Instructors Guide

Become An Instructor

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Instructor Roles & Functions[ps2id id=’anchor-link-irf’ target=”/]

1. Instructor :
   • An Instructor by default gets access to a lot of features on examBrains.com. Like viewing all Questions in the question bank, viewing all units in the directory through the Instructors account.
   • Note :Instructor however can not edit or delete the contents from Units created by other Instructors.
   • An Instructor can not manually assign badges and certificates to students who are not taking the course.
   • Once a user is registered on examBrains.com, The platform would not acknowledge it unless he/she logs in the site. Once the user is logged in, it will start appearing in the user’s directory (To appear in user’s directory). So for examBrains to recognize the user as a student, the user must login to the site at least once.
2. Group Administrator :
   • An instructor is also the Group Admin of the groups connected to Courses published by him.
   • An Instructor therefore can Add or Remove any student from the Group. An Instructor can also assign some students as Group Moderators for efficient functioning of the group.
3. Forum Administrator :
   • Just like the groups, an Instructor is the Forum administrator for the Forum Connected to the Course.
   • An Instructor can delete any sub-forum, topic in the Course forum.
   • An Instructor can ban any user in his/her forum.

 

 

Learning Management System (LMS)

1, INSTRUCTING COURSES[ps2id id=’anchor-link-ic’ target=”/]

A course is a unit of teaching that typically lasts one academic term, is led by one or more instructors (teachers or professors), and has a fixed roster of students. A course is usually an individual subject. This section in LMS consists all the imported courses. You can delete these courses and create a new one.

I, All Units: A unit is like a semester or you can say a unit divides a whole course into small sub-units. An instructor can set timing for units to show when it will be available to students. This section consists all the imported course units.

Unit Settings

• Unit Description: Describe your unit in a few lines.
• Unit Type: Select Unit type from Video, Audio, Podcast, General.
• Free Unit: After enabling this switch, this unit will be viewable to all.
• Unit Duration: Define the duration of that unit.
• Unit duration Parameter: Measures the time duration (minutes, seconds etc).
• Unit Forums: You can connect any forum with unit.
• Connect Assignments: Select an Assignment which you can connect with this Unit.
• Attachments: Can attach images, audio, videos which you want to be downloaded by the user(which is used in this unit).
• Title background image: You can set unit specific title background.

II, All Quizzes: A quiz is a brief assessment used in education and similar fields to measure growth in knowledge, abilities, and/or skills. Quizzes are usually scored in points. In examBrains, an instructor can create quizzes and attach those quizzes for the assessment of those students who are enrolled in that course. 

Quiz Settings

• Quiz Subtitle: Add the subtitle of your quiz.
• Connected Course: Connect the course to include this quiz.
• Quiz Duration: Set the duration for the quiz. After the duration expires it will automatically get submitted.
• Quiz Duration Parameter: Set Parameter of the quiz duration(Seconds, minutes, hours, Days, Years).
• Auto Evaluate Results: Evaluate results as soon as quiz is complete.(Disable this when you want to calculate results manually).
• Number of Extra Quiz Retakes: Set the number of retakes a student is allowed to take.
• Post Quiz Message: This message is shown to users when they submit the quiz.
• Show Results After Submission: This settings allows users to get their results after submission of quiz.
• Add Check Answer Switch: Instantly check answer answer when question is marked.
• Dynamic Quiz: Dynamic quiz automatically selects questions.
• Dynamic Quiz Question Tags: Select Question tags from where questions will be selected for the quiz (required if dynamic enabled). On the basis of question tags, it will choose the questions to be appear in the quiz.
• Randomize Quiz Questions: No need to set the questions. Select questions randomly from the question tags.
• Quiz Questions: (When random is disabled) Set the quiz questions you want to appear in this quiz.

III, All Questions: Question Bank as the name suggests, it is a collection of different types of questions. examBrains Supports 10 types of questions: True-False, Multiple Choice, Multiple Correct, Sort Answers, Match Answers, Fill in the Blank, Drop Down Select, Small Text, Large Text, Survey Type.

Question Settings:

• Question Type: Select your question type (multiple choice, true or false etc).
• Question Options: Set the options for questions.
• Correct Answer: Enter choice number which is correct (0 for no answer which needs manual checking).
• Answer Hint: Add a Hint/clue for the answer to show to student.
• Answer Explanation: Add the explanation for your answer.

IV, All Assignments: An assignment is a task or piece of work that you are given to do, especially as part of your job or studies.

