[sims] New Subjects: Assessment

[trackers]

So - I am looking ahead to next year and the way marksheets and reports are to be used.

 

Several new subjects have been previously set up to use subjects that are not taught, and then the aspects renamed accordingly...

 

eg while Digital Technology Multimedia is called Digital Technology, Digital Technology Programming uses Child Development.

 

Is it possible to create a "new subject" so that I can have subjects properly matched to their required labels ? - rather than "cosmetically", as above with DT Programming? The current approach doesn't sit well with my need for order in the universe!

[CAM]

Create new subjects in Tools -> Setups -> Subjects. Don't forget to check the subject that you want to create isn't already in use under another code.

 

You can then use that subject on the timetable and when creating a new course in Course Manager.

[bfelton]

So - I am looking ahead to next year and the way marksheets and reports are to be used.

 

Several new subjects have been previously set up to use subjects that are not taught, and then the aspects renamed accordingly...

 

eg while Digital Technology Multimedia is called Digital Technology, Digital Technology Programming uses Child Development.

 

Is it possible to create a "new subject" so that I can have subjects properly matched to their required labels ? - rather than "cosmetically", as above with DT Programming? The current approach doesn't sit well with my need for order in the universe!

 

Do you mean how to set up new aspects for the new subjects or are you referring to the categories?

[bobsmith]

Somebody really renamed the aspects????

 

Aspects don't actually link to timetable subjects - it's all just labels. This is why we don't mess around with renaming aspects willy nilly as you can run into all kind of fun cock ups down the line doing that.

 

The timetabler should be provided with unique subject codes where neccessary, aspects should be created for new subjects as and when they are needed.

[trackers]

Bobsmith - I think I have explained what has been done poorly.........The aspects have not been renamed - it is the column headings on marksheets that have been renamed so that while an aspect might be eg TR1 Latin - it is seen on the marksheet as perhaps Digital Technology. Does this make sense. I think it has been done on the understanding that a limited range of subjects are currently available, so new subjects just use aspects of subjects that are not taught in our centre.My thoughts were that if I could have each subject, that is newly brought in, set up as its own name without the need for taking unused subjects are renaming the column headings it might be better in the long run.I am not sure what bfelton means by "categories".

[bfelton]

Bobsmith - I think I have explained what has been done poorly.........The aspects have not been renamed - it is the column headings on marksheets that have been renamed so that while an aspect might be eg TR1 Latin - it is seen on the marksheet as perhaps Digital Technology. Does this make sense. I think it has been done on the understanding that a limited range of subjects are currently available, so new subjects just use aspects of subjects that are not taught in our centre.My thoughts were that if I could have each subject, that is newly brought in, set up as its own name without the need for taking unused subjects are renaming the column headings it might be better in the long run.I am not sure what bfelton means by "categories".

 

You should definitely create new aspects for your new subjects, they take seconds to build and the data will be stored in a logical manner.

[trackers]

I have created aspects before for things such as subject comments and teacher initials.

I still think I am not articulating my question properly.

 

I have been told that the tracking pack that I have access to does not have unlimited subjects. This is why the custom has been to use some preset subjects but just rename the marksheet headings to say what we need them to.

 

So if I want to create a new subject, do I have the facility to create one from scratch rather than borrow from the provided "tracking pack".

 

It seems from CAM's answer that I can.

 

but perhaps it is difficult to do, or can give rise to other conflicts/problems and maybe it is easiest to just do it the way it has been always done before.. I just liked the idea of tidying up the assessment approach.

 

 

[bfelton]

If you are using Assessment Manager in SIMS I can't understand why the "tracking pack" limits the number of subjects? If this is the case it might be worth reviewing the package you are using.

[bobsmith]

to be blunt it's absolutely insane to simply rename the column headings from e.g. "Latin" to "Digital Technology".

 

If you write a report to send home to parents you're gonna have to hold in your head all the translations from subject A to subject B.

 

If I was to arrive at your school as your successor or cover for you I would be absolutely screwed in trying to understand how anything is stored.

 

What is this "tracking pack" that you're using?

 

For context when I arrived in my current school I spent the first two months doing nothing but tidying up and rearranging how data had been stored for the past academic year to get some sense into the system. I was not happy with my predecessor to say the least. From the sounds of things I had it easy compared to you.

[trackers]

When the current academic year comes to a close I'll get in touch with our SIMS support people and see if I can do some house cleaning. It did take some time to get my head around the substitutions. I thought that the best way to leave it for now in case someone had to pick up from me was to write out a page that outlines the changes...which has made it easier for me and would be passed on to the next person

 

Thanks for all the advice and pointers.