ICOLLEGE
GEORGIA STATE’S LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
iCollege is Georgia State University's digital Learning Management System. With a rich suite of embedded features, iCollege can help you manage the workload of class administration and focus on teaching—in every modality! The Center for Excellence in Teaching, Learning and Online Education (CETLOE) offers an array of integrated tools to enhance your iCollege courses and expand your impact on students' learning.
CETLOE supports your teaching technology needs at every stage of your career, from the first time you log into iCollege, to leading with instructional innovation for advanced engagement and analytics.
Key Features of iCollege
- Integrated grade book and course calendar
- Assessment tools, such as quizzes, discussions and rubrics
- Communication tools, such as announcements, messaging and automated feedback
- Realtime learning analytics and reporting
iCollege Resources for Students
Find resources about iCollege and other topics to help you succeed! You'll find guides to technologies utilized in your iCollege courses, using technology for improved study practices and communication, as well as recommendations for how to maximize your learning outside the classroom.
FAQs
If you are a student and you are new to Georgia State University, you will not be in the system until 24 to 72 hours after you have activated your campus id.
If you are a new instructor and your paperwork is going to take some time to process, please contact your department chair to request a temporary iCollege ID and access to any courses you may be teaching.
For additional help, please contact the Technology Service Desk at 404-413-4357 or [email protected] to submit a help ticket.
Courses and enrollments are imported into iCollege every 2-3 hours between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Any enrollments made after 8 p.m. will process the following morning.
On your iCollege home page, you’ll see the My Courses widget. This should appear directly below the iCollege menu prominently on the left two-thirds of the page. The My Courses widget displays the courses in your account for easy access.
For more information, please read this Knowledge Base Article, How to Find and Pin Courses on iCollege.
- Go to the course into which you want to add the content.
- On the right-hand side of the menu, go to Course Tools.
- Click on Course Admin.
- Under Site Resources, click on Import/Export/Copy Components.
- Find the Search for Offering button in the middle of the page and click on it.
- Choose the course you want to take the information from.
- Click Add Selected.
- At the bottom of the page, click on Copy All Components or click on Select Components. Copy All Components makes an exact copy of your course, while Select Components allows you to make choices about what to copy. Make sure to select Include Associated Files when copying Content.
- There will be a status bar on the right-hand side that will tell you when it’s done.
- For more information about copying content from one course to another, please reference our Copy Content Between Courses in iCollege.
To see and do things as a student:
-
- Select Classlist from the course toolbar.
- Find the Demo Student (they may be listed as Student, Demo or Demo Student).
- Click the down arrow to the right of the Demo Student's name and then click Impersonate.
- Click Yes on the Confirmation window to navigate the course as a student.
To return to the instructor view:
- Click Demo Student in the upper right-hand of the screen.
- Click on the X next to Impersonating: Demo Student.
For detailed instructions, please refer to How Do I View My iCollege Course as a Student.
If you are unfamiliar with the organization of the Content in iCollege, please first review the Organizing Content with Modules and Topics help file.
Before adding content to your course, you must first create a Module. All content within modules is called a Topic.
Adding a Module
- Access the Content tool Navigation bar in your Course page.
- Click the Table of Contents link in the left column.
- Enter your new module title in the Add a module... field, which is below the Table of Contentstitle and any existing modules.
- Press Enteror click outside the field to add the module.
Adding Content Topics
- Click on the module you want to create a new topic for from the Table of Contents panel.
- Click on the Upload/Create button and select one of the following options from the dropdown menu:
- Upload Files
- Video or Audio
- Create a File
- Create a Link
- Add from Manage Files
- New SCORM/xAPI Object
- Add Object from LOR
- New Assignment
- New Checklist
- New Discussion
- New Quiz
- New Survey
For more information about adding content to your course, please reference our Add Content in iCollege Knowledge Base Article.
If you are unfamiliar with the iCollege gradebook, we recommend that you first review the following help topics.
Once you know which grading system you will select you will next complete basic setup of your gradebook using the Grades Setup Wizard.
Grades Setup Wizard
CETLOE recommends that you create one or more Grade Categories. Grade categories are used to group similar grade items and to simplify the process of weighting grade items as they are represented in the syllabus. They help organize the gradebook and allow you to drop the lowest or highest grades from a category.
Creating Grade Categories
The last step is to create the columns in the gradebook where you will enter student scores. These are called Grade Items. The most commonly used grade item is the numeric grade item.
