DRF Template Construction

To Access the DRF Template Builder Tools

  1. Click TS Coordinator from the top menu and then click DRF Template Builder

    A DRF Assessment System page showing options for DRF Template Builder, DRF Programs, and DRF Program Reports, with the DRF Template Builder option highlighted. Supporting tools listed include Rubric Wizard and Form & Survey Builder.

  2. Click Create New

    A DRF Template Builder page showing directions for creating a new DRF template, with a Create New option highlighted.

  3. Enter a title for your new DRF Template then click Create New DRF Template

    A DRF Template Builder page showing fields to create a new DRF template, including a title field, a folder selection dropdown, and an option to create the new DRF template. A separate section provides an option to copy an existing DRF template.

    (Optional) If you created custom folders on your homepage to organize your work, you can choose to add your new DRF Template to one of these folders by selecting the folder name from the Add to Folder drop-down menu.

  4. This takes you to the first step of the DRF Template Builder, Starting Format

Choose a Format

Start to create a new template by choosing a starting format for your DRF. The starting format is a basic skeleton that will be used as the organizing structure for the folio.

You can further customize the format to your specifications in Step 2 of the DRF Template Builder.

Select the pre-set format that fits your program, or choose custom categorization to design your own structure. Your learning community may have other formats in addition to those listed here.

Using this structure:Participants will:Assessment Approach:
Organize by CourseSubmit requirements for specific courses they are taking in the program.Focus is placed on how well participants achieve the expectations of each course.
Organize by Framework/StandardsOrganize artifacts by standards.Focus is on determining competency across standards.
Organize by Phase/StageSubmit artifacts by semester, year, or some other benchmark point in the program.Competency is assessed at key junctures.
Single Course FolioComplete a DRF for a particular (single) course.Focus is placed on how well participants achieve the expectations set for this course.

To select a starting format:

  1. (Optional; strongly suggested) From the Format tab, click Structure for any format to preview the contents.

    Structure button

  2. A template structure in the selected format is displayed in a pop-up window.
  3. Click Close Window to close this preview.
  4. Click Select next to the starting format you prefer.

    Select button

CREATE THE STRUCTURE

Structure and Requirements

Each time you create a new template, before you can begin to customize your selected starting format, you are navigated to an overview of Structure and Requirements.

After you have familiarized yourself with these concepts, click Start Working on Structure & Requirements to continue on to the work area.

You can return to this overview at any time by clicking the Read More about Structure/Requirements button in the upper left of the Step 2: Structure/Requirements work area.

Regardless of the type of starting format you selected, a Directed Response Folio is organized in three levels:

A DRF template structure showing a General Information section followed by Category A and Category B, each containing multiple requirements. Adjacent text explains the three template levels: General Information as the first level, category sections as the second level, and individual requirements as the third level where authors submit or attach work.

  • Each category and requirement is assigned a name by the Template creator.
  • A maximum of 500 total items (Categories plus Requirements) can be included within each Template.
  • Evaluations of student artifacts or performance can occur at either the Category or Requirement level.

ABOUT THE STRUCTURE/REQUIREMENTS WORK AREA

Navigate to the Step 2: Structure/Requirements work area by clicking the related tab in the DRF Template Builder. You are automatically navigated to this same page when you click Start Working on Structure & Requirements from the overview displayed during a template's initial creation.

The DRF Template Builder Work page is divided into two panels. The left panel displays the entire the structure of your DRF template. You can expand/collapse the view of this structure to assist you in navigating and managing the DRF.

  • Click the '−' and '+' symbols to the left of any category name to hide or view the related requirements.
  • To hide or reveal ALL requirements for all categories, click the Collapse All or Expand All button at the bottom of the left panel.

A template structure page showing General Information and multiple categories with requirements listed in the structure panel. The General Information section displays an overview area with an option to add or edit the overview and a sample overview description.

For one selected area at a time, the wider right panel enables you to customize directions, determine valid content types for submission and/or provide attachments.

Manage DRF Categories & Requirements

The left panel of the DRF Template Builder Work area provides you with a view of the structure of your template. Template areas are always shown as a "tree", headed with General Information. Requirements (third level areas) are always organized within Categories (second level areas).

A set of buttons at the top of the left panel of the Work area enables you to access tools to customize the structure and specific areas:

A list of template structure tool icons with descriptions explaining their functions, including adding new categories and requirements, copying a selected area, renaming a selected area, and moving a selected area within the template.A section describing how to delete a selected area from the DRF template, followed by instructions explaining that the same functions are available through the DRF structure context menu, including hovering over an item to reveal an arrow, clicking the arrow to view available options, and selecting the desired task.

