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Instructor FAQ

Login and Loading in the iLMS:

Q: I am trying to login to the iLMS website and I get an error saying that my User Name and Password are incorrect. I have tried to login using different browsers and ran the Browser Check, but I am unable to successfully login to MySlice, SUMail, and the network. Why is this happening?

A: System glitch - follow these steps:
  1. Clear your browser history and try again… if that doesn’t work, continue on to step 2
  2. Go to http://its.syr.edu/netid/
  3. Reset your password and challenge question
  4. Restart your computer
  5. You should be able to login with your NetID and new password

Q: How do I get the iLMS to load faster on my computer?

A: The number of courses in your iLMS can slow the loading process. For your browser to load the iLMS faster, you need to hide some of your courses from view on the My LMS page. To complete, follow these steps:
  1. Start on the My LMS page
  2. Click the pencil (located at top right corner of the course list)
  3. Click the radio button to the left of course(s)
  4. Click on the hide link button located in the Visibility column
  5. It will display show link once you have clicked directly on the button

Order and Appearance of Courses in the iLMS:

Q: I am teaching a course but I can’t see it on my iLMS homepage. How do I find it?

A: Newest courses will initially appear at the bottom of your My LMS page – in chronological order rather than numerical order. To rearrange courses, see the following question.

Q: How do I move new classes to the top of My LMS page?

A: Newest courses will initially appear at the bottom of your My LMS page. To rearrange courses in the iLMS:
  1. Start on your My LMS page
  2. Click the pencil (located at top right corner of the course list column)
  3. Click the radio button to the left of course(s)
  4. Go to location you want the course to be moved Click on the move button (located in the Move column)
  5. Select Move Selected Above or Move Selected Below
  6. The course will be moved to its new location

Q: I am no longer teaching a course but it still appears on My LMS page. How do I delete it from the iLMS?

A: Email ilms@syr.edu with your Name, NetID, course title and section number. We will remove it from your account. Please note: you will no longer have access to any content you have uploaded.


Access to the iLMS:

Q: A student has dropped my course but still appears in my iLMS roster. How do I remove the student from the course roster?

A: Dropped courses are not automatically removed from the iLMS. To remove them, you or the student can email ilms@syr.edu with the student’s name, NetID, dropped course title and section number - OR - Follow the steps below:

Please note: Before manually removing students from your course roster and grade book, please confirm that the students are not WISE students.
  1. Login to MySlice
  2. Click “Faculty Center” in the Faculty Services window
  3. Select the people icon to the left of the course number
  4. You should see the most current version of your roster
  5. In a new window, Login to the iLMS
  6. Open the same course in the iLMS
  7. In the Teach tab, Click “Grade Book” in the course tools menu on the left
  8. Compare the Grade Book roster to the Course Roster in MySlice
  9. The students who do not appear in MySlice should be unenrolled (not WISE students)
  10. Check the checkbox to the left of the names of the students who do not appear in the MySlice roster
  11. Click “Unenroll” in the bottom center of the page


Q: I am having a guest speaker in my course and I would like them to have access to my course in the iLMS. How do they request permission to my course?

A: The instructor should email ilms@syr.edu with the guest’s full name, email, SU NetID if applicable, course title and section number. Teaching Assistant access is the default permission rights for guests. If you require additional permissions, please specify what type of access the guest needs – if you are unsure, please include what information and tools they need access to (such as the grade book, assignments, etc.).

Example: I have a non-SU guest who'll be participating in the class as an advisor for the students. Guest information – First name, Last name, and name@email.com. Could you please set up an account and grant them access to my IST999 M1010 course so that they can see the assignment submissions and discussions but not the grade book?


Q: A new student has enrolled in my course but can’t access the iLMS, how can I help them?

A: You or the student can email ilms@syr.edu with the student’s name, NetID, and course title and section number. We will confirm the student is enrolled and then add the course to the student's iLMS account.


Q: I do not see the Base Courses on My LMS page. How do I access them?

A: To gain access to the base courses, please email ilms@syr.edu with your NetID and request for Base Courses. We will add the courses to your iLMS account.


Groups, Discussions and Blogs:

Q: How do I create groups in my course?

A: Follow these steps:
  1. Begin in the Teach tab
  2. Within the Instructor tools, select Group Manager
  3. Click Create groups
  4. Select Create custom group
  5. Click continue
  6. Give the group a name, add a description if needed
  7. Click on the Add Members button
  8. Select each member of that group
  9. Scroll to the bottom – click Add Selected
  10. Click Save – if you are done with one group
  11. Click Save and Create Another Group – if you need to add more groups
  12. Your group is now created
Q: How do I assign groups to private discussions?

A: Follow these steps:
  1. Begin in either the Teach or build tab
  2. Select Discussions
  3. Click the action link next to the topic of choice
  4. Select Set Release Criteria
  5. Click Add Group Criteria
  6. Select the group
  7. Click Save
  8. Click Save again*
  9. You have now created a private group discussion
*Please note: The second save is often missed. If you assigned groups to private discussions but they do not appear correctly, double check to make sure you saved twice.


Q: How do I create a private discussion between the students and myself/the instructor?

