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Seating Chart - Instructor Guide

Online seating charts provide an easy way for students to choose seats or to receive assigned seats from the instructor.

The legacy seating chart application has been replaced with a new application called SeatGEN. You can access SeatGEN from your Canvas course sites. Please see details below.

In This Guide

• Enabling your Seating Chart for your course
• Blocking Seats in the Seating Chart
• Printing your Seating Chart
• Printing Tent Cards

Enable Your Seating Chart

By default, all online seating charts are disabled and hidden from your Canvas course menu. To enable your chart:

1. In your Canvas course menu, click Settings, then select the Navigation tab. Drag the SeatGEN  item so that it is visible to students.
2. The SeatGEN link will become visible in your Canvas course menu. Click SeatGEN to open it.
   
   
3. Click the Seat Settings button.
4. Choose how you would like the seats to be assigned.
   • Assign Seats as the Instructor - This will allow you to manually or alphabetically assign seats for your students. The faculty support staff can assist this as well. Enter in the start date for when students can view their seat assignment.
     
   • Allow Students to Select Seats - Students can select their own seats on a first-come, first-serve basis. Enter in the start and end dates for when students can select their seats. If your classroom seats more students than you have enrolled in the class, you can block out seats to prevent students from selecting them (see below). 
     
     

4. Click Save. After Saving, Click Seating button to view your class seating chart.

Important: If you enable your seating chart with the option to allow students to select their seats online, we recommend that you send a message to your class mailing list to notify your students.

Block out Seats on your Seating Chart

If your classroom seats more students than you have enrolled in the class, you can block out seats to prevent students from selecting them. You should block out seats before opening the chart to students for seat selection.

1. After enabling your seating chart, click the Seating button.
2. Click the + button at the top right of the chart.
3. A reserve block should be added in the student list, drag the reserve block to the seat you wish to reserve.
4. Start over on step 2 if you wish to reserve additional seats.

 

Generating a Printable PDF of your Seating Chart

1. In SeatGEN click the Print Seating Chart button.

2. Configure your PDF options:

• Standard Field Print Options - This option controls what student fields are visible in the chart. By default student first and last names will be printed.
• Show Advance Print Options (Optional) - This option allows you to choose up to 3 fields you wish to display on your chart from a list of fields contained in SeatGEN. Note: We are not currently using most of the fields listed. List of fields that are currently being populated in SeatGEN: First Name, Last Name, Pronoun, Email.
• Select Style Option - This option will let you choose between 2 different chart styles. Both will display identical information with the “Stylized” option offering a slightly more modern look. We recommend choosing the “Normal” option.
• Select Font Size - This option changes the font size for the student name labels. We recommend keeping the default. 

3. Click Manually Select Print Page Settings and choose from the following page sizes:

• 18 x 24 (Arch C) - Small Chart
• 24 x 36 (Arch D) - Large Cart

4. Click the Generate PDF button

5. Once generated, you can download your PDF by clicking the download button on the top right of the chart 

Note: The Faculty Support Staff can provide large-format printouts of your seating chart. Please provide at least 24 hours advance notice to Silvana Burgese at sburgese@law.upenn.edu, (215) 898-9497.

Generating Printable PDF Tent Cards

1. In SeatGEN, click the Tent Cards button.

2. Configure your PDF Options:

• Standard Field Print Options - This option controls what student fields are visible on the Tent card. By default student first and last names will be printed.
• Show Advance Print Options (Optional) - Choose up to 3 fields you wish to display on your Tent cards from a list of fields contained in SeatGEN. Note: We are not currently using most of the fields listed. List of fields that are currently being populated in SeatGEN: First Name, Last Name, Pronoun, Email.
• Select Style Option - Choose between 2 different Tent card styles. Note: Currently the only way to display student photos on tent cards is to choose the “Stylized” option
• Select Photo Options:
  • One Per Page - Generates a PDF with one Student’s Tent card per page 
  • Two Per Page - Generates a PDF with two Student’s Tent cards per page

3. Click the Generate PDF button

4. Once generated, you can download your PDF by clicking the download button on the top right of the Tent cards

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