News

CourseLoop, our new curriculum management system that powers subject information in Canvas and our new UTS Handbook, is now available to all staff.

This marks a major milestone in the CMM Program at UTS and enables:  

  • streamlined processes through standardised workflows 
  • improved data accuracy and collaboration through in-system tracking  
  • enhanced visibility of curriculum information across departments 
  • greater autonomy over non-governed data for subject coordinators

Learn more about the system basics, and how to complete common tasks on the new curriculum management site. 

Key dates for important changes

Here are some of the key changes happening over the next couple of weeks:

  • Now – access to Canvas sites for subject coordinators with subjects delivered in early 2025 (January session, short sessions and UTS Online sessions) so they can get familiar with site changes and the new-look subject information (replacing subject outlines)
  • Now until Friday 6 December – training sessions specifically for staff who will be using CourseLoop and want to know the basics: register for CourseLoop 101 training session on this Microsoft Form
  • Monday 9 December – the new UTS Handbook (published through CourseLoop and replacing the CIS handbook) goes live; CourseLoop becomes the source of truth for curriculum data at UTS

Changes in Canvas

Changes to your Canvas subject site will include:

  • Newly formatted ’How to be successful in this subject’ and Subject resources pages with your relevant content transferred across
  • A new Subject Information menu item replacing the existing Subject Outline

Additionally, a new Important guidance page will be added, providing student links and overviews of relevant policies and governance no longer found in subject outlines. Please note, this will display as ‘coming soon’ until next year as it is developed. It will dynamically update and be ready to be viewed by your students for start of teaching.

For more information, see What’s changing in my Canvas subject site?

Subject Information

About 18 months ago, the CMM program invited feedback from staff to help reimagine PDF subject outlines and consider how to best communicate information about subjects to students. This survey exposed a number of pain points with subject management and subject outlines. Your insights have been invaluable in guiding the development of a new Canvas module that is more intuitive, user-friendly, and tailored to the specific requirements of teaching staff and students.   

With the launch of CourseLoop, the new Subject Information module will replace subject outlines in Canvas sites for subjects beginning from 1 January 2025. Summer subjects and short sessions starting before 2025 will continue to use PDF subject outlines. Students and alumni can continue to download subject outline PDFs for any subjects they were previously enrolled in and will be able to download versions of the new subject information for any subjects they are enrolled in going forward.

Subject coordinators will now be able to update more information directly in Canvas, reducing previous duplication between Canvas subject sites and subject outlines. Curriculum data in Canvas is split into three categories which determine where and how you can edit it: 

  • Governed data (e.g. subject name, credit points) – needs to be updated in CourseLoop and it requires approval
  • Session-specific data (e.g. assessment due-dates) – can be updated independently by subject coordinators in their Canvas subject sites
  • General information (e.g. academic integrity resources and UTS services) – now managed centrally and will be displayed in the Important Guidance page of the Get Started Module

Support  

We get it! Changing processes, systems and the way things look is overwhelming for staff and for students. The CMM Program will remain available into 2025 to support this transition and ensure that the entire UTS community benefits from this improved digital experience.

If you have any questions or concerns about:

CourseLoop 101 training

Two-hour training sessions are running until 6 December on Teams. This training is for academic staff at UTS who want a basic overview of the system, with step-by-step instructions on how to log in, navigate and use the system for course or subject updates.

Online resources

Head to the CMM Project SharePoint site for a range of resources and extra guidance, including:

The launch of CourseLoop and subsequent changes to subject information represent an exciting transformation, and your understanding will be key in ensuring your colleagues and students are prepared for these changes. Please take the time to explore the UTS curriculum management site and the above online resources ahead of 2025.

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