Topics and Topic Sharing

Tip: For a visual overview, make sure to check out our feature video.

Topics provide a dynamic way to organize and share learning resources. They support flexible Responsive Web Design layouts and multiple content types including Text, Links, Downloads, Photos, Audio, Video and Embeds.

While bulletin boards are useful for teachers to post general class information for their students, Topics are more flexible and can be used to design blended learning units, organize professional development resources, share information and much more.

Tip: For information on the differences between Bulletin boards and Topics, see Bulletin Boards versus Topics.

In the Faculty persona, Topics are available for Classes, Advisories, Activities, Dorms, and Community groups. Students can also see published Topics from their class and group pages.

Note: Group leaders won't see Topics until at least one has been created. Once one Topic is published, the members of the group will then see Topics.

  1. Select + Create Topic

  2. Add a Title

  3. Add a Description

  4. Add a Cover Photo either by browsing a file on your computer or drag an image into that space.

  5. Select the detail page layout you'd like to use. This will be important for the design view after the Topic is created.

  6. Select to Share with a class section to add this Topic to multiple class sections.

    Tip: You can choose to share with another section that you teach, or you can share this topic with another teacher's class. You can select if the Topic can be edited from the shared class section. Just remember that any changes made to the Topic in any class section will update the Topic in every class section.

  7. Enable the Topic Bank to allow others to import copies of this Topic. For more information, see the Topic Bank section below.

  8. If needed, you can also schedule a publish and expiration date. Leave blank to keep it active permanently.

    Tip: If you need to change the date of a future scheduled topic, edit the topic, select Setup, then Edit Settings to modify the publish date.

  9. Select Save to finish, Save and Add Another to create another topic, Save and Add Materials to customize the Topic details, or Cancel to undo any changes.

After the Topic is saved, you should see an indicator showing if it has been added to the Topic Bank in addition to any user that it has been shared with.

Note: Topics and Bulletin boards support LaTeX mathematical symbols. When using LaTeX in our system, please remember you need to use double dollar signs on either side of the LaTeX commands($$ LaTeXContent $$) Group leaders can also add downloads from their Google Drive.

To edit the publish and expire dates, the cover image, topic name, or layout:

  1. Select the edit icon in the topic.

  2. Select Setup, then Edit Settings.

  3. Make the necessary changes, then select Save.

After creating a new Topic, it displays on the class Topics tab. Opening the Topic displays only a blank page with a Back button because no content has been added to the Topic yet. So let's add some content.

Select the edit icon to open the Topic design view. Here, select Setup, then Edit Settings to modify the page layout and the general information you added when creating the Topic. You can also share the Topic with a class section or add it to the Topic Bank.

Select Layout to access the canvas and add content to display in your Topic. Simply drag an item from the left column to the canvas on the right, placing the content tile where you want it to display. As you add content, select Preview Topic at any time to view the Topic.

The following content and Materials are available to add:

  • Cover Brief: Display the description information added when the topic was created.

  • Cover Image: Display the cover photo added when the Topic was created. To change the photo, select the edit icon.

  • Cover Title: Display the Title added to the Topic when it was created. Select the edit icon to edit the Title.

  • Discussion: Creates a space for group members to comment and discuss the topic.

  • Assignments: Display assignments relevant to the Topic in one place for students to easily access them. Drag the Assignments widget to the canvas, then select the assignments to include. Once the Assignments widget is added to the Topic, select the edit icon to modify which assignments are included. For more information, see Assignments in Topics.

    • Note: You cannot create assignments from a Topic. Create the assignments first, then add them to the Assignments widget on the Topic.

    • Tip: If you notice that an assignment is not displaying in the Topic, check that the assignment is published for all class sections sharing the Topic. If a Topic is shared by two class sections, but an assignment is only published for one of those sections, the assignment will not display in the Topic until it is published for both sections.

  • Audio: Display audio files for students to listen to. Drag Audio to the canvas, enter an Album Title and optional Description, then choose the audio files to upload from your computer or device. Enter a Title and optional Caption for each audio file. Select Edit Thumbnail to choose a thumbnail image and set one of the thumbnails as the cover for the audio album.

  • Downloads: Display files that students can download, such as documents or Google Drive files. Drag Downloads to the canvas, then choose the download file from your computer, device, or Google Drive. Enter a Title for the download and optional Description, then Save. To add additional files to the same Downloads content tile, select the add icon. Select the organize icon to sort and categorize multiple files within a single Downloads tile on the Topic. You can also add multiple Downloads tiles to the Topic.