Add a Category or Requirement

Regardless of the structure you have selected, you will build your DRF template by adding items at two levels:

Categories are considered the "parent" level items of the DRF Template structure and display in the left panel in a bold font. Used to organize requirements, categories may be available to Authors or for Administrative purposes only. Authors are not able to submit work at the category level.

Requirements represent the work to be collected from Authors (submission requirements) or performance evaluations or other information about Authors entered by Evaluators (no submission requirements).

A maximum of 500 total items (Categories plus Requirements) can be added to any DRF Template.

You can add categories and requirements either from the Add button at the top of the left panel OR by using the context menu. The position of your newly-added item in the structure will depend on the existing item that was highlighted when you decided to add.

If you have highlighted…and choose to add…your new item is added, it will appear:
General InformationWhen General Information is 
highlighted, you can only 
choose to Add a category.
immediately below General Information (i.e. at the top of the structure)
A Category level itema category (either Available to 
Author or Administrative Purpose Only)
immediately below the highlighted category. This becomes the "next" category level item in the
A Category level itema requirement of any type 
available (e.g. submission, no 
submission, Test/Exam GPA)
immediately below the 
highlighted category. This 
becomes the "1st" requirement 
within the highlighted category.
A Requirement level itema category (either Available to 
Author or Administrative Purpose Only)
immediately below the highlighted requirement. This becomes the "next" category level item in the structure.
A Requirement level itema requirement of any type available (e.g. submission, no submission, Test/Exam, GPA)immediately below the highlighted requirement. This becomes the "next" requirement within the selected category.

To add a new category or requirement item to a DRF Template:

  1. Highlight an existing item in the structure. Your new item will be positioned below this item.

    A template structure view showing General Information with Category 1 expanded, containing two requirements labeled Requirement (Rename). One requirement is selected.

  2. Click the Add button at the top of the left panel.

    A template structure toolbar showing icons for adding, duplicating, aligning, moving, and deleting template items, with the add new item icon highlighted.

    OR

    Hover your cursor until a gray arrow appears to the far right of the highlighted item's name, then click the arrow to view the context menu.

    A template structure view showing Category 1 expanded with a requirement selected. An options menu is open, displaying actions to add a category for authors or admin purposes, add requirement types such as Submission, No Submission, Test or Exam, and GPA, and additional options to copy, rename, move, or delete.

  3. A pop-up menu displays the possible types of items you can add.

When General Information is highlighted, you can only choose to Add a category. There are two types of categories available.

Available to AuthorAdministrative Purpose Only
Categories Available to Author appear in the 
Author’s DRF. These categories can contain both submission and no-submission requirements.

An Administrative Purpose Only category and its requirement(s) do NOT appear in the Author’s DRF, nor in any previews or shared versions of the DRF.

Only Evaluators, Evaluation Managers, and those with reporting permissions are able to view these categories and their contents. These types of categories can be used to collect administrative information about Authors from 
Evaluators. Administrative categories cannot contain submission requirements.

If you want to add a requirement level item, choose whether you want to add a Submission Requirement, No Submission Requirement, Test or Exam, or GPA type of requirement.

Requirement TypeDescription
SubmissionThe Submission requirement requires Authors to add work and submit the requirement before 
evaluation can begin. Once the requirement has been created, you can add directions to guide the Author in fulfilling the requirement, as well as select the types of response options that are appropriate.
No SubmissionThe No Submission requirement does not require any work to be submitted. The evaluation can be completed once the Author’s DRF has been activated
Test or ExamThe Test or Exam requirement is a type of No Submission requirement that enables Evaluators to enter or import numeric scores for Authors with whom they are grouped. To import scores for the Test or Exam requirements, Evaluators need to prepare the data in a CSV file.
GPAThe GPA requirement is a type of No Submission requirement that enables Evaluators to either enter or import numeric Grade Point Averages for Authors with whom they are grouped. To import scores for the GPA requirements, Evaluators need to prepare the data in a CSV file.

Until you have chosen the level of evaluation for your DRF Template, you can ONLY add Submission type requirements. When adding requirements to an Administrative Purposes category, you must select one of the No Submission requirement types; Submission requirements CANNOT be added to this type of category.

  1. Whichever item you have chosen to add, you are navigated to a pop-up box where you will name this new item.

    If this Template is currently associated with an ACTIVE DRF Program, this box will include a reminder that your changes may impact Authors and Evaluators enrolled in that Program.

