Create a Syllabus Template

Updated: November 2021

Description:  This guide will provide information about the different types of syllabus prompts and questions, and how to configure them to auto-populate data from other AEFIS solutionsat the Course, and Course Section level.

Applicable to: Institution Admin, College Admin, Department Admin, Survey Admin (Institution, College, Department)

Step by Step - Create the Syllabus Template

Step 1: Log into your AEFIS account 

Step 2: Select the three white horizontal lines in the top left hand corner to open the AEFIS Main Menu

Step 3: Navigate to Educational Experiences > Syllabus Templates

Step 4: Select the blue +Add Syllabus Template button and a pop up to add basic information about the syllabus

Step 5:  Select the College and Department that will own the Syllabus Template, or select all if it will be Institution-wide

Please Note: If you select All Colleges, policies/procedures etc. will be pushed through out all colleges. 

Step 6: You will be directed to the Syllabus home page, where you may review the checklist and template menu items

Syllabus Template Checklist

• Any item marked with a red asterisk is required and syllabus template cannot be published if those items do not have a green check mark next to them.
  
  
  

Details Menu Item Options

• Template Name: Template name is a required field. If the template is in Draft status, the name can be changed at any time.
• College: Select a college from the drop-down list.
• Department: Select a department from the drop-down list.
• Description: Description is optional.

Step by Step: Add Template Content through the Template Designer

Step 1: Select Template Designer from the left menu

Step 2: Select the blue Edit button on the right to start creating the syllabus template.

Step 3: Select the +SECTION button on the top left corner.

Step 4: When the dialog window opens, enter a section name and a section description, select the blue Save button.

Step 5: Select the +ITEM button on the top left corner.

Step 5: Select a form item from the drop-down list to add to the section.

• Text/Memo: This item type displays a multi-line text input box for the user to enter a response.
• Table: This form item type displays a table or matrix with defined rows and columns.  Note: If you want a table in your template that has fixed column headers, please contact support@heliocampus.com and provide the template id (in the url) and a copy of the table, and the support team will create it for you.  It is not possible to create fixed column headers in
• Document Request: You may skip this item, as you will likely not request that anyone submit a document within a syllabus.
  
• Drop-down Select: Drop-down option can be minimum 2 options and a maximum of 20 options.  This can be used to request that a faculty member select an option to define a feature of their course that is not in the data that comes through the data files.
• Multi-Choice, Single Answer: The faculty will have to pick one option and the item options can be added or deleted as desired by clicking the + or X buttons.  This can be used to request that a faculty member select an option to define a feature of their course that is not in the data that comes through the data files.
• Multi-Choice, Multi Answer: The faculty can select more than one option and the item options can be added or deleted as desired by clicking the + or X buttons. This can be used to request that a faculty member select an option to define a feature of their course that is not in the data that comes through the data files.
• Course Information: This particular form item type is a placeholder used to display information about the associated course. This information is received through the information from the data files received from campus Student Information System. This typically includes the following: 
  • Course Name 
  • Course Description 
  • College
  • Department
  • Credits
• Course Schedule: This particular form item type is a placeholder used to display information about the associated course schedule. This is only applicable if the Course Schedule feature is enabled in your system.  For more information about this feature, please outreach to your Client Success Team.
• Academic Policies: This particular form item type is a placeholder used to display Academic Policies associated with the Institution, College(s), and Department(s). The academic policies can be added by going to the Institution, College or Department and clicking on details. All Academic Policies from the hierarchy will display for each course depending on which College and Department they are owned. For more information on adding policies, please see this guide.
• Instructor Information: This particular form item type is a placeholder used to display information about the Instructor associated with the course. This information is received through the information from the campus Student Information System. 
• Drop-Down Select with Content: This form item is a drop-down that allows the user to have predefined content but also allows the faculty to edit the content for their specific course section. 
• Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs): This particular form item type is a placeholder used to display a list of course learning objectives associated with the course. When a CLO is entered at the course level, it will be pulled into the syllabus automatically. Faculty also have the ability to add additional section level course learning outcomes for their particular course section each semester. 
• Institution Outcomes: 
  This particular form item type is used to display a list of institutional outcomes mapped to the course through the curriculum map. Please note, you need to use the curriculum mapping solution in AEFIS to use this specific form item. 
• Student Outcomes: The Student Outcomes form item type is used to display outcomes associated with the course based on the curriculum map. These can either be the Program Outcomes, Accreditor Outcomes or Performance Indicators. Please note, you need to use the curriculum mapping solution in AEFIS to use this specific form item. 
• HMTL: This form item type displays HTML data and is not editable in the syllabus.

Please Note:  When you create a syllabus template item, you will find that there is a text box associated with each item when you click the blue edit attributes link after the item has been added:

The text box that will appear when you open this editor, is a space where you may provide instructions to the faculty filling out the syllabus.  The instructions entered here will not display to students - they only appear in the syllabus edit screen for faculty/admin who will update the syllabus:

Therefore, on this screen you should add specific instructions on how the form item should be filled out by faculty or an example of formatting so they have guidance inline.

Step 6: When you select a form item, enter a name and select a section to be added to from the drop-down list. Then, select the blue Save button.

Step 7: When an item is added and saved, please select a requirement option.

Then, select the blue  button

• University Recommended:  Strongly suggest the field, but the syllabus may be published by faculty if not populated
• Optional:  Purely optional.  If faculty do not fill this item out, it will not display on the syllabus as though it was never there.
• Required:  This item must contain content or the faculty can not publish the syllabus at the section level.

Step 8: Please select an edit restriction setting. If the item is set to None, then it can be changed at the course section level. If Course Edit Only box is checked, then the item can be edited at the course level only.
  

Adding Sections

Instructions:

Step 1: Select the +Section button on the left corner.

Step 2: When the dialog window opens, enter section name, description, and the position. Then, select the blue Save button.

Quick Facts:

• If you would like to delete the entire section, hover over the three blue dots and click on the trash can icon.
  
• If you would like to move the section, click on the up-down arrow icon. Then, select a position and a section name where it will be removed.
  
  
  

Edit/Remove Form Item

Instructions:

Step 1: Select the “FormItem-XXXX”.

Step 2: Select:

• Edit Item: Change the Question Type, Question or Question Option
• Remove Item: Delete the question from the syllabus template.
  
  

Configuration Options

Instructions:

Step 1: If you would like to delete the entire section, hover over the three blue dots and click on the trash can icon.

Step 2: If you would like to move the section, click on the up-down arrow icon. Then, select a position and a section name where it will be removed.

Finalizing Syllabus Template

Instructions:

Step 1: Click the Exit button on the top right in the Syllabus Template Designer page.

Step 2: Click Publish when all required items on the checklist are completed.

IMPORTANT INFO:

• If you are an Institution Admin you will have the ability to change the owner to either a college or department.
• If you are a College Admin you will have the ability to assign it to a department within your college.
• If you have permissions to multiple departments you can assign it to any department you have permission to.
  
  

!!! In order for this template to be the active syllabus template, it needs to be set at the Institution/College/Department level.!!! Please see below!

Instructions:

Step 1: If you are an Institution Admin, go to Institutions under Tools;
If you are a College Admin, go to Colleges under Tools;
If you are a Department Admin, go to Departments under Tools;

Step 2: Select Manage for your institution/college/department.

Step 3: Select Course Settings on the left side menu.

Step 4: Under Course Syllabi Settings, choose a syllabus template and select Save.

Now that the syllabus template is set, it can be filled at the course section level.