FAQs

Q. Do on-campus courses have a course shell?
A. Yes. All on-campus courses (including independent study, audit, self-directed, and dual enrollment) automatically have a course shell. Instructors do not need to request one.

Q. When are course shells created?
A. Course shells are created about 8 to 12 weeks before the next term starts.

Q. When is content added to online courses?
A. Content is usually added 5 to 10 weeks before the start of the term.

Q. Who provides content for face-to-face courses?
A. The instructor of record creates or gathers the course materials. New courses are developed by the instructor.

Q. When can students see their course in the LMS?
A. Students can access their course 24 to 48 hours before the official start date. Sometimes access begins on the first day of class.

Q. When can faculty access their course shells?
A. Faculty can access course shells 5 to 10 weeks before the term begins.

Q. How is course availability managed?
A. Two parts:

• Enrollment data updates in the LMS three times daily.
• The instructor must manually publish the course for students to see it.

Q. Why might a student not see a course in the LMS?
A. Possible reasons:

• The student is not yet registered.
• The registration was done less than 24 hours ago.
• The course hasn’t been published by the instructor.

Q. How long can students access a course after it ends?
A. Students typically have access for up to 2 weeks after the course ends. Instructors can choose to close access earlier.

Q. What should a student do if they need access to a past course?
A. They should contact the instructor or the dean of the school.

Q. Can instructors copy content from previous courses?
A. Yes. Instructors can use the “Import from Site” tool. They should not use “Duplicate Site” in settings.

Q. Where can instructors find instructions to copy course content?
A. Here is the guide: https://sakai.screenstepslive.com/s/sakai_help/m/101295/l/1340494-how-do-i-copy-content-from-one-site-to-another-i-e-import-from-site

Q. Who manages content for online courses?
A. The online education department. Content comes from official master courses.

Q. Who manages content for face-to-face courses?
A. The instructor is responsible for preparing or sourcing the content.

Q. How can instructors request to merge courses?
A. Email develand@johnsonu.edu and include the course IDs and section numbers to be merged.