    1. Enter a short Title (maximum of 35 characters). Titles are used to represent categories and requirements in reports as well as in the left panel structure display of the Structure/Requirements and Work pages.
    2. (Optional) Enter a Descriptor that further explains the category/requirement (maximum of 100 characters. Within the DRF, the descriptors are displayed together with the titles.
  2. (Optional) To quit without adding this item, click Cancel.
  3. Click Create to complete adding your new item to the structure and return to the main Structure/Requirements page.

    A form showing fields to enter a required title and an optional descriptor, with a Create option highlighted.

    If evaluation methods have been set, you can prevent Author AND/OR Evaluators in the related Program from viewing specific categories/requirements by adjusting the Author and Evaluator Visibility settings on DRF Program Management>DRF Template page.

Change the Type of Requirement

No Submission requirements can be changed to Submission requirements at any time. However, Submission, Test or Exam and GPA requirements, cannot be changed to alternate types of requirements.

To change a No Submission requirement to a Submission requirement:

  1. Click the name of the requirement in the left structure panel. The right panel of the Structure/Requirements page is refreshed to display that requirement.
  2. Click the Change to Submission Required button.

    A template structure page showing a No Submission requirement with an overview section and content type settings. A message indicates that no content types are available, and an option to change to submission required is highlighted.

    This change is IRREVERSIBLE. Only Authors who have not yet been evaluated will have the ability to submit work in response to this changed requirement.

  3. A pop-up box requires you to confirm this change.
    1. (Optional) Click Cancel to exit without making a change to the nature of the requirement.
  4. Click Change to Submission Required to complete the change.

    A confirmation window for changing a No Submission requirement, showing a warning that the change is irreversible and will require authors to submit work. A Change to Submission Required option is highlighted, with an additional option to cancel.

Rename a Category or Requirement

To rename a DRF category or requirement:

  1. In the left panel display, click on the item you want to rename.

    A template structure view showing General Information with Category 1 expanded, containing two requirements labeled Requirement (Rename), with one requirement selected.

  2. Click the Rename button at the top of the left panel.

    A template structure toolbar showing icons for adding, duplicating, aligning, moving, and deleting template items, with the rename icon highlighted.

    OR

    Hover your cursor until a gray arrow appears to the far right of the highlighted item's name, then click the arrow to view the context menu and select Rename.

    A template structure view showing Category 1 expanded with a requirement selected. An options menu is open, displaying actions to add categories, add requirement types such as Submission, No Submission, Test or Exam, and GPA, and additional options including copy, rename, move, and delete, with the Rename option highlighted.

  3. In the pop-up Rename box that displays, edit the text for the selected area (maximum of 35 characters).
  4. (Optional) Enter a descriptor (maximum of 100 characters).
  5. (Optional) Click Cancel to exit the box without renaming your category or requirement.
  6. Click Rename to store the new title (and optional descriptor).

    A rename form showing fields for entering a required title and an optional descriptor, with a Rename option highlighted.

Delete a Category or Requirement

When you delete an item, any related category and requirement visibility access is deleted across all DRF Programs that use the DRF Template.

A deletion would PERMANENTLY ERASE all the related work and evaluations generated up to the current moment in time, for all people in all Programs that use this DRF Template.

If you have decided to consider that it is safe and appropriate to delete a category or requirement from a DRF Template, you can delete items either with the Delete button at the top of the left panel OR by using the context menu.

  • If you delete a requirement, evaluations for other requirements (if any) in the same category ARE NOT deleted.
  • If you delete a category, you also delete ALL REQUIREMENTS associated with it.

To make an informed decision, view the full scope of DRF Program activity by generating a Program Activity Report.

To delete a DRF category or requirement:

  1. In the left panel display, click on the item you want to remove from the structure.

    A template structure view showing General Information with Category 1 expanded, containing two requirements labeled Requirement (Rename), with one requirement selected.

  2. Click the Delete button at the top of the left panel.

    A template structure toolbar showing icons for adding, duplicating, aligning, moving, and deleting template items, with the delete icon highlighted.

    OR

    Hover your cursor until a gray arrow appears to the far right of the highlighted item's name, then click the arrow to view the context menu and select Delete. Click Delete Area.

    A template structure view showing Category 1 expanded with a requirement selected. An options menu is open with actions to add categories, add requirement types such as Submission, No Submission, Test or Exam, and GPA, along with options to copy, rename, move, or delete, with the Delete option highlighted.

