Conditional Item Logic
This article will be most useful for Concourse Admins and Faculty Trainers.
Overview
Conditional Item Logic allows syllabus editors to specify conditions under which syllabus content is displayed to viewers. Users can specify that a syllabus item displays if a course tag or domain matches certain criteria. For example, conditional logic may specify that a syllabus item displays if the course tag Undergraduate is not applied to the course (see image below).
This feature is useful for managing syllabus content that does not necessarily align with domain structure or template hierarchy, such as cross-curriculum courses that include standardized OER or service learning policies.
Conditional Item Logic is an optional configuration setting that must be enabled system-wide before it can be used. It is not possible to limit this feature to a specific user group or domain, so it is important that your institution is prepared to train end users carefully on its use before making it available. Continue reading for more information about Conditional Item Logic.
Availability and Display
Conditional Item Logic can be set on all syllabus items that can be added in multiples. For example, multiple Course Policy subitems can be added to a syllabus, so these subitems can receive Conditional Logic. Description, however, cannot be added to the syllabus more than once, so it cannot receive Conditional Logic.
Conditional Item Logic is available to any user who is able to edit syllabus items where Conditional Logic can be applied. Whether a user is an instructor, manager, developer, domain administrator, or domain reporter, if they are able to edit an item that allows Conditional Logic, they can use this functionality. Any user who is able to view the item where Conditional Logic was added can view this item.
When a Conditional Item is added to a syllabus, the last modified date and audit trail (if enabled) are updated to reflect the inclusion of new content. If a syllabus editor adds a Conditional Item that displays (condition is true) and selects the Save & Notify option, all users registered to the course who can view the item receive a notification (if enabled). If the Conditional Item does not display, a notification will not be sent.
Conditional Items always display when edit mode is enabled; only Conditional Items whose conditions are true or met display in view mode. Items that display in view mode are searchable; in other words, if a Conditional Item displays and is visible to any user group, a user can perform a keyword search to locate matching text in the Conditional Item. Likewise, Conditional Items that display are included in Item Reports. To find out more information about Conditional Items, a reporter can download the Item Report’s extended CSV.
Including and Removing Conditional Item Logic
Items are not conditioned by default; editors must select the option to Include Conditional Logic when modifying a syllabus item (see image below). Conditions can also be removed from an item without deleting the item from the syllabus.
Items can be conditioned according to their respective courses’ domains and course tags. For example, an item can be conditioned to display if the course’s department is English or the course’s applied tag is OER. Conditioning by course tags is only available once course tags are added at the system level (see Managing Course Tags for more information). Conditional Logic applied to items is persistent even if the course’s domains and/or course tags change. In other words, if a course’s domains and/or course tags change, the condition might become true where it used to be false, and the associated item displays. It’s important to be aware of how changes to domains and course tags result in changes to how Conditional Items display, and to understand how Conditional Item Logic impacts the ability to manage domains and course tags. Domains and course tags associated with Conditional Item Logic cannot be deleted from your system.
Finally, be aware that Conditional Item Logic cannot be populated or set via feed. Adding Conditional Logic to syllabus items is a manual process, so it is important that users with editing permissions be trained carefully on how to use this feature to meet institutional expectations.
Best Practices and Recommendations
Conditional Item Logic is a powerful feature that can optimize the syllabus administration process; however, it may not be immediately intuitive to all users and its accidental misuse may be challenging to remediate. We recommend that you exercise caution and implement this feature carefully, paying special attention to training syllabus editors. Following the steps below also increases the likelihood that your implementation of Conditional Item Logic will be successful.
- Test Conditional Item Logic in your sandbox before enabling it in your production system. Encourage all system administrators, domain administrators, and domain editors to review the documentation and experiment with the feature before having a thoughtful conversation about how your institution could use this feature. Again, we do not recommend enabling Conditional Item Logic in your production environment until you have a plan for its use, including training all syllabus editors.
- Review your Concourse domain structure and course tags before deciding to implement Conditional Item Logic. If domains and course tags are not managed carefully in your system, Conditional Logic associated with these components may result in content displaying unexpectedly. We recommend using a Domain Structure Report and Tag Utilization Report to start your review of these system elements.
- In the event that you enable Conditional Item Logic and later decide to disable it, all conditions will be removed from your system and Conditional Items will present on syllabi. As a result, it’s a good idea to review Conditional Items–displaying and not–before making any changes to your configuration settings.
To learn more about this feature, check out the following help articles:
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