Testudo Curriculum Management Training Winter 2012

1. Testudo Curriculum Management Training Winter2012

2. Background • What is Testudo CM? • Replaces current VPAC course proposal system • Web application that integrates with SIS • Automates workflow • First step in SIS modernization using Kuali • Who uses it? • Everyone in the course proposal process

3. Implementation • Went into use in March 2012. Piloted by Colleges of Education and Behavioral and Social Sciences. • Now used by Registrar’s Office to update all approved course information. • Newly discovered problems or enhancements are collected and prioritized for development. • Particular problems and enhancements that already have been discovered are in the queue. • New procedures for handling some course issues need to be implemented.

4. Demonstration Training environment: http://umd-cm-training.dev.umd.edu/umd-cm/ (requires users to log in to VPN) A feedback form has been developed to provide comments on the system: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dElCY2Jsa0tkdkhrRFlBWXU0MGNKUHc6MQ

5. The URL for Testudo Curriculum Management is http://cm.testudo.umd.edu. This URL takes you to the main page, known as the “Landing Page.”

6. To modify or retire a course, first find the course with the find option.

7. Course Search Screen

8. Search Results: Note that all courses, including those that have been retired (deleted), will be retrieved.

9. Version History: View previous versions of courses (based on SIS information). Information is limited to SIS’s capacity (i.e., no previous descriptions or rule statements). There are three Course View screens

10. Version History: This screen lists all versions of course. Each version has a start term (indicating when the version became active) and an end term if retired or superseded. You can select two versions to see a side-by-side comparison.

11. Retired Courses: Course status indicates if a course is retired (no longer active). Pilot courses (courses with approval to be offered for only one term) will also appear as retired with the Start Term and End Term being the same. An end term should be visible for any retired course. A retired course can be modified. This is the process for submitting Pilot courses for permanent approval, requesting an additional term for a Pilot course, or for reactivating a retired course.

12. Course Action Drop Down Menu: Allows you to modify or retire an active course or copy information into a new course proposal.

13. To Modify Course, Select Edit. Always start with Course Information

14. Take a moment to modify your proposal title by adding the Course Prefix & Number. This will help reviewers to identify the proposal later in the process.

15. After modifying information, summary screen highlights all changes to original course.

16. Also will indicate any fields that are required for the proposal (marked with an asterisk) that are missing information.

17. Once you are ready to submit your modified proposal, select “Submit Proposal” from Proposal Action Menu. If you decide not to submit, you should cancel the proposal to remove it from your list of current proposals.

18. For new course proposals, select “Create a Course.”

19. Options available for creating a course.

20. Course Prefix & Number are required to submit proposal. • Some VPAC website elements have been refined in meaning: • Cross List: Courses must be at same level with same description & title. • Jointly (was “shared”): courses at undergraduate level and graduate level. • “Formerly” & “Credit Will Only be Granted For” will remain. Proposal Title: Will help you find proposal later. Be sure to add Course Number & Prefix once it is known.

21. Additional Information: • Helpful but not essential information for the course: • Information that was listed in the course requisite area but not having to do with the course. • Optional!

22. Course Prefix: Determines the Approval Route for the Proposal (linked to the campus’s data table of official campus units).

23. Current elements in VPAC form that are now grouped differently.

24. Allows for Fixed or Variable Credit Allows for Standard Semester or Non-Standard Term

25. The Contact Hour “Widget.” Information collected in VPAC form but designed to provide more information to user, such as when contact hours do not add up to indicated number of credits.

26. System will let you know if the hours are not enough for the specified number of credits. Please note: For existing courses, this data is not currently kept in SIS and so is being entered in the system based on VPAC or SIS data.

27. Learning Outcomes are typically required for new course proposals by VPAC. In Testudo CM, Learning Outcomes can be stored and reused. Use the search link to find stored learning outcomes. Learning Outcomes also be categorized. We are still determining the best way to manage categories, which are optional. If you want to make categories specific to your own department or program, we suggest indicating your college and department/program in the category.

28. Searching for Learning Outcomes

30. Please note: For some existing courses, learning outcomes were imported from the VPAC database.

32. Course Requisites (the “Rules”): For the most part, these are now “codified” (i.e., linked to a specific course, program, or curriculum unit). Codifying will make registration checks possible down the road when we start the enrollment phase. By codifying rules and linking courses to other courses and programs, the system will be able to run a report on how a course proposal could impact other courses or programs. This reporting function, called “Dependency Analysis.”

33. Many rules are “codified.” This allows data of different kinds to be plugged in (courses, grades, math eligibility, unit (for permission), and academic degree programs). You can choose Free Form Text to write in a rule statement that is not listed. Note: Minors, Certificate Programs, and Living-Learning Programs are not codified, but you can type in as free form text: “Must be in Civicus Program.”

34. Course drop-down menu allows you to select a course, and therefore form a link between, the proposed course with another course.

36. Rules Issues • These rules were interpreted and entered in by staffers working on the Testudo CM implementation. • Units were asked to check the accuracy of the rule statements in the spring and summer of 2012. We received feedback on inelegant catalog language (accurate but awkwardly stated), which we have documented and will analyze for improvement.

37. Rules Issues, continued • Permission of department now specifies your department (also known as the curriculum org). • Notice that permission of department is in two places (prerequisites for prerequisite checking or restrictions for seat management). • “Or equivalent” has been changed. • “For Majors Only” now specifies a specific academic program—taken from a list of major codes. New codes were created to distinguish Master Programs from Doctoral Programs. • Suffixed courses and retired courses will no longer be entered in as prerequisites.

38. Enter the term in which you want to begin offering the course. Pilot Course: A “Pilot” course is what we are calling courses that received a one term exception pending formal approval. By selecting the Pilot course option, the End Term will automatically be populated with the Start Term. Instead of sending through the pipeline, department can call the Scheduling Office for approval once information is submitted in Testudo CM.

39. Collaborator Screen: Allows you to add someone to either help you edit, or review and provide comment (e.g., in a situation where another department will be providing a prerequisite they indicate their approval by adding a comment).

40. Supporting Documents: The course syllabus (which is required for new courses) can be uploaded from this screen.

41. Summary screen for reviewing proposal before submitting.

42. Proposal Actions

43. Once a proposal is submitted, the proposer can withdraw the proposal. The proposal can also be copied to a new proposal if convenient.

44. For retiring a course, find the course and then select “Retire Course” from Course Actions drop down menu.

45. Modify the Proposal Title to include the Course Prefix and Number. Enter the End Term from the dropdown menu.

46. Review Proposal: Screen lets you review proposal. The Proposal Actions drop down menu allows you to submit proposal or cancel.

47. Course Approval Path • Proposer • Department Curriculum Manager • Department PCC (Chair approves) • Department Chair • College Curriculum Manager • College PCC (Chair approves) • College Dean • Academic Affairs • VPAC • Scheduling Office Departments and Colleges will provide a list of authorizations to determine who has approval authority for the appropriate levels.

49. Action List: Gives you a list of items that require your attention.

50. Click on ID number to open proposal. Click on Log icon to see where the proposal is in the workflow.