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Structures Overview

Table of Contents

• Overview
• Related Pages
• Main Steps
  • Set up Reference Data
  • Find a Curriculum Item
  • Create a Structure
  • Create Dependencies
  • View a Curriculum Item and Compare it to Another
  • Modify Structures and Dependencies
  • Copy Structure
  • Create Timelines for Course Structures
  • Copy Timeline

Overview

The Structures facility provides higher education (HE) and TAFE/VET institutions with the ability to create visual representations (referred to as Structures) of courses and unit sets; and 'relationships' between individual curriculum items (referred to as Dependencies). See the Structures and Dependencies page (CRSW2600) for more information.

A Structure (CRSW2600) is a graphical diagram that representing an existing or proposed course or unit set, and its curriculum items. Curriculum items are connected to each other in hierarchical order via connections (referred to as 'Relationships') which represent the completion requirements for the course (or unit set). Although the parent course (or unit set) is located at the top of the hierarchy, you are able to view and build Structures in different layouts depending on your choice of 'Layout View' on the CRSW2600 page - i.e. vertical, horizontal, radial, circle, tree.)

The Curriculum Item Viewer (CRSW2000) displays details of the selected curriculum item.

Timelines (CRSW2650) are created for Course Structures (CRSW2600) to specify the available teaching periods for each unit, special requirement and free text item in a Course Structure. Multiple Timelines can be created for a single course to represent the different course pathways and available modes of study (for example, full time, part time). Note: In a future release, institutions will have the option of publishing completed Timelines.

Dependencies (CRSW2600) are diagrams that display the relationships between curriculum items of the same type (i.e. course to course(s), unit set to unit set(s), unit to unit(s)). They exist independently of Structures, although can be accessed from the Structure view page.
Dependencies may be used to represent 'rules' for specific curriculum items, or used for enquiry purposes to view the relationships between curriculum items.

Relationships are represented by a bubble shape in both Structures and Dependencies. They are labelled with a description that is defined when the Relationship is added to the Structure or Dependencies. For more information, see the Add pop-up page (CRSW2605).

Comparisons between different Curriculum Items can be made using the Curriculum Item Comparison viewer and the Structure Comparison Viewer.

There are no security restrictions for building Structures and Dependencies. However, it is necessary to grant administrators access to all Structure pages (i.e. menu items), such as CRSW1000, CRSW2600 and CRSW2650, via the Security pages SECF0062 or SECF0063.

Structures and Dependencies can be created and modified in the CRS subsystem for a curriculum item; or (if your institution has Proposals (PAA) installed) in a Proposal instance, where access to the Structure and Dependencies (CRSW2600) page is provided via the Proposal (PAAW1100). (For more information, see Structures and Dependencies in Proposals.)

This functionality is intended to be used by staff only.

For instructions on creating Structures and Dependencies, see 'Building Structures and Dependencies Instructions'.

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Related Pages

The diagram below shows related pages and SMS Forms that are directly involved in the Structures functionality.

Figure 1: Structure pages.
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Key:
---- Dotted lines represent indirect connections between pages/forms.

Note: To provide end users with access to these pages (from the main menu), it is necessary to grant each user access to the required menu items (i.e. 'Web Resources') for each page in SECF0062. Alternatively, grant specific Security Roles access to required menu items (pages) in SECF0063.

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Main Steps

Creating a Structure involves adding all curriculum items that belong to the existing (or proposed) course of study, for example, as outlined in your institution's Handbook, to the parent course or unit set in the Structures page (CRSW2600). The course may be broken down into core and elective components, and major sequences.

It necessary to firstly ensure that the course, unit set(s) and unit(s) exist in Callista SMS, and that required Reference data has been set up (see below). For example, for a proposed course of study, you will need to create the course or unit set with a status of PLANNED in CRSF1210 or CRSF4200 respectively.

Creating Structures and Dependencies (CRSW2600) involves the following:

Note: For information regarding creating Structures, Dependenices and Timelines in Proposals, see Structures and Dependencies in Proposals.

1. Set Up Reference Data

Before creating Structures and Dependencies, you must first set up Reference data via the following pages:

• Maintain Structure Configuration (CRSW0100)
• Relationship Qualifiers (CRSW0110)
• Relationship Qualifier Attributes (CRSW0115)
• Relationship Labels (CRSW0120)

Reference data set up in the Relationship Qualifiers (CRSW0110), Relationship Qualifier Attributes (CRSW0115) and Relationship Labels (CRSW0120) pages will constitute the List of Values for the Relationship Description fields in the Add pop-up page (CRSW2605). The Add pop-up page is used to add a new Relationship or curriculum item to Structures and Dependencies (CRSW2600).