  • Learning Tools: Display a Learning Tool, if applicable.

  • Links: Display links for students to access. Drag Links to the canvas, enter a Title, URL, and optional Description. You can also add an optional Photo and Hover Photo. After saving, select the gear icon to manage how the link is displayed, as a Title, an Image, or a Title and Image.

    • Tip: Drag additional Links to the canvas to add multiple links.

  • Photos: Display a photo album. Drag Photos to the canvas, enter an Album Title, and upload photos from your computer or device. You can enter an optional Caption for each photo. To delete a photo from an album, select the Delete checkbox and Save.

  • Text: Drag Text to the canvas and enter the text to display.

  • Videos: Display a video album. Drag Videos to the canvas, enter an Album Title, and upload videos from your computer or device. You can edit the Title for each video and enter an optional Caption, as well as choose the video thumbnails and set one of the thumbnails as the cover for the video album.

    • Tip: Videos may take a few minutes to upload and will display as Currently Processing... until the upload is complete.

  • Embed: Display embedded content from a third-party site, such as YouTube.

    Tip: When you first embed a video in a Topic, you may notice that the video extends beyond the border of the column, especially when you adjust the width of the page. To correct this, enter width="100%" in the embed code and the width of the video will automatically adjust according to the width of the column.

  • Horizontal Line and Spacer elements are available to further customize your Topics.

Note: Topics and Bulletin boards support LaTeX mathematical symbols. When using LaTeX in our system, please remember you need to use double dollar signs on either side of the LaTeX commands($$ LaTeXContent $$) Group leaders can also add downloads from their Google Drive.

Publish Settings

In the content tiles, select the gear icon to manage the publish settings for that specific content tile. For example, select the gear icon in a Photos tile to set the tile to Published, Unpublished, or Published during range.

This allows you to customize the order in which Topics appear on the page. Simply drag and drop each topic to place them in an order that works best for you.

If you have a long list of Topics already, select Top to automatically move that topic to first on the list.

Through sharing, teachers can share topics with other classes, helping establish a better sense of collaboration.

Note: When a topic is shared, changes made to the content and layout impact all classes sharing the topic.

When sharing a topic, teachers can specify if the instructor for the other class is able to edit the topic. If a teacher has been granted edit access to a topic, they can edit the topic content, edit the publish dates, and delete the topic from class sections, including the original class section. Teachers with view only access can edit the topic to update the publish dates, but they cannot edit the topic content or delete the topic.

Note: Due to storage considerations, content types with files cannot be modified on copied topics. This includes Audio, Video, Photos, and Downloads. Teachers can remove these content types and add additional content to replace them.

  1. Select the arrow icon above the Topic you wish to share.

  2. Select Share with a Class Section.

  3. Select the teacher and class section.

  4. Select Can Edit if you want to allow the other teacher to edit the topic content. Any changes made by the other teacher will update the Topic in all class sections.

  5. To add additional class sections, select Share with another Class Section.

  6. Once all class sections are added, select Save.

  1. Select the arrow icon above the Topic you want to stop sharing.

  2. Select the delete icon next to class section(s) you want to stop sharing with.

  3. Select Save.

  1. From your class's Topics page, mark the Shared with Me filter to see the Topics that have been shared with your class.

  2. Select Set Up Publish Date on the Topic you want to publish.

  3. Enter a Publish date and optional Expire date.

  4. Select Save.

Note: Importing creates a new instance of a Topic that teachers can edit without impacting the original Topic.

Teachers can import their topics from other classes and school years to their current classes. You can also import topics from the Topic Bank. Once a topic is flagged as shareable by any user, it's added to the Topic Bank where it's available for others to select and import to their own classes.

Once a user chooses to import a Topic, they’ll be able to pick from a full list of topics placed within the Topic Bank by other teachers. Filters, including the academic year, teacher, and section, enable you to find Topics you can copy into your own sections.

An archived version of the Topic will be preserved as well in case you want to rollback any changes made by other users. Any edits made to a Topic can then be added to other sections through the Publish Options.

Note: For Topics that are copied, certain content types cannot be modified. This includes Audio, Video, Photos, and Downloads. Teachers can remove these content types and add content to replace them.

  1. From your class's Topics page, select Import.

  2. Use the filters to under My Topics to locate your own topics to import. Use the filters under Topic Bank to find topics shared by other faculty.

  3. Mark the checkbox next to any topics you want to import and set the Publish and Expire dates to customize access to those topics for your class.

  4. Under Share Amongst Sections, select the class sections to which you want to add the topics.

  5. Select Save to complete the import.