Instructor Guide
This guide helps instructors manage their classes, view their schedule, and track attendance.
Accessing My Classes
Section titled “Accessing My Classes”Navigate to My Classes to see all events and classes you’re assigned to teach.
Your classes are organized into two sections:
- Upcoming Sessions - Future sessions that haven’t occurred yet
- Past Sessions - Completed or past sessions
Understanding Your Schedule
Section titled “Understanding Your Schedule”Each session card shows:
| Information | Description |
|---|---|
| Cohort Name | The group this session belongs to (e.g., “Spring 2024”) |
| Session Number | Which session in the series (e.g., “Session 2 of 4”) |
| Date & Time | When the session occurs |
| Capacity | Enrolled / Maximum (e.g., “8 / 12”) |
| Status | Scheduled, Completed, or Cancelled |
Session Status Indicators
Section titled “Session Status Indicators”| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Scheduled | Upcoming, will happen as planned |
| Completed | Session has occurred |
| Cancelled | Session was cancelled |
Marking a Session Completed
Section titled “Marking a Session Completed”When a session you teach is over, open it and use the status menu at the top of the page (Status: ● Scheduled ▾) to choose Completed, then click Save. A completed session is read-only, attendance included. If you need to fix something, choose Reopen as Scheduled (or click Reopen Session in the banner) and confirm. A cancelled session can’t be reopened, and neither can a session whose cohort was cancelled. If the session is completed or cancelled while you have it open, your next check-in or save is not applied: you see a message saying why, and the page switches to read-only.
Viewing Session Details
Section titled “Viewing Session Details”Click View Details on any session to see:
- Full session information
- Date, time, and duration
- Location details
- Roster of registered participants
- Attendance records
Managing the Roster
Section titled “Managing the Roster”The roster shows everyone registered for a session:
- Participant name
- Email/contact info
- Registration status
- Attendance status (once tracked)
Use this to:
- See who’s coming to class
- Prepare materials for the right number of participants
- Contact participants if needed
Tracking Attendance
Section titled “Tracking Attendance”During or after each session, mark attendance for participants:
Attendance Status Options
Section titled “Attendance Status Options”| Status | Use When |
|---|---|
| Present | Participant attended |
| Absent | Participant did not attend |
| No-Show | Participant was registered but didn’t show up |
How to Mark Attendance
Section titled “How to Mark Attendance”- Open the session details
- Find the roster/attendance section
- Select the appropriate status for each participant
- Save your changes
The system records when attendance was last updated.
Cohort Attendance Matrix
Section titled “Cohort Attendance Matrix”For multi-session courses, you can view attendance across all sessions at once:
- Open the cohort (from the session or cohort list)
- Find the Attendance card, below the Sessions list
- View the matrix showing:
- All participants (rows)
- All sessions (columns), labelled S1, S2 and so on with their dates. Sessions are numbered by date, so S1 is always the earliest
- Attendance status at each intersection
- A Checked in row with, for each session, how many people were marked present out of everyone registered for it
The next session on or after today is highlighted and marked Next. If you can open the cohort but don’t teach it, you see “Attendance isn’t available to you” in place of the grid.
This helps you:
- See patterns (who misses frequently)
- Identify participants falling behind
- Track overall cohort participation
Emails You Receive
Section titled “Emails You Receive”MakerVera emails you about the sessions you teach. If a session has a substitute, the substitute gets that session’s emails instead.
| When it arrives | |
|---|---|
| New signup | Right after someone signs up for your session or class |
| A member left your class | Right after a member cancels their registration |
| You teach soon | 24 hours before each session that has registered members, with the list of who’s registered |
| Please mark attendance | 2 hours after each session with registered members ends, with a link to the roster. Not sent if attendance is already marked. |
| Your session was cancelled | Right after the makerspace cancels your session or class |
The reminders follow the session: if it’s rescheduled they move with it, and if it’s cancelled or nobody is registered any more they aren’t sent. Each email is in your language.
You can turn these emails off in your notification settings, under Event Reminders. Your makerspace can also switch any of them off.
Door Access for Your Session
Section titled “Door Access for Your Session”If your makerspace uses door access, the session page shows an Access control card for the sessions you teach. It lists when the door opens for registrants (Grant) and when that access ends (Revoke), with the status of each. View all tasks opens the full list.
The card is read-only for instructors. If a task shows Failed, ask staff who can edit events to retry it.
What You Can and Can’t Do
Section titled “What You Can and Can’t Do”As an Instructor, You Can:
Section titled “As an Instructor, You Can:”- View your assigned sessions and schedule
- See who’s registered for your classes
- Access participant contact information
- Mark and update attendance
- Mark your session Completed, or reopen it
- View session details and location info
As an Instructor, You Cannot:
Section titled “As an Instructor, You Cannot:”- Edit event or session details (contact an admin)
- Change pricing or capacity
- Register or unregister participants
- Cancel sessions
- See the roster or attendance of a class you don’t teach
If you need to make changes to a session, contact your administrator.
Tips for Instructors
Section titled “Tips for Instructors”Before Class
Section titled “Before Class”- Check your roster a day before to know how many are coming (the “You teach soon” email includes it)
- Note any special requirements or prerequisites
- Review participant names for personalization
During Class
Section titled “During Class”- Mark attendance at the start
- Note any no-shows for follow-up
- Keep track of early departures if relevant
After Class
Section titled “After Class”- Verify attendance records are complete
- Update any missed attendance marks
- Note any issues for admin follow-up
For Multi-Session Courses
Section titled “For Multi-Session Courses”- Use the cohort attendance matrix to track progress
- Identify participants who miss multiple sessions
- Follow up with absent participants between sessions
Common Questions
Section titled “Common Questions”Q: I’m assigned to teach but don’t see the session in My Classes?
The session may still be in draft status. Contact your administrator to publish it.
Q: Can I see past attendance records?
Yes, past sessions remain visible in the “Past Sessions” section with all attendance data.
Q: A participant says they’re registered but I don’t see them?
Ask them to verify their registration. If confirmed, contact an administrator to check the system.
Q: How do I contact all participants at once?
Use the roster to see contact information. For bulk communication, ask your administrator about notification features.
Q: Can someone else cover my session?
Yes, but an administrator needs to update the session’s instructor assignment. Contact them to make the change.