STR - Subjects Tab (SU)
Overview
This program is used to add, view, edit and delete subjects.
Important!
Before adding subjects, the following mandatory attributes must be set up:
- Subject Departments.
- Subject Types.
- Subject Categories.
These attributes and their associated data tables are set up in program Student Admin > Student Records > Setup Information > Student Records Setup on the 'Subject Depts.', 'Subject Types' and 'Subject Cat.' tabs, respectively.
Optional attributes should also be considered. These include:
- Subject Classifications.
- Subject Areas.
These attributes and their associated data tables are set up in program Student Admin > Student Records > Setup Information > Student Records Setup on the 'Subject Classifications', and 'Subject Areas' tabs respectively.
Adding Subjects
To add a new subject, click on the 'New Subject' button.
The 'Subjects' screen that is now displayed shows 'Subject Details' and 'Subject Outline' in a collapsible panel format.
When satisfied with your entry, click on the 'Save' button to commit your changes to the TASS.web database.
Viewing and Editing Subjects
To 'View', 'Edit' or 'Delete' a subject, click on the associated link.
Subjects that have been previously allocated to students or teachers cannot be deleted. To retire subjects that are no longer offered, set the 'Active' flag to 'No'.
When satisfied with your entry, click on the 'Update' button to commit your changes to the TASS.web database.
Subject Details
| Fields that require detailed explanation | |
|---|---|
Subject Code | You can enter up to 15 characters to identify the subject.
Important! The program does not insert leading zeros, therefore to achieve consistency on code length, you should enter leading zeros to achieve the desired code length. For example: If you are looking to standardise on a six-character code, a subject code would be entered such as 000001. |
Active | If a subject is no longer used, set this flag to 'No'. Various TASS.web programs will then exclude the subject by default. |
Description | This is the 30 character (alphanumeric) 'display name' for this subject. This description will be displayed in the 'Subject' field in various programs throughout TASS.web and the Staff Kiosk, webBook, Student Café and Parent Lounge. This is a mandatory field. |
Academic Reporting Description | This will default to the same description as you keyed into the field above. This field allows for a more detailed subject description (up to 56 characters including spaces). The description entered in this field will be printed as the Subject heading on customisable Academic Reports generated in the following programs:
This is a mandatory field. Unless there is a specific requirement to make this different from the 'Description' field directly above, it is recommended that you keep these two descriptions the same. |
Short Description | Up to a 6-character alphanumeric code to be used in conjunction with a third-party timetabling application (such as Timetabler or Edval). This field is also used in the Staff Kiosk Assessment/Learning Management System (LMS) and webBook. It will be mandatory where the 'LMS Flag' (below) is set to 'Yes'. Important! Once this subject has been used in the LMS (when assigning Learning Objects), you will not be able to change the 'Short Description'. This is a mandatory field. |
Abbreviation | This is an abbreviated code for the subject and is used in various screens and reports. This field may be up to 3 alphanumeric characters. This is an optional field. |
Export Code | This field is used to store export codes that are required to be included in various government returns: Tasmania: Program Student Admin > Student Records > Government Returns > TASC Grid (Tas). New South Wales: Program Student Admin > Student Records > Government Returns > NESA Grid (NSW). Western Australia: Program Student Admin > Student Records > Government Returns > SCSA Processing (WA). Queensland: Program Student Admin Student Records > Government Returns > SDCS Grid (Qld). It is used to store the 'QCAA Subject Code' for export to the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA). If the 'Subject Code' already matches the 'QCAA Subject Code' then there is no need to use this field. There are two likely ways Qld schools would use this additional field:
This is an optional field. |
| Include in Data Sync | Select 'Yes' to include this subject in the Microsoft School Data Sync and the Apple School Manager Sync. |
Year Group | This field is only active and relevant if your school runs a Unitised (Vertical) timetable. In a Unitised (Vertical) mode, subjects should be assigned a 'Year Group'. By doing this, even though your school is running in a unitised or vertical mode (where there is a unique subject record set up for each year group) 'Year Group' is then available as a filter or display option when accessing the subject through various TASS.web and Staff Kiosk programs. Important! This is a new field introduced with TASS.web v44. It is strongly recommended that you use program Student Admin > Student Records > Setup Information > Subject Grid to enter a 'Year Group' against existing subject records. If your school has been using the 'Line/Block Code' field to record 'Year Group' prior to your v44 Upgrade, then load both fields into the grid and use the fill down tool to quickly enter the 'Year Group' against subjects. If your school has not recorded 'Year Group' against subjects previously, you should use the grid to do so now. This field is not required in a Non-Unitised or Horizontal timetable. |
Timetable Override Priority | This is used by programs that display or print student timetables. In the situation where there is a timetable clash (two subjects) for a student in a timetable period, the subject with the lower value entered in the 'Timetable Override Priority' field will be displayed/printed. An example of this would where a student is timetabled once a week for a subject such as 'Learning Enrichment' that is to occur instead of one of his/her 'English' lesson. You would leave 'English' with the default 'Timetable Override Priority' of 999 and set 'Learning Enrichment' to have a 'Timetable Override Priority' of 1. This would mean that 'Learning Enrichment' would appear in the student's timetable for the 'clash' period instead of 'English'. The student's timetable 'clash' period will also be reflected in the Staff Kiosk Class Rollcall program for both teachers.
