A Course with all the attached content can be created and saved in the ALE Application. Once created, these courses will be available to add to Written Student Learning Plans and Schedule Class Meetings in the Create Class section.
The Course template is flexible, allowing specific learning goals, performance objectives, and learning activities to be included to facilitate the monthly evaluation of student progress. Most fields are optional, allowing programs to determine which fields constitute a complete course record.
Several roles can create a course, and this may vary by program.
Course Details Tab
The Create Course form is located under the Courses/Classes menu in the left-hand navigation.
When you click Create Course, you will find yourself on the Course Details tab, where you will outline all of the basic information about the course. A brief description of each field follows.
Name (Required): Clever naming conventions make courses easily identifiable or filterable:
An asterisk at the beginning of the name pulls a group of courses to the top of the alphabetical list.
Including district course codes at the end of the name for easy filtering.
A unique name is given to remote courses.
Subdomain (Optional): If your district has multiple ALE programs using our application, the Subdomain identifies each program. It will automatically capture when you create courses logged in at your unique URL. Otherwise, you can omit this.
Default Certificated Teacher (Optional): Here, you will find a list of users in the system who have been given the Certificated Teacher role. When the course is added to SLPs, the teacher will be listed as the course's overseer.
Default Course Type (Optional): This selector lists course types as defined in WAC 392-550-020.
Is Active - This toggle button allows the course to display in the application or remain “inactive” and hidden from view by default. Courses with this button not checked will not appear in the “All Courses” list or in the Student Learning Plan selectors.
Is Parent Template: Checking this box allows you to display this course as a template option for parents in the Course Proposal Interface.
Course Category (Optional): This selector lists choices configured by each district (in the Data Admin Role) for adding data to courses, making it easy to sort and filter. (e.g., Remote, In Person, etc.)
Subject Area (Optional): An implicit association with a state subject area is created when a state course code is selected and added to the course. For programs using the generic ELEM or JRHS codes (grouped in the Miscellaneous State Subject Area), this selector allows you to select from additional state subject areas to associate with the course.
Description (Optional): This is a short description of the course.
District Approved Curricula (Optional): This is a selectable list of curriculum choices managed by the Data Admin Role in the system. This information also surfaced on the subject/course record of an individual Student Learning Plan and is customizable there.
State Course Codes (Optional): This selectable list comes from the CEDARS list of approved state course codes. Some programs limit the available codes to the most commonly used ones.
SIS Course Codes (Optional): This selectable list, sourced from your Student Information System (SIS), lists codes that can be associated with this course.
Grading (Optional): This field can be used to record how grading is done in this course. If recorded here and this course record is attached to a class, this information will be surfaced to parents in the Course/Class Details modal when registering for Classes.
Grade Levels (Optional): Choose one or more grade levels from a selectable list. These selections will determine which students this course automatically displays as options.
Credit (Optional): This can be used to record the standard amount of credit to be earned for completing this course. If recorded here and this course record is attached to a class, this information will be surfaced to parents in the Course/Class Details modal when registering for Classes. In addition, this will be displayed as “available credits” when this course is added to a Student Learning Plan.
Prerequisites (Optional): Are there any prerequisites required for this course? If recorded here and this course record is attached to a class, this information will be surfaced to parents in the Course/Class Details modal when registering for Classes.
Texts (Optional): This field can be used to list any textbooks that are required/utilized in the course. If recorded here and this course record is attached to a class, this information will be surfaced to parents in the Course/Class Details modal when registering for Classes.
Additional Resources (Optional): Here, you can list other resources to be accessed during the class - websites, videos, and other learning materials. If recorded here and this course record is attached to a class, this information will be surfaced to parents in the Course/Class Details modal when registering for Classes.
Instructional Materials Needed (Optional): List any supplies or materials the student needs to complete this course. If recorded here and this course record is attached to a class, this information will be surfaced to parents in the Course/Class Details modal when registering for Classes. This information also surfaced on the subject/course record of an individual Student Learning Plan and is customizable there.
Essential Learnings (Optional): This field can record any learning information you don’t want to be included on display for parents, does not copy down into the student learning plan, and won’t display on the Monthly Progress Interface.
Average Hours Per Week (Optional): If there is a standard default number of hours per week for this course that you would like to be copied into student learning plans when added, record it here.
Syllabus Tab
After entering the Course Details and selecting Save, several additional subpages (tabs) will appear at the top of the page; the first is the Syllabus Tab.
Copy, paste a syllabus or link into the syllabus box, and click Save.
Note: Information in this box will be available when creating a printed version of your course description. However, information saved here does not flow down into the SLP when this course is added, nor does it display in the Monthly Progress interface. Using the Objectives, Activities, and Evaluation tabs (the deconstructed syllabus) requires more initial effort but will be copied into the SLP when the course is added, allowing individualization. In addition, several fields are displayed in the Monthly Progress interface, allowing certified teachers to make informed decisions based on the course's goals and objectives. The syllabus tab is for general reference only.
Objectives Tab
This tab allows for outlining the course's objectives, standards, and/or learning requirements.
All the boxes can be pre-configured. Programs often settle on just one to meet their program needs. All six(6) fields are surfaced in the individual Subject/Course record in the Student Learning Plan and are customizable at the student level.
Objectives (Optional): This fillable text box can be used to type or copy and paste a list of objectives for the course - often called “Performance Objectives” in the WACs. These are surfaced in the Monthly Progress Review.
Objective Selections (Optional): A selectable list of Objectives that can be preconfigured and loaded into the system. Filterable by grade level and state subject area, this allows quick, easy selection of appropriate, typo-free objectives.
Standards (Optional): This fillable text box allows you to type, copy, and paste a list of standards for this course.
Standard Selections (Optional): A selectable list of Standards that can be preconfigured and loaded into the system. These include Common Core State Standards, EALRs, GLEs, or State-Defined Standards by subject. Filterable by grade level and state subject area, this allows quick, easy selection of appropriate, typo-free standards. These are surfaced in the Monthly Progress Review.
Learning Requirements(Optional): Fillable text box that can be used to list required learning for this course.
Academic Goals (Optional): Fillable text box that can be used to list academic goals for this course. These are surfaced in the Monthly Progress Review.
Activities Tab
This tab allows you to outline the course's Learning Activities. Both boxes can be pre-configured. Programs often settle on just one to meet their program needs. Both are surfaced in the Student Learning Plan's individual Subject/Course record.
Learning Activities (Optional): Text box that can list planned learning activities in this course.
Learning Activity Selections (Optional): A selectable list of Learning Activities.
Evaluation Tab
This tab indicateshow student progress in the course will be evaluated. In addition, a broad timeline can be established, or more detailed monthly timelines can be defined. These fields are surfaced in the individual Subject/Course records and are customizable at the student level.
Evaluation (Optional): Text box that can list evaluation methods used to determine progress in this course. These are surfaced in the Monthly Progress Review.
Evaluation Selections (Optional): A selectable list of Evaluation methods used to determine progress in this course that can be pre-configured for easy selection.
Timelines (Optional): Fillable text box that can be used to list an overall timeline or overview of the timetable for this course.
Monthly Timelines (Optional): Ten (10) fillable text boxes are available, one for each month from September through June. These tools enable the creation of a detailed timeline of a course's activities. These by-month text boxes are then surfaced on the Subject/Course record of the Student Learning Plan, allowing for individualization for each student. These boxes will be included in the monthly progress review for the corresponding course and month if utilized.
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