based on the earliest Available Date (highlighted below) to: allows you to set the date and time for all assignments relative to the assignment with the earliest Available date. The earliest date field is highlighted in blue and you can enter the new Available date in the field that appears next to the link. This option is especially useful when you are working with a copied course or a template course already pre‐populated with assignments and you need to adjust dates for the entire course.
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July 7, 2015 pg. 79
Creating and Managing Assignments
Use the calendar icon adjacent to an entry field to quickly choose the desired date and time. Selecting the views to Specify Dates for Each or Adjust all assignment dates based on the earliest Available Date also provides you with a field to set an Unavailable date. The Modify Dates page can also have fields allowing you to determine the display of assignment scores, details, responses, and feedback. These options are not available for Reading assignments and are limited in Adaptive Study Plans. Note: When Never is selected for Show Assignment Score, the options for Plus Show Details, Responses, Scores and Plus Solutions and Extra Feedback are automatically disabled and set to Never; any previously entered dates are also removed.
When Never is selected for Plus Show Details, Responses, Scores, the options for Plus Solutions and Extra Feedback are automatically disabled and set to Never; any previously entered dates are also removed.
Cut
Removes the selected assignments from the course and copies them to the CengageNOWv2 Clipboard.
Copy
Places a copy of the selected assignments onto the CengageNOWv2 Clipboard. You can then either paste them into a new course, or paste them into the current course for repurposing.
Delete
Permanently removes the selected assignments from the course without copying them to the Clipboard.
Archive
Removes the selected assignments from the course and moves them to the Archived Materials page, where they are stored for later use. Archived items can be managed or returned at any time to their original working area in CengageNOWv2. See “Archiving Your Materials” on page 125 for more details.
Paste
Inserts the assignments currently on the Clipboard into the assignment list for the course.
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July 7, 2015 pg. 80
Creating and Managing Assignments
CREATING ASSIGNMENTS
CengageNOWv2 allows you to create several types of “custom‐built” assignments, including Homework, Test, Reading, Adaptive Study Plans, and External assignments. Each type of assignment offers an editable set of options you can use to specify what content is presented to your students, how it is presented, when it is available, how it is graded, and so forth. Assignment Types Overview
Your first step in creating an assignment is to select an assignment type. Depending on the content available from your book, you may see some or all of the following choices in your create assignment wizard.
€ Homework. Homework. Homework assignments present course content in an assessment with an open‐ended approach that helps students prepare for their exams. Homework assignments allow you to preview and select up to 150 individual items and you can control the resources available during an assignment take.
The default settings for Homework include unlimited takes, unlimited time per take, save and resume, and a score progress display. You can also allow students to print the assignment and view question feedback a specified number of times. See “Creating Homework or Test Assignments” on page 85 for more details.
€ Test. Test assignments present course material in a stricter, evaluation setting and allow you to preview and select up to 150 individual items. The default settings for Tests include one allowed take, no score progress display, and no question feedback or resources. You can change the number of takes, the time allowed per take, and restrict access with a password, among other options. For details on the available options and default settings for Homework and Test assignments, see “Choosing Assignment Options” on page 109.
€ Adaptive Study Plans (ASP). Adaptive Study Plans are prebuilt assignments providing a unique way for students to build a knowledge base in fundamental concepts for your course. Students can start with a preliminary quiz of randomized questions to identify their knowledge gaps, then work through the suggested study materials until mastery is achieved on the required topics.
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July 7, 2015 pg. 81
Creating and Managing Assignments
You can set up Adaptive Study Plans to be taken prior to the course start date and as many times as desired with no overwriting. Students have the option to explore their objectives or take the quiz in any order and can save their work and resume their assignment take at a later time; their assignment is submitted automatically when the due date passes. See “Creating Adaptive Study Plans Assignments” on page 98 for more details.
€ Reading. The Reading assignment type allows you to assign an entire chapter or section for your students to read. Reading assignments are ungraded, however, you can use this assignment type to direct students to specific material and track their time spent. You can also set a due date, an unavailable date, or add an optional prerequisite. See “Creating Reading Assignments” on page 103 for more details.
€ External. External assignment types allow you to set up a website or online material external from CengageNOWv2 as a graded assignment. Assignment options include number of takes, settings for grading, availability of post‐take feedback, and setting a prerequisite. For more information, see“Creating External Assignments” on page 106.
Starting the Assignment Creation Process
Once you have selected the type of assignment, you can then name it, and set its availability dates, and options. The exact steps for adding content and setting the available options depend on the assignment type.
When you choose to Edit an assignment, you are returned to the assignment creation wizard, where you can make additional modifications. Note that the assignment’s content and some assignment options cannot be changed once a student has initiated an assignment take.
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July 7, 2015 pg. 82
Creating and Managing Assignments
Step
Action: To begin creating an assignment
1
Click the Assignments link in the heading to open the Assignments page.
2
If necessary, select the appropriate course from the Course or Section drop‐down menu.
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July 7, 2015 pg. 83
Creating and Managing Assignments
Step
Action: To begin creating an assignment
3
Click the Create Assignment button to open the Create an Assignment page where you can choose your assignment type. Clicking Cancel allows you to exit without making any changes.
4
Click the button for the assignment type you want to create to open the assignment creation wizard.
Since options on the assignment creation wizard can vary by the assignment type, use the links provided below for specific instructions.
€ “Creating Homework or Test Assignments” on page 85
€ “Creating Adaptive Study Plans Assignments” on page 98
€ “Creating Reading Assignments” on page 103
€ “Creating External Assignments” on page 106
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July 7, 2015 pg. 84
Creating and Managing Assignments
CREATING HOMEWORK OR TEST ASSIGNMENTS
Homework and Test assignments use similar content and use the same assignment options only with variations in their default settings. These two types of assignments give you the most control over content selection and assignment behavior. See the “Assignment Types Overview” on page 81 for more details.
Once you have selected either a Homework or Test assignment type, you can choose items and edit assignment options as you wish.
Step
Action: To create a Homework or Test assignment
1
Go to the Assignments page, and if necessary, make a selection from the Course or Section drop‐down menu.
2
Click the Create Assignment button to open the Create Assignment page. See “Assignment Types Overview” on page 81 for details on assignment characteristics.
3
Select either a Test or Homework assignment to open the assignment creation wizard and enter your assignment’s name in the Name Your Assignment field. (Required)
Note: (Optional) The assignment icon (Click to change) next to the Name Your Assignment field is used to switch to a different assignment type.
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July 7, 2015 pg. 85
Creating and Managing Assignments
Step
4
Action: To create a Homework or Test assignment
Click the calendar icon in the heading to open the Select Dates pane. Use the calendar widget to select the appropriate dates and times. (An Available On date is required.)
The current day is displayed with a white background, while the date you select is green.
Click Done when you are finished.
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July 7, 2015 pg. 86
Creating and Managing Assignments
Step
Action: To create a Homework or Test assignment
5
(Optional) Deselect the check box for Same as Due Date to set the Assignment Unavailable On date. You can then use the Grading option to set a penalty for assignments turned in after their Due Date.
6
Click the Add Content button to open the Available Items page.
Note: Refer to“Creating and Editing Pools” on page 93 for additional instructions on creating Pools to randomize the content in your assignment.
7
Click the book title, to reveal your course’s content. You can then expand a list of individual chapters and sections by clicking the arrow icons at the end of each row.
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July 7, 2015 pg. 87
Creating and Managing Assignments
Step
Action: To create a Homework or Test assignment
8
(Optional) Click the Quick View button to see a partial preview of question content in the expanded list. Clicking Quick View again toggles the previews off.
9
(Optional) Click an item name to open a complete, functional preview of the item’s content in the Preview Item pane. Click Done to return to the Available Items page.
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July 7, 2015 pg. 88
Creating and Managing Assignments
Step
Action: To create a Homework or Test assignment
10
(Optional) Enter all or part of an item name in the search by name field to find a specific item or limit the list.
11
(Optional) Click one of the filtering options on the right to open a pane allowing you to limit your list of available items to those tagged as related to a specific taxonomy, business program standard, algorithmic regeneration, gradability, difficulty, or problem type. Check the adjacent box to make your selection. See “Question Filtering Options” on page 92 for more details.
When Not Tagged is selected, items that are not tagged with that category are included in the filtered items. Not Tagged is selected by default.
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July 7, 2015 pg. 89
Creating and Managing Assignments
Step
12
Action: To create a Homework or Test assignment
Click the Assign button next to the items you wish to include. Clicking Unassign removes the item from your assignment.
At the bottom and top of the page are counters showing how many items are assigned out of the 150 allowed.
13
Click the Done button in the upper right corner of the page when you are finished selecting content to return to the assignment creation wizard.
14
(Optional) Edit the available assignment options on the right to best suit the your needs. You can choose to change the number of takes, the availability of feedback, grading preferences, restrictions to taking an assignment, etc. You can even create reusable “option sets” that you can later apply to other assignments.
See the online Textual Help for the specifics on each option or “Choosing Assignment Options” on page 109 for an overview of the default settings. Also, for details on creating reusable option sets see “Creating and Managing Option Sets” on page 112. CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 90
Creating and Managing Assignments
Step
15
Action: To create a Homework or Test assignment
(Optional) Enter a new point value in the Weight text box adjacent an item name.
When available, the Avg Time appearing with each item can supply global information on the average time required to complete that activity.
16
(Optional) Reorganize your assignment by clicking and dragging pools and/or items in the item list.
17
Click Publish at the top of the page when you are done to save your assignment and open the Assignment Created page (or you can click Cancel to exit without saving).
If the Save Option Set Changes window appears, you can choose to save a new set or update the current set. Click Continue to save your assignment.
At this point, your assignment is complete and assigned to the current course. However, you still have the ability to make modifications by using the Edit Assignment link on the Assignment Created page or the Edit link on the Assignments page to modify assignment details and options. You can also access the Assignment Created page later as the Assignment Summary page by clicking an assignment name on the Assignments page list. For more information see “Using the Assignment Created/Summary Pages” on page 115.
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July 7, 2015 pg. 91
Creating and Managing Assignments
Question Filtering Options
Below are descriptions for the filtering options you may use when selecting questions. All available filtering options are selected by default.
Filtering by Question Value Generation (Algorithmic)
Questions that are authored using algorithms can regenerate new values and correct answers each time the question comes up in an online assignment and each time it is printed (for example as a printed test). This provides great flexibility and enables you to use the same basic assignment repeatedly. Conversely, non‐algorithmically generated question values are identical for each “Take” of the assignment.
If both types of questions are present in the content you selected, both types are selected by default. You need to deselect the question generation method you want to exclude. (You must include at least one).
Filtering by Gradability
A key feature of CengageNOWv2 is the availability of electronically graded assignments. You also have the option to include or exclude questions by their gradability.
• Questions with electronic gradability are evaluated automatically by CengageNOWv2. The status of a student’s response can be made available as a feedback option while taking an assignment, or can be calculated immediately after the assignment is submitted for grading.
• Questions with manual gradability require your subsequent review and grading of every student’s work (Essay questions, for example, require manual grading, however, manually graded items are rare in CengageNOWv2).
• Items that are “not gradable” include non‐question items such as illustrations, narratives, or other static types. Note: Remember, if you intend to use automatic grading only, you need to clear the selection for Manual gradability. Otherwise, you may be required to grade any manually graded problems individually before proceeding with electronic grading for the assignment. Filtering by Difficulty Ranking
This filter allows you to narrow the selection of available questions by their difficulty rating. The difficulty rating of each question is determined by the question’s author and can range from Easy, Moderate, to Difficult.
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July 7, 2015 pg. 92
Creating and Managing Assignments
Filtering by Taxonomy
Taxonomy categories filter items by their concepts, which allows you to choose between the learning objectives and accounting principles represented in the selected content.
Please note that some items may be associated with several related taxonomies, and that excluding any one associated concept excludes that item. All available taxonomies are selected by default. For more details, please refer to the online Textual Help.
Filtering by Learning Objectives
Learning objectives relate to the unique learning outcomes contained within your book that your students need to achieve for mastering the content. All items should be associated with at least one learning objective in the chapter. However, you may find that multiple learning objectives are used, if the response combines concepts used throughout the chapter as in, for example, an essay question.
Filtering by Problem Type
The Problem Type filter allows you to exclude or include items of a specific type, for example, Essay, True/False, Static, or those items that are Not Tagged.
Creating and Editing Pools
You can create question Pools as a way to produce assignments randomly generated from items you’ve assembled. When initially creating pools, you can select a set of items, edit the point values to weight the pool (if desired), and determine the number of items from that Pool to display during your students’ take. Then during the take, the assignment randomly chooses the designated number of items from the Pool.
When your students retake an assignment using Pools, these subsequent attempts recreate a new set of questions from the Pool, although it is possible for a question to be reselected. Pooling does not affect the algorithmically generated content in your questions.
Note: In order to have new questions selected for each take, the Grading option for Carry all responses and feedback into subsequent takes? must be set to No.
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July 7, 2015 pg. 93
Creating and Managing Assignments
Step
Action: To create and manage pools
1
From the Assignments page, click the Create Assignment button or the Edit link next to an assignment name to open the assignment creation wizard.
2
Click Add Content to place items in your assignment, if necessary. Click Assign to add an item.
3
Choose the items for a new Pool by selecting the check boxes adjacent to the item names.
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July 7, 2015 pg. 94
Creating and Managing Assignments
Step
5
Action: To create and manage pools
Click the Add New Pool button and a Pool containing your selected items will appear at the bottom of your item list. Your pool is automatically named “Pool” and assigned a number. Your pool and the selected items it contains are listed below.
You can also click Add New Pool without selecting any items first. You can then add items by simply dragging them into the empty pool.
Hovering your cursor over the pool heading displays the Delete Pool and Edit Pool buttons.
6
Remove items from a pool by selecting the appropriate check box(es) and click the Unpool Items button.The items are removed from the pool and returned to the list with your other selected items.
Note: You can also remove items by dragging them out with your cursor and placing them back into the main list or into another pool.
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July 7, 2015 pg. 95
Creating and Managing Assignments
Step
7
Action: To create and manage pools
Click Edit Pool to reveal fields where you can enter a descriptive Name for your new Pool, enter an Item Weight, and enter a number for Items to choose to determine how many questions from the pool are randomly selected for the assignment.
Note: To remove items from a pool, select the appropriate check box(es) and click the Unpool Items button. The items return to the list with the other individual questions.
8
Click Done and your edits to the Pool will appear in the item list.
Note: To create another Pool, select the appropriate items and click Add New Pool. Then continue the steps above until you have populated your assignment with the desired number of items and pools.
9
(Optional) You can reorganize the order of items in your assignment by clicking and dragging pools and/or items in the item list.
10
Click Publish once you have finished creating/editing your assignment.
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July 7, 2015 pg. 96
Creating and Managing Assignments
Step
Action: To delete a Pool
1
From the Assignments page, enter the assignment creation wizard by choosing to Edit an existing assignment or by clicking Create Assignment.
2
Move your cursor over the title of the pool to be deleted to display the Delete Pool button (the Edit Pool button also appears).
3
Click Delete Pool and your pool is removed. The items it contained are returned to the content list for your assignment.