|
Subject Attributes
Fields that require detailed explanation | |
|---|---|
Department | Subject department previously defined in Student Admin > Student Records > Setup Information > Student Records Setup on the 'Subject Depts.' tab. Where is this used?
This is a mandatory field. |
Subject Area | This is a multi-purpose field that is used to:
Subject areas are defined in Student Admin > Student Records > Setup Information > Student Records Setup on the 'Subject Areas' tab. This is an optional field. |
Link Code | The 'Link Code' field is used in conjunction with the Subject Area field to link subjects longitudinally for use in Staff Kiosk Analytics. This is relevant to schools that run a unitised timetable or where a subject's code differs between year groups. For example, your school runs a unitised timetable and therefore:
Without some way of linking these two subjects, Staff Kiosk Analytics can't plot student's results longitudinally. Therefore you need to set up both subject codes with:
Staff Kiosk Analytics will longitudinally link a subject in a reporting period to a SINGLE subject in the previous reporting period. In some cases, a student may have studied two subjects in the previous reporting period (with the same 'Subject Area'/'Link Code' combination). In this case, Staff Kiosk Analytics will use the subject from the previous reporting period with the lowest subject code alphabetically. |
Subject Type | Subject type previously defined in Student Admin > Student Records > Setup Information > Student Records Setup on the 'Subject Types' tab. Certain customised academic reports use this to filter the subjects included on the report. This is a mandatory field. |
Subject Category | Subject category previously defined in Student Admin > Student Records > Setup Information > Student Records Setup on the 'Subject Cat.' tab. 'Subject Categories' are used in programs:
This is a mandatory field. |
Subject Classification | 'Subject Classifications' previously defined in Student Admin > Student Records > Setup Information > Student Records Setup on the 'Subject Classifications' tab. 'Subject Classifications' are used in program Student Admin > Student Records > Government Returns > SDCS Grid (Qld) . This is an optional field. |
Small Group | This field contains no native functionality within the TASS software. It is only used on some legacy academic reports. This field is optional. |
Vertical Flag | This is a Yes/No field and serves as an 'information only' field. This is a mandatory field. |
Line/Block Code | This is an optional field that can be used in conjunction with academic reporting. |
Academic Reporting /VET
Fields that require detailed explanation | |
|---|---|
Reporting Flag | This field determines if this subject is to be included on Student Reports, Interim Reports and Exit Statements. Important! This flag must be set to 'Yes' if this subject is to be included on Student Reports, Interim Reports and Exit Statements. If set to No, the Subject will still be available in Staff Kiosk for adding Activities, Homework, Resources etc, but will not flow through to academic reports. |
Sort Code | The sort code field is used in conjunction with academic reporting to determine the order in which subjects should appear on the reports. Values can include decimal places. |
Page Break | This flag is used when printing academic reports using program Student Admin > Academic Reporting > Report Processing > Generate Student Reports . Change this flag to 'Yes' to force this subject to a new page when the academic report is printed. As an example, you may like to have Tutor Group Comment (which is set up as a subject) starting on a new page on the academic report. |
Junior Cert. Section | This is an optional field used specifically for 'Y10 Certificates' in Queensland. |
GPA Weighting | Grade Point Average calculations are used extensively within Staff Kiosk Analytics. Enter the subject weighting to be used for this subject when calculating students' GPAs. If all subjects are weighed evenly then use a value of '1' against all subjects. If a subject is to be excluded from GPA calculations then use a value of '0'. |
Subject Mean | This field is not used for native functionality within the TASS software. It is for information purposes only. |
Subject Standard Dev | This field is not used for native functionality within the TASS software. It is for information purposes only. |
