Teaching a class this fall? Log in to SPIRE to request your SPARK course.
As of this week, we have a new, more flexible way to request SPARK courses and register for SPARK to SPIRE Grade Upload.
The course request form is located in the same area in SPIRE – in the left Menu, under Faculty Home. Differences include:
• A new My SPARK Courses area for requesting SPARK to SPIRE Grade Upload and checking on SPARK course details.
• More intuitive class listings, by semester.
• Easy to combine multiple sections in one SPARK course.
Registering for Spire Grade Upload is Now a Two-Step Process
Instructors first request a SPARK course, under SPARK Course Request, then sign up for Grade Upload on the new My SPARK Courses page (accessible from the left Menu).
Instructors can now go to My SPARK Courses, to add or cancel Grade Upload for a SPARK course any time during the semester when the service is offered.
More Intuitive Course Request Form
In the SPARK Course Request area, an instructor’s SPARK-eligible classes are now organized by term. Each term’s class sections are listed on a separate page. Instructors can distinguish more easily between class sections for which they have already requested a SPARK course, and sections for which they have not. More details about an instructor’s course requests are available in the My SPARK Courses area.
Easier to Combine Multiple Class Sections in the Same Spark Course
Instead of having to type in each Class Number, instructors will select the class sections they wish to combine in the same SPARK course from a list of available sections. This feature comes at the request of SPARK instructors.
(Note: Instructors still need to submit a separate request for each SPARK course. Selecting multiple class sections in one submission will not request multiple SPARK courses.)
Otherwise, the course request process remains the same. Once they submit a course request, instructors receive a confirmation email when their SPARK course is ready to use, typically within three (3) business days. To update or cancel a SPARK course request, instructors need to contact spark@oit.umass.edu
Step-by-step instructions on using the new request form are available at http://www.oit.umass.edu/spire/for_instructors/class_information/
For assistance, please direct instructors to the Instructional Media Lab at 545-2823 | instruct@oit.umass.edu.