Creating an Assignment Template - Blogs at UMass

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Overview This brochure contains instructions for creating Assignment Templates in UMass-Tk20. Creating an Assignment Template is the precursor to sending out a specific assignment to the students in one of your courses. Just as with paper-based assignments, assignments in UMass-Tk20 are given/sent to students. Students complete the work and submit it to the instructor, and the instructor or other designated person assesses the completed assignment and returns it to the students. In UMass-Tk20, creating an Assignment Template is the first step in this process. Assignment Templates can be modified and reused as the need arises. They can be used to send the same or similar assignments multiple times within a single course, to different courses, during different semesters, etc. Students do not have access to Assignment Templates. Assignment Templates contain three sections, the Assignment Definition, the attached Standards, and the Assessment Tool.

Faculty Guide: Creating an Assignment Template [Blog Version: September 2009]

Assignment Definition - This section contains the assignment name, instructions, and also allows you to designate whether the template is Public (available for viewing and copying, but not modification) or Private (Available only to you and system administrators). Standards - This section lists the standards that you wish the students to address or add, when completing their assignments. Assessment Tools - This section contains the Rubric or other assessment instrument for the assignment. Assessment instruments are created by yourself or the UMass-Tk20 staff based on the rubric or forms that you submitted to us.

Creating an Assignment Template There are three basic steps to creating an Assignment Template: 1. 2. 3.

Import an Assessment Tool from the UMass-Tk20 Library. Create or Import a Template to your account. Review and Modify the Template to be sure it is accurate and complete.

Import an Assessment If you have not already done so, first make sure that the assessment that you wish to use for this assignment is available to you. 1. 2. 3. 4.

Go to the Courses tab On the gray side menu, find Libraries, then Click on Assessment Tools A list of Assessment tools will appear – find the assessment tool that you want and Click the box to the left of the Assessment Name (you can view additional assessment titles by clicking next>> at the bottom of the page). Scroll down to the bottom of the screen and click Make Available to Me.

At the top of the screen you will see the following statement: The selected assessment tool(s) are now available for your use.

Import or Create a Template Importing an Existing Assignment Template If you wish to use an assignment template that has been created for you by the UMass-Tk20 staff, you must first import the template from the general UMass-Tk20 library, and then you may modify and save it to create your own template. 1. Go to the Courses tab 2. On the gray side menu and find Libraries, then Click on Templates 3. Select the view you want from the drop down menu (set by default to Assignments). You will see the templates that are built for assignments if this view is selected. 4. Click in the box to the left of the template to select the one that you want, scroll down to the bottom and click on Copy to my Templates 5. At the top of the screen you will see the following statement: The selected template(s) have been successfully imported. Creating Your Own Assignment Template If you wish to build your own Assignment Template from scratch: 1. Go to the Courses tab 2. In the side menu, under My Templates, choose Assignment and Project Template Builder. 3. Again under My Templates, choose Create. 4. The Assignment Template Editing Wizard will appear. Follow the steps outlined in the following section for editing an existing Assignment Template. 5. Be sure to save your template before moving on to any other UMass-Tk20 task.

Review and Modify the Template In the My Templates Menu, click on Assignment and Project Template Builder. Click on the name of the template to access the editing wizard. (If the template was imported, the name will be preceded by “Import of”) You can now edit the template, rename it, attach the assessment tool and make the template active so that it will be ready to send. The template editing wizard contains four steps. You can go back and forth between steps as you please. You can also save your work at any time and return to modify or complete it later.

Step 1 – Define Template In this section, you can change the name, change the instructions, and make the template public or private.

When you have completed any necessary changes, click Next.

Step 2 – Standards To add new standards – Click Add New, select the correct standard body from the drop down menu, click the boxes next to the standards you wish to add, and then click Add at the bottom of the page. To Remove standards – check the box next to the standard, and click Remove. When all standards have been added, click Next.

Step 3 – Assessment Tool In this section, you’ll see the list of assessment tools that you’ve copied to your account. If you want to review an assessment, click on its name. If the assessment tool is OK, then select it by checking in the box to the left of the title, and Click Next. Note: You must select an Assessment Tool before you will be allowed to preview the Template and make it active.

Step 4 – Review In this section, you can view the assignment as it will appear to your students and make certain it is accurate. If not, you can go back and edit it further, or save and return to it later. If it is OK, then click Yes next to the question: “Is this template active?” Click Save. The saved template will now be available to you when sending assignments to your students.