Assignment Settings:

• Assignment Sub-Title: Set the subtitle for your assignment.
• Assignment Maximum Marks: Set the marks for this assignment.
• Assignment Maximum Time Limit: Maximum time limit up to which a student can submit the assignment.
• Assignment Duration Parameter:Set the duration parameter for the assignment.
• Include in Course Evaluation: Enabling the switch will include assignment marks in course evaluation.
• Include in Course: Assignment marks will be included in course evaluation.
• Assignment Submissions: There are two options either you can upload a file or submit your assignment in written by selecting text area here.
• Attachment Type: Types of attachment which will be valid during submission.
• Attachment Size (in mb): Set the size of attachment type. greater than this will not be submitted.

V, Course News: Using this section you can also add course related news in your courses.

 

2, COURSE SETTINGS[ps2id id=’anchor-link-cs’ target=”/]

• Maximum Duration of Course: This is the maximum duration in (days) within which the student should complete the course. Use “9999” for unlimited access to course.
• Course Duration Parameter: Set duration course parameter in days, hours, minutes.
• Prerequisite Course: The course which is required before pursuing this course.
• Force Batch enrollment: Students must be enrolled in a Batch to pursue this course.
• Batch Display Style: Select the batch display style on course homepage.
• Hide Expired Course Batches: Enabling this hides expired batches from course page.
• Previous Unit Completion Lock: Enabling this restrict all the users to complete the previous unit/quiz before accessing the next one.
• Set Course Type: Enabling this means offline courses to be filtered in course directory.
• Show Unit Content in Curriculum: If the course is offline then it will show the unit content in the course curriculum if enabled.
• Hide Course Button After Subscription: Hide Start Course/Continue Course button after Course is subscribed by user. ( Recommended for Offline Courses).
• Display Course Progress on Course Home: Display User Course progress on Course page.
• Time Based Course Progress: Automatically generate course progress based on duration (number of months/weeks/days/hours) passed in course.
• Post Course Reviews from Course Home: Allow subscribed users to post Course reviews from Course home page.
• Course Auto Evaluation: This will evaluate the course automatically and release results instantly, just after user finishes the course.
• Course Drip Feed: A course instructor can set duration between two successive course elements such as : sections and units if enabled.
• Access to Course Units: Number of times user can access course units.
  
• Course Certificate: Enabling this awards course completion certificates to student on course completion.
• Certificate Percentage/Passing Percentage: Set the course Passing Percentage for users achieving more marks (weighted average of Quizzes/assignments in course) than this gets the Course Certificate.
• Certificate Template: Select a custom certificate template for the certificates of a course.
• Course Badge: Enabling this awards excellence badges to student on course completion.
• Badge Percentage: Set percentage to earn the badge. (Users earning more marks in set percentage of Quizzes & Assignments in course gets the course badge).
• Badge Title: When hover on the badge this will be shown as a title.
• Upload Course Badge: Upload the image of the course badge.
• Student Course Retakes: Sets number of times a user can retake a course (0 to disable).
• Maximum Students in Course: Maximum number of students who can pursue the course at a time.
• Course Start Date: Date from which course begins.
• Course Specific Instructions: Course specific instructions which would be shown in the Start course/Course status page.
• Course Completion Message: This message is shown to users when they Finish submit the course.

 

 

3, COMPONENT COURSE SETTINGS[ps2id id=’anchor-link-ccs’ target=”/]

I, Course Group : Instructor can connect a course and forum with group. If creating a new course it is recommended that you create a new group for the course. By default the group created is a private group only accessible to students taking the course.

Every Course taker is added to the course group. Instructor can upload documents, like assignments for the Course group. This is automatically visible by all course members.

II, Course Forum : Instructor can connect their own created course forums with the course or unit course. Only course students can access course forums. Forums are useful for instructor and students interaction, clearing the doubts and creating a social connection within the group opting the course.

If creating a new course it is recommended that you connect the group forum for the course.This will create a private group forum for the above group only accessible to students taking the course and in the group.

III, Course Appointments : Enabling this function allows Course Bookings and Appointments from Students.

• Pre-requisites for Appointment or Booking : Select who can book the course, All logged-in users or All course members.
• Appointment booking approval time : Select booking time method, automatic or manual within 30mins.
• Appointment Color : Select Appointment color for easy identification.
• Appointment/Booking Message & Form : This allows Instructors to input a booking or appointment message for students.
• Appointment Slots : Select and assign slots to appointments.
• Course Attendance : Enabling this allows Instructor to enable, mark attendance manually and set a schedule.
• Enable Auto Attendance : Enabling this marks Attendance automatically on course open. If no schedule is set then attendance will be automatically marked everyday on course open.

 

 

4, COURSE EVENTS SETTINGS[ps2id id=’anchor-link-ces’ target=”/]

I, Event Subtitle : Add your event subtitle. Sub title is an important description text shown below the Event Title

II, Time & Date : Select the event start date and event end date. You can also set it as a all day event or a repeating event.

III, Location & Venue : Add Location and venue of events. An instructor can set location information will be visible only to logged in users, generate google maps from location address, show location information over location image.

