Essential Information

• UMass Amherst IT offers several options in addition to Moodle and Blackboard Learn for instructors who want to post course materials online: Blogs, Google Workspace, OneDrive, and Web Hosting. Course IT Accounts provide a separate Blog, Google Workspace, and email account plus web space for each course. Use these accounts to create a website, post handouts or assignments online, blog about course announcements, or share files with students via OneDrive or Google Drive. For more information about online tools for teaching and learning, see Instructional Technology Tools & Topics.
• Navigation: SPIRE Main Menu > IT Accounts > Course IT Accounts

Create a Course IT Account

Note: To create a Course IT Account, you must be listed as the Primary Instructor for that course in SPIRE. Contact the Academic Scheduling Representative in your department if your instructor role needs to be updated in SPIRE.

1. In SPIRE, use the navigator icon to go to IT Accounts > Course IT Accounts.
2. On the Create Course IT Accounts page, select a course from the Course Table (on the left), then click Create Course Account. 
   Note: You will see only one entry for each course you are teaching (e.g., if you are teaching five sections for COMM 101, you will see one entry for COMM 101).
3. On the Course IT Account Created page, click Set Account Password at My IT Accounts.
4. On the My IT Accounts - Account List page, click the Account Name for the account you just created.
5. On the My IT Accounts - Account Detail page, click Change Password and follow the instructions. You will be prompted to enter this password when accessing your Course Blog, Box, or Web space.
   Note: It may take a few minutes before you can set the password.  Each Course IT account has a separate password that controls access to all services associated with that account, including the Blog, Box, and the Web site.
6. Review the confirmation email that was sent to your preferred UMass email address.

Manage your Course IT Account

1. In SPIRE, use the Profile tile or the navigator icon to go to IT Accounts > My IT Accounts.  Or go to IT Accounts > Course IT Accounts and click View/Change Existing Account.
2. On the My IT Accounts - Account List page, click the Account Name.
3. Use the My IT Accounts - Account Detail page to change the account password or schedule a date to delete your Course IT Account.