| Distribution Calculation Method | The comparative reporting requirements for each Australian state may be different. In some circumstances, schools may need to provide distribution summaries to parents on subjects separating by Year Group (or Cohort). In this case, select the option ‘Subject and Year Group’ and the distribution summary will separate the distribution to include only students within their year group. Example: If a student is in an accelerated program (e.g. a Year 11 student completing a year 12 subject), then that student will not be included in the distribution with the year 12 students. In other situations, schools may need to provide the distribution inclusive of all students no matter what year group. In this case, select the option ‘Subject’ and the Year 11 student would then be included in the Year 12 distributions. |
Senior Semester (1 to 4) Unit | These fields are used by:
These 'Unit Codes' are used in the following export files generated using program Student Admin > Student Records > Government Returns > SCSA Processing (WA) :
For further information, refer to How to Setup for VET and SCSA Returns (Western Australia). |
Partner | This field is optional and can be used to record a partner (e.g. RTO) against a VET subject. Partners are set up using program Student Admin > Student Records > Partner Information > Partners . |
Qualification Code | This field is optional and used by Western Australian schools to store SCSA course/subject 'Qualification Codes'. 'Qualification Codes' are used in various government returns generated from program Student Admin > Student Records > Government Returns > SCSA Processing (WA) . |
Portals
Fields that require detailed explanation | |
|---|---|
Exclude from Rollcall | Set this field to 'Yes' to indicate that this subject does not require a roll to be marked in Staff Kiosk program Class Rollcall . You would do this for subjects such as 'Assembly' or 'Study Group', where the subject has been timetabled in a rollcall period. |
LMS Flag | This field is used to indicate if this subject will be available to teachers for use in the Staff Kiosk Assessment /Learning Management System (LMS). Set this field to 'No' for subjects that teachers are not likely to assign LMS/assessment activities to such as 'Home Room'. Important! You will not be able to change this field from 'Yes' to 'No' where a teacher has used this subject in the Assessment LMS. |
PTI Flag | This field is used to indicate if this subject will be available when creating Parent-Teacher Interview Conferences using program Student Admin > Teacher Records > Parent Teacher Interviews > PTI Conferences . Set this to 'No' for subjects that are to be excluded from PTI Conferences. |
Subject Outline | This field enables entry of a detailed subject outline to be used in conjunction with Academic Reporting. Important! Do not use this program if your school is running the Generic Academic Report in conjunction with a non-unitised timetable. If your school runs a non-unitised timetable, Subject Outlines must be entered in TASS.web program Student Admin > Student Records > Setup Information > Student Records Setup > 'Subjects' tab. Please contact TASS Support if you are unsure which mode the school is running. If your ‘Subject Outline’ displays on Academic Reports, use TASS.web program Student Admin > Academic Reporting > Report Processing to generate an ‘Export To PDF’ and check that your ‘Subject Outline' fits the in the correct space. Adjust the character count of the ‘Subject Outline’ or the Academic Reporting 'Stylesheet’ if required. |
Printing Subjects
Click the 'Print' button at the top of the screen to produce a listing of existing subjects.
The 'Formatting Options' section of this screen allows you to choose the destination of the report. This can be to Adobe® PDF viewer, Microsoft Excel® or Microsoft Word®.
Sorting options are also available on the left side of the screen.
Select the 'Additional Fields' to include in the listing by highlighting them with a mouse click. The 'Subject Code' and 'Std Description' are automatically included and are not available for selection.
Holding down the 'Shift' key while clicking on your options permits a range selection, holding down the 'Ctrl' key enables selection of discrete (individual) criterion.