Wheelock Online Instructor FAQ
The class has already begun and I now realize that I need a facilitator or grader. How do I get more help?
Instructors may ask for one facilitator for every 15 students after the class has reached 16+. If you do not meet that number but still need assistance, please contact Assistant Dean for Executive Affairs to make this special request.
When are grades due?
Grades are due within 72 hours of the last exam/assignment.
When can I give an Incomplete?
Incompletes are at the discretion of the instructor. However, we recommend using an Incomplete only when the student has completed at least 70% of the coursework. In other cases, considering a drop or case-by-case extensions is usually the better option.
Students can have up to one year to resolve an Incomplete, but the timeline should be outlined in the Incomplete Agreement. The student or instructor may agree to less time than that. In those cases, the student must abide by the shorter timeframe. The timeframe should be determined by the scope of the work that needs to be completed, the feasibility of the student being able to complete it in that time (perhaps an illness might be a factor), and the feasibility of the instructor’s being able to participate in grading and feedback.
In the event that more time is needed than was allocated in the agreement, an agreement amendment should be submitted to the Records Office so that it can be logged. The amendment should explicitly outline the new deadline and the reason why an extension was given.
Use the Incomplete Grade Report form to record the incomplete agreement with the Records Office.
What can I do if a student is in trouble and needs to be put in touch with their faculty advisor or Student Services?
If you have a concern about a student, please inform Student Services Manager Stephanie Clendenin (sclenden@bu.edu) and submit an ATLAS ticket.
What is ATLAS?
ATLAS ( Assisting the Learning Community in Accessing Support) is an online form designed to be used by all faculty and staff teaching or working with Wheelock students enrolled in a part- or full-time program at Wheelock College of Education & Human Development. Faculty can submit this online assessment and referral as often as needed throughout the semester. Some examples of concerns: general academic concerns (including academic performance, class attendance and class participation), recommendations about course drop/withdrawal and concerns about overall student well-being.
An Academic Success Specialist in Student Services will monitor the referrals, notify the student as appropriate, and coordinate outreach efforts.
How can I submit an ATLAS Assessment and Referral Form?
Step 1. If you have not enabled your BU Google App, you must do so in order to submit the ATLAS form. (You will only need to do this once.) Enable a BU Google App. Follow the instructions on the website and agree to the terms of use.
Step 2. Click on the Google Form. This will prompt you to log in with your BU Kerberos credentials. You can save this link as a bookmark on your web browser.
Step 3. Fill out the form with relevant information and hit submit at the bottom of the page.
Are tutoring resources available to students?
Smarthinking can be accessed by any student enrolled in an online course through the individual course portals in Online Campus. There is a button for it in each course portal, in the same menu where the Discussion Board, Printable Lectures, and Grades buttons are listed. Appointments are likely required, but Smarthinking can offer live tutoring, writing feedback, and content assistance.
What happens if I need help with Online Campus after 5 pm EST or on the weekend?
Administrative offices including Wheelock Student Services and the Office of Distance Education operate during regular business hours, Monday – Friday, 9 am – 5 pm. These offices are closed on holidays and breaks observed by the university. For assistance outside these hours, please submit an email to the appropriate person and understand that assistance may not be available until the next business day.
BU IS&T may also be able to provide assistance outside regular hours. Help tickets can be submitted via email at ithelp@bu.edu .
Should my live classroom times be mandatory?
We recommend that instructors plan to have regularly scheduled, non-mandatory live classroom meetings. Making live classroom sessions mandatory would make it difficult (and in some cases impossible) for the working professionals in the program to attend, especially considering that there are students from time zones that span the globe. Some instructors may choose to require that students who miss the live version of a class watch the recording and submit a small assignment (ex. Discussion board post) as proof that they’ve watched it.
There may be a few subjects (ex. discourse) where the instructor determines that it is absolutely necessary for a live classroom session to be mandatory. Before making that decision, consider consulting with the Instructional Designer to see what alternative options for participation may be available.
If live classrooms are to be mandatory, the times must be posted on the University Class Schedule so that students know the time before registering for the course. If your course is already on the University Class Schedule and has the wrong time or does not have a time listed, please submit a request to correct this using the Schedule Change Request Form.
Where can I learn more about best practices and tips?
Contact Stephanie Clendenin (sclenden@bu.edu) if you have questions about policies or resources. The Online Collaborative Committee (OCC) convenes regularly at BU Wheelock to provide a forum for Wheelock online instructors to discuss procedures and best practices, and to share tips, concerns, and feedback. Please contact Mary Hughes (mhughs@bu.edu) if you have questions.