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2. Find a Curriculum Item

The Curriculum Item Structures and Dependencies: Search and Search Result pages (CRSW1000) are used to find a specific curriculum item for which you want to create or modify a Structure (CRSW2600), a Dependencies (CRSW2600) or Timelines (CRSW2650).

If you want to create or modify a Structure (CRSW2600), the required curriculum item in CRSW1000 will be a course or unit set.
If you want to create or modify Dependencies (CRSW2600), the required curriculum item in CRSW1000 will be a course, unit set or unit.
If you want to create or modify a Timeline (CRSW2605), the required curriculum item in CRSW1000 will be a course.

For more information, see the 'Curriculum Item Structures and Dependencies: Search page (CRSW1000).

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3. Create a Structure

The Structure (CRSW2600) page is used to create or maintain a Course or Unit Set Structure.

A Structure is made up of the following components:

• Relationships (i.e. connections between curriculum items),
• Curriculum items (i.e. a course (parent item only), unit set(s) and/or unit(s)),
• Special requirements, and/or
• Free text items.

The above components are added via the Add pop-up page (CRSW2605).

For instructions on building a Structure, see Building Structures and Dependencies.

One Structure can be compared to another using the Structure Comparison Viewer - accessed via the Structure page CRSW2600.

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4. Create Dependencies

The Dependencies (CRSW2600) page is used to create or maintain Dependencies. These are referential connections between curriculum items of the same type (i.e. course to course(s), unit set to unit set(s), or unit to unit(s)), including connections to special requirements, and/or 'free text' items, if required.

Dependencies may be used to represent 'rules' for specific curriculum items, or for enquiry purposes to view the relationships/connections between curriculum items.

Dependencies exist independently of Structures, and a curriculum item may or may not exist within a Structure.

As per Structures, Dependencies are made up of Relationships, curriculum items (of the same type), special requirements, and/or 'free text'. These items are added via the Add pop-up page (CRSW2605).

For more information, see CRSW2600. For step by step instructions, see Building Structures and Dependencies.

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5. View a Curriculum Item and Compare it to Another

The Curriculum Item viewer (CRSW2000) page displays the details for a curriculum item.
Click on the Comparison link on this page and select another Curriculum Item to display it alongside the original one for comparison.

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6. Modify Structures and Dependencies

Only Relationships and Free Text items can be modified directly within Structures and Dependencies. Curriculum items (courses, unit sets and units) and Special Requirements must be modified in the relevant SMS Form in the Course Structure and Planning subsystem.

You can remove any item from Structures and Dependencies (CRSW2600), except for the parent curriculum item of the Structure or Dependencies.

In a Proposal Instance (PAAW1100), once the Proposal has been approved and transferred to the CRS subsystem, its Structure and Dependencies, and Timelines if relevant, can no longer be modified in the Proposal Instance.

For instructions, see Modifying Structures and Dependencies.

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7. Copy Structure

A Structure can be copied from one Curriculum Item to another, using the Copy Structure button in CRSW2600

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8. Create Timelines for Course Structures

Timelines (CRSW2650) can be created for a Course Structure (CRSW2600) to define the available teaching period options for each unit, special requirement and/or 'free text' item in the Course Structure. Multiple Timelines can be created for a specific Course Structure to cater for the different Course Types and/or Attendance Types, if required.

Each Timeline must be based on a Timeline Template (CRSW0150) which must be set up first. A Template specifies the type of teaching periods that will apply to the Timeline, the 'value type' (i.e. credit points, contact hours or units), and the default column labels for the Timeline grid.

The rows in a Timeline grid are defined by the Course Structure (CRSW2600) itself which is displayed down the left-hand side of the Timeline grid. Cells in the Timeline grid are selected for each unit, special requirement and free text item belonging to the Course Structure, to represent their available teaching period options.

Once a Timeline is set to COMPLETE or INACTIVE, a Structure Date is automatically added to the Timeline header. As at this date (and time), the Timeline is set to 'view-only' and cannot be modified, and the Structure tree displayed in the Timeline is fixed as it was at this date.

Note: The status of Timelines in a Proposal Instance (PAAW1100) remains set to INCOMPLETE. You can change the status of a Timeline once the Proposal Instance and its Timelines are transferred into the CRS subsystem via the relevant Transfer job.

For more information, see Timelines (CRSW2650).

9. Copy Timeline

A Timeline can be copied using the Copy Timeline button in CRSW2650.

 

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Last modified on 26 October, 2016 1:47 PM

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