For additional support using the gradebook to enter grades, create bonus items, and more, please see the following Knowledge Base Articles:
iCollege Grades Overview
Additional Resources for iCollege Grades and Gradebook
If you need any additional help, please contact the Technology Service Desk at 404-413-4357 or [email protected].
To add a Teaching Assistant or instructor, please review the iCollege Access FAQ for details on the roles and permissions that are available for Teaching Assistants and Instructors.
To add a student to your iCollege course:
- Select Classlist from the course toolbar.
- From the Add Participants button, click Add existing users.
- Enter the first and last name or campus id of the person you would like to add.
- Click on the search icon (magnifying glass to the right of the name).
- Select the check box beside the user you want to enroll.
- Select the appropriate role from the role dropdown menu to the far right of the selected user.
- Click Enroll Selected Users.
If you have Webex Office Hours set up through iCollege but your students are not able to make appointments, your students may receive a message that says, “Your instructor's Webex authorization has expired. Please ask them to visit their office hours setup and re-authorize.” In this case, the connection between Webex and your iCollege course may have been disabled by an update to either Webex or iCollege. You will need to go through the process of reestablishing that connection using the steps outlined in this Knowledge Base article, Webex in iCollege.
- Open the file so that you can view it within the Content Module.
- Click on the arrow to the right of the filename to open the dropdown menu.
- Select Change Topic File and upload a new file.
- From your course’s Navigation bar, select Course Tools.
- Click the Course Admin.
- Under Learner Management, click on Sections. That will list the sections in that cross-listed course.
For more information, please view the Knowledge Base article, Find Crosslisted Sections in iCollege.
Course media can stop functioning for a number of reasons related to either iCollege or the associated media link. Please contact us at 404-413-4357 or [email protected] to submit a help ticket. You can also submit a Help Ticket at help.gsu.edu.
If your course became cross-listed (the addition of an honor student will do this), the new cross-listed course will be blank. To recover the content, please contact the Technology Service Desk at 404-413-4357 or [email protected], and ask that your content be restored.
Courses and enrollments are imported from Banner into iCollege every 2-3 hours between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Any added courses or enrollments made after 8 p.m. will process the following morning.
If, after 2-3 hours, your course has not appeared in iCollege, please contact the Technology Service Desk at 404-413-4357 or [email protected] to submit a help ticket.
Grade book grades are automatically released to students when they have been entered and saved (this is not the same as entering them into a Dropbox or Discussion grade area).
The exception to this is the Final Grade, which must be released by having iCollege calculate the final grade and then Publishing it.
To release the final grade, do one of the following:
Release grades for selected students:
- On the Enter Grades page, click Grade All from the Final Calculated Grade or Final Adjusted Grade dropdown menu.
- Select the Release Adjusted Final Gradecheck box for the user whose grades you want to release, and
- Click Save.
Release grades for all students:
- On the Enter Grades page, click Grade All from the Final Calculated Grade or Final Adjusted Grade dropdown menu.
- Select Release All from the Final Grades dropdown menu.
For more information about releasing grades in iCollege, please see the Knowledge Base article, Release Grades in iCollege.
In accordance with FERPA guidelines, starting May 8th, 2017, any university employee that needs access to protected student data in iCollege courses must have their access approved by the Registrar and/or Legal Affairs if they are not listed as an “instructor of record” in GoSOLAR.
Roles with access to protected data requiring Approval
- Instructor: This role allows access to create content, engage and communicate with students, and view/create grades and assessment information. The iCollege Classlist will identify this person as an instructor.
- TA Full Access: This role is similar to an instructor but the person will be identified in the iCollege Classlist as a TA rather than an instructor.
- TA Grader: This role only allows access to the iCollege gradebook and activities that need to be assessed. A person assigned this role will be listed in the iCollege Classlist as a TA rather than instructor. This role is not able to modify content.
iCollege Roles Not Requiring Approval:
- Student
- Instructor Auditor: An Instructor level role without the ability to see students’ grades and edit course content.
- Guest Lecturer: An Instructor level role for visiting/guest lecturers. Not able to edit course content. Not able to see students’ grades.
- Student Auditor: Student-level role. Grades do not appear on course gradebook.
- TA Designer: Able to edit course content. Not able to see students’ grades.
For more information or to request access for your TA to your iCollege course, please see Requesting Access to iCollege Courses.
