Getting Started - Instructors

Introducing the new "Getting Started in OWL" series

This series will guide you through building a course site including:

  1. introducing OWL
  2. creating a course site
  3. configuring site settings
  4. uploading files
  5. creating student activities
  6. creating lessons
  7. building community interactions
  8. communicating with students
  9. grading students
  10. providing you with the next steps as you create your online courses in OWL

Proceed to Lesson 1: Introduction to OWL

 

 

The previous "Getting Started" content:

Creating a Course Site

Course sites are available to be created four months prior to the course start date. Students are automatically enrolled into the course site via a course roster one month prior to the course start date.

Students will not be able to access the course site until it is published. Course sites are not automatically created or published.

  1. Go to your Home site
  2. Go to WORKSITE SETUP
  3. Click New on the Tool Menu
  4. Choose 'Course Site'
  5. Select an academic term from the drop-down menu
  6. Click the Continue button at the bottom of the page
  7. Select the course you want to create
  8. Click the Continue button at the bottom of the page
  9. Follow the instructions on the screen to finish customizing and creating your course site

Note: If you have multiple course sites you will have to create them one at a time. Selecting multiple courses will cross-list and combine course sites into one. 

For more information on creating sites please see Worksite Setup > Create Site.

Import Content from Another Site

Site material and content can be copied and imported from one site to another. In order to import content from another site, the site receiving content must enable all the tools that are found on the original site. For example, if you want to copy assignments from another site, the site importing content must have the ASSIGNMENTS tool enabled. 

  1. Go to SITE INFO
  2. Click Import from Site on the Tool Menu
  3. Click an import method
  4. Select the site(s) you want to import
  5. Click the Continue button at the bottom of the page
  6. Select the tool(s) content you want to import
  7. Click the Finish button at the bottom of the page

For more information please see Import Content.

Editing the Tools List

Once a site is created it is possible to add or remove tools from the Tools List.

  1. Go to SITE INFO
  2. Click Manage Tools on the Tool Menu
  3. Select or deselect tools to either add or remove them
  4. Click the Continue button at the bottom of the page
  5. Click the Finish button at the bottom of the page

In addition, it is possible to reorder, rename, or hide tools on the Tool List.

  1. Go to SITE INFO 
  2. Click Tool Order on the Tool Menu
  3. Click and drag tools to reorder them on the Tool List
  4. Click the Configure button for a tool
    • Click Make Tool Invisible to Students to hide the tool
    • Click Edit Tool Title to rename the tool 
  5. Click the Save button at the bottom of the page 

For more information please see Manage Tools.

Adding Users

Once a site is created, it is possible to manually add users to your site and assign them different roles (ie. Teaching Assistant, Content Designer, etc). Students are automatically enrolled into the course site via a course roster one month prior to the course start date.

  1. Go to SITE INFO
  2. Click Add Participants on the Tool Menu
  3. Enter the Western username(s) or external email(s) you want to add to the site
  4. Click the Continue button at the bottom of the page
  5. Choose a role to assign to the user(s)
  6. Click the Continue button at the bottom of the page
  7. Choose to either send the user(s) an email notification
  8. Click the Continue button at the bottom of the page
  9. Click the Finish button at the bottom of the page

For more information on creating sites please see Add Participants.

Creating Groups

The ability to create groups allow for specific users to access select content, assessments, and/or resources within a site. 

  1. Go to SITE INFO
  2. Click Manage Groups on the Tool Menu
  3. Click Create New Group on the Tool Menu
  4. Enter a title for the group
  5. Under the 'Site Member List' select the user(s) you want in this group
    • To select multiple users press and hold CTRL/CMD + click user
  6. Click the right arrow button to move the user(s) into the 'Group Member List'
  7. Click the Add button at the bottom of the page 

For more information about groups please see Manage Groups.

Submitting Final Grades

Once you have calculated and verified final grades, you are able to submit grades in OWL to your department. Upon submitting final grades, you will receive a submission receipt via email. After final grades have been submitted, they can be revised and re-submitted if needed.

  1. Go to GRADEBOOK
  2. Click Final Grades on the Tool Menu
  3. Select the course section from the drop-down menu above the grades table
  4. Verify final grades for accuracy
  5. Click the Submit button

Note: If you have multiple sections in your course, you will have to submit final grades for each section one at a time.

For more information about grades please see Gradebook > Submit Final Grades.

Next Steps

Assessments

Course Content

Gradebook

Other