Setting Up eClass

• Enabling (Requesting) Your Course in eClass
• Creating an eClass Sandbox Course
• Switching between the available course formats in eClass
• Adding Labels
• Adding Pages
• Adding URLs
• Adding Forums

• Adding Assignments
• Advanced Use of eClass Assignments

• Adding Quizzes 
• Adding Questions and Editing Quizzes

Evaluating Students Online

In eClass, the Quiz tool can be used as a course exam.

Pedagogical Recommendations

• Quizzes can consist of automatically graded questions or essay questions (which require instructor grading). We recommend the use of both types of questions on an exam.
• Give students explicit instructions on exams as they may not be able to ask any questions during the exam.
  
  

Preventing Academic Misconduct

One of the biggest concerns many instructors have when using online exams is that students may be able to easily cheat. While no type of exam is completely misconduct proof, there are ways to design online exams to minimize these opportunities. Some examples include:

• adding an honesty check to your exam;
• shuffling the question order during an exam;
• randomizing question selection;
• limiting access to quizzes by adding a password and giving specific time windows for completion;
• using eClass’ academic integrity feature, ExamLock (which is built into eClass);
• using a remote proctoring service;
  • The U of A currently uses the PSI remote proctoring service. If you are interested in using this service, please contact Information Services & Technology for more information.
• considering giving open-book or take home exams;
  • Unlike some closed-book exams, open-book exams typically do not use memorize or recall type questions (since students have these answers in front of them) but, instead, tend to rely on questions that ask students to apply their knowledge or synthesize what they have learned to answer complex questions.
  • If you would like assistance (or advice) regarding converting your closed-book exams to an open-book or take-home exam, please contact ctl@ualberta.ca to book a consultation (which may occur remotely).
• If your class is a manageable size, having students write their open-book exam while having Zoom open, with their microphone and video on. This is only practical if you have a manageable class size.

Instructions on how to execute many of the non-linked options above can be found on IST's help pages (Knowledgebase).

IST's Deliver Online support page provides instructions on eClass Gradebook.

As the grade tool in eClass, Gradebook allows you to manage and organize a collection of grades for your courses. Items that have been assessed using an eClass activity will be added to Gradebook automatically.

• Gradebook Setup
  Learn how to set up Gradebook to suit your preferences. From setting letter grade boundaries, to using custom scales and calculating course totals, we’ll guide you through the process.
• Gradebook Display
  Gradebook features a variety of display and formatting options for students to view their grades. Control visibility, toggle between display options and more.
• Importing Grades
  If your students have completed an offline activity, it’s possible to import their grades into eClass for publishing.
• Exporting Grades
  Learn how to use eClass to prepare a spreadsheet that can be imported directly into Bear Tracks.
• Adding Grade Items
  This article will explain how to manually add a grade item that is not tied to an Activity.

Set up virtual office hours when you will meet with students. You could connect using your webcam, share your computer screen or collaborate using Google Docs. It is not recommended that you give students your personal phone number.

Recommended Platforms

• Zoom: Post the room in eClass
• Google Meet: Post the URL of the meeting room on eClass
  
  

Pedagogical Recommendations

• Keep the link to the video chat room you’re using for your students in a central place on your course eClass page. The main factor to consider when holding office hours or conferences with students via video chat is your accessibility as an instructor. Make sure they know how to find your “office” (just as you might offer them directions to your office on-campus).
• Encourage students to share their screen with you. Screen sharing is possible not just for the instructor in Google Meet and Zoom, but for students too. Help your students navigate towards a screen sharing option so they can show you their written work on their screen.

If you have questions about how to use any of the eClass features below, contact the central eClass team at eClass@ualberta.ca for support.

• Completion Tracking (The checkmarks)
• Badges - Introduction
• Badges - Advanced

• eClass Overview for New Instructors
• eClass 101 Training for Instructors
• IST eClass Support (Knowledgebase)
• eClass Course Participants
• Resources for eClass Course Construction
• Scheduling Tools (Google Calendar, eClass Calendar, Access Dates, Scheduled Announcements)

CTL has built an example eClass course which demonstrates one possible approach instructors can take to set up their course. CTL has also provided downloadable template along with instructions about how to install it into eClass. It is recommended you install this template into a blank course or your eClass sandbox. The template is similar to the example course. However, some informational text and video examples have been removed for ease of use.