Note: To undo your action, click the Deleted Pool confirmation message that appears at the bottom of the page. This message disappears automatically within a few seconds
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 97
Creating and Managing Assignments
CREATING ADAPTIVE STUDY PLANS ASSIGNMENTS
Adaptive Study Plans (ASP) assignments present your students with background information and exercises to help them prepare for your course. When taking Adaptive Study Plans, students start with a diagnostic quiz to identify their knowledge gaps, then work through recommended materials until they achieve mastery on the topics requiring additional study. ASP quizzes can be taken as many times as desired with no overwriting; students are able to save their work and resume their take at a later time. A reporting tab displays graphs of compiled results from multiple quiz takes
You can also encourage students to register early and access these assignments before the course start date to help them get a jump start with the knowledge they need. ASP assignments are automatically submitted by the CNOWv2 server when the Due Date has passed. Students have one open‐ended take and are unable to submit these assignments themselves.
Step
Action: To create an Adaptive Study Plans assignment
1
Go to the Assignments page, and if necessary, make a new selection from the Course or Section drop‐down menu.
2
Click the Create Assignment button to open the Create Assignment page where you can select from the available assignment types. See “Assignment Types Overview” on page 81 for details on assignment attributes.
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July 7, 2015 pg. 98
Creating and Managing Assignments
Step
3
Action: To create an Adaptive Study Plans assignment
Click the button for the Adaptive Study Plans option.
The assignment creation wizard page for ASP assignments opens.
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July 7, 2015 pg. 99
Creating and Managing Assignments
Step
Action: To create an Adaptive Study Plans assignment
4
Click the bar displaying your textbook’s name to expand a list of the available Adaptive Study Plans.
5
Select the chapter for your assignment by clicking the adjacent radio button. Note: The assignment options and calendar tool are not displayed until you make a content selection.
6
(Optional) Edit your assignment’s name in the Name Your Assignment field, if necessary. (Your assignment is automatically given the chapter name.)
Note: (Optional) The assignment icon to the left of the Name Your Assignment field is used to switch to a different assignment type.
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July 7, 2015 pg. 100
Creating and Managing Assignments
Step
7
Action: To create an Adaptive Study Plans assignment
Click the calendar icon in the heading to open the Select Dates pane. Use the calendar widget to select the appropriate dates and times. The current day is displayed with a white background, while the date you selected is green. The Available On and Due On dates are both required. ASP assignments are automatically submitted for a grade when the Due On date has passed.
Click Done when you are finished.
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July 7, 2015 pg. 101
Creating and Managing Assignments
Step
8
Action: To create an Adaptive Study Plans assignment
(Optional) Enter an Assignment Unavailable On date or select the Same as Due Date check box to make the Unavailable Date the same as the Due Date. You can use the Grading assignment option to set a penalty for assignments turned in after their Due Date.
9
(Optional) Edit the available assignment options from the panel on the right to best suit the requirements of your course.
You can choose to change Feedback preferences, Grading preferences, set a Prerequisite, Availability as a Study Tool, and select which Objective Options to exclude from the assignment. See the online Textual Help for the specifics on each option or “Choosing Assignment Options” on page 109 for an overview of the default settings.
10
(Optional) Create a reusable Option Set from your current assignment option settings. See “Creating and Managing Option Sets” on page 112 for details.
11
Click the Publish button at the top of the page to save your assignment and open the Assignment Created page.
At this point, your assignment(s) are complete and assigned to the current course. However, you still have the ability to make modifications by using the Edit Assignment link on the Assignment Created page to edit assignment information or options. You can also access this page later as the Assignment Summary page by clicking an assignment’s name on the Assignments page list. For details, see “Using the Assignment Created/Summary Pages” on page 115
Note: When you create assignments from Adaptive Study Plans content, the graded sections are automatically made inaccessible for self‐study on the Study Tools page. When students open their self‐study content, sections assigned for a grade display an Assignment only link redirecting them to their Assignments page.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 102
Creating and Managing Assignments
CREATING READING ASSIGNMENTS
You can use Reading assignments to track your students’ progress through course eBook chapters. Even though course reading is ungraded self‐study, you may wish to set up assignments to verify students have looked at specific material.
You begin creating a Reading assignment by clicking the Create Assignment button on the Assignments page. When you have finished creating your new assignment, you have the ability to go back and edit the assignment name, dates, or the prerequisite (if any).
Step
Action: To create a Reading assignment
1
Click the Assignments link to open the Assignments page.
2
If necessary, make a selection from the Course or Section drop‐down menu.
3
Click Create Assignment to open the Create Assignment page and click the icon for Reading assignments.
4
Enter your assignment’s name in the Name Your Assignment field. (Required)
Note: (Optional) Click the assignment type icon to the left of the Name Your Assignment field to switch to a different assignment type.
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July 7, 2015 pg. 103
Creating and Managing Assignments
Step
5
Action: To create a Reading assignment
Click the calendar icon in the heading to expand the menu. Use the calendar widget to select your assignment’s Available On, Due On, and Unavailable On dates. (The Available On date is required.)
The current day is displayed with a white background, while the date you selected is green.
Click Done when you are finished. The dates you have set are now displayed in the heading, to the right of the calendar icon.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 104
Creating and Managing Assignments
Step
6
Action: To create a Reading assignment
Find the appropriate content for your assignment by clicking the plus/minus buttons next to a section to view or hide its contents. Click Assign to select the chapter or section you want to use. You cannot make multiple selections.
Click Unassign to remove selected content.
7
(Optional) Open the Prerequisites menu from the panel to the right and choose the appropriate prerequisite requirements. 8
Once you have the assignment settings to your liking, click the Publish button at the top of the page.
The Assignment Created page opens. At this point, your assignment is complete and assigned to the current course. However, you still have the ability to work with and modify an assignment using the links on the Assignment Created page. See “Using the Assignment Created/Summary Pages” on page 115 for additional details.
9
Click Return to the Assignments List, if you are completely finished.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 105
Creating and Managing Assignments
CREATING EXTERNAL ASSIGNMENTS
External assignments allow you to link to online material as if it were a CengageNOWv2 assignment. From within the CNOWv2 server, you can give the assignment a name, let students begin a take from the Assignments page, and set the assignment dates, possible score, feedback, and weighting category.
Note: There is an option to create an External Gradebook Column as a Gradebook “place holder,” which you can use to manually enter points for offline assignments that otherwise would not be included in the CengageNOWv2 course score. See “Using an External Gradebook Column” on page 145 for more information.
Step
Action: To create an External assignment
1
Click the Assignments link to open the Assignments page.
2
If necessary, make a new selection from the Course or Section drop‐down menu.
3
Click the Create Assignment button to open the Create an Assignment page and choose External from the available selections.
4
Enter your assignment’s name in the Name Your Assignment field. (Required)
Note: (Optional) The assignment type icon to the left of the Name Your Assignment field is used to go back to the previous page and switch to a different assignment type.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 106
Creating and Managing Assignments
Step
5
Action: To create an External assignment
Click the calendar icon in the heading to open the Select Dates pane. Use the calendar widget to select the appropriate dates and times. (An Available On date is required, a Due On date is optional.)
The current day is displayed with a white background, while the date you selected is green. Click Done when you are finished.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 107
Creating and Managing Assignments
Step
Action: To create an External assignment
6
Enter the URL of the site you want to make available for your students into the URL text box. You need to include the protocol, e.g. “http://.”
7
(Optional) Enter a comment in the Comments field. Your students can read this message before their assignment opens. You can create an External assignment without a URL, that only displays a comment.
8
Click the Test button to preview the site in a new browser window and confirm the URL you entered is correct. 9
Edit additional assignment options for assignment takes, grading, feedback, or prerequisites. See the online Textual Help or “Choosing Assignment Options” on page 109 for more details. Also, for details on creating reusable option sets see “Creating and Managing Option Sets” on page 112. 10
Click the Publish button at the top of the page once you have all the assignment settings to your liking.
The Assignment Created page opens with options to edit the assignment, take the assignment as a student, take the assignment offline, create a new assignment, or return to the Assignments overview page. See “Using the Assignment Created/Summary Pages” on page 115 for details.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 108
Creating and Managing Assignments
CHOOSING ASSIGNMENT OPTIONS
The assignment option settings you select determine the essential behavior and characteristics of your assignments. These options allow you to create assignments customized for the needs of your course and students. For example, Homework assignment can be taken an unlimited number of times, and a Test assignment only once—or the reverse, if it suits you. In addition to number of takes and scoring, you can allow or disallow such things as revealed solutions, printing, and feedback (when available). You can even allow students to retake those specific questions they miss.
Note: While you’re in the process of editing assignment options, if you leave an option with a setting that’s incomplete it will appear highlighted in red.
When setting your assignments to have a limit on the number of allowed takes, please be sure your students know that submitting the assignment for grading uses up one of their assignment takes.
Default Options for Common Assignment Types
Assignment Option
Homework
Test
Adaptive Study Plans
External This table shows the key differences in the default option settings for each main assignment type ‐ Yes/No for whether the property is enabled. Cells with an asterisk (*) indicate settings that cannot be changed. Note that Reading assignments are not included, as Prerequisites is their only available option.
Availability As a Study Tool
Unavailable*
Unavailable*
Set to hide activities from students on the Study Tools page
Unavailable*
Assignment Takes allowed Unlimited
1
1* ‐ open ended take
Unlimited*
Time allowed per take
Unlimited
Unlimited
Unlimited*
Unavailable*
Save assignment and resume
Yes
No
Yes*
Unavailable*
Allow printing before 1st take
No
No
Unavailable*
Unavailable*
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 109
Creating and Managing Assignments
Default Options for Common Assignment Types
Assignment Option
Homework
Test
Adaptive Study Plans
External Password to take assignment
None set
None set
Unavailable*
Unavailable*
Possible score
1 point per ques‐
tion
1 point per ques‐
tion
10 points
10 points
Assignment category
Default
Default
Default
Default
Carry all responses and feedback into subsequent takes?
Yes
No
Unavailable*
Unavailable*
Scoring when multiple takes are allowed
Last Score
Last Score
Unavailable*
Unavailable*
Curve factor of:
Available, not set (%)
Available, not set (%)
Available, not set (%)
Available, not set (%)
Pass/Fail at:
Available, not set (%)
Available, not set (%)
Available, not set (%)
Available, not set (%)
Extra credit:
Not selected
Not selected
Not selected
Not selected
Numerical tolerance
Unavailable*
Only exact answer is correct
Unavailable*
Only exact answer is correct
Unavailable*
Only exact answer is correct
Unavailable*
Does not apply
Penalty for submissions after due date
Available, not set (%)
Available, not set (%)
Unavailable*
Available, not set (%)
Subsequent penalty
Available, not set (%)
Available, not set (%)
Unavailable*
Available, not set (%)
Regenerate algorithmic questions
Yes, each student on first take only
Yes, each student on first take only
Unavailable*
Unavailable*
Shuffle questions
Not shuffled
Not shuffled
Unavailable*
Unavailable*
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 110
Creating and Managing Assignments
Default Options for Common Assignment Types
Assignment Option
Homework
Test
Adaptive Study Plans
External Hide question labels
Not hidden
Not hidden
Not hidden*
Unavailable*
Show additional resources
Yes
No
Unavailable*
Unavailable*
“Check My Work” clicks allowed
Unlimited
Never show feed‐
back
Unavailable*
Unavailable*
Show response rejoinders
Yes
No
Unavailable*
Unavailable*
Show overall assignment score only (immediately after take)
Yes, Immediately after take
Yes, Immediately after take
Always
Yes, Immediately after take
Plus, show question details, student responses, and question scores (immediately after take)
Yes, Immediately after take
Never
Yes, after unavail‐
able date
Unavailable*
Plus include correct answers post‐submission feedback
Never
Never
Unavailable*
Unavailable*
Prerequisites
None set
None set
None set
None set
Objective Option
Unavailable*
Unavailable*
No, none selected to be excluded
Unavailable*
Note: See the CengageNOWv2 Textual Help for specific information on each assignment option.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 111
Creating and Managing Assignments
Creating and Managing Option Sets
You can customize assignment options to make adjustments if the default settings do not meet your needs. You can then choose to save your customized settings as a predefined option set. Your option sets are available for you to select every time you create the same assignment type. When you save your own customized option sets, you can later reapply your preferred settings quickly and consistently.
For example, you can configure a set for homework that allows only 4 attempts, a 30 minute time limit, and feedback. You can create another set for quizzes that allows 2 attempts and question shuffling, etc.
The default option set for each assignment type may be completely suitable for your needs. See “Choosing Assignment Options” on page 109 for a detailed overview.
Step
1
Action: To create a new Option Set
While editing or creating an assignment from the assignment wizard page, change the current assignment options so they have the settings you wish save for reuse.
Note: The settings Possible score, Password to take assignment, Assignment categories, Objective options (ASP only), and Prerequisite conditions are not saved as part of a customized Option Set.
2
Click the Save as new set button.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 112
Creating and Managing Assignments
Step
3
Action: To create a new Option Set
When prompted, enter a descriptive name, and then click the Save button.
Your new set is now the current option set. It has also been added to the Apply option set menu so you can apply it to other assignments of this type.
4
Step
Click the Publish button when you are completely finished editing or creating your assignment, to save it with the new option set.
Action: To apply a different Option Set
Verify that the set you want to apply is listed on the Apply option set menu for this assignment type. If not, you will need to create it first. 1
From the assignment creation wizard, open the Apply option set drop‐down menu and select the option set you wish to use.
2
Verify that the name of the set you want to use is correctly displayed.
3
Click the Publish button at the top of the page, when you are finished, to save your current assignment with this new set.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 113
Creating and Managing Assignments
Step
Action: To update an Option Set
1
From the assignment creation wizard, open the Apply option set drop‐down menu and select the option set you wish to change.
2
Verify that the menu now displays the correct name of the set you want to change.
3
Edit the specific assignment options to your liking.
4
Click the Update set button and verify your updates in the Update Option Set window.
5
Edit the name to create a new set, if desired, and click Save.
6
Click the Publish button at the top of the page when you are finished to save the current assignment with the updated set.
Step
Action: To delete an Option Set
1
From the assignment creation wizard, open the Apply option set drop‐down menu and select the option set you wish to delete.
2
Verify that the option set menu displays the option set to be deleted.
3
Click the Delete set button. When the Delete Option Set window appears, click Yes to proceed.
4
Select the default set for your assignment type or a custom option set you want to use in place of the deleted set.
5
Click Publish when you are done.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 114
Creating and Managing Assignments
USING THE ASSIGNMENT CREATED/SUMMARY PAGES
The Assignment Created page is the last page that appears when you have completed the assignment creation process. You can also access this page later as the Assignment Summary page by clicking an assignment name on the Assignments page list. The Assignment Summary/Assignment Created pages provide you with several links for modifying and managing your assignment.
Note: The options you see on this page depend on the assignment type.
The Assignment Summary Page
Preview as a Student
Loads the current assignment so you can review it and/or take it as a student would. This lets you verify that the assignment content, options, scoring, and so on, all work as intended.
Note: This option provides only a single assignment preview: neither the take nor the score is recorded in the Gradebook. See “Enrolling Yourself as a Student” on page 202 or “Using the Student View/Instructor View Toggle” on page 14 for more information on making your own functional student account.
Edit Assignment (or Test)
Returns you to the assignment creation page, where you can change the assignment name, dates, content, and assignment options. See “Editing Assignments” on page 116 for details.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 115
Creating and Managing Assignments
Customize Assignment Options for Specific Students
Opens a page where you can edit assignment dates and settings for individual students. See “Creating and Editing Custom Grading Categories” on page 146 for details.
