Edit course settings

On the Settings page you can edit default values and values you or another instructor specified for a selected course.

To open the Settings page

  1. Click to display your My Courses list.
  2. Next to the name of a course for which you want to edit settings, click and then select Settings.

Settings descriptions

Field Description
Classroom Select a seating map that you or someone else at your institution created, or click + Create new classroom. After a classroom is selected, you can click Edit to revise the map. Be aware that any map changes you make apply for all courses at your institution that are associated with that classroom. For details, see Add a classroom seat map to associate with your course.
Field Description
Allow review after __ hours

Students are able to access and review a past session from your course after you stop the session and this much time has elapsed since the start of the session.

Set this delay to allow you time to grade responses manually and add comments, if desired; and to prevent students from seeing correct answers if you are concerned that the answers might be passed to other students who will see the same questions soon.

The default 2-hour delay can be changed to any integer.

Note: For flexibility, you can also disallow review indefinitely for a specific module in the module's settings. You can then edit the module again to remove that restriction when you are ready to allow students to review.
Enable "I don't understand" button and real-time graph If this option is selected, during Instructor-Led Synchronous and Team-Based sessions you can monitor student reactions in a graph that shows when and how many students have indicated that they're confused.
Enable automatic pacing

If this option is selected, during Instructor-Led Synchronous sessions you are freed from needing to decide when to deliver the next question. Read more about how automatic pacing works in the classroom.

Note: Automatic pacing is recommended only after you're comfortable using Learning Catalytics in class. You don't need to enable this option for Automated Synchronous sessions; automatic pacing is always in effect for those sessions.

These settings apply when groups are formed for peer discussions about a question that students have just answered in a synchronous session. Based on a Learning Catalytics patented algorithm, each student receives a tailored message with instructions about who else is in the group and where to find them, if applicable.

The course must be associated with a classroom (see the "General Information" section above), and students are prompted to identify their seats when they join the session.

  • In an Automated Synchronous session, students are not in a physical classroom. Because no instructor is present, automatic pacing and automatic grouping are always in effect.
  • In an Instructor-Led Synchronous session, these settings apply if automatic pacing is enabled (see the previous section). If automatic pacing is not enabled, you decide when peer discussions would be beneficial and click Assign groups to invoke group formation.
Field Description
Lower bound for grouping

These values establish the % range of the students getting the correct answer for any single question that will trigger automatic grouping following delivery of that question.

The default range (between 30% and 70%) is considered optimal for productive peer discussions. Above 70% means that time in discussion might not be well spent because so many students already understand the material. Under 30% means that not enough students understand the material to beneficially influence the discussion.
Upper bound for grouping
Default group size Number of students that will be placed in each group, to the extent possible.
Default group indicator
(response or score)

These two values work together to assemble discussion groups in which students can articulate their reasoning and improve their understanding.

Groups students based either on their response (for example, which multiple choice option they selected) or on their score (correct or incorrect).

Refines grouping based on whether the indicator (responses or scores) are all different, all the same, or not the same.
Default group comparison
(all different, all the same, or not the same)

Default group tolerance
(next to each other, within 1 seat of each other, within 2 seats of each other, within 3 seats of each other, or anywhere in the room)

Proximity required for students to be automatically grouped together.

Depending on the size of the class and the classroom, consider limiting the distance students must move to save class time. In large classes, "next to each other: is usually the best option.

See also:

Student Help, which includes these related topics:

  • Indicate your seat on a seat map
  • Use your direct communication options
  • Discuss your responses with a group
  • Review correct answers and your responses