  3. If work, evaluations, or both are in progress for a category or requirement in one or more Programs that use this DRF Template, an alert pop-up loads. A pop-up window displays the DRF Program, affected users and work status.
  4. If you attempt to delete a requirement that has a Custom Form attached, the Author's work (minus the attached custom form) is copied to a folio entitled: Deleted DRF Requirements. This folio can be accessed via the Folio & Web Pages tab.
  5. Click Proceed with Deletion of this Requirement.
    1. As deletion is IRREVERSIBLE, you are required to confirm that you have reviewed and accept the terms and conditions related to this deletion.
    2. To quit without deleting this item, click Cancel.
    3. To continue with the deletion, click Submit Request.
    4. If no work or evaluations are associated with this item, click OK to continue with the deletion.

    A confirmation window warning that deleting the requirement will permanently remove work and evaluations associated with it. A list shows people who will be affected and their work status. A Proceed with deleting this requirement option is highlighted, with an additional option to cancel.

Move a Category or Requirement

As you continue to build out the structure of your DRF template, categories and elements may have been added and/or removed. You may at some point decide that the structure organization no longer serves your needs.

Using the Template Builder's Move functionality, you can reposition categories and requirements to create a more effective structure.

The move is applied immediately and affects all Authors and Evaluators who use the DRF Template in their Programs. It is recommended that you make changes at off peak hours to cause the least amount of disruption to people working on the DRF Template.

To move a DRF category or requirement:

  1. In the left panel display, click on the item that you want to move.

    A template structure view showing General Information with Category 1 expanded, containing two requirements labeled Requirement (Rename), with one requirement selected.

  2. Click the Move button at the top of the left panel.

    A template structure toolbar showing icons for adding, copying, aligning, moving, and deleting items, with the move item icon highlighted.

    OR

    Hover your cursor until a gray arrow appears to the far right of the highlighted item's name, then click the arrow to view the context menu and select Move.

    A template structure view showing multiple courses and requirements. An options menu is open for a selected requirement, displaying actions to add categories, add requirement types, and additional options including copy, rename, move, and delete, with the Move option highlighted.

    If you choose a category, you will move that category and all requirements within it.

  3. A dotted line displays immediately above or below the (highlighted) item you selected to move.
    1. To cancel the Move procedure, click the X at the right of the dotted line.
  4. Drag the dotted line to the desired position for the new copy.

    The following restrictions apply:

    • A category can be moved to a position above or below another category but CANNOT be moved within another category.
    • Requirements must always be moved to a position within a category.
    • A Submission requirement CANNOT be moved into an Administrative Purposes category.
    • When level of evaluation has been set at the category level, a requirement CANNOT be moved into a category where visibility restriction has been set to at least one author or evaluator enrolled in any associated Program. (Note that when evaluation is set at the requirement level, no visibility restrictions apply to moving requirements. In this case, visibility settings move along with the requirement to the new location.)
  5. Click the dotted line to relocate the item to the indicated position.

    A template structure view showing a requirement being moved, with a repositioning indicator and a cancel move option visible.

Copy a Category or Requirement

As well as adding new categories or requirements from scratch, the DRF Template Builder offers the ability to make additional copies of existing areas for use in this template. Once a copy has been made, it can be edited separately from the original.

For example, to compare skills or knowledge before and after a course of study, students may be asked to fill in the same form at the beginning of the course period and then presented with a similar form at the end. After establishing a requirement with the custom form and associated Directions, you can copy this requirement and position it appropriately in the DRF structure. You might then want to modify the Directions for the "end of term" copy, and possibly enable other content types that students might use to enhance their response.

To copy a DRF category or requirement:

  1. In the left panel display, click on the item that you want to copy.

    A template structure view showing General Information with Category 1 expanded, containing two requirements labeled Requirement (Rename), with one requirement selected.

  2. Click the Copy button at the top panel.

    A template structure toolbar showing icons for adding, copying, aligning, moving, and deleting items, with the copy item icon highlighted.

    OR

    Hover your cursor until a gray arrow appears to the far right of the highlighted item's name, then click the arrow to view the context menu and select Copy.

    A template structure view showing multiple courses and requirements. An options menu for a selected requirement displays actions to add categories, add requirement types, and additional options including copy, rename, move, and delete, with the Copy option highlighted.

    If you choose a category, you will copy that category and all requirements within it.

  3. A dotted line displays immediately above or below the (highlighted) item you selected to copy.
    1. To cancel the Copy procedure, click the X at the right of the dotted line.
  4. Drag the dotted line to the desired position for the new copy.

    The following restrictions apply:

    • A category can be pasted above or below another category but CANNOT be pasted within another category.
    • Requirements must always be pasted into a category.
    • A Submission requirement CANNOT be pasted into an Administrative Purposes category.
  5. Click the dotted line to paste the copy in the indicated position

    A template structure view showing a requirement being moved, with a repositioning indicator and a cancel move option visible.

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