IV, Organizer : An Instructor can create a new organizer or add an existing one.

V,  examBrains Courses : Select from published course on which events should be visible.

VII, examBrains Course Batch : choose a course batch.

VIII, Finishing Events

• Select event color.
• Select an event image and publish your events.

 

 

5, SET CURRICULUM[ps2id id=’anchor-link-sc’ target=”/]

I, Add Section : Add a new section in the curriculum. Clicking this button would add a Text box in the curriculum section. Enter the section title in the box.

II, Add Unit : Add a unit in the curriculum. Clicking this button would add a select box showing all the units. All the units created by Instructor will be shown in the select box. To add a new unit select “Add New Unit” in the select box, which will show a input box.

Enter the title of the unit in the input box and Select Publish from the drop-down beside the unit. Once published the unit will be published and the drop-down controls will now show edit unit. Clicking on edit in the drop-down controls would take the user to the unit editing screen.

Clicking on Delete would remove the unit from the database. Clicking on remove will remove the unit form the curriculum.

III, Add Quiz : Add a Quiz in the curriculum. Clicking this button would add a select box showing all the quizzes. If instructor privacy is enabled then all the quizzes created by instructor will be shown in the select box.

To add a new quiz select “Add New Quiz” in the select box, which will show a input box. Enter the title of the Quiz in the input box and select Publish from the drop-down beside the unit.

Once published the quiz will be published and the drop-down controls will now show edit quiz. Clicking on edit in the drop-down controls would take the user to the quiz editing screen. Clicking on Delete would remove the quiz from the database. Clicking on “remove” will remove the quiz form the curriculum.

IV, Save Curriculum : Unless the Course curriculum is saved, the new units created and added are not a part of the course curriculum.

 

V, Editing Units : Units can be edited from the Course Curriculum unit controls. When the unit is in edit mode, the content can be directly added in the unit using the front end interface.

Unit settings need to be saved first before clicking on update the unit content.

Unit settings

• Unit Type Select a unit type. This shows a symbol in the course curriculum corresponding to units.
• Make Unit Free Set a unit free. A Free unit is accessible to the world, including non-registered members and search engine bots.
• Duration of unit Set a suggestive duration of a unit. Only for display purpose.
• Connect Assignment Connect an assignment to a unit or create a new one.
• Connect a Forum Connect a forum with the unit or create a new one in the course forum.

 

VI, Editing Quiz : Quiz can be edited from the Course Curriculum Quiz controls. When the Quiz is in edit mode, the Quiz instructions content can be directly added in the unit using the front end interface.

Quiz settings need to be saved first before clicking on update the unit content.

Quiz settings

• Quiz Subtitle Enter a sub-title for quiz. This sub-title is shown below quiz title.
• Connected Course Optionally select a connected course. Once connected the quiz will show a back to course button.
• Quiz Duration Set a duration of the quiz. This duration sets the timer.
• Quiz Evaluation Set quiz evaluation mode, automatic or manual. If set to automatic make sure all question types adhere to the settings done in Options panel -> Course manager -> Auto evaluate question types.
• Quiz Retakes Set quiz re-takes this allows student to retake a quiz
• Quiz Completion message Set a completion message. This message is shown to the user when user submits the quiz.

Manage Quiz Questions : Use this section to manage questions in the quiz. 

• ADD Question : Add Question using this button. A select box with questions will appear. If instructor privacy is enabled then all question created by instructor will be shown in the drop-down.

 

VII, Editing Questions : Questions can be edited from the quiz timeline or by adding ? edit in the Question link. Once a question is in edit mode, it’ll show question settings.

Question Type : Select the question type our of following option types.

• Multiple Choice Single Answer : Requires options and only one choice can be marked as answer. Correct answer is entered as a single number like 1. Or simply by clicking on the option number.
• Multiple Choice Multiple Answer : Requires options and multiple choices can be marked as answer. Correct answer is marked as multiple choice number separated by comma as 1,2. Or simply by clicking on the option numbers.
• Sort Answers : Requires options and the order of options to be marked as answers like : 1,2,3,4
• Single line text : Does not require options, correct answer needs to be marked
• Multi Line text.

Add Options : Clicking on this button adds a new option with text input box. The text box acts as the option holder.

Correct Answer : The correct answer for a question. If the quiz is auto evaluation mode, it needs to be configured properly. For multiple choice question it is suggested to click on option number to fill the correct answer.

 

Edit Question : Assignments can be edited from the “Edit Assignments” link in the edit unit page or directly by adding ? edit to the assignment URL.

