Below you’ll find answers to frequently asked questions about the Course Planner. If we’re missing something, please let us know so that we can add it here.
Why can’t I create/edit a Course Plan?
Course Plans can be created and edited by teachers with the Curriculum Author role. Once plans are created, they’re visible to all teachers (regardless of their role) at your school.
What if another teacher and I teach the same course?
If you teach different sections of the same course → We recommend creating your own plan with the Course Planner if you intend to teach the course differently. To do so, be sure to create your own copy of the course.
If you co-teach the same section of the same course → We highly recommend designating one teacher to create the plan so that there’s one plan for the course. Please be aware that any teacher with the Curriculum Author role can edit a plan, so we suggest communicating with one another when edits need to be made to avoid confusion.
Who can see updates I make to my plan?
All teachers at your school have the ability to see Plans made through the Course Planner, including school administrators and specialists. Students, however, will not have access to your Course Plan.
How are total instructional blocks calculated?
To calculate instructional blocks, the Course Planner takes into account the number of times your course meets and the total number of weeks in your platform calendar.
If my administrator changes the school's calendar dates, will I receive a notification to update my plan?
At this time, we have not yet built the functionality to notify you of a calendar change. If you know your school’s calendar will change, we recommend checking the Course Planner regularly to see how those changes impact your plans.
Are holidays and non-instructional days accounted for in the Course Planner?
The Course Planner is based on your school’s calendar dates and your total instructional blocks. If your school’s platform calendar includes holidays and non-instructional days, those will be reflected in the Course Planner.
Please note that if your school's calendar has not been set up yet, the Course Planner will use default calendar dates. Once your school's calendar is set up, you'll see it reflected in your Course Plan.
Will the Course Planner integrate my semester/quarter course dates?
We do not currently support the integration of the Course Planner for semester/quarter courses. However, there is a way to have your Course Plan reflect your semester/quarter dates. By following the steps below, you can add an empty project to your course that will serve as a placeholder for the previous term(s). Please note: your students will be able to see this empty project on their Year page, so please name your project with this in mind.
- From your semester course, go to Edit Course.
- Select Add Project.
- At the bottom of the page, select Create new.
- Enter a name for your project, then select Create project.
- Select Finish Editing.
- Now go to View Course Plan.
- Select Edit Plan.
- Enter the appropriate meeting times and minutes and select Next.
- Select the three vertical lines next to your newly created placeholder project and select Adjust Instructional Blocks.
- Enter the number of Instructional Blocks to represent the previous term(s).
- Drag your new placeholder project to the appropriate place under the Planned Projects column to see your timeline adjust.
- Select Save changes when you are finished.
What will be updated in my course when I make changes to my Course Plan?
Your course will reflect your Course Plan–in other words, your Course Plan’s projects (added or deleted) and the order of those projects will be shown in your course.
Will I be notified if another teacher makes an edit to my Course Plan?
At this time, we have not yet built the functionality to notify you of an edit to a plan. If it’s likely that other teachers will teach the same course, we recommend creating a copy of the course to get your own Course Planner.
My school schedule changes on a biweekly basis (or is not consistent). How should I enter my weekly instructional periods?
The instructional periods are designed to provide you with an estimate of how much time your students will be spending on the course. We suggest providing an average number of instructional periods for any given week.
I copied my course so that I could have my own course plans, but I’m still not seeing it in my left menu.
In order for a course to show up in your left menu, the course must be attached to a section. Please contact your School Leader if you need assistance creating a section for your course.
Can I edit a plan for a course in a past academic year?
The Course Planner is designed to help you plan current-year courses. If you’d like to use a course from a previous year, we recommend that you copy the course into the new academic year. That said, you do have the ability to edit a plan for a course in a past academic year.
Can I change the unplanned projects/math units when I try to edit my course?
Yes! You can change which projects/Math Units are planned or unplanned, but you must do that from your Course Plan.
1. Open your course.
2. Select View Course Plan.
3. Select Edit Plan. If you are not seeing "Edit Plan" you may need to add the Curriculum Author role to your account or have someone with this role perform these actions.
4. You can select Next when it asks how often the course meets.
5. From the left-hand side, drag your project/Math Unit into the appropriate column (planned or available).
6. Select Save changes.