Print Assignment (or Test)
Opens the assignment content in a new browser window. You can then use the browser’s controls to print a blank copy. (Not all assignments allow printing.)
Take This Assignment Offline/ Online
Makes this assignment temporarily unavailable to your students, or makes an unavailable assignment available.
Create an Assignment
Restart the assignment creation process from the beginning.
Return to Assignment List
Returns you to the main Assignments page.
EDITING ASSIGNMENTS
Once your assignment is created, you still have the option to edit its properties. Depending on the assignment type and its status, you can remove or add items, change the dates, assignment options, or the assignment name. Whenever possible, it is best to finish your edits before making the assignment available to students.
Note: Not all editing options are available to all assignments, for example, after a student has started an assignment you can only edit the assignment’s name, dates, and certain options. Also your available options can be dependent on your current selections, so you may see some choices disabled.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 116
Creating and Managing Assignments
Editing content in Homework or Test assignments
Step
Action: To add or delete items in Homework and Test assignments
1
Go to the Assignments page, and if necessary, make a new selection from the Course or Section drop‐down menu.
2
Click the Edit link in the Actions column for the assignment you want to edit.
Note: You may see a warning message. If an assignment take has been initiated, you will not be able to edit the assignment’s content.
3
Click Add Content to open the Available Items pane.
4
Use the content selection tools to assign and filter additional items from the designated course textbook. See “Question Filtering Options” on page 92 for more details.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 117
Creating and Managing Assignments
Step
Action: To add or delete items in Homework and Test assignments
5
Click the Assign button for the items you want to include. Click Unassign to remove items.
6
When you have completed your edits, click Publish to save your changes and return to the Assignments page.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 118
Creating and Managing Assignments
Editing assignment dates
Step
Action: To edit dates in a pre‐existing assignment
1
Go to the Assignments page, and if necessary, make a new selection from the Course or Section drop‐down menu.
2
Click the Edit link in the Actions column for the assignment. Note: You may see a warning message, if an assignment take has been initiated.
3
Click the calendar icon in the header to open the Select Dates pane where you can use the calendar widget to enter your assignment’s Available On, Due On, and Unavailable On dates as desired. Clicking in a date field opens the calendar widget automatically.
4
When you have finished your edits, click Publish to save your changes and return to the Assignments page.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 119
Creating and Managing Assignments
Managing Content in ASP assignments
Step
Action: To edit content in ASP assignments
ASP assignments do not allow you to select a different chapter, however, you can change which Objective Options will appear.
1
Go to the Assignments page, and if necessary, make a new selection from the Course or Section drop‐down menu.
2
Click the Edit link in the Actions column for the assignment you want to edit.
Note: You may see a warning message, if an assignment take has been initiated.
3
Select Objective Option from the panel to the right to open the list of objectives for your selected content.
4
Select the check box next to those objectives you wish to exclude. By default, all objectives are included.
5
When you have finished your edits, click Publish to save your changes and return to the Assignments page.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 120
Creating and Managing Assignments
Modifying item point values in Homework or Test assignments
Step
Action: To edit point values in Homework or Test assignments
1
Go to the Assignments page, and if necessary, make a new selection from the Course or Section drop‐down menu.
2
Click the Edit link in the Actions column for the assignment you want to edit.
Note: You may see a warning message, if an assignment take has been initiated.
3
Enter the new point values for items in the adjacent text box. (You must edit points before organizing items into Pools.)
4
When you have finished your edits, click Publish to save your changes and return to the Assignments page.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 121
Creating and Managing Assignments
Editing External assignments
Step
Action: To edit an External assignment
1
Go to the Assignments page, and if necessary, make a new selection from the Course or Section drop‐down menu.
2
Click the Edit link in the Actions column, next to the name of the assignment.
Note: You may see a warning message. If an assignment take has been initiated, you will not be able to edit the assignment’s content.
3
Edit the Comment and/or the URL for the assignment’s web site.
4
When you have finished your edits, click Publish to save your changes and return to the Assignments overview page.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 122
Creating and Managing Assignments
ARCHIVING COURSES AND ASSIGNMENTS
CengageNOWv2’s archiving feature lets you store folders, courses, sections, and assignments you are not currently using on the Archived Materials page. Archived items are readily available for you to retrieve, copy into a new folder, course, or section, or delete permanently.
You can access your archived materials by clicking the View Archived Materials link available on your Home page Quick Link list, Courses, or Assignments pages. You may need to click the link to Show All Options on the Assignments page, if the link is hidden.
The Archived Materials Page
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 123
Creating and Managing Assignments
Your Archived Materials page is automatically organized according to the hierarchical structure of your folders, courses, sections, and assignments. This means, for example, if you archive a course, any sections and assignments it contains are filed with it. If you want to archive only assignments, you must select and archive them at the assignment level, without selecting their associated sections or courses. If you archive a section, only section‐level assignments, not course‐level assignments, are archived with that section, and so on.
Archived items can be returned at any time to their original working area in CengageNOWv2. To retrieve an assignment that was archived with its associated section or course, you are prompted to retrieve the relevant section or course as well. To retrieve a section of an archived course, you are also prompted to retrieve its course‐level assignments. And if you are a section‐level instructor, you must have the course‐level instructor retrieve your course‐level items for you.
Using the Archived Materials Page
The Archived Materials page shows the organization of your archived items, including icons for folders, courses, sections, and assignments. The archived items themselves display a “file cabinet” icon.
Use the tips provided below when working on the Archived Materials page.
€ Click the + or ‐ icon on each branch of the hierarchy tree to view or hide its contents.
€ Use the Expand All and Collapse All links to either open or close the entire hierarchy tree.
€ Use the check boxes to select items and item groups for retrieval, copying, or deletion.
€ Use a search filter to find a particular course or to limit the list. Enter the appropriate information in the box, and click the Search button. Click the Clear button to return the list to its original state.
€ Some items will “auto‐select” according to your selections, showing that the items were archived or organized as a group. Similarly, items with a “dash” in the check box have one or more dependent items selected (an assignment in a course, for example).
€ If a folder or course icon displays a lock, you will need the necessary system permissions to retrieve, copy, or delete those items.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 124
Creating and Managing Assignments
Archiving Your Materials
Archiving moves the selected content to Archived Materials page. You can retrieve archived materials at any time.
Step
Action: to archive selected folders, courses, and sections
1
On the Courses page, click Show All Options to display the additional options, if they are hidden.
2
From the Folders window or the Courses and Sections list, select the folder, course, or section containing the assignments you wish to archive.
3
Select Archive from the Courses and Sections drop‐down menu, if you have selected a course.
4
Or, select Archive Folder from the Folders drop‐down menu, if you have selected a folder.
5
Click OK in the Archive verification window and your selected course or folder is moved to the Archived Materials page.
Step
Action: To archive specific assignments within a course
1
Go to the Assignments page and make the appropriate selection from the Course or Section drop‐down menu.
2
Click the Show All Options link, if the additional options are not already displayed.
3
Select one or more assignments to archive by selecting their check box.
4
Under Choose assignments and then select an option below, click the Archive button.
5
Click OK in the Archive verification window to move the selected assignment(s) to the Archived Materials page.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 125
Creating and Managing Assignments
Retrieving Archived Items
Retrieving an item from Archived Materials moves it back to its original location in the Courses or Assignments page.
Step
Action: Retrieving archived items
1
Go to the Assignments page and use the Course or Section drop‐down menu to select the course or section that originally contained the archived assignments you want to retrieve. 2
Click Show All Options to display all options, if they are hidden.
3
Click the View Archived Materials link.
4
Select the folders, courses, or sections you want to retrieve, and click the Retrieve Selected Items button.
5
In the Archived Materials ‐ Confirm Item Retrieval page, review your selections. 6
Click the Retrieve selected items button to finalize the retrieval, if your selections are correct.
If necessary, you can use the Change current selections button to return to the Archived Materials page where you can make new selections.
You can also click Cancel to quit and return to the Archived Materials page where you can make new selections, if necessary.
Step
Action: To retrieve specific assignments
1
Go to the Assignments page and use the Course or Section drop‐down menu to select the course or section that originally contained the archived assignments you want to copy. 2
Click Show All Options to display all options, if they are hidden.
3
Click the View Archived Materials link.
4
Select the assignments you want to retrieve, and click the Retrieve Selected Items button.
5
In the Archived Materials ‐ Confirm Item Retrieval window, review your selections.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 126
Creating and Managing Assignments
Step
6
Action: To retrieve specific assignments
Click the Retrieve selected items button to finalize the retrieval, if your selections are correct.
If necessary, you can use the Change current selections button to return to the Archived Materials page where you can make new selections.
You can also click Cancel to quit and return to the Archived Materials page where you can make new selections, if necessary.
Copying Items from Archived Materials
You can copy folders, courses, or assignments from Archived Materials to the CengageNOWv2 clipboard and then paste the items directly into a new folder, course, or section. This shortcut makes it easy to retrieve and update an archived item for a new use and saves you the work of creating it from scratch each time.
Step
Action: To copy archived folders, courses, and sections
1
Go to the Assignments page and use the Course or Section drop‐down menu to select the course or section originally containing the archived assignments you want to copy. 2
Click Show All Options to display all options, if they are hidden.
3
Click the View Archived Materials link.
4
Select the folders, courses, and/or sections you want to copy, and click the Copy Selected Items button. A verification message will appear below. 5
Click the Courses link in the header.
6
On the Courses page, select the folder into which you want to paste the archived items.
7
Click the Show All Options link, if necessary, to display the Folders menu.
8
Select Paste Course from the Folders drop‐down menu to open the CengageNOWv2 Clipboard.
9
Click the Paste Selected Items button and your copied items should now appear in the selected folder. Click the Close This Window button to exit the clipboard when you are done.
You can also click the Cancel button to quit and return to the Archived Materials page without making any changes.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 127
Creating and Managing Assignments
Step
Action: To copy archived assignments
1
Go to the Assignments page and use the Course or Section drop‐down menu to select the course or section that originally contained the archived assignments you want to copy. 2
Click Show All Options to display all options, if they are hidden.
3
Click the View Archived Materials link.
4
Click Show All Options to display all options, if they are hidden.
5
Click the View Archived Materials link.
6
On the Archived Materials page, select the assignments you want to copy, and click the Copy Selected Items button.
Note: To return the archived assignments to the original course, use Retrieve Selected Items instead.
7
Click the Assignments link in the header to open the Assignments page.
8
Select the course or section into which you want to paste the copied assignments, and click Show All Options (if they are hidden).
9
Click Paste to open the CengageNOWv2 Clipboard window.
10
Click the Paste Selected Items button and your copied assignments should now appear in the selected course or section. Click the Close This Window button to exit the clipboard when you are done.
You can also click the Cancel button to quit and return to the Archived Materials page without making any changes.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 128
Creating and Managing Assignments
Deleting Archived Items
You can delete items permanently from your archive if you feel you need to reduce clutter or save disk space. Keep in mind that deleted items are gone for good. If there is any chance you may need to access that assignment, course, or student grade again, it’s best to keep it in archived materials.
Caution: It’s strongly recommended that you adhere to the system default selections and prompts when deleting items. For example, say you archive an entire course but later delete some of its assignments. If you later retrieve that course, its Gradebook records will reflect only the remaining assignments and won’t match other course records you might have. Delete only those items you are certain you will never need again.
Step
Action: To delete specific archived items
1
Go to the Assignments page and use the Course or Section drop‐down menu to select the course or section that originally contained the archived assignments you want to copy. 2
Click Show All Options to display all options, if they are hidden.
3
Click the View Archived Materials link.
4
Select the assignments, folders, courses, and/or sections you want to delete, and click the Delete Selected Items button.
5
In the Archived Materials ‐ Confirm Item Delete page, review your selections, and click the Delete button, or you can click the Cancel button to return to the Archived Materials page without making any changes.
To change your selections, click the Change current selections button and edit as needed before deleting.
Note: If your selected archived assignment is assigned to a course or section, it cannot be deleted.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 129
MANAGING GRADES
CengageNOWv2 automatically grades everything it can grade electronically, marks items that must be manually graded, and calculates a student’s final grade or “grade to date.”
Once a student finishes an assignment, you can use tools found in your Gradebook to review the answers and score any items requiring manual grading. If necessary, you can adjust scoring for any item, student, or assignment.
CengageNOWv2 also offers a wide range of grade‐reporting options to help you summarize and analyze individual and class performance. You can review these reports online or print them in a variety of formats.
GRADEBOOK TERMINOLOGY
There are many ways to customize and weight grades. Familiarize yourself with the following Gradebook terms to understand how the course grade is calculated:
Total Score
The Total Score for student progress is the sum of each assignment’s score multiplied by the assignment’s weight. You can also find the Total Score for the course displayed (in parenthesis) in the Total Score column heading. This is the total possible points for the course, including any hidden assignments.
Most problems have a default score of 1.0 for a correct answer, and so an assignment score equals the number of correct answers. However, CengageNOWv2 offers many ways to set up and score problems to adjust or weight this value:
• You can allow for partial credit for some responses.
• You can modify the possible score for individual questions in Test and Homework assignments from the assignment creation wizard page while creating or editing your assignment. See “Editing Assignments” on page 116 for details.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 130
Managing Grades
• You can alter the possible score of the entire assignment with the Possible score and Curve factor of options. See “Choosing Assignment Options” on page 109 for details.
• You can adjust the scores of groups of assignments by placing them in custom categories and weighting each category. See Creating and Editing Custom Grading Categories on page 146 for details.
Note: Only assignments that are past due or have already been taken are included in the student’s total score. Any points from extra‐credit assignments are then added to the total.
Overall Grade
This is a percentage calculated as the sum of assignment points earned to date divided by the possible score. Any custom Grading Categories that are used are also applied. When the Gradebook Preference to Include missing assignments in totals option is checked, all assignments report to course score, and when it is unchecked, only submitted assignments are included (this can be assignments submitted by an overt submission or submitted by default because of the arrival of an unavailable date.)
Possible Score
This is the number of points a student could earn for an assignment, if he or she achieved a perfect score. The student’s actual gradebook score can be modified by other factors such as category weighting and curve factor.
Extra Credit Assignments can be assigned as extra credit by creating a custom grading category. Points earned as extra credit are added to the points earned, but not to the total points possible, when calculating the total grade (Total Score / Possible Score = Overall Grade).
For example, suppose you set up a class with nine regular assignments and one extra‐credit assignment. If each assignment is worth 10 points, the possible score for the course is 90. But a student who scored 100 percent on everything, including the extra‐credit assignment, would score 111 percent for the course (100/90 = 1.11).
Note: For more information on custom grading categories, see “Creating and Editing Custom Grading Categories” on page 146.
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Category Score
Category Score represents a student’s grade for each category of assignments in the course. Grading categories are optional; you create them on the Gradebook page as a means to adjust score weighting for a whole group of similar assignments. If you have not created any assignment categories beyond the initial default category, the default category score is the final score for the course. See “Creating and Editing Custom Grading Categories” on page 146.
An assignment’s category score is calculated as follows:
Category Score = (Total Score/Possible Score) x Category Weight (if any).
The category weight is a value that you determine. Only categories containing at least one assignment that has been taken or is past due are counted.
