Submitting Grades on Panthersoft

Submitting grades to Panthersoft for the first time:

• log in to my.fiu.edu
• Click on Faculty Center 
• Make sure the correct term (ex: Fall 2013) is showing on the next screen
• Select the Grade Roster icon next to the course number and prefix (ex: REL 2011)
• Enter grade for each student
• If you have F s you will be required to select from an option from a  dropdown menu next to each student's name- select Attendance cannot be determined (if you teach an online course). This feature is for financial aid reasons.
• When you are done inputting all of your grades, press save button at the bottom or top of the page,
• Then you will select Ready for review from the Status bar at the top of the page.
• Make sure all of your grades match your original list.
• Then select Submit in the Status bar.
• And, you should receive a confirmation that they were Submitted successfully.

Good Example of an Introductory Note to Students in Online Course

Dear students,

Welcome to REL 2011 - Religion: Analysis and Interpretation. My name is (Professor's name) and I am very excited to share this semester with you. You might stumble somewhat over my name due to a few unfamiliar characters. The reason is that I am born and raised in (insert country here).

Despite my            roots, I have strong ties to FIU after living in Miami for four years and eventually graduating as a proud Panther with a Master of Arts in Religious Studies, focusing on early Christianity, early Islam, and comparative studies. I find the study and practice of religion truly fascinating and hope that you will come to share my passion and respect for the diverse beliefs and practices found within the different world religions.

Most, if not all of your questions regarding this course can be answered by simply reading the syllabus - please read it carefully. I would also like to emphasize the following points:

•   The best way to contact me is through the blackboard email. I will respond to your email within the same day, or the next day at the latest. Make sure to include all details in the first email so we do not waste unnecessary time emailing back and forth. If you would like to have a more interactive discussion via Blackboard online chat, you are more than welcome to email me to schedule a meeting.

•   Please check your blackboard email regularly and read the course announcements. I will use the announcements primarily to communicate important information and reminders for the course.

•   Make sure you have the correct edition of the class textbook (6th edition). The first three chapters are available under Course Content - Section 1, and therefore you do not have to worry if you are not able to buy the textbook yet.

•   You will complete six time-restricted, online quizzes throughout the semester, with the first one due in week 3. The quizzes cover the material from the assigned readings, PowerPoints presentations, and audio recorded lectures.

•   You are expected to participate in at least 10 out of the 13 discussion topics that will be posted throughout the semester, with at least 3 substantial posts in total for each topic.

•   The essay assignments are submitted to turnitin through the assignment dropbox in Blackboard. More detailed instructions for each essay will be provided at a later stage.

•   Please note that quiz resets will not be allowed. Furthermore, you have to contact me regarding extensions prior to the deadline with a valid excuse (sickness, emergency, technical difficulties, etc.).

•   During this first week, please familiarize yourself with the course material and setup in Blackboard. In addition to reading the first chapter, you should post a short introduction about yourself in the discussion board.

If you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to contact me.

Good luck!

Kind Regards,

Professor's Name

{This was taken from an online course's introductory post by one of FIU's instructors. Some information has been omitted due to privacy concerns}

Fall 2013 Teaching Assistant and Digital Assistant Orientation

FIU- Religious Studies

Teaching Assistant (TA) and Digital Assistant (DA) Orientation

August 22, 2013

Fall 2013

Liz P.

Online Technical Assistant

What Liz  does:

·      Conducts individual and/or group workshops on how to use Blackboard for TAs, Graders, and DAs

·      Helps set up your Blackboard Courses

·      Troubleshoots online and web-assisted courses for professors, instructors, and TAs

·      Assists faculty in developing online courses for the Department

Digital Assistants’ Online Duties

In charge of adding an extra component of interactivity with online students

·      Carries on and encourages discussion topics throughout the semester inside Blackboard’s Discussion Forum

o   Discussion topics will be provided each semester; however, DAs are encouraged to come up with additional topics as well.

·      Reads assignment drafts and provides informative feedback in a timely fashion

·      Uses Turnitin integration with Blackboard

Teaching Assistants’ Online Duties

In charge of assisting professors with grading and lectures

·      Grades assignments inside Blackboard for particular professors

·      Uses Turnitin integration with Blackboard

·      Leads the team of graders that have been assigned to your course

o   Reminds the graders of the rubric for grading

o   Sets up a timeline for when each assignment should be graded

o   Communicates with the professor about problems with students and other graders

·      Keeps track of students’ extra credit inside Blackboard Grade Center