A: Follow these following steps:
  1. Begin in the build tab
  2. Select “Discussions” from the Course Tools menu
  3. Click “Create Topic”
  4. If you want to keep the posts private between you and the students – select “Journal Topic”
    1. The Journal is private by default
    2. If you want students to be able to see each other’s information: Select “Threaded Topic” instead
    3. –OR– Go into “Journal Topic,” click “Edit Properties,” open “Topic Behavior Options” at the bottom of the page. The very last option under “Journal Privacy” allows you to select public or private.
  5. Enter a title and a description
  6. Click “Save”

Q: How do I create a blog in the iLMS?

A: To have a blog-style discussion, create a “Threaded Topic” or a “Blog.” The “Threaded Topic” and “Blog” options are very similar and allow the same options for both the student and instructors such as grading and commenting. Which option you decide to use depends on which visual layout you prefer.

-OR- If you would like to create a standard blog, such as ones popular on the internet, you are welcome to use Wordpress, Blogger, or another outside source. We do recommend that you submit a help ticket to IT Services to verify which blogging systems they support before building your outside blog.


Q: How do I save discussions from the iLMS to my computer?

A: Follow these following steps:
  1. Begin in teach mode
  2. Select “Discussions” from the course tools menu on the left
  3. Click the discussion topic that is located next to the yellow paper and tack icon
  4. Select the check box next to all messages you would like to save
  5. Click “Create Printable View” at the bottom center of the page
  6. Select “Save as File”
  7. Choose destination on your computer
  8. Click “Save”
  9. If there are multiple discussions, you will end up with a number of separate files.

Assessments in the iLMS:

Q: How do I migrate an assessment from one section of a course to another?

A:  Follow these following steps:
  1. Begin in the course with the content you want to migrate over
  2. Under the Build tab, select “Assessments” from course tools
  3. Click the dropdown menu to the right of the assessment name
  4. Click “Export”
  5. Chose “My Files” as the export destination
  6. Name the file the same as the assessment
  7. Click “Ok”
  8. Return to the MyLMS page
  9. Select the course you want to import the content to
  10. Under the Build tab, select “Manage Course” from Designer Tools
  11. Click “Import”
  12. Select the assessment file you exported above
  13. Click “ok”
  14. You will see “Import Activities”
  15. Click “Return”
  16. Under the Build tab, select “Assessments” from course tools
  17. You should now see the assessment in the list of assessments

Assignments in the iLMS:

Q: My course assignments out of order in the iLMS and would like to reorganize them. How do I rearrange the assignments in the assignment section?

A: To rearrange assignments:
  1. Begin under the build tab
  2. When you open the assignments there will be empty check boxes next to each assignment with an icon with two arrows pointing to two yellow boxes
  3. To move an assignment, check the empty box next to it
  4. Click the yellow box icon next to the assignment you want to place it above
  5. Click “move selected above.” You should see your assignment in its new location
  6. Repeat these steps until your assignments are in the desired order
Q: An assignment or assessment is listed as “conditional” – what does this mean?

A: “Conditional” means that you set release criteria on the assignment or assessment.


Q: My students’ cannot see their assignment grades in the grade book.

A: A few things could be wrong here… please follow the below instructions:
If students have already submitted assignments:
  1. Begin in the teach tab
  2. Choose “Grade Book” on the left side bar, under “Instructor Tools”
  3. Click “Column Setting” drop-down in the upper right hand corner of the columns window
  4. In the fourth column down, the “Release to Student” column, you should see as “Yes” or a “No”
  5. “Yes” allows the students to see the grade specific to that assignment - “No” does not release the grade
  6. Click the word “Yes” or “No” to change it
  7. The students should then be able to see their grades
If students have NOT submitted any assignments:
  1. Begin in the build tab
  2. Choose “Assignments” on the left side bar, under “Course Tools”
  3. ***Verify that NO students have submitted this assignment by clicking on the assignment name
  4. If no students have submitted, return to the Assignments page
  5. Click the gray icon with a down arrow above three lines next to the assignment
  6. Click “Edit Properties”
  7. Scroll down to the “Grading” section at the bottom of the page
  8. Check the box next to “Allow the assignment to be graded”
  9. *Check box next to “Release grade to Students in My Grades”
  10. Click Save
***Important: If assignments are modified after any students have submitted an assignment, both the assignment and all submissions will be corrupted and lost!

Grades and the Grade Book in the iLMS:

Q: How do I get the tally of points from the grade book?

A: In the grade book, under the “View All” tab, the tally is listed in the column furthest to the right

-OR- Export grades to Excel to finish grading:

1. Start in the “Grades” tab of the grade book
2. Click “Export to Spreadsheet,” the second button from the left on the bottom of the page
3. Select your preferred options
4. Click “export”

 
Q: When are grades due for the semester?

A: Visit http://registrar.syr.edu/staff/finalgradeinfo/ for more information.


Course Evaluations in the iLMS:

Q: Why are my students are receiving an error message when clicking the course survey link in the iLMS?

A: We have experienced some technical difficulties in Internet Explorer. Please advise your students to use another web browser such as FireFox.
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