Final Score
The final score is the sum of the category scores and reflects the student’s grade for the course. If a category is empty (i.e., the assignments have not yet been taken), that category’s score is excluded.
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USING THE GRADEBOOK OVERVIEW PAGE
The Gradebook overview page displays the names of all students enrolled in a course and their individual scores for assignments. A gradebook shading feature highlights which student assignments are falling into a specific percentile. See Gradebook Preferences on page 140 for more details.
The Gradebook Overview Page
Once a student finishes an assignment, you can use tools found in your Gradebook to review the answers and score any items requiring manual grading. If necessary, you can adjust scoring for any item, student, or assignment.
Expand the Perform student and assignment actions menu (person icon to the right of the Create External Gradebook Column button) or the Manage Columns menu to access links to additional tools. Clicking the Show All Options link reveals options for setting preferences for the appearance of your Gradebook page; clicking Hide All Options simplifies the view of your page.
Note: Assignments your students have saved to resume later are displayed with an In Progress icon and their current score.
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Basic Options
These tools listed in the tables below are always available on your Gradebook overview page.
Function
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The CengageNOWv2 Gradebook Analytics is a quick way for you to generate and view summaries of score information, response statistics, and content from individual questions. Global data is provided so you can make a comparison between national averages and your class’s performance. For instructions and descriptions of the report types, see “Using Gradebook Analytics Reports” on page 184.
The Select a report to create menu provides a link to the Custom Report set‐up page. This report allows you to choose from several information categories from which you can create a detailed overview for the selected assignments and students. See “Using Custom Reports” on page 179 for more details.
The Export Course Gradebook option allows you to export the information from the current course as a file format that can be edited in a text, spreadsheet, or database application. See “Exporting a Course Gradebook” on page 177 for more information.
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Function
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The Course or Section drop‐down menu allows you to select a new course and refresh the page.
The Edit Grading Categories link opens a page where you can create new categories affecting an assignment’s “weight” or edit any of your existing categories. See “Creating and Editing Custom Grading Categories” on page 146 for details.
The Show All Options/Hide All Options link determines whether the Gradebook Preferences are displayed. See “Preferences” on page 15 for information on setting this option for all your pages in CengageNOWv2.
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Function
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The Manage Columns drop‐down menu allows you to hide or restore columns, filter which assignments are displayed by type and date, grading status, or date criteria. (Some learning systems may not have all options available.) Also see “Filtering Gradebook Assignments” on page 143 for details on setting filtering criteria.
The columns for Student Name, Student ID, Email, Total Score, and Total Time Spent also have an “X” button that allows you to hide individual columns. The Manage Columns menu allows you to return columns you have hidden and view hidden assignments. Note: The Student Name also serves as a link to the Student Grade Details page.
Sorting Student Names: To limit the names listed in a course with many students, you can select an alphabetical range from a drop‐down menu located to the right on the green “show all options” bar. Select the appropriate alphabetical grouping (i.e. An‐Run) to refresh the list. You can also use the Previous and Next links to browse the pages of student names in sequence.
Enter Student. This text box allows you to search for a specific student’s information, enter part of the student’s name, and click the Find button. When you would like to return to the full list of students, click the Show all students link.
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Student and Assignment Actions Open the Perform student and assignment actions drop‐down menu to select one of the following management tools:
€ Adjust Multiple Scores. This link opens the Adjust Multiple Scores page, where you can edit the scores for multiple assignments in a course. You can adjust scores up or down by a designated amount (percent or points) or reset scores to a specific value. See “Adjusting Multiple Assignment Scores” on page 160 for details.
€ Send Email to Users. This link opens the Send Email dialog box, where you can compose an email to one or more of your students. This feature allows you to communicate with students quickly without leaving the Gradebook overview page.
€ Query Student Data. This link opens the Gradebook Search page, where you can use different criteria to find student grades for a course or assignment. This page is a handy reference for viewing student performance in their courses or in individual assignments. See “Querying Student Data” on page 170 for more information.
€ Customize Assignment Options for Specific Students. This link opens the Select Assignment and Students for Custom Options and Dates page, where you can modify assignment availability, dates, and other options for individual students. Use this feature to accommodate special circumstances for specific students without having to adjust options for the entire class. See “Customizing Assignment Options for Specific Students” on page 174 for more details.
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Create External Gradebook Column
An External Gradebook Column is a “place holder” in your Gradebook you can use to manually record grades for offline paper assignments or labs done outside of CengageNOWv2. As your students complete their assignments, you enter their grades which are then calculated into their course score. This information is also included on your students’ Assignments and Grades pages.
You can create an External Gradebook Column by clicking the Create External Gradebook Column button on the Gradebook page and entering the Assignment Name, Possible Points, and Student Note. Once the column is in place you can click the pencil icon to perform edits or click the trash icon to delete the column. Deleting the assignment from the Assignments page will remove the column from the Gradebook page as well. See “Using an External Gradebook Column” on page 145 for more details.
Manage Columns
Use the Manage Columns drop‐down menu to choose whether to display or hide specific gradebook columns or see any hidden assignments by clicking View Hidden Assignments. You can also quickly hide columns and assignments from the Gradebook page by clicking the “X” icon in the column headings.
Fields displaying the Student Name, Student ID, Student Email, Total Score, and Total Time Spent are available by default.
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Note: Establishing Student IDs is useful for large courses or when you have students with similar names. This information is also part of the output when generating Gradebook Reports and exporting your Gradebook. If you want to use Student IDs in your course, you can select the option to Require students to provide a student ID on login when creating or editing your course. You can also create or edit Student IDs from the column on the Gradebook page.
Gradebook Status Icons
At the bottom of the Gradebook table you will see a legend for the labels you may see for assignments or students that have special conditions. You can mouse over an icon appearing in a column to display the related tool‐
tip.
Gradebook Status Icons
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Gradebook Preferences
Use the Gradebook Preferences to control what kind of information is included on your Gradebook page. To display this feature, click the link to Show All Options; you can also click Hide All Options to simplify your view of the page. Gradebook Preferences
Check the box next to an item to include the information on the page or to use it as part of the score calculation. Click the radio buttons to select between display styles.
Assignments
You can use this option to sort the list of assignments by your pre‐defined assignment Categories or by their Due Date, in either an ascending or descending order.
The default setting is by Categories in ascending alphabetical order. Then additionally, within each category, the sort order is ascending due date (primary) and ascending alpha (secondary).
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Grades
You can choose to display your Gradebook’s course score either as a Percentage or as Total points (raw score only, does not factor in category weighting), or simply display the assignments as either Taken/Not Taken. An assignment can contribute its earned and possible points to the course score by one of two methods:
• In method 1, the assignment has reached its unavailable date.
• In method 2, the assignment has not yet reached its unavailable date, but the student has submitted the most recent take.
Include missing assignments in totals. Select this check box to include the possible points (but not the earned points) for those assignments that are not reporting points to the course score. Selecting this option affects how assignments and scores are displayed on the Student Grade Details page.
Enable Shading. Select this check box to allow color coded shading of your students’ scores. Using this option can make it easy to quickly review and scan scores. If your preference is to display scores as Total Points rather than as a Percentage, Enable Shading will continue to color‐code your Gradebook scores as described.
• Red. below 70%.
• Orange. 70% to 79.99%.
• Yellow. 80% to 89.99%.
• Green. 90% to 100%.
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Drop Lowest Scores
The Drop Lowest Scores option allows you to determine the number of low‐scoring assignments to drop from the course score calculations. Making a selection from the drop‐down menu determines how the assignments are selected.
When an assignment score is dropped, the assignment information continues to appear throughout CengageNOWv2. The dropped score, however, is indicated by the Low score assignment dropped icon; clicking this icon takes you to the Edit Grade Details page.
• Respecting grading categories. This option allows you to enter a number of assignments to exclude from individual grading categories (if any).
• Ignoring grading categories. This option allows you to enter a number of assignments to exclude from the course overall and ignores grading categories (if any).
Note: When Gradebook Preferences are set to display scores as either Total points or Taken/Not Taken, Ignoring grading categories is the only available option.
Once your selections are complete, click Apply Changes to refresh the Gradebook page and see your changes. Click Hide All Options if you prefer to keep the Gradebook Preferences hidden.
Tie Breaking When Dropping Lowest Scores
When comparing assignment scores to determine which to drop, CengageNOWv2 uses an earned / possible quotient. Resolving a tie between two assignment scores (e.g. two assignments at 50%) is as follows:
€ First, the greatest level of precision is used. For example, if 50% from two assignments is actually 49.94 and 49.95, then 49.94 is lowest.
€ Next, in cases where there is a tie at this level of precision, the assignment with the least number of possible points is dropped.
€ Lastly, if the first two methods cannot determine which assignment to drop, one of the tied assignments is chosen at random.
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Filtering Gradebook Assignments
The Edit Assignment Filters in the Manage Columns menu allows you to determine which assignments appear on your Gradebook page. By selecting filtering criteria based on assignment type, grade status, or by dates you can choose assignments to not be displayed. Also, when you are exporting the course Gradebook, you can create Microsoft Excel and Text Editor exports that only contain that information selected from the filtered Gradebook view.
Step
Action: To filter assignments appearing on your Gradebook page
1
Go to your Gradebook page and confirm that you have the correct selection in the Courses and Sections menu.
2
Click the Manage Columns button and select Edit Assignment Filters from the drop‐
down list to open the Assignment Filters window.
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Step
3
Action: To filter assignments appearing on your Gradebook page
Select the appropriate check box under Date Filters to choose a date or a range of dates to apply as a filter. Date filtering is based on the Available, Due, and Unavailable dates displayed on the Assignments page. Date overrides set on the Customize Assignment Options for Specific Students page are not considered.
1. Choose from Available, Due, and Unavailable to select a date category.
2. Choose from After, Before, or Between in the drop‐down menu that appears to determine the association between the date type and the date you define in the next step.
3. Define the appropriate date or range of dates and times in the next field by using the calendar widget. Note that dates are inclusive, so when searching for "before" date it really means "before or on" the specified date.
Note: Assignments created without a Due Date or an Unavailable Date are displayed when the After filter is applied, as CNOWv2 considers them as being set to a very distant date.
4
Select to filter by Assignments Type by deselecting one or more check boxes. At least one assignment type must be selected. You can choose from Homework, Test, Reading, Adaptive Study Plans, and External.
Note: Filtering by the External category affects the display of both External assignments and External Gradebook columns.
5
Select to filter by Grading status by selecting or deselecting Graded or Not Graded.
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Step
Action: To filter assignments appearing on your Gradebook page
6
(Optional) Click Apply Defaults at any time to remove all filtering selections and exit the Assignment Filters window. Your Gradebook page will refresh automatically.
7
When you are done, click Submit to apply your filtering selections. Clicking Cancel returns you to your Gradebook page without saving any changes.
When your filter selections are submitted, the Gradebook will only display the assignments within the filtering criteria you specified.
Using an External Gradebook Column You can create an External Gradebook Column to serve as a “place holder” for assignments that your students take outside of CengageNOWv2. In this way, you can reserve a place in your Gradebook to manually enter points for paper assignments or lab projects that are otherwise not included in your students’ CengageNOWv2 course score.
Once the results for the offline assignment are determined, you can enter the grades manually. The grade for this assignment is calculated in the course score along with the electronically graded CengageNOWv2 assignments. Your students can see information for the External Gradebook column from their Assignments and Grades page.
Step
Action: To create an External Gradebook Column
1
From your Gradebook page, if necessary, use the Course or Section drop‐down menu to select the appropriate course.
2
Click the Create External Gradebook Column button to open the Create External Gradebook Column dialog box.
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Step
3
Action: To create an External Gradebook Column
Enter the appropriate information for the Assignment Name, Possible Score, and Student Note.
Note: Your Student Note appears as a pop‐up comment on the student Assignments page. Your message should be less than 60 characters.
4
Click Create and the Gradebook will refresh, showing your new assignment column. A corresponding column also appears in your Assignments page.
5
Enter the grades for individual students on your Gradebook page as the offline assignments are completed. You can also edit the assignment information by clicking the “pencil” icon in the column header or delete the column entirely by clicking the “trash can” icon.
Note: Your students can see details for their offline assignments from the CengageNOWv2 Grades and Assignments pages. Information for the Due Date, Date & Time Submitted, # of Submissions, and Time Spent/Allowed columns is not supplied.
Creating and Editing Custom Grading Categories
By using custom grading categories you can group assignments into types (i.e., “Homework,” “Extra Credit,” or “Quiz”) so that they can be weighted collectively in final grade calculations. For example, you can create a category containing Homework assignments and weight them to be 30 percent of the course grade. Once one or more grading categories are created, you can assign individual assignments to them by using the drop‐down menus on the Edit Grading Categories page. You also have the ability to change an assignment’s category from the Assignment Options page.
Note: Using categories is optional. If you do not create your own custom categories, all assignments will remain in the Default category.
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The Edit Grading Categories Page
The Edit Grading Categories page provides a color‐coded key for the categories in use. When an assignment is assigned to a category, a colored bar appears at the top of the column on the Gradebook page. This enables you to tell at a glance which category an assignment belongs to. These category colors are assigned in the order they are created. To have the same category colors for all of your courses, note the order in which you created them, and repeat that order for all your courses.
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By default, categories are organized in ascending alphabetical order on your Gradebook page, however, you can drag and drop individual category rows on the Edit Grading Categories page to reorganize their order.
Step
Action: To create custom categories
1
From the Gradebook overview page, select a course or section from the drop‐down menu.
2
Click the Edit Grading Categories link to open the Edit Grading Categories page.
3
In the box next to the Add button, enter a name for your category (for example, “Homework,” “Practice,” or “Final Exam”).
4
Click Add and your new category will appear in the Category Name list.
5
Enter a value in the % of Grade column to determine the percentage of the total course grade that this category will represent.
6
(Optional) Add a comment about the category.
7
Any portion of the course score not allocated to a custom category will remain in the default category.
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Step
8
Action: To create custom categories
Click Save to save your changes and stay on the page, or click Save & Return to return to the Gradebook overview page. Click Cancel to exit without saving.
Note: You can also weigh assignments individually using the Possible score and Curve factor of which are available on the Assignment Options page. You can use these options regardless of whether the assignments have been put in a custom category. Step
Action: To place assignments in categories
1
From the Gradebook overview page, select the appropriate course or section in the drop‐down menu.
2
Click the Edit Grading Categories link to open the Edit Grading Categories page.
3
Locate the Category column in the Assignments table in the lower half of the page.
4
Use the drop‐down menus in the Category column to place assignments in the appropriate category.
5
Click Save to save your work or click Save & Return to save and return to the Gradebook overview page. Click Cancel to exit without saving.
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EDITING GRADE DETAILS The Edit Grade Details page lets you view and edit the scores for individual students, manage assignment takes, and enter comments for student viewing.
Depending on the assignment type, the Edit Grade Details page can have different options.
€ For External and ASP assignments, the lower section of the page displays a preview of the question content and the student’s responses, while the top of the page has editable fields, options for managing takes, and creating comments.
€ For Homework and Test assignments, the lower section allows you to create comments and edit scores. The top section of the page provides a take overview, however, the fields are not editable.
You can open the Edit Grade Details page from the Gradebook page by clicking the score you wish to view or edit. You can also edit assignments marked “not taken.”
Once you are on the Edit Grade Details page, you can quickly select either a different assignment or student.
