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Online Planning Tutorial

Custom Courses

Would you like a little more clarity on setting up custom course schedules? The Getting Started video gave you an initial sample of what course setup would look like. In this video, you’ll find more specific details about each step. For instance, what’s the best way to name a course? What do you do when you get to the “Curriculum” tab in the setup process? I’ll also show you additional customization options that are available after you’ve created your course.

Online Planning Transcript

Custom Courses Instructional

Are you ready to set up your Custom Course schedules? Start by logging into your account, then click on the Courses icon in the main menu at the top of your Online Planning screen.

(Quick note: If you don’t see the Courses icon, then it’s possible you need to set up your school year first. View the Getting Started tutorial to complete that first step.)

Create Your Course

You should see a large plus sign on this page. When you click it, you’ll see a drop down list of your available school years. Since you’re just getting started, you’ll just have one school year entered. Click that option.

Next click Create a Custom Course.

Set Up Your Course

Now you can begin defining your course information.

  • Select a subject from the drop-down menu.
  • Name your course. Be specific. Instead of naming it “Math,” for instance, use a name like Grade 3 Math or use the name given by the publisher, such as MUS Gamma.

After you’ve named your course, you’ll start working through the three tabs at the bottom of the Create Your Own Course Box.

  • Select the student or students that will be completing the course. You can assign the same course to multiple students, if desired.
  • Click on the Curriculum Tab next to add the resource images for your course schedule. Enter the name or ISBN of the first resource into the Search box to see if it’s in one of the hundreds of resources already available.
    (Note: These are titles and images only, not the books themselves. All resources must be purchased separately.)
    If your resource is available, click the box to the left of the title to add the resource to your course schedule. Repeat this process until all applicable resources have been added. Or, come back later and add resources as you create assignments.
  • If the resource does not show up, you can create a custom book, if desired. Click Create Custom Book, then enter the resource title. You may also upload an image for your custom book.
  • Click on Schedule. Choose a start and end time for this course or select All Day.
    (Note: This does not lock your student into a specific class time. It simply helps put each course in an order of completion. It can always be changed later.)
    Select the day(s) that this course will be assigned to. You can click the Every Other Day box if you desire that the course be completed every other day throughout the year or you can select specific days of the week.

Click save, and your Custom Course schedule is created!

Additional Customization

Once your course setup is complete, click on the Courses icon again to view your course and make a few more customizations. Click the down arrow next to Course Details. Here you can update the days and time, select the number of credits this course is worth if it is a high school course, choose a weight system for grading purposes, choose whether or not you want this course to be included in printable schedule and progress reports or a high school transcript, and choose whether or not you want multiple students to be synchronized as you add or adjust lessons. You can also add additional books or students to this course.

Ready to add another course? Just click the plus sign again and repeat the process!

Custom Courses

FAQ

What if the subject I need isn’t included in the drop-down list?

The Online Planning system is set up to be highly customizable. If you discover that you need to add subjects or assignment types, simply click on the down arrow beside your profile name and choose Customize Options to find where you can add to or edit the available options. You can also add or edit grading weight systems on this page.

What does synchronize students do?

If multiple students are assigned to the same course, the Synchronize Student Assignments option allows you to choose whether or not you want all changes and additions to be applied to all students. When this box is checked, all changes apply across the board. When unchecked, changes only apply to the specific student whose assignments you are editing at the time.

Why won’t the site accept the image I’m uploading for a custom resource?

Sometimes the images are too large for the system to import. If the system will not accept your image, try resizing your image to a small size. It’s also a good idea to compress your image to under 75 kb for easiest loading. If you do not have photo editing software on your computer or device, try a free site such as iloveimg.com to easily resize and compress your image.

Why isn’t this course showing up on my student’s High School transcript?

Online Planning automatically creates a transcript for any course meeting two criteria: credits are assigned and the course has been marked to show up on reports. Visit the Printables and Reports tutorial to see all of the steps for ensuring that courses show up in your reports.