Email Changes
In early August, we transitioned to a new email configuration. Now you will find that your eLearn email and your Vol State email have been connected in a way that lets them work together. In this new configuration, you can still send messages from eLearn, but now, all messages sent from eLearn will be delivered to your Vol State email inbox. There is no longer a course mail inbox in eLearn.
Sending Email from eLearn
The new email configuration still allows you to send an email message from your class in eLearn. This makes it easy to send a message to others in your class, both faculty and students even if you do not know their Vol State email address. For step by step details on how to use your classlist to send email messages, please see these Knowledge Base articles:
This email change has prompted two other smaller changes in eLearn, designed to better connect you to your Vol State email inbox.
Microsoft 365 Widget
You will now see a Microsoft 365 widget on your eLearn homepage. This is to give you easy access to your Vol State email inbox to check for any messages sent to you from your instructor, students, or other Vol State offices like records, advising, and financial aid. Once you sign in through the widget, you will have access to your Vol State Microsoft 365 account. You can quickly get to your Vol State Outlook email, your Outlook calendar items and your OneDrive files.
- Start by clicking on the sign in button.
- If prompted, log in using your Vol State email address and password.
- In the widget, you can see an overview of the number of new messages you have and the number of upcoming calendar items you have.
- View more by clicking the down arrow below the tabs, or by clicking on a tab to open up the corresponding app in a new browser tab.
Link to Vol State Email in the Communications group
The course navigation bar has been updated. You will now find a link to "Vol State Email" in the Communications group. This was previously a link to "Course Mail" where you would be able to read the messages sent to you from eLearn. Since you no longer have an inbox in eLearn, the "Vol State Email" link will get you to your Vol State Outlook inbox to read your messages.
Organizing Incoming Mail in Your Outlook Inbox
Now that all your messages from eLearn will be delivered to your Outlook inbox, you may want use folders and rules to help organize and group your eLearn messages. All messages that are sent from eLearn will identify the class and section in the subject line (as long as the sender does not remove the text). This Knowledge Base article has a video and written steps that you can follow to use part of the subject line to group your email messages together in a folder.
Email: Tips for Organizing Your Incoming Mail in Outlook
Viewing Messages Sent from eLearn
To see your list of sent messages, Click on the envelope on the main screen > Click the blue email envelope and click the gray Sent Mail button.
Send Yourself a Copy of Every Email Message You Send from eLearn
If you’d like to be sent a copy of every outgoing email message you send from eLearn to your Outlook inbox:
- Click on your eLearn profile
- Go to Account Setting
- Go to the Email Tab
- Check the box that says "Send a copy of each outgoing message to [your Vol State email address]"
SMS Notifications are Discontinued
Some students and faculty had set up SMS (text) notifications so they would be alerted about upcoming due dates, grade updates, or announcements (etc.). SMS notifications have been discontinued. To keep up with due dates and class updates, you can still receive notifications to your Vol State email and/or you can use the Pulse app to stay up-to-date. The following Knowledge Base article will help you install the Pulse App and set up email notifications.
Preferences: Set Up Notifications
New Grade Book Option for Faculty - Automatic Zero for Missing Submissions
In the Calculation Options area of the grade settings, you can now set the "Automatic Zero for Missing Submissions" checkbox. Applying the Automatic Zero feature eliminates the need for instructors to manually set missing submissions to zero. Additionally, learners receive a more accurate view of their grade calculations for individual activities and for the overall course. This is an optional setting but it is recommended.
If a student has not submitted a quiz or an assignment by the due date It will automatically add a zero to that item in the grade book. Note: if a student has submitted an assignment or quiz, but it is waiting to be graded by the instructor, the zero is not assigned.
The automatic zero works in theses tools: dropbox assignments, eLearn quizzes, and publisher (LTI) assignments.
Please note these details:
- A due date must be set. Having an end date only will not trigger the automatic zero.
- Once you turn on the option, it will only impact items with future due dates. Any items with due dates in the past will need to be manually assigned the zero.
- The automatic zero does not work with discussion topics.
To enable this grade book option
Go to Evaluation > Grades > Settings (blue cog on right) > Calculation Options (tab) > scroll down to the "Grade Calculations" section and select the checkbox next to "Automatically apply a grade of zero (0)..."
For additional grade book recommended settings see this article, Grades: Recommended Settings.