€ To edit grade details for a different assignment for the current student, select the assignment from the drop‐down menu under View a different assignment.
€ To edit the score for another student for the same assignment, select the student’s name in the drop‐down menu under View the grades for a different student.
Note: You can also edit scores for multiple assignments at one time. See “Adjusting Multiple Assignment Scores” on page 160 for more details.
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Editing Scores in External and ASP Assignments
The middle section of the Edit Grade Details page allows you to edit aspects of the overall assignment score. To access these fields, select the Grade by assignment score option.
Editing Assignment Scores for ASP and External Assignments
Depending on the type of assignment and content, the Edit Grade Details page will provide the following controls.
View a different assignment
Choose an assignment from the drop‐down menu to select a different assignment for editing without leaving the page.
View the grades for a different student
Choose a student name from the drop‐down menu to see work by different student without leaving the page.
Save and Return
Saves your work and adds one take to the student’s assignment, if there were none previously, and returns you to the Gradebook overview page.
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Save Changes and Continue Editing
Saves your changes in progress while you continue editing without leaving the Edit Grade Details page. It also can add one take to the student’s assignment, if there were none previously.
Return Without Saving
Allows you to exit and return to the Gradebook overview page without saving your changes. However, any deleted takes or edits that were saved in progress will remain.
Email Student
Allows you to email students from the Edit Grade Details page. Clicking the Email Student button opens the Send Email page in a new window.
Assignment Score
Allows you to view and edit the student’s overall assignment score by entering the number of correct answers. (This yields the same result as changing it on the Assignment Details page). Any late penalty previously assigned will still apply. When you save the grade change, the score is marked on the Assignment Details page as manually graded.
When you edit and save the score, an option to Reset to Electronic Grade will appear; you can select the checkbox and save to return the score to its original, electronic grade.
Reset to Electronic Grade
(Optional) To return your edited score back to its original value, select the check box for Reset to Electronic Grade and click Save and Return or Save.
Adjusted Score
Displays the value of penalty applied, and the assignment’s score after the penalty is subtracted.
Gradability
Any time you view an assignment on this page and click one of the save buttons, the Your Evaluation column on the Assignment Details page shows the assignment as “Evaluated,” along with the date. When you manually change a grade and save your changes, that item is marked as “Graded.”
To mark an item as “Graded” that you have not manually adjusted, check My grading is complete. CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
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# of Attempts
When available, this field shows the number of times the student has taken the assignment and the maximum takes allowed (for assignments set up to allow multiple takes).
Time Spent
When available, you can use this field to modify the recorded amount of time the student has spent on this assignment. The assignment Time Spent is the total of the time spent answering each question and any time the student spent at dialog boxes, reading messages, or loading items during the assignment.
Date Completed
Displays the submission date and time for the assignment.
Take
In assignments that allow multiple takes, you can use the Take check boxes to select a specific take to view or delete. The take with the best score is selected by default.
Re­Open Most Recent, Submitted Take
Use this feature when you want to allow a student to continue working on a previously submitted assignment. Your student can then click the Resume button on the Assignments page to proceed with the submitted take (the student’s Assignments page may need to be refreshed for the button to display).
The Re‐Open Most Recent, Submitted Take button may be disabled under the following conditions:
• The most recent take is not yet submitted.
• The assignment status is not takable (offline).
• The condition you set for the Prerequisite assignment option is not met (if any).
• The assignment is not resumable (e.g. timed Tests and Homework assignments are not resumable).
• The Unavailable Date has passed or the Start Date has not yet arrived.
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• The student is no longer enrolled in the course or the student account no longer exists. • The student cannot get a higher score if the take is reopened (e.g. if the late penalty will cause the highest score the student can get to be lower than their score in the last take).
Comment
Use this field to enter a short note tracking your changes. The comment is also visible from the Notes column of your Student Grade Details page.
Delete Selected Take
After a student has taken an assignment, you can delete one or more specific takes. For example, if the student has an extended computer failure during a test, you may want to delete that take altogether.
The takes are displayed with sequential numbers and results. To delete a take, click the check box next to any take to select it, and click the Delete Selected Take button.
Once you have clicked delete, the selected take and all of the associated responses are reset, and the student can attempt the take again. Use caution when deleting a student take; this action cannot be undone and the delete is automatically saved by the CengageNOWv2 server.
You generally cannot delete takes with scores that you have previously edited manually. Exceptions are: assignments that allow multiple takes or have takes remaining.
Contact Tech Support to Report Grading Errors
Clicking this link opens the Cengage Learning Customer Technical Support site in a new browser window. From this page you can Sign‐In and create a case ticket.
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Editing Scores in Homework and Test Assignments
The lower half of the Edit Grade Details page allows you to edit the results of individual items or assignments in Homework and Test assignments. To access these fields for editing, there must be a Take by the student for you to review.
Editing Scores for Homework and Test Assignments
Note: For ASP assignments, details for individual questions for the Pre‐Test and View Progress details can be viewed in the lower section, but not edited. External and ASP assignments allow you to edit the overall assignment score in the upper section of the page.
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The lower section of the Edit Grade Details page displays the following controls when a Homework or Test assignment is selected.
Take Structure
Allows you to select either individual items or the entire assignment for viewing and editing of the score.
Selected Item Attempt Preview
Displays a full preview of the item or assignment you selected in the Take Structure pane.
Selected Item Grade Details
Use the controls in this pane to manage scores for your selection in the Take Structure pane. Your edits can be made at the item or assignment level.
• Final Score. Displays the score currently applied to the selected item or assignment.
• Score Override. Use these fields to enter a new value for your selection, either as points or as a percentage.
• Apply. Click to save your changes.
• Remove. Click to revert an edited score back to its original, electronic value.
• Attempt Score. Displays the original, electronic score for the selected item or assignment.
Comments
Use to enter a comment for the assignment or the selected item that your student can see in the Notes column of their Grades and Assignment pages. This pane also tracks score editing activity. You can removed individual comments by clicking the “X” icon in the corner of the pane.
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Step
Action: To Edit Scores in Homework and Test Assignments
1
Go to the Gradebook page and click an assignment’s score, In Progress icon, or not taken link to open the Edit Grade Details page.
2
If necessary, select a Homework or Test assignment from the View a different assignment menu or a student from the View the grades for a different student menu.
3
If multiple takes are available, select the appropriate Take number. Active Take links appear in blue.
4
Select the item you wish to work with from the Take Structure pane. The item content and the student’s response will appear in the Selected Item Preview pane.
Note: You can also select to edit the overall assignment score.
5
(Optional) Manage takes, if necessary, by choosing to Re‐Open Most Recent, Submitted Take or selecting a Take and Delete Selected Take.
Note: Edits made to takes are saved automatically and cannot be undone.
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Step
6
Action: To Edit Scores in Homework and Test Assignments
Open the score editing options by clicking the Add Override button in the Selected Item Grade Details pane. You can then either enter points or a percentage in the appropriate field and add an optional Comment.
The student’s original score is displayed below as the Attempt Score.
7
Click Apply to in the Selected Item Grade Details pane to save the edited score. You can also click Remove at any time to return the score to its value from the original attempt.
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Step
8
Action: To Edit Scores in Homework and Test Assignments
(Optional) Make an entry in the Comments pane to create a note associated with the edited score. Editing a score also creates a message in the Comments pane. Any comment can be deleted by clicking the “X” icon.
Your comment is also visible from the Notes column of your Student Grade Details page, and the Notes column in your student's Grades, Assignments, and Assignment Details pages.
9
When you are finished, click Done in the upper section of the page to save your changes and return to the Gradebook page.
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Managing Grades
Adjusting Multiple Assignment Scores
In addition to editing assignment scores one at a time from the Edit Grade Details page, you can edit students’ scores for multiple assignments in your course. This powerful feature lets you adjust scores up or down by a designated amount (percentage or points) or reset scores to a specific value.
In addition to allowing you to modify assignment scores, this page can indicate incomplete assignments, offline assignments, and assignment scores that have already been modified by late or custom penalties.
Step
1
Action: To adjust all scores
Go to the Gradebook page and select the Adjust Multiple Scores link from the Perform student and assignment actions drop‐down menu to open the Adjust Multiple Scores page. CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 160
Managing Grades
Step
2
Action: To adjust all scores
Select the scores you want to modify.
€ To select all scores for the course, click the Select All link. To deselect all scores, click the Select None link.
€ To select all scores for a specific assignment, select the check box next to the assignment name. You can select multiple assignments.
€ To select all scores for a particular student, select the check box next to the student’s name. You can select multiple students.
€ To select individual assignment scores for specific students, select the check box for each score. You can select multiple individual scores.
3
Under Choose an adjustment option, select an option for adjusting the selected scores.
€ To raise the scores by a specified percentage or number of points, select Add.
€ To reduce the scores by a specified percentage or number of points, select Subtract.
€ To set all selected scores to a particular value, select Set To.
4
Enter the value of the score adjustment in the adjacent box. For example, to adjust the value by 15 percent or 15 points enter 15.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 161
Managing Grades
Step
Action: To adjust all scores
5
Select Percent or Points, as appropriate, for the adjustment value.
6
Under Settings, you can choose to allow negative scores or extra credit for adjusted scores, or enable the Automatic Preview selection.
7
Click Save Changes and Return to Gradebook to accept your grade adjustments and return to the Gradebook overview page.
You can also click Save Changes and Continue Editing to keep working on this page or click Return Without Saving to discard your modifications and return to the Gradebook overview page.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 162
Managing Grades
USING THE STUDENT GRADE DETAILS PAGE
From the Gradebook overview page, click a student name to go to the Student Grade Details page. This page displays all assignment grades for an individual student in a particular course. Assignments are organized by category (if custom categories are used).
The Student Grade Details Page
When you have created and assigned your own custom grading categories, the assignments are grouped into tables by category. You can simplify the appearance of the page by clicking an assignment category heading to expand or minimize that table. See “Creating and Editing Custom Grading Categories” on page 146 for more information.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 163
Managing Grades
The Student Grade Details page offers the following tools:
Overall Grade
Overall Grade displays the score as a percentage with the weighing of the grading categories factored in (when custom categories are used). This score is calculated as (points earned/points possible) x category weight.
When Gradebook Preferences are set to display as Total Points, the Overall Grade is not shown, as the influence of any categories is not included.
View the grades for a different student
Select a name from this drop‐down menu, which contains all students enrolled in the course.
Send Email to Users
Clicking this button opens a popup window that lets you quickly send an email without leaving the page. Enter a heading in the Subject text box and your message in the text box below. When you are done, click the Send Email button.
Go Back to the Gradebook
Clicking this button returns you to the Gradebook overview page.
Sorting the Assignment Display
Clicking a heading expands or collapses the assignment information for that grading category in the table. Assignments are organized by category (if any). Status Icons
Status icons may appear to mark assignments that are dropped for lowest score, in progress, or that require manual grading. A legend for these icons appears at the bottom of the page.
The following Gradebook settings affect the page display and score calculations on the Edit Student Grade Details page:
When Include missing assignments in totals is unchecked in Gradebook Preferences, CengageNOWv2 does not include assignments that are not‐yet submitted, not‐yet due, and in‐progress as part of the score calculation. On the Student Grade Details page these assignments are displayed in the table for Assignments not currently counting towards grade.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 164
Managing Grades
When Include missing assignments in totals is checked in Gradebook Preferences, CengageNOWv2 includes not‐yet‐submitted, not‐yet‐due, and in‐
progress assignments in the score calculation. These assignments are then organized in tables by their category (if any).
Depending on your Gradebook Preferences settings, the overall grade is calculated as follows:
€ When the Gradebook Preferences are set to Total points, any assigned categories will not impact the score and the percent correct is calculated as points earned/points possible.
€ When the Gradebook Preferences are set to Percentage, if categories are used they will impact the score and the percent correct is calculated as (points earned/points possible) x category weight.
If categories are not being used, the percent correct uses the standard calculation where points earned/points possible.
Note: To see detailed information on the student’s responses and edit scores for a particular assignment, click the score in the % column to open the Edit Grade Details page. See “Editing Grade Details” on page 150 for more information.
EDITING ASSIGNMENT DETAILS The Assignment Details page displays all student scores and details for a single assignment for you to review and edit. For questions in most CengageNOWv2 assignments, CengageNOWv2 automatically evaluates the student's answers and then enters grades, scores, and other information as soon as the student completes the assignment.
At some time, however, you may find it necessary use the Assignment Details page to manually edit assignment results. From this page, you can edit scores at either the assignment or question level. By turning on the score editing mode, you can edit scores at the assignment level for any of the students in your course. By clicking an active score link you can go to the Edit Grade Details page where you can view and edit scores for individual students and their responses. CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 165
Managing Grades
The Assignment Details Page
To get to the Assignment Details from the Gradebook page, click on an assignment name. (To go to the Student Grade Details page instead, click on the student’s name.)
Assignment Details Page Basic Options
These options are always available from the Assignment Details page. See “Assignment Details Page Advanced Options” on page 168 for information on the options available when you click the Show All Options link.
Select a report to create...
From this drop‐down menu you can open Custom Report page and apply various filters to create a customized report generated with data such as assignment scores, assignment takes, time spent, student participation, etc. For instructions, see “Using Custom Reports” on page 179.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 166
Managing Grades
Gradebook Analytics
Use the CengageNOWv2 Gradebook Analytics link as a quick way to generate and view summaries of score information, response statistics, and review content in individual questions. For instructions and descriptions of the report types, see “Using Gradebook Analytics Reports” on page 184.
Export Course Gradebook
Select this option to export a file containing the contents of the current Gradebook page. You can then take this exported file and import it into a database or spreadsheet application. See “Exporting a Course Gradebook” on page 177 for more information.
Go Back to the Gradebook
Click this button to return to the Gradebook overview page. In Course/Section
Use this drop‐down menu to select a different course or section to view.
Name
Select a different assignment to view from the drop‐down list.
Enter Student
To search for a specific student’s information, enter all or part of the student’s name, and click the Find button.
Change Category
Click Change Category to go to the Edit Grading Categories page, where you can create and manage custom grading categories, and place assignments to weight their grade in your course. See “Creating and Editing Custom Grading Categories” on page 146 for more details. Assignment Details Table
The following information is available in the table on the lower half of the Assignment Details page.
Student
Displays the name of the student for the information in that row. The student name is also a link to the Student Grade Details page.
CengageNOWv2 ID
Displays the log‐in name used for the student account.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 167
Managing Grades
Course Grade
Displays the student’s overall course grade as a percentage.
Assignment Score
Displays the student’s current score and the total score possible for the assignment in points. Clicking a score opens the Edit Grade Details page. See “Editing Grade Details” on page 150 for more information.
Custom Penalty
Displays the applied penalty as a percentage (if any). You can edit this field when the Edit All Scores on This Page link is clicked.
# of Attempts
When available, displays the number of times the student has taken the assignment and the number of available takes.
Time Spent
Displays the time spent on the student’s most recent take.
Gradability
Displays if the assignment is graded electronically or manually.
Your Evaluation
Displays the date of your most recent edits.
Assignment Details Page Advanced Options
You may need to click Show All Options to access these options. Please note that some of these controls are hidden when no students are enrolled.