Once in edit mode, it will show following settings : 

• Subtitle : Enter a assignment Subtitle.
• Assignment Maximum Marks : Enter Maximum marks for assignment.
• Assignment Duration : Assignment Duration in days. Assignment counter end automatically submits the assignment for evaluation.
• Include in Evaluation : Include this assignment in a course evaluation. If selected, marks of students in this assignment will be included in evaluation of a course. This also restricts students from viewing full assignment. Only students subscribed to the associated course can view the assignment details when they click on start assignment button and the timer starts.
• Assignment Course : Select a course to which the assignment should be connected. Only applicable if Include in Evaluation is set to yes.
• Submission type : Select submission type from Upload or Text-area.
• Attachment type : Select allowed Attachment types, if submission type is set to upload.

 

 

6, MANAGING COURSE[ps2id id=’anchor-link-mc’ target=”/]

 I, Evaluate Quiz

After creating courses Instructor manages the courses. There are various function available to manage courses on examBrains. A course is Managed from the Admin section of a Course page.

• After the Student has submitted the quiz.
• The Quiz submissions can be located in the Course Admin -> Submissions -> Quiz Submissions section.
• If for any reason the Instructor needs to reset the quiz for the user then she can click the Reset Quiz for User option
• To Evaluate the quiz, Instructor clicks on Evaluate icon and the Evaluation screen opens
• Evaluation screen shows, Question, marked answer, correct answer, maximum marks for the question and a textbox for marks and give marks button.
• To give marks to each question Instructor enters marks in the textbox and clicks save marks.
• Once Instructor has saved marks for all the questions, Instructor can click on Mark quiz as evaluated
• As soon as this button is pressed the user gets a notification and message with the Quiz Results.

 

II, Evaluating Course

• After the Student has submitted the Course.
• The Course submissions can be located in the Course Admin -> Submissions -> Course Submissions section.
• If for any reason the Instructor needs to reset the course for the user then she can click the Reset Course for User option.
• To Evaluate the course, Instructor clicks on Evaluate icon and the Evaluation screen opens.
• Evaluation screen shows, the all the units in the course, and their completion status, it also shows the marks obtained in the Quizzes in the course.
• To give marks to Instructor enters marks from 100 in the marks column and marks Course as evaluated.
• As soon as this button is pressed the user gets a notification and message with the Course Results.

If the Course percentage is above Badge percentage then the user recieves a Badge, if the Course percentage is above the passing percentage then the user recieves a completion certificate.  

 

 

III, Managing Students

• An Instructor can reset the full course for any student. This will have to start the course again from the very beginning. This can be done form the Course -> Admin screen.
• An Instructor can remove any student from the Course. The student will have to Purchase the course again to take the course. This can be done form the Course -> Admin screen.

 

IV, Course Admin

Course Administrator is a person who created the course. It may be the instructor also. From course admin area, an admin can perform various tasks for a particular user or for all users by marking the checkbox of that user. Course Admin Section is categorized into three subsections.

Members : Through this section, an administrator can reset course for users, see course statistics for user, see user activity in course, can remove user from that course, send bulk messages, add students to course, assign badges/certificates to student, extend subscriptions for an user, change course status.

• Assign : An administrator can assign and remove course certificates and course badges to student’s profile from this section.
• Extend Subscription : An administrator can increase or decrease the no. of days of subscription from this section.
• Send Bulk Message : An administrator can send messages to All students or to selected students from this section.
• Add Student to Course : An administrator can add new students in this course from this section.
• Change Course Status : An administrator can change the status of that course for students from this section.
• Path : Go to All Courses > Course > Edit Course > Admin > Members
• Submissions : Through this section, an administrator can get all the submissions done by user such as quiz submission, course submission, assignment submission etc. An administrator can reset a particular submission (course, quiz, assignment) for a particular student as well as evaluate those submissions.
• Stats : An administrator can view the statistics of the students who enrolled in that course such as average marks obtained by students, number of passed students, number of students who got a badge.
• Course Messaging : An Instructor can send mass message to the students taking the course. This can be done form the Course -> Admin -> Members screen.

 

 

 

7, PRICING FOR COURSE[ps2id id=’anchor-link-pfc’ target=”/]

I, Free Course Set the course as Free. A free is available to all students accessing the course.

II, Set a Course Product

• Select an existing product if instructor want to sell the course as a combination of courses.
• Select “No Product” to keep the course as private and manually control the Students for course
• Select “ADD NEW PRODUCT” to create a new product and set the mode and pricing. If mode is set to subscription set the duration of subscription in days. If subscription is not enabled then the subscription duration is set as course duration. When a student purchases a course the subscription duration is set for the student. The access to the course is limited by subscription duration of the course, post which the course goes into expired state and student has to re purchase a course product to continue with the course again.

 

8, PUBLISH THE COURSE​[ps2id id=’anchor-link-ptc’ target=”/]

If Administrator has given access to publish the course then the course will be published, otherwise it will go into pending state, which the administrator needs to manually check and turn the status to Published.