CourseKey Attendance Breaks

For courses over 5 hours in length, CourseKey offers the ability to record class breaks! This helps to provide a more accurate representation of each student’s earned time, and also reports that the class is taking their necessary breaks. Taking a break will reduce the total time available in the attendance session.

Because of this, it is important only to use this button for breaks where students are not earning time. This is typically done in longer courses where a mandated break is required by law. For example, if you have a 12 hour session and need to give students an hour break for lunch.

When it’s time to start a break, open the Attendance List page for your course. Next to the timer in the top right corner of the page, you’ll see a button with a coffee cup icon.

Click the button to open the break options. When the pop-up appears, the default length of the break will be set to 30 minutes. If a different break length is needed, enter the total number of minutes in the field provided. The custom time can be set as your new default break length for the course by clicking the checkbox provided.

So, What happens when I start a break?

All students that are currently checked-in will be automatically checked-out at the time the break is started. The attendance timer will begin counting down the amount of time left in the current break.

When the break ends, students must check back in to continue accumulating time in the attendance session.

To allow for a smooth check-in process, a 5 minute grace period is provided prior to the end of the break where students can check back in early. However, they will not start accumulating time again until the break ends. 

Undo/End Break

While a break is currently in progress, instructors can choose to undo a break, or end a break early. To find these options click on the coffee cup icon again and a pop-up will appear.

Undo Break

Selecting to undo a break will reverse everything that occurred when the break was initiated. This means that students who were checked out for the break will be automatically checked back in and their records will not reflect the break. This should only be used if a mistake is made and a break is started when it shouldn’t be.  

End Break Early

To shorten the length of the break you can select to end the break early and the attendance session will resume immediately. Students must check back in to continue earning time, and the break will be reflected in the student's attendance records. (There is no 5 minute grace period when ending a break early.)