Assignment Details Advanced Options
Edit All Scores on This Page
This command causes the Assignment Details page to refresh, allowing you to edit the score and custom penalty values for a student without navigating to the Edit Grade Details page.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 168
Managing Grades
Student Actions
Click Student Actions to open a drop‐down menu containing a list of gradebook management tools. You can then select one of the options described below:
€ Customize Assignment Options for Specific Students
This feature lets you modify assignment availability, dates, and other options for individual students. See “Customizing Assignment Options for Specific Students” on page 174 for details.
€ Adjust Multiple Scores
This feature lets you adjust students’ scores for multiple assignments in a course. You can adjust scores up or down by a designated amount (percent or points) or reset scores to a specific value. See “Adjusting Multiple Assignment Scores” on page 160 for details.
€ Send Email to Users
This link allows you communicate with students quickly without leaving this page.
€ Query Student Data
This command takes you to the Gradebook Search page, where you can use different criteria to find student grades for a course or assignment.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 169
Managing Grades
QUERYING STUDENT DATA
Select the Query Student Data option in the Perform student and assignment actions drop‐down menu to open the Gradebook Search page. This page helps you view details on student performance by course or assignment.
The Gradebook Search Page
The filters you select determine what additional search options are available, and you can use more than one filter parameter at a time. Click the Add Criteria button to bring up another row of filter boxes, or remove rows by clicking the Remove Criteria button.
Note: In situations where you are selecting multiple options for your search criteria, your search is performed in an "AND" fashion rather than an "OR" fashion.
When you are done selecting filters, click the Search button to view the Search Results page with all possible matches displayed according to the search criteria you set.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 170
Managing Grades
If you want to reset your search criteria before performing a search, click Clear to return the Gradebook Search page back to its original state. To start another search you can click Search Again from the Search Results page.
To begin a search, make a selection to Search Within either a Course or Assignment, and then define your search parameters using the following criteria:
Search criteria with Course selected:
€ Adjusted Score (as a percent or points)
€ Unadjusted Score (as a percent or points)
€ Student Ranking
Search criteria with Assignment selected:
€ Content Name (assignment name)
€ Taken at
€ Time Spent
€ Times Taken
€ Has Taken
€ Is Manually Graded
€ Can Take Assignment
€ Adjusted Score (as a percent or points)
€ Unadjusted Score (as a percent or points)
Note: The Adjusted Score reflects any manually edited grades, custom grading categories, late penalties, or the pass/fail setting when the student is able to receive full points for the assignment. (If you selected Total points in Grading Preferences, category weighting is not factored in to the Adjusted Score.)
The Unadjusted Score takes into account only the grades you have edited manually. The other adjustments listed above do not have an impact.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 171
Managing Grades
Sending a Search Results Email
You can send an email message to select students who match your search criteria (and who also have a valid email address). Step
Action: To send a search results email
1
From the Gradebook Search Results page, perform a search for a list of student names.
2
Select the names of the students to receive the message.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 172
Managing Grades
Step
Action: To send a search results email
3
Click the Email button on the right of the page to open the Email page.
4
Enter your subject of your message in the Subject field.
5
Enter the body of your message in the lower field. 6
(Optional) To attach a file, click Choose File, find the desired file, select it, and click Upload. If you want to delete an attachment, click Remove.
You also have the option to select Send me a copy of this email.
7
Click Send when you are done.
Once a message is sent, you can select from the options to Send Another Email (to the same list of students) or Return to Gradebook.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 173
Managing Grades
CUSTOMIZING ASSIGNMENT OPTIONS FOR SPECIFIC STUDENTS
You can customize the assignment dates, times, number of takes, and time allowed for particular students. This feature helps you make exceptions and accommodate the special circumstances of certain students without having to change the assignment options for the whole class.
Select Assignment and Students for Custom Options
Step
1
Action: To customize assignment options for specific students
On Gradebook page open the Perform student and assignment actions drop‐down menu and select Customize Assignment Options for Specific Students.
The Select Assignment and Students for Custom Options page will open.
2
If necessary, select the appropriate assignment from the drop‐down menu.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 174
Managing Grades
Step
3
Action: To customize assignment options for specific students
Select the students who require the customized assignment settings. To select all students, choose the check box at the top of the list.
Note: If you have many students, you can use the Find Students search fields to locate a specific student quickly. Enter your search criteria and click Find student.
4
Once you have both the correct assignment and student(s) selected, click the Continue button. The Customize Assignment Options for Specific Students page opens, displaying a list of your selected students.
5
If necessary, use the Change Selected Students link to return to the previous page where you can select different students.
Note: Before you opt to Change Selected Students, first click Save.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 175
Managing Grades
Step
6
Action: To customize assignment options for specific students
You can make the following changes to the assignment’s settings for the selected students. Each student’s initial settings match the settings for the assignment.
€ Status. Select whether the assignment is specifically Assigned or Not Assigned to the student.
€ Available. Set the date and time when the student can begin the assignment. Select Use Default to use the assignment’s settings, select Any Time to allow the student to begin the assignment whenever he or she likes, or enter a specific date and time when the student can begin the assignment.
€ Due. Select Use Default to use the assignment’s settings for due date and time, select Not Specified to remove the deadline for the student, or enter a different date and time by which the student must complete the assignment.
€ Unavailable. Select Use Default to use the assignment’s settings, select Not Specified to make the assignment always available, or enter a different date and time when the assignment will become unavailable to the student.
€ Maximum Takes Allowed. Select Use Default to use the assignment’s settings, select Unlimited to allow the student to take the assignment as many times as he or she likes, or enter a specific number of takes. (This option is not available for ASP assignments.)
Note: If you want to modify an option for all the students listed on the current page, you can edit the settings in the row labeled Apply to Students Listed Below.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 176
Managing Grades
Step
7
Action: To customize assignment options for specific students
When you are done customizing assignment options for this combination of assignment and student(s), you have several options available to you: € Use the Assignment drop‐down menu to save your current changes and switch to a different assignment, while keeping the selected student(s). (You will also have the option to cancel without saving.)
€ Click Save to save your changes and stay on the current page.
€ Click Change Selected Students to return to the Select Assignment and Students for Custom Options and Dates page where you can make all new selections and start again.
€ Click Done to save your changes and return to the Gradebook page.
€ Click Cancel to exit with or without saving.
EXPORTING A COURSE GRADEBOOK
The Export Course Gradebook link allows you to create a file containing the data in your current Gradebook overview page. Information is organized automatically so that student last names are sorted alphabetically. Once you make your selections, you can save the file to your computer for editing as a spreadsheet or text file.
Step
Action: To export a course Gradebook
1
Click the Gradebook tab and confirm that you have the appropriate course selected.
2
Click the Export Course Gradebook link, which is located below the Report Creator drop‐down menu. The Export Course Gradebook dialog box will open.
3
(Optional) Open the Manage Columns menu and select Edit Assignment Filters to set filtering criteria for limiting the assignments included when exporting a Microsoft Excel or Text Editor file. See “Filtering Gradebook Assignments” on page 143 for details on setting filters.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 177
Managing Grades
Step
Action: To export a course Gradebook
4
From the Format to Export: drop‐down menu, select a file format (your choice depends on if you need to use the file in a spreadsheet or a text editor).
5
Select an option to either Export All Assignments or Export Only Filtered Assignments (see step #2). 6
Click Export and the File Download dialog box for your system opens.
7
Choose a location on your computer to Save the file (or select Open to view the file in an application).
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 178
Managing Grades
GRADE REPORTS
The CengageNOWv2 Report Creator feature gives you a quick way to view the overall performance for your class, for a particular assignment, or individual students and items. From the Select a report to create drop‐down menu you can select to create a Custom Report.
Using Custom Reports
This report allows for the selection of several information categories which give you a broad overview of the selected assignment(s). You are able to choose from filters determining details such as Assignment Scores data, Assignment Takes data, Total Time Spent, Student Participation. These various categories are course‐level data on scores and student ranking.
Custom Reports can also be generated into one of several file formats used for printing or exporting to other software (for example, a spreadsheet application) for further editing. If you need to modify your filtering selections before printing or exporting your report, you can click the Change Setup button to reopen the Set Up Report options.
Step
Action: To create a Custom Report
1
If necessary, click on the Gradebook link in the heading to open the Gradebook page.
2
Select Custom Report from the Select a report to create drop‐down menu.
The Report Creator: Custom Report page opens.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 179
Managing Grades
Step
3
Action: To create a Custom Report
Select which Students and Assignments to include. For example, you can Select All, Select None, use Ctrl+click to make more than one individual selection, or use Search For to find specific students on the list.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 180
Managing Grades
Step
4
Action: To create a Custom Report
Under the Course heading you can select to display the information for Unadjusted Score, Adjusted Score, and Student Ranking. Then select one of the following qualifiers as a filter, and enter a numeric value:
€ All. (no value required)
€ equal to (=)
€ not equal to (<>)
€ greater than (>)
€ less than (<)
€ greater than or equal to (>=)
€ lesser than or equal to (<=)
5
Under the Assignment Takes heading you can choose to include data on student performance: € The options Can Take, Has Taken, and On‐Time have drop‐
down menus where you can select All, Yes, and No.
€ The options for When Taken, Total Time Spent, and Number of Takes allow you to select a qualifier and enter a numeric value for the comparison.
6
Under the Assignment Scores heading you can select the options Unadjusted Score, Adjusted Score, and Manually Scored, then select a qualifier, and then enter a numeric value for the comparison.
7
Select Last Login under the Participation setting to include information on student activity on specific dates. By using the qualifiers and the calendar/time widgets, you limit data to specific periods of time.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 181
Managing Grades
Step
8
Action: To create a Custom Report
Set the desired options for formatting and selecting specific students or assignments.
€ Use the Student Name Display to select from Last, First, Sign‐in ID, or Student ID.
Note: Student IDs are useful for large courses, when you have students with similar names. This information is part of the output when exporting your Gradebook or creating Gradebook reports. If you want to use Student IDs, you can have students create one from the Global Actions Menu or select the option to Require students to provide a student ID on login when creating or editing your course.
€ Use the Score Display to select from Numeric Score, Percentage, and select a new value for Decimal Places.
€ Use the Wide Reports option to choose between One Table or Multiple Tables with a drop‐down menu for the number of Columns.
9
Click the Create Report at the bottom of the page when your selections are complete and your report will be displayed.
Note: You can go back to change your report information by clicking the Change Setup button. This will close the current report and reopen the Set Up Report options.
10
(Optional) Click Print Report to create a printable copy of the report and open your system’s Print dialog box. Click Print to send the report to your printer as it appears on your screen.
Note: In addition to setting the number of columns in the Wide Reports option, you can also set the page orientation to Landscape in your system’s printing Preferences.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 182
Managing Grades
Step
11
Action: To create a Custom Report
(Optional) Click Export Report to save the report as a file for further editing or printing.
You can select from one of the following file formats:
€ .pdf ‐ reports can be viewed in Adobe Reader.
€ .rtf ‐ reports can be viewed, edited, and printed in Microsoft Word 2000 (or above) and similar word processor applications.
€ .csv ‐ reports are comma‐separated files that can be viewed, edited, and printed in Microsoft Excel and similar spreadsheet applications.
€ .txt ‐ reports are tab‐delimited text files that can be viewed in either a text editor or opened for viewing in a spreadsheet application (such as Microsoft Excel).
12
After you have selected a file format, click Export to choose a destination on your system and save the file (or you can click Cancel to exit without saving).
13
Click the Exit Report Creator button, once you are finished, to return to the Gradebook overview page.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 183
Managing Grades
USING GRADEBOOK ANALYTICS REPORTS
CengageNOWv2 Gradebook Analytics provides you with an overview of your class performance and a means to help you quickly find areas of poor performance in your course or for specific students. Some reports also contain data on global results so you can compare your class/student performance against the national average. Gradebook Analytics are available for you to view from the Gradebook page. Students can see their own report information from their Grades page. You and your students can print these reports by right clicking on an open report and choosing your system’s settings for Print. Also, right‐clicking on the link provides the option to open the page in a new browser window or tab.
Note: When observing your course from the instructor’s "student view,” you will not see the same “Gradebook Analytics” link made available to your students. There are two types of reports you can access from the Gradebook page: one is for the class as a whole and the other is for an individual student. Both report types allow you to view summaries for an assignment or for specific questions. (Reports for Adaptive Study Plans assignments will show information from the most recent main quiz take.)
Class Aggregate Report
Click the Gradebook Analytics link on the Gradebook page to access the analytics reports for your class as a whole. See “Using the Gradebook Analytics > Class Aggregate Reports” on page 185 for more details.
Individual Student Report
Click an icon next to a student name in the Gradebook table to generate reports for a student’s performance within the course. See “Using the Analytics Student Reports” on page 190 for more details.
Only results from qualifying assignments are recorded in the reports. To qualify, the assignment must meet one of the following conditions:
€ The assignment is intentionally submitted by the student, with at least one of the questions completed.
€ The assignment is submitted by the passing of the unavailable date, with at least one of the questions completed by the student.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 184
Managing Grades
Using the Gradebook Analytics > Class Aggregate Reports
From the Gradebook page, click the Gradebook Analytics link at the top of the page to access the CengageNOWv2 Gradebook report for aggregate performance in your course.
Note: For reports with more than 10 entries, use the navigation tools at the bottom of the table to see any additional pages.
Class Aggregate Assignment Summary
Step
Action: To generate the Class Aggregate Assignment Summary
Clicking a column header arranges the table by that column in either ascending or descending order. The Assignment Title column is the default sorting category, and the default sort order is ascending alpha.
1
If necessary, click the Gradebook link in the header to open the Gradebook page.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 185
Managing Grades
Step
2
Action: To generate the Class Aggregate Assignment Summary
Click the Gradebook Analytics link at the top of the page to open the Assignment Summary report.
Using the Assignment Summary Report:
The Assignment Summary page displays a table containing the following information.
€ Assignment Title. The assignment name as it appears on your Gradebook and Assignments pages.
€ Due Date. The date the assignment is due for full credit.
€ Class Average. The class average score for those with a qualifying submission.
€ # of Students Included. The number of students with a qualifying assignment/total number of students in the course.
An interactive pie chart provides a visual display of the score information for the course divided into 4 ranges (below 70%, 70%‐79.99%, 80%‐89.99%, and 90% or above). By altering the wedges displayed in the pie chart, you can filter the report to show only those results from a specific range. See step #3 below.
3
(Optional) Set the pie chart to display only assignments and their results from specified score ranges:
€ Click a wedge in the chart to display only that score range. Click the chart again to return to the full view.
€ Click a grade range dot in the color key above the chart to remove or add that score range.
4
(Optional) Click an assignment name in the Assignment Title column to view the class aggregate performance on questions in that assignment.
5
Return to the Gradebook overview page by clicking the Gradebook link in the header.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 186
Managing Grades
Using the Questions Summary for the Class Aggregate
The Questions Summary report opens when you click an assignment name in the Assignments Summary report.
Note: For reports with more than 10 entries, use the navigation tools at the bottom of the table to see any additional pages.
Class Aggregate ­ Question Summary
This report presents question performance for the class, and allows you to compare it to global results. An interactive pie chart serves as a useful tool for viewing item results, and also serves as a filtering tool to create a report with results from a specific range of grades.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 187
Managing Grades
Step
Action: To generate the Class Aggregate Question Summary
Clicking a column header arranges the table by that column in either ascending or descending order. The Question column in ascending alpha is the default sorting category.
