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Blackboard pre-semester process

Note: This is a suggestion only to assist Faculties to prepare for start of semester. The process may vary slightly between different Faculties.

Recommended dates: Dates used in this table are approximate and based on weeks prior to the beginning of Semesters 1 and 2.
Cohort load schedule: Student cohorts are scheduled on varied dates in the 6 weeks prior to the start of the main semesters. They are loaded by Faculty groups into the system. This is to prevent the bulk of enrolments loading on the systems default date. If this occured there would be a delay in students being able to access Blackboard at the start of semester.

Role Action

Recommended dates
1 Faculty Board Unit assessment signed off by Faculty Board (Federal requirement)

16 weeks prior

Semester 1: early November of the previous year.
2 Faculty

Faculty Administrators are presented with the list of units for the upcoming semester.

15 weeks prior

Semester 1: mid November of the previous year
Semester 2: late March
3 Faculty representatives

Faculty Administrator/representative prepares the list of new units and existing units to be rolled over.

14 weeks prior

Semester 1: late November of the previous year
Semester 2: early April
4

Faculty Administrators

 

Produce a list of units, unit codes, names, semester cohorts, staff enrolments, section visibility dates.

Goal: to have the bulk of the units offered (and enrolments required) by each business unit identified for creation and enrolments prior to the start of semester.

 

13 weeks prior

Semester 1: late November of the previous year
Semester 2: early April
5

Flexible Learning and Teaching

 Cohort load schedule draft presented to the Faculty Administrators for review.

12 weeks prior

Semester 1: early December of the previous year
Semester 2: late April
6 Faculty representatives

Create sections and link cohorts.

MUSO Support can provide assistance in creating sections (please note that this is a charged service)

Note: Sections not identified at this point can be created on an as needed basis.

12 weeks prior

Semester 1: early December of the previous year
Semester 2: late April
7 Faculty Create/prepare materials for sections. 10-12 weeks prior
8

Flexible Learning and Teaching

Cohort load schedule finalised

Goal: The system has a daily load capacity. Cohorts are scheduled to allow sufficient time for the system to process students prior to the start of semester.

8 weeks prior

Semester 1: early January
Semester 2: late May/ early June
9 Flexible Learning and Teaching

Cohort loading begins

Goal: Cohort loading is not restricted to this period of time. Cohorts can be loaded on any date.

6 weeks prior

Semester 1: mid January
Semester 2: mid June
10  

Orientation week

One week prior

Semester 1: mid February
Semester 2: mid July
11   Start of semester

Semester 1: mid February
Semester 2: mid July