ED392+Spring+2000+Unit+1


 * Unit 1 Online Orientation **

When you go to the Blackboard or to reference sites, you will need to use the browser back button to return to this page. You may wish to print this page to refer to as you work.

Unit Overview You will be completing an online orientation similar to the one that I have created for my online students. The purpose of this orientation is two-fold. As I tell my students and every faculty member who has ever taken ED 392, **//Internet delivered instruction is not for everyone--students and faculty alike.//** I want to straight-forward about this before you are too far into the course. If you opt out early, it's not an indication of anything except possibly this is not the time for you to take the course or this is not a delivery method for you--pure and simple. :-)
 * You will see one method of acquainting students with the Internet for course delivery.
 * You will see if you have some of the technical skills and patience to be online.

Step 1: Is Internet Delivery for You? Internet-delivery may sound like an easy way to take a required course. You don't have to schedule time to be in a class at the time the instructor says. You can work when you want to. However, because you don't have to meet a class at a certain time, you can forget you have the class. Internet delivered may sound like fun; you get to use the Internet to surf and learn. However, in a class, you don't have as much control over where you surf. You have to go to the course site and go to the links that the instructor has created. 1. Take some time to go to a site with a questionnaire that may help you determine if this method of learning is right for you. //After you complete the quiz that is found at the link below, use the browser's back button to return to this page NOT the links at the bottom of the page that the quiz is found on.// 2. Once you take the quiz, send an e-mail message with your score to me. Explain briefly why you think this is your delivery system or why you think you'd better reconsider your choice.
 * [|What is Distance Learning?]

Your Internet Account and Your Responsibility for Technical Concerns For tips on surviving as an online student please read, "[|HOW TO SURVIVE IN AN ONLINE CLASS: GUIDELINES FOR STUDENTS]." Minimum Software/Hardware Requirements: You are expected to have access to a reasonably fast computer with a graphical web browser and an Internet connection.
 * || Step 2: Use of the Internet and the Blackboard.com Course Site  ||
 * You should also be familiar with e-mail systems and use [[image:file:///C:/DOCUME~1/ADMINI~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/Temporary%20Directory%201%20for%20mwftp_271508.zip/Netscape.gif width="32" height="32"]]Netscape 4.0+ or [[image:file:///C:/DOCUME~1/ADMINI~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/Temporary%20Directory%201%20for%20mwftp_271508.zip/Ie.gif width="34" height="34"]]Internet Explorer 4.0+.
 * A mail client such as Netscape Messenger or Outlook Express will be helpful to create folders and organize your mail and assignments for the course.
 * The following programs/equipment are highly recommended.
 * A program such as AOL Instant Messenger or ICQ.
 * A 28.8 modem or better.
 * Access to a fax machine.

What Doesn't Work: From experience with (see below) I know the following technology can cause problems. Access to Internet: You are expected to have the equipment at your home/work. You are responsible for technical problems that arise with your equipment. While we can offer some technical suggestions, Delta cannot offer any other type of technical assistance. Technical problems on your end must be documented and communicated to the appropriate instructor immediately in order to receive extensions on the assignments. In case of technical problems, please make it a practice to save all your messages and assignments sent for the course. You will be very dependent on technology for this course. You will be as dependent, if not more so, than a traditional students who rely on their car to get to class. Therefore, it is wise to be prepared for disaster. If you are prepared for disaster and it strikes, the inconvenience will be minimal.
 * //WebTV.// You can view the pages on Blackboard using WebTV but you can't post to the discussion board. Also, because there are many links in Blackboard, you are using your up and down arrow keys a great deal--which can be annoying.
 * //Netscape or IE 3.0 or less//. If you have an older version of Netscape or IE, (3.0 or less) you will not be able to use Blackboard. The java script that Blackboard uses will not work with older versions.
 * //Macintosh--only a problem in chat.// If you are using a Macintosh computer, you will not be able to use the Virtual Chat element of Blackboard. Check your course requirements; not all courses require chat.
 * //386 or 486 PC computers//. Older model computers will not have the speed and memory needed to work with the programs used for the course.
 * BACK-UP, BACK-UP, BACK-UP: Anyone who has spent much time working on computers know they crash. So back-up your material frequently and keep hard copies or copies on a floppy disk in addition to the copy in your hard drive.
 * Have a Crash Plan: Know where there is another computer with an Internet connection available to you in case yours dies.
 * Be an Early Bird: Posting assignments early means you won't have to make excuses later if emergencies occur that prevent you from posting. Late is late, period. Remember, every faculty member has been to college, we know the excuses. We probably used them when we were undergraduates and we certainly hear them daily from our current students.