1
If necessary, click the Gradebook link in the header to open the Gradebook page.
2
Click the Gradebook Analytics link at the top of the page to open the Assignment Summary report for the course.
3
Click an assignment name in the Assignment Title column to view class results for questions that specific assignment. The report table contains the following information:
€ Question. The question name as it would appear when you add content from the assignment creation wizard.
€ Score %. Displays the aggregation of all the scores for the assignment, turned into an average. This data is provided for your Class (for this particular assignment), and also for Global usage (for any assignment containing the question).
€ # of Graded Attempts. The number of qualifying assignment takes for this assignment in your Class, and for any assignment that contains the question in the Global population. Note that the information in this column can only be for a single score for a student + assignment combination. For instance, Test assignments allow multiple takes of the same assignment, but only the one that counts as the assignment score is counted in the # of Graded Attempts data.
An interactive pie chart provides a visual display of the score information for the course divided into 4 ranges (below 70%, 70%‐79.99%, 80%‐89.99%, and 90% or above). By altering the wedges displayed in the pie chart, you can filter the report to show only those results from a specific range. See step #4 below.
4
(Optional) Set the pie chart to display only results from specified score ranges:
€ Click a wedge in the chart to display only that score range. Click the chart again to return to the full view.
€ Click a score range dot in the color key above the chart to remove or add that score range.
5
(Optional) Click a question name in the Questions column to open an Item Preview where you can see the content for that specific item.
6
Return to the previous page by clicking the << Go Back link.
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July 7, 2015 pg. 188
Managing Grades
Using the Item Preview Report for the Class Aggregate
The Item Preview report displays the question when you click a n item name in the Questions Summary report. You can interact with the question as a student would: submit a response, see appropriate feedback, view resources or objectives, etc. — without your entries being saved. A bar graph also appears, showing the distribution of takes/score.
Class Aggregate ­ Item Preview
Step
Action: To generate an Item Preview report
Note that individual items in reports may display Not Available if the student was unable to respond due to changes in the assignment’s content.
1
If necessary, click on the Gradebook link in the header to open the Gradebook page.
2
Click the Gradebook Analytics link at the top of the page to open the Assignment Summary report.
3
Click an assignment name in the Assignment Title column to view class results for that specific assignment. 4
Click a name in the Question column to view that item’s content on the Item Preview page. 5
Return to the previous by clicking the << Go Back link.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 189
Managing Grades
Using the Analytics Student Reports
The Student Assignment Summary report is the first page that opens when you click a bar graph icon next to a student name on the Gradebook page.
Note: For reports with more than 10 entries, use the navigation tools at the bottom of the table to see any additional pages.
Student Report ­ Assignment Summary
An interactive pie chart serves as a useful tool for viewing a student’s overall assignment results and as a filtering option to generate a report displaying a specific range of scores.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 190
Managing Grades
Step
Action: To generate a Student Assignment Summary report
Clicking a column header arranges the table by that column in either ascending or descending order. The Assignment Title column is the default sorting category, and the default sort order is ascending alpha.
1
If necessary, click on the Gradebook link in the header to open the Gradebook page.
2
Click the bar graph icon next to a student’s name to open the Student Assignment Summary. The table in the report provides the following information:
€ Assignment Title. The name of the assignment as it appears on your Gradebook and Assignments pages.
€ Due Date. The date the assignment is due for full credit.
€ Your Score. Percentage of correct responses the student received for the qualifying assignments.
€ Class Average. The class average score for those with a qualifying assignment submission.
An interactive pie chart provides a visual display of the score information for the course divided into 4 ranges (below 70%, 70%‐79.99%, 80%‐89.99%, and 90% or above). By altering the wedges displayed in the pie chart, you can filter the report to show only those results from a specific range. See step #3 below for details.
3
(Optional) Set the pie chart to display only assignments and their results from the selected score ranges:
€ Click a wedge in the chart to display only the selected range. Click the chart again to return to the full view.
€ Click score range dot in the color key above the chart to remove or add different score ranges.
4
(Optional) Click an assignment name in the Assignment Title column to open the Student Question Summary report. See “Using a Student Question Report” on page 192 for more details.
5
Return to the Gradebook overview page by clicking the Gradebook link in the header.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 191
Managing Grades
Using a Student Question Report
The Student Question Summary opens when you click an assignment name in the Student Assignment Summary. This report provides data from the selected student in comparison to global results for correct responses and student participation. Note: For reports with more than 10 entries, use the navigation tools at the bottom of the table to see any additional pages.
Student Report ­ Question Summary
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 192
Managing Grades
An interactive pie chart serves as a useful tool for viewing a student’s overall assignment results and as a filtering tool to create a report with results from a specific range of scores.
Step
Action: To generate a Student Question Summary report
Clicking a column header arranges the table by that column in either ascending or descending order. The Question column is the default sorting category, and the default sort order is ascending alpha.
1
If necessary, click on the Gradebook link in the header to open the Gradebook page.
2
Click a bar graph icon next to a student’s name to open the Student Question Summary report.
3
Click an assignment name in the Assignment Title column to view class results for that specific assignment. The table in the report provides the following information:
€ Question. The names of the qualifying questions as you would see them from the Edit Assignment Content tool from your Assignments page.
€ Score %. Displays the aggregation of all the scores for the assignment, turned into an average. This data is provided for the Student, your Class (for this particular assignment), and also for Global usage (for any assignment containing the question).
€ # of Graded Attempts. The number of qualifying assignment takes for this assignment for your Class and for any assignment that contains the question in the Global population.
An interactive pie chart provides a visual display of the score information for the course divided into 4 ranges (below 70%, 70%‐79.99%, 80%‐89.99%, and 90% or above). By altering the wedges displayed in the pie chart, you can filter the report to show only those results from a specific range. See step #4 below.
4
(Optional) Set the pie chart to display only the results from scores in selected ranges:
€ Click a wedge in the chart to display only the selected range of scores. Click the chart again to return to the full view.
€ Click a score range dot in the color key above the chart to remove or add that score range.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 193
Managing Grades
Step
Action: To generate a Student Question Summary report
5
(Optional) Click a name in the Question column to open a preview page containing that item’s content. See “Using the Student Item Preview Report” on page 194 for more details.
6
Return to the previous page by clicking the << Go Back link.
Using the Student Item Preview Report
The Item Preview report displays the question when you click a n item name in the Questions Summary report. You can interact with the question as a student would: submit a response, see appropriate feedback, etc. — without your entries being saved. A bar graph also appears, showing the distribution of takes/score.
Student Report ­ Item Preview
This report provides a bar graph displaying groupings for the number of takes/scores in increments of a 10th of a percent.
Step
Action: To generate a Student Item Preview report
Note that individual items in reports may display Not Available if the student was unable to respond due to changes in the assignment’s content.
1
If necessary, click on the Gradebook link in the header to open the Gradebook page.
2
Click a bar graph icon next to a student’s name to open the Student Assignment Summary report, then click an assignment name in the Assignment Title column.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 194
Managing Grades
Step
Action: To generate a Student Item Preview report
3
Click a name in the Question column to open a new page containing a view of item’s content. 4
Return to the previous page by clicking the << Go Back link.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 195
MANAGING USER ENROLLMENT
As an instructor, you can use the features on the CengageNOWv2 Users page to manually enroll or withdraw students and instructors in your courses and sections. For example, you might want to manually add a student who comes to your office requesting to be added to the course. Or you might want to maintain rigorous control over course enrollment for an advanced seminar.
The Users Page
There are several ways to enroll students in your courses and sections. Many instructors use the Course Key URL or the Student Registration Information document, both of which are automatically generated when the course is created. By emailing this information to students or distributing it in printed class materials, you can allow self‐enrollment. For details, see “User Enrollment Options” on page 69.
Depending on your institution, student enrollment may sometimes be managed by a CengageNOWv2 administrator or a lead teacher. If you have the appropriate account permissions, however, you can enroll those students directly.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 195
Managing User Enrollment
MANUALLY ENROLLING INSTRUCTORS OR STUDENTS
The manual enrollment features on the Users page let you search for and add specific students and instructors to your courses or sections. You must use the enrollment functions if you are creating a course with sections you want to assign to teaching assistants or other instructors. To assign the sections, you enroll those individuals as instructors in their sections of the course.
The Enroll Instructors Page
In addition to enrolling students manually, you can also choose to allow self‐
enrollment. Many instructors opt for self‐enrollment by providing their students with the Course Key URL or Student Registration Information document, both of which are automatically generated as part of the course creation process. When you send out either information in an email or as a hand out in printed class materials, students can log in to CengageBrain and enroll themselves. For more details, see “Setting Up Student Self‐Enrollment” on page 70.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 196
Managing User Enrollment
Note: The users you wish to manually enroll will first need to acquire access rights and log‐in to CengageNOWv2. Once this is done, you can enroll them from the Users page.
Manually Enrolling Instructors
Follow the steps outlined below for enrolling instructors into your course.
Step
1
Action: To manually enroll instructors in a course Click the Users link in the heading to open the Users page, and if necessary, select a course from the Course or Section drop‐down menu.
The page lists those individuals currently enrolled in the course or section. Long lists are broken into pages. Use the alphabetical drop‐down menu to select a page based on users’ last names. You can also use the Previous and Next controls to look at the list sequentially.
2
Click the Enroll User(s) button and the Options for Enrolling Users window opens.
3
Select Enroll or Unenroll Instructors from the list of options and click the Continue button.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 197
Managing User Enrollment
Step
4
Action: To manually enroll instructors in a course Under Available Instructors, select the check box next to any instructors you wish to include.
Note: The names of instructors who are eligible for enrollment appear on the left side of the page, those who are already enrolled are listed on the right.
5
(Optional) To limit the list further, enter user information in the boxes for First Name, Last Name, or Email and click the Search button.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 198
Managing User Enrollment
Step
Action: To manually enroll instructors in a course 6
When you find the individuals you wish to enroll, select the check boxes next to the name(s) and click the Enroll button. The names are listed on the right side under Enrolled Instructors.
7
Click the Return to the Previous Page link at the top of the page to return to the Users overview page.
Manually Enrolling Students
Follow the steps outlined below for enrolling students into your course.
Step
Action: To manually enroll students
1
Click the Users link in the heading to open the Users page, if necessary, and make a selection from the Course or Section: drop‐down menu.
2
Click the Enroll User(s) button and the Options for Enrolling Users window will appear.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 199
Managing User Enrollment
Step
Action: To manually enroll students
3
Select Enroll or Unenroll Users As Students from the list of options and click the Continue button to open the Enroll Users As Students page.
4
(Optional) To find a specific person or to limit the list, use the search filters. Enter the appropriate information in the boxes, and click the Search button. You can also use the alphabetical drop‐down menu to select a page based on users’ last names.
5
When you find the student(s) you wish to enroll, select the check box next to each name and then click the Enroll button (or click Un‐enroll, if you want to remove a student).
The names of enrolled students will move to the right side of the page, under the Enrolled As Students heading. Your enrollment selections are saved automatically.
6
Click the Return to the Previous Page link to return to the Users overview page. Note: You can also unenroll students from the Users page by selecting their name and clicking the Unenroll User(s) button.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 200
Managing User Enrollment
Emailing Users
Use this procedure to send an email to the students and/or instructors listed on the Users page.
Step
Action: To send an email from the Users page
1
Click the Users link in the heading to open the Users page, and if necessary, select a course from the Course or Section drop‐down menu.
2
Click the Email User(s) button and the CengageNOWv2 Send Email window will open.
The Reply to and To fields are automatically populated. If necessary, you can edit the address in the To field.
4
Enter a heading in the Subject field and enter your message in the text box below.
5
Click the Send Email button when you are done. CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 201
Managing User Enrollment
Enrolling Yourself as a Student
By enrolling yourself as a student, you can experience all of your course assignments exactly as your students do. In addition, you will see your attempts tracked, and your results graded and recorded in your course gradebook under your name. This provides a useful means of reviewing and testing your assignments and grading options.
Note: Clicking the Change to Student View link in the page header enrolls you in the current course automatically, if you are not enrolled already. For details, see “Using the Student View/Instructor View Toggle” on page 14.
Step
Action: To enroll yourself as a student
1
Click the Users link in the header to open the Users page, and if necessary, use the Course or Section drop‐down menu to select a different course.
2
Click the Enroll User(s) button and the Options for Enrolling Users window will appear.
3
Select the option to Enroll Yourself As Student and click the Continue button.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 202
Managing User Enrollment
Step
4
Action: To enroll yourself as a student
The Options for Enrolling Users window automatically closes and your name will appear on the right, under the Enrolled Students heading.
Caution: You can only be enrolled as a student in either a course or one of its sections. Also, you cannot be enrolled in more than one section in the same course. If you happen to create conflicting enrollments, you will lose your enrollment, assignments, and grades in the first course or section. Removing Users from a Course or Section
Use the following procedures to remove specific students or instructors from a course or section.
Note: When you unenroll an account, all records/grades to date are also removed. Be sure you have no future need for those records.
Step
Action: To remove students from a course or section
1
Click the Users link in the heading to open the Users page. 2
If necessary, make a selection from the Course or Section drop‐down menu.
3
In the Enrolled Students column, select the check box for each student you want to remove from the course or section. (To select all students, click the box at the top of the list.)
4
Click the Unenroll User(s) button and the page will refresh with the selected name(s) removed.
Note: You can also unenroll students on the Enroll Users As Students page by selecting their name and clicking the Unenroll button.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 203
Managing User Enrollment
Step
Action: To remove instructors from a course or section
1
Click the Users link in the heading to open the Users page, and if necessary, make a selection from the Course or Section drop‐down menu.
2
Click the Enroll User(s) button top open the Options for Enrolling Users window.
3
Select Enroll or Unenroll Instructors and click the Continue button. The Enroll Instructors page will open.
4
Select the names of the instructors you want to unenroll from the Enrolled Instructors column.
5
Click the Unenroll button to remove the selected names from the list.
6
Click the link to Return to the Previous Page to go back to the Users overview page.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 204
USING THE STUDY TOOLS PAGE
The Study Tools page allows you to select and display the Cengage Learning Study Plans, Tutorials, and interactive learning tools that you can access and assign in CengageNOWv2. To see content on the Study Tools page, you must have previously registered that book or product. You typically register for your book(s) during your initial CengageNOWv2 registration. The Study Tools Page
You and your students are able to access the course’s study products directly from this page, unless you have specified to hide section(s) from students that are part of a graded assignment. Work that students access and complete from the Study Tools page is for ungraded self‐study only, and is separate from any graded course assignments you create.
Caution: Please be sure your students know to access their graded course assignments from their Assignments page. Any work they complete on chapters accessed from their Study Tools page is for ungraded self‐study only.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 205
Using the Study Tools Page
WORKING WITH STUDY TOOLS
Depending on your book’s content, you can select from the following types of study materials while on the Study Tools page:
€ Adaptive Study Plans provide students with a customized study plan. The student takes a diagnostic quiz (Pre‐Test) at the beginning of each section and then receives a Study Plan based on the quiz results. Students work through the study materials until mastery is achieved on the required topics.
€ Tutorials can include a wide range of supplemental activities and readings to complement the core text.
Note: The appearance of your Study Tools page can vary, depending on the book you are accessing.
Step
Action: To access Study Tools content
1
Click the Study Tools link to open the Study Tools page.
