Home > IDEA Courseware > IDEA Courseware Policies
Service Model
- Support inquiries: We will provide an initial response by end of next business day after you contact us through courseware@wharton.upenn.edu or the Wharton Computing Courseware Request Form. Outside of business hours, our on-call support staff checks incoming inquiries once each evening or weekend day. While every issue is different, problem reports triaged as urgent (e.g., a barrier to students completing assigned work) will receive a best-efforts response as soon as possible.
- Canvas site setup: Expect up to 3 business days for a standard Canvas site request to be completed (e.g., a single Penn Canvas site configured for a Wharton course). For specialized learning tool setup or in-depth feature configuration, we’ll extend best-efforts service; note that some setups will be identified as projects requiring a consultation followed by an agreed-upon project plan.
- Readings and licensed content: For a readings request, such as a Study.Net Materials course pack, 5 to 10 business days turnaround time may be required (not including waiting time for proofs we send you to approve). This additional time is needed for copyright clearance, publisher and supplier fulfillment, and related process issues. For sourcing of journal articles and book chapters, we collaborate with Lippincott Library’s reserves team whenever possible. Please note, we cannot order textbooks or cover textbook costs for students; faculty may arrange for textbooks through Penn Business Services.
- Services provided by other teams: University and Wharton services which appear in Canvas may be primarily supported by other Wharton School teams. In our initial support response, we’ll indicate whenever we need to refer you to other teams for advice on non-Courseware services, such as:
- Class Recordings: Delivered via the University’s Panopto video content management platform, overseen for Wharton courses by Wharton Computing’s IDEA Classroom Support team (class-tech@wharton.upenn.edu)
- Instruction Center: Managed by Wharton Computing’s ESS Development (apps-support@wharton.upenn.edu)
- Non-curricular Canvas sites: Starting in summer 2023, due to resource limitations, the Wharton Computing IDEA Courseware Team is unavailable to design new non-course Canvas sites, or to consult with staff seeking to establish these. Please contact your department’s primary IT support contact to inquire about available alternatives; also note that the Penn Libraries’ non-course/special-use Canvas service offering is not available for Wharton School needs.
- Non-Wharton course Canvas sites: Use this Penn Libraries resource to locate the right team for your non-Wharton course request.
Online Exams
- Advance consultation required for exam assistance: If you would like assistance with setting up your online exam, please schedule a consultation with the IDEA Courseware Team at least 2 weeks in advance of the exam date.
- No authoring or proctoring: The IDEA Courseware Team does not create exam questions for Wharton courses, nor do we proctor exams or deliver supplies (e.g., written “blue book” exams given in classrooms). Instead, we provide implementation support focused on conducting online exams effectively; rather than entering questions and answers, we provide familiarization for instructors and teaching assistants to do so. A summary of our standard exam advice can be found in the Wharton Computing Knowledgebase.
- Accommodations: To ensure that your students’ previously-declared exam accommodations in Canvas can be implemented successfully, please provide at least 3 business days advance notice if you require help with that task. You’ll need to share all details provided by other departments with us privately.
- Student exam accommodations generally involve several other University of Pennsylvania offices, each with their own processes and timetables. Our minimum 3-business-day guideline specifically covers IDEA Courseware assistance with the task of implementing already-granted accommodations within quiz and assignment settings.
Consultations
- By appointment, delivered remotely: All consultations with the IDEA Courseware Team regarding course design, technology onboarding, or related projects are scheduled as virtual meetings. To request a consultation, please email courseware@wharton.upenn.edu with all pertinent details. Feel free to suggest at least two dates/times you are available to meet; depending on prior commitments, we may need to respond with suggested future alternate dates.