Get Support
Georgia State faculty, staff and students can request help from our CETLOE Learning Technologists for assistance with their iCollege course or with one of our other digital learning technologies.
There are three ways you can request support from CETLOE Learning Technologists.
- For the fastest response to your questions, please email [email protected]
- You can call 404-413-HELP to submit a help ticket with a help desk representative
- You may submit a Digital Learning Tool - Faculty Help Request.
By submitting a help request through these channels, you can be sure that your questions are directed to the appropriate team members.
Our Learning Technologists have backgrounds in Education, Instructional Technology, Training and Graphic Design. They offer technical support for iCollege and our GSU-supported learning technology tools. They also offer consultations and strategies for course content development, assessment creation, and digital tool integration.
For help using iCollege to support your teaching, request a digital teaching tool consultation through the faculty help request form. You can also schedule an online appointment or on-campus appointment for guidance and support with any of your learning technology needs.
We look forward to hearing from you!
CETLOE offers several options to the GSU Community when requesting a blank iCollege course, each one designed to suit specific needs.
Building Sections
Building sections are available to instructors who would like to work on new course preps or restructure their existing courses. These are ideal for instructors and designers to collaborate on course design. Any content created in a “building section” can be copied into another iCollege Banner or non-banner course section.
Sandbox Courses
Sandbox Courses allow faculty and staff to experiment with learning tools and course content. Sandboxes are often used by faculty to explore courseware.
University Related Courses
University Related Courses are iCollege courses that are related to GSU activities, organizations, programs, or courses that are not Banner affiliated. Examples include Cohorts, Projects, Lab Requirements and Ethics Trainings, etc.
If you would like a blank iCollege site, fill out the iCollege Course Section Request Form.
For instructors with questions about the accessibility of their course content and activities, consultations are available. Use the Course Accessibility Requests form to request more information from CETLOE or to schedule an accessibility review.
In accordance with FERPA guidelines, any university employee that needs access to protected student data in iCollege courses must have their access approved by the Registrar and/ or Legal Affairs if they are not listed as an “instructor of record” in GoSOLAR.
To add a GSU Employee as a TA (Teaching Assistant) Full Access or TA Grader, the Instructor of Record, Program Director, Assistant Chair, Associate Chair or Department Chair may submit a request.
To add a GSU employee as an Instructor, the Program Director, Assistant Chair, Associate Chair or Department Chair may submit a request.
Use iCollege Enrollment Request form to request that a GSU employee be added to an iCollege course.
Most of the tools offered as GSU Digital Learning Technologies are already available through External Learning Tools in the iCollege course content menu. However, some tools, such as online textbook components, may require a system administrator to enable them in your iCollege course.
If the tool you wish to use is not already listed in External Learning Tools, you can submit the Enable a Learning Tool Request form.
CETLOE Instructional Support staff can assist with any iCollege-related questions, including:
- Customizing the look, feel and functionality of the iCollege environment to fit your teaching style
- Encouraging meaningful online discussion and collaboration
- Uploading and organizing content
- Setting up and troubleshooting the Gradebook
- Creating quizzes
- Using Respondus
- Using the Assignment tool
- Implementing TurnItIn Originality reports
- Integrating multimedia
- Extending functionality with integrated technologies
Use this form to request a digital teaching tool consultation through the faculty help request.
Questions about teaching effectively in all modalities?
The CETLOE Teaching Effectiveness team offer Teaching Effectiveness Tuesdays workshops and other resources to help you build on your teaching skills. For more information, see Teaching Advancement in the navigation.
Would you like help with course or program design?
CETLOE's Learning Design team offer services and assistance to make your course or program the most engaging and successful it can be!
Do your students need help with iCollege or other Technology?
The Digital Learning at Georgia State page will share valuable resources geared to the unique needs of today's learners. You can also request a custom workshop for your class.
Looking for another kind of support?
Sometimes support questions don't fit into neat categories. If you are not finding what you need, please contact us at [email protected] or visit the GSU Teaching and Learning Tools Service Catalog.
In addition, you can search our GSU Knowledge Base to view the entire catalog of support articles.
Contact Us
Instructional Support
Instructional support is available online between 8:30 a.m. and 5:15 p.m.
Locations
Atlanta - Library South, Room 100
Tel: 404-413-4700 | Map
Alpharetta - AA2170
Decatur - SC1148
Newton - 1N3120
Clarkston - CL 1201
Dunwoody - NE2903