2
Select the desired book or product link from the Textbook drop‐down menu. 3
Choose the content you would like to access and the page will refresh, displaying the Study Tools content for the book you selected.
When a section from an Adaptive Study Plan is assigned, unless you have selected otherwise, a link will appear that redirects users to their Assignments page. If you so choose, assigned content can be made available for self‐study from the assignment option to set Availability As a Study Tool.
Note: When available, your textbook’s reading material is accessed online from your Cengage Learning Instructor Resource Center. Under the Access Instructor Supplements heading, click the MindTap Reader or Interactive eBook link to open your online book.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 206
Using the Study Tools Page
Depending on the book, your students may be able to do the following tasks:
€ Diagnostics. Most books offer diagnostic assessments in the form of Adaptive Study Plans, which determine your students’ grasp of the subject content and highlights areas where students need more work.
Although the content can be worked through in any order, each Adaptive Study Plan typically includes a diagnostic quiz, followed by a customized Study Plan (which is individually tailored, based on the quiz results). Students can then work through the study materials and even opt to take additional quizzes until mastery is achieved on all topics.
Working through the Study Plan increases knowledge of the current chapter, and afterwards, the View Progress section can be used to assess their mastery of the studied content.
€ Tutorials. Some books provide tutorial supplements that expand on the subject matter with practice problems, walkthroughs, games, and interactive video demonstrations or simulations.
€ Exercises and Practice Tests. Students may be able to take practice homework and tests online to help reinforce learning and prepare for class assignments and tests.
Even though the work your students perform on the Study Tools page is ungraded, they are able to track their progress by clicking the Study Tools link on their Grades page. From this alternate view of the Grades page, students can see the following details:
€ Book € Study Tool
€ Chapter
€ Score
€ Date & Time Last Visited
€ # of Visits
€ Time Spent (Most Recent Visit)
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 207
ACCESSING CENGAGE TECHNICAL SUPPORT
If you have trouble using CengageNOWv2, you can access the Cengage support site by clicking the Cengage Technical Support link in the footer or the button in header of most pages. To open the support site for Canada click the Nelson Technical Support link. These sites contain links to downloads, tutorials, and articles for both instructors and students.
Step
1
Action: To contact Cengage Learning Technical Support
Open the Technical Support Knowledgebase in a new browser window by clicking the Cengage Technical Support link in the footer or the button in the header of most pages. When you are not logged into CengageNOWv2, you can also direct your browser to http://poweron.cengage.com/magellanweb/techSupport/ProductHelp.aspx?prodrowid
=1‐1TD4IY9.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 208
Accessing Cengage Technical Support
Step
Action: To contact Cengage Learning Technical Support
2
(Optional) Click the Sign‐in link at the top of the page and enter the Email Address and Password you use for Cengage Learning. Logging in allows you to track your open tech support cases or create a new case.
3
Use the Articles, Downloads, and Tutorials tabs on the Knowledgebase page to access user guides, FAQs, and video tutorials.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 209
Accessing Cengage Technical Support
Step
4
Action: To contact Cengage Learning Technical Support
From the support site, you can use the following methods to receive technical support:
• Review the Critical Issues bulletin to see if there are any system‐wide problems.
• Enter key words in the Search CengageNOWv2 option to find specific information in the Technical Support Knowledgebase.
• Use the Results pane to filter your search results by information suitable for Instructors‐only, Students, or All.
• View Articles or access documentation Downloads that contain specific instructions for managing your courses and assignments.
• Access Tutorials that can help you through the process of accessing CengageNOWv2, creating assignments, creating or copying a course.
• If you are otherwise unable to find the information you need, click Case Creation or No, please create a new case to submit details on your specific issue. (You will need to log‐in to create a case.)
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 210
Accessing Cengage Technical Support
CONTACTING NELSON TECHNICAL SUPPORT
If you access CengageNOWv2 through Nelson Education, you can click the Nelson Technical Support link in the footer of most pages. You can also direct your browser to the page at: http://support.cengage.com/magellanweb/techsupport/login.aspx when you are not logged into CNOWv2.
Once you are at the site, you can log in to see your existing support cases. You can also click the Select Product or Learning Tool button to access additional resources. Use the Select a product drop‐down menu to choose the specific Cengage Learning product you are using to open the support page. From this page you can access links to PDF user guides, an email response form (Webform), and an online chat system.
Note: When using the Webform, support requests are usually responded to within 48 hours.
Phone
Please be aware that during back to school and other busy periods, you may experience extended hold times.
1‐800‐268‐2222 or 416‐752‐9448
Monday–Friday: 8:00 am to 6:00 pm EST
Fax: 1‐800‐430‐4445 or 416‐752‐8101
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 211
Accessing Cengage Technical Support
CENGAGENOWV2 SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
Windows®
€ Windows 7 or 8
€ Intel® or AMD CPU at 1.8 GHz or better
€ 1 GB RAM or more
€ Web browser: Microsoft Internet Explorer 10.0 or greater; Google Chrome 37.0 or greater; Mozilla™ Firefox® 32.0 or greater
Macintosh®
€ Mac OS® X 10.6 or greater
€ Mac® computer with an Intel® processor
€ 1 GB RAM or more
€ Web browsers: Google Chrome 37.0 or greater; Safari™ 6.0 or greater; Mozilla™ Firefox® 32.0 or greater
Additional Requirements € Adobe® Flash® Player (download from http://www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer)
€ Adobe® Reader® (download from http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html)
€ Pop‐up blocking software set to allow the display of pop‐up windows.
€ Apple® QuickTime® Player (A free browser plug‐in used to display multimedia components in some products.)
€ Browser set to check for newer versions of cached pages and refresh automatically.
€ Screen Resolution of 1366 x 768 or greater, and color quality of 16‐bit or greater (see Control Panel > Display settings). Sound capability for audio content.
Note: All assignments plus the eBook work on mobile and tablet devices, with exception of Flash‐based modules. Because of the wide variety of mobile devices and associated software, we cannot guarantee all functionality will be available on all devices.
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 212
INDEX
A
illus. 115
account
adding a new title 7
registering as a new user 3
signing in as a returning user 5
Actions Table (Home Page)
illus. 10
Actions table (Home page) 10
Adaptive Study Plan assignments
creating 98
editing dates 119
editing Objective Options 120
overview 81
adjust multiple scores 160
archived materials
copying 127
course archiving 125
folder archiving 125
retrieving 126
section archiving 125
Archived Materials Page
illus. 123
archiving 123–129
assignment categories 146–148
Assignment Created page 115
Assignment Details Page
illus. 166
Assignment Details page 165–169
Assignment Options 109–114
assignment options
option sets 112
assignment scores, editing 160
Assignment Summary
As student 115
Assignment Summary Page
Assignment Summary page 115
Assignment takes
re‐opening submitted 153
assignment types
Adaptive Study Plan assignments 81
External assignments 82
Homework assignments 81
Reading assignments 82
Test assignments 81
Assignments
editing 116
types 81
assignments 72–74, 119–129
adding content to homework and tests 117
archiving 123–129
copying 80
creating 81
creating an External assignment 106
creating from Adaptive Study Plan content 98
creating from Homework or Test con‐
tent 85
creating from Reading content 103
creating question pools 93
customizing options 174
editing ASP Objective Options 120
editing grades for 165–169
editing point values 121
options 109
randomizing content 93
reordering 77
sorting 16
taking from student view 115
Assignments Page
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 213
illus. 72
Assignments page 73–80
Assignments Page Advanced Options
illus. 77
Assignments Page Display Options
illus. 78
illus. 52
assignments page, using 73
Course Created page 52
course folders
managing 20–32
privacy settings 32
course keys 195
course score
setting preferences 165
Course Summary Page
B
basic calculator 16
Bookshelf
adding new books 7
illus. 68
C
categories (assignment) 146–148
category score 132
CengageNOWv2
getting a new account 2
getting started 1–7
registering 2
signing in 5
system requirements 212
CengageNOWv2 Clipboard
illus. 67
CengageNOWv2 Home page
illus. 1
Choose Course Type
illus. 20
choosing content
tagged items 89
clipboard
for assignments 79
using in CengageNOWv2 67
Contact Technical Support form 208
copying
July 7, 2015 pg. 214
archived materials 127
assignments to the Clipboard 80
courses 37
courses to the Clipboard 61
Course Created Page
courses 32
archiving 123–129
copying to Clipboard 61
course summary page 68
creating 33–37
creating a course from a template 42
creating a new course from an exist‐
ing course 37–38
creating a new course from an import
46
editing information 60
enrollment 69–71, 195–203
exporting 63
filtering the folders list 16
grace period 71
keys 70, 195
managing 18–71
managing courses and sections 60
modifying 59–69
sections, creating 54–55
selecting display options 65
student registration Information 70
Courses Page
illus. 18
creating
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief Users Guide for Instructors
a course from a template 42
a new course from an existing course
37–38
assignment categories 146–148
assignments 81
course sections 54–55
courses 33–37
External Gradebook Column 138
importing a new course 46
option sets 112
creating assignments
Adaptive Study Plans 98
External assignment 106
Homework assignments 85
Reading assignments 103
Test assignments 85
custom assignment options 174
Custom Report 179
D
deleting
archived materials 129
display options
Assignments page 78
limiting the list of course folders 16
display preferences
editing assignment filters for the Gradebook 143
Gradebook page 140
displaying
options 15
dropping low scores 142
tie breaking 142
E
Edit Grade Details
edit item scores 155
Edit Grade Details ‐ Editing Scores
illus. 151
Edit Grading Categories Page
illus. 147
editing
assignment categories 146–148
assignments 116
External assignments 122
grade details 150
point values 121
editing dates 119
editing item scores 155
emailing students
from the Edit Grade Details page 152
emailing students and instructors from the Users page 201
enable shading 141
Enroll Instructors Page
illus. 196
enrolling
instructors 197
students 199
yourself as a student 202
enrollment 69–71, 195–203
manual 196
self‐enrollment for students 70
unenrolling students 203
exporting
courses 63
External assignments
creating 106
editing content 122
overview 82
External Gradebook Columns
as a grade place holder 145
creating 138
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 215
extra credit 131
Gradebook Analytics
class aggregate assignment report
F
class aggregate item preview 189
class aggregate question/group re‐
port 187
overview 184
student assignment report 190
student item preview 194
student question/group report 192
Gradebook Page
185
files
uploading 74
filtering questions 92
final score 132
folder privacy settings 32
folders 16
managing 20–32
forms
Contact Technical Support 208
G
Global Actions Menu 13–17
Basic Calculator 16
Change to Student View 14
overview 13
Preferences 15
Sign Out 17
Textual Help 17
grace period 71
grade reports
creating 179
Gradebook 130
display options 140
editing assignment filters 143
entering scores from outside CNOWv2 145
exporting 177
External Gradebook Columns 138
managing columns 138
overview page 133–148
searching 170
terminology 130
July 7, 2015 pg. 216
illus. 133
Gradebook page
include missing assignments 141
shading 141
Gradebook Preferences 140, 141
affects on overall course score 165
affects to the student grade details page 164
drop lowest scores 142
illus. 140
tie breaking when dropping lowest scores 142
Gradebook Reports
Custom Reports 179
Gradebook Search Page
illus. 170
H
Header Links
illus. 13
header links 13–17
Help link 17
hiding and showing advanced options 15
Home Page
illus. 9
Home page 9–12
Homework assignments
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief Users Guide for Instructors
adding content 117
creating 85
editing dates 119
editing item scores 155
overview 81
I
include missing assignments in Gradebook 141
include missing assignments in totals 141
instructor account
Change to Student View toggle 14
Instructor Resource Center Sign In
M
Macintosh
system requirements 212
Manage Columns 138
managing
assignments 72–129
course folders 20–32
courses 18–71
enrollment 69–71, 195–203
enrollment (from the Courses page)
70
grades 130
manual enrollment 196
Modify Dates Page
illus. 79
illus. 2
instructors
emailing from Users page 201
enrolling 197
unenrolling 204
K
keys, for courses 70
L
limiting the list of course folders 16
links
in header 13–17
Help, online 17
Preferences 15
Quick Links 12
Sign Out 17
to syllabus 41, 44
O
online Help 17
option sets 112
options
assignment 109
Assignments page display 78
Course page display 65
Gradebook page display 140
limiting the list of course folders 16
showing and hiding advanced options
15
options, customizing 174
overall course score
setting preferences 165
overall grade 164
overview page, Gradebook 133–148
P
PDF format
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 217
for grade reports 183
place holders
using External Gradebook Columns
145
pools
creating 93
possible score 131
Preferences
Courses that I see 16
link 15
Order of assignments in dropdown menus 16
Setting display options 15
Table length 16
Preferences Window
illus. 15
preferences, setting 15–16
printing
printing 74
privacy settings 32
Q
Query Student Data 170
emailing student 172
question filters 92
questions
filtering 92
Quick Links 12
illus. 12
Quick Start Guide vii
R
Reading assignments
creating 103
editing dates 119
July 7, 2015 pg. 218
overview 82
registering a new account 2
removing students from a course 203
re‐opening a submitted take 153
Reorder Assignments Page
illus. 78
reordering assignments 77
reports, grade
creating 179, 184
Custom Reports 179
retrieving
archived materials 126
reviewing grades
by assignment 165–169
by student 163–165
RTF format
for grade reports 183
S
scores
category score 132
editing 160
extra credit 131
final score 132
possible score 131
total score 130
searching
the Gradebook 170
Section Created page 52
sections, course
creating 54–55
self‐enrollment for students 70
setting Gradebook Preferences 164
settings
preferences 15–16
table length 16
showing and hiding advanced options 15
Sign Out link 17
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief Users Guide for Instructors
signing in to CengageNOWv2 5
sorting assignments 16
Status column (on Home page) 11
student grade details 164
overall grade 164
Student Grade Details Page
illus. 163
Student Grade Details page 163–165
student ID 139
student registration information 70
Student View 14
students
emailing from Users page 201
enrolling 69–71, 199
self registration 70
unenrolling 203
Study Tools 205–207
Study Tools page illus. 205
support, technical vii, 208
syllabus
linking to 41, 44
retaining when moving courses 59
system requirements 212
system setup for CengageNOWv2 2
TXT report format 183
U
unenrolling
instructors 204
students 203
uploading files 74
Users Page
illus. 195
W
Windows
system requirements 212
T
table length, setting 16
tagged content 89
take assignment from student view 115
Technical Support vii, 208
terminology, Gradebook 130
Test assignments
adding content 117
creating 85
editing dates 119
editing item scores 155
overview 81
total score 130
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 219
Document Revision History
Date
Version
Description
Author/Editor
12/22/14
1
Initial version. Cloned from the core CNOW instructor guide and revised for the CNOWv2 platform.
Pamela Newsom
02/12/15
2
MR4 Updates.
Pamela Newsom
02/27/15
3
MR5 updates and technical edit by Kevin Stanek. Revisions to system check, recommended Safari version for Macs, PowerSearch, item filtering, and item pools.
Pamela Newsom
Removed reference to text editor in query emails. Added information on filtering assignments to Manage Columns, Gradebook preferences, and Exporting Gradebooks. Updated supported version of IE to 10. Edit Grade Details page redesign. Editing dates for assignments in sections.
Pamela Newsom
07/07/2015
CengageNOWv2 ‐ Brief User Guide for Instructors
July 7, 2015 pg. 220
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