Definition of Attendance and Participation in an Internet-delivered course: This class will not be an "easier" than if this course was taught face-to-face. You will be putting in the same number of hours and the same effort, including class time, that a traditional student would. You will be expected to have regular attendance. This means you will check the class notes, notices and your e-mail routinely. Be forewarned that this takes time and discipline. If you do not have the time due to family or work obligations, or if you tend to put everything off until the day that the assignment is due, you will find yourself hopelessly behind in this course very quickly. If this is the case, you would be better off taking this course in a traditional manner or at some time in the future when you have the time and/or discipline.
 * You are expected to log on to the Internet a minimum of three times a week to participate in the assignments and discussions.
 * You are expected to spend a minimum of three hours a week online retrieving e-mail and reading and reviewing WWW materials. (This equates to the three hours of time you would spend in a traditional classroom.)
 * You are expected to spend an additional nine hours a week on and off-line working on the course requirements. (This equates to the standard study guidelines that for every hour you spend in class you spend three hours studying. This amount varies with each student.)
 * You are expected to work with partners and in small groups on assignments via e-mail.
 * You are expected to correspond with your instructor privately concerning course matters.
 * You are expected to meet all deadlines for assignments and tasks. Please see the course calendar for the course(s) for exact dates.

Expected Classroom Behavior: You are to conduct yourself on the discussion board as you would for any face-to-face class.
 * Evaluation of each other's work always requires tact and courtesy whether you are in a traditional classroom or online. Rudeness will not be tolerated.
 * Face to face communication is difficult because of tone, style, and humor. Remember that online or in any kind of writing, these three elements are very difficult to recognize and interpret. Proofread content and phrasing carefully.
 * Obscene and other inappropriate messages will result in your dismissal from the class.
 * Some students may be taking the course from their place of employment (with permission). There may be restrictions upon the volume of mail they receive. No chain letters should be sent to classmates. Please do not forward jokes and other items that do not pertain to the course to your classmates.
 * As in any social community, you are expected to observe all additional courtesies which become required during the course.

Connecting at the Blackboard Course Site Please go to the [|Blackboard Course Info Login Page] (http://bb.mcca.org/). Bookmark the Blackboard Login Page. Login using your e-mail address as your user id and the password. **//If you have problems logging in, please contact me immediately by e-mail or phone.//** The login screen looks like the image below. Click on the button.

You will see this box pop up. Please enter your e-mail addess as the user id and the password that was sent to you by e-mail. You will then view your Blackboard Page. You will see on the left side of the screen a button called Personal Tools; click on it. You will see this screen. Please click on the option called Personal Information Editor. On the next page you will see an option for Change Password. Please choose that option and pick a password that you will remember. You are responsible for your password! After you change your password, please select the Home button from the left side of the page to return to the My Blackboard main page. You will see in the right hand column a list of courses you are enrolled in. You should see Internet Teaching Techniques for Teachers Listed. When you click on the name of the course, you enter the course web site. You will need to do this for step 3.

Locating Your Course Site and Syllabus // To complete the second part of this assignment, you will need to log into the Blackboard site. Please read the entire page before you link to the Blackboard site. Also, remember once in Blackboard, you will need to use your browser back button to return to this page. In addition, you may wish to print this page to refer to the directions. // Please connect to [|http://bb.mcca.org]. Bookmark the site so that you do not always have to type in the url for the site. Click on the button that says. Then find and click on the link that says Syllabus. Read that page and follow the links from that page. Contacting Your Instructor Through the Blackboard Send E-mail Option At times during the course you may be working in Blackboard and need to contact your instructor. You may not be at a computer that has your e-mail client or you may not have your e-mail client open. By choosing an option that can be found by clicking the Communication button, you will be able to send your instructor a message without leaving the class site. 1. Click on the Communication button in the left hand column. You will see 6 options. The first one is Send E-mail. Click over the image or the words Send E-mail. Choose Send E-mail to Instructor Option. Be sure to click the send a copy of the message to myself option. If you don't you will not have a copy of the message. 2. To practice, follow the above directions and send a message to the instructor of your course (and to yourself) that explains why you have decided to take this course and how you plan to use the information in this course in your current teaching. If you are thinking of going online entirely with one of your courses, explain which course and how you think this course will help you with that endeavor.
 * [[image:file:///C:/DOCUME~1/ADMINI~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/Temporary%20Directory%201%20for%20mwftp_271508.zip/Bokm_anm.GIF width="150" height="35"]] || Step 3: Using Blackboard to Review Course Syllabus and Using the Send E-mail to Instructor Option  ||

Unit 2 will be the face-to-face orientation. You will need to have enrolled at the Blackboard site before the orientation. Please note that Unit 2 and the subsequent units will be available only at the Blackboard site. You can view the units for the course at the Blackboard site by clicking on Course Information-->Course Calendar. Nadine Burke and Delta College 2000