As the beginning of the semester approaches and faculty continue to prepare for teaching, Teaching Assistants are also being assigned. Academic Computing would like to remind you of the necessary steps for giving TAs access to your SPARK course:
For Graduate TAs:
If your TA cannot access your SPARK course, confirm with the Academic Scheduling Representative in your department that the TA is listed in SPIRE as a:
- Teaching Assistant – if your class is a lecture or seminar with no discussion sections/labs.
- Primary Instructor – if your TA is in charge of a separate discussion/lab.
For Undergraduate TAs:
Undergraduate TAs and some ‘unofficial TAs’, undergraduate and graduate students who assist with limited course activities (e.g., grading), receive access to SPARK only after they are listed as Student Assistants (SPARK-Only) in SPIRE.
Together with your TA, fill out and sign the SPARK FERPA Acknowledgment Form (http://www.oit.umass.edu/spark/undergradta_request.pdf, pdf 34k). File a form for each TA with the Academic Scheduling Representative in your department.
Activating TA access to specific SPARK tools
For both Undergraduate and Graduate TAs, once SPARK is updated with the latest information from SPIRE, your TA will have access to the Teach and Student View tabs. Use the Teaching Assistant Settings Administration area in SPARK to select the teaching tools your TA will have access to. For information on TA settings please visit:
http://www.oit.umass.edu/spark/access/ta_tools.html
Giving TAs access to the Build tab in SPARK
If you want your TAs to be able to upload files and change course content, they will need to have access to the Build tab. To grant them access to the Build tab, you will need to submit an online Special Accounts request form and request that your TAs be granted “Section Designer” access: http://people.umass.edu/accoprod/webct/vista4_special_account.html
If you have any questions please call the Instructional Media Lab at 413-545-2823