button in the upper right-hand corner.
button in the upper right-hand corner.
This document is intended to describe the instructional practices that will be followed when COP 1830 is offered as a online class via the Internet (using a distance learning approach). The most important fact to remember is that participation in a distance learning course demands extreme academic discipline from the student. The substitution of distance learning mechanisms in place of face-to-face (F2F) classroom participation requires that students define and maintain their own rigorous schedule of study. Beware that course deadlines will be rigidly enforced. Most successful students find that the best plan is to set a side regularly scheduled blocks of time each week to work on the class. This helps to keep them on schedule. Many students benefit from enlisting the aid of family and friends to help keep them on schedule. Even beyond that, a proactive attitude is essential. Students are strongly encouraged to try to keep ahead of the posted course schedule in their course syllabus rather than simply keeping up with it. This approach helps to counteract [Murphy's Law].
Two primary web sites will be used in this course. One belongs to your instructor, although it is accessible from a link on the IRCC Faculty Web Server. It contains reference material related to the course that is used both by distance learning students and F2F students in a typical computer classroom setting. The page that you are now reading resides on that site. A backup of the instructor's site has also been established in case the first site is inaccessible. Students are advised to bookmark both sites (see Web Site Addresses below) in their web browser software's favorite places list.
The other primary web site belongs to the college and provides an online "virtual classroom" e-learning environment just for distance learning students, offering them standardized resources such as email, posted discussion areas, chat rooms, a class calendar and online quizzes and grading tools.
Prior to offering this course online, it was offered exclusively in a typical classroom F2F setting supported by the instructor's web site. Because the college prefers that all online classes be delivered through a common system, your instructor has merged many of the instructional resources from his web site onto the college virtual classroom system, which is controlled by a software package named [Blackboard®] (formerly WebCT). As such, students will encounter frequent links from the college Blackboard server to pages on the instructor's web server. These links are written in such a way that they open a new browsing window to view the instructor's site, leaving the college virtual classroom (Blackboard) site in the original window for easy return.
Every student registered in an online section of COP 1830 will be given a [free IRCCNet Internet dialup access] account and an [E-Learning Environment]" account on the [IRCC Blackboard server]. Orientation and training for these resources will be available immediately following the Distance Learning Orientation prior to the start of the semester. See the [IRCC E-Learner Help Site] for more information. If you need help with Internet access through this account at any time, view the [Internet Support web page] or contact IRCCNet Tech Support <support@ircc.net> at 772-462-4681. For help using the Blackboard® e-learning virtual classroom, contact Luci d'Anacona <virtualclassroom@ircc.net> at 772-462-7768.
Initially, you may want to browse through the college web pages that explain how our virtual classroom system is handled, including explanation of your access account area (called "My Blackboard") and your login id and password, etc. These tutorial pages can be found on the IRCC (Public) Web Site at
[http://www.ircc.edu/portal/layout_web1.aspx?PortalPageID=142]
http://faculty.ircc.edu/FACULTY/RGibson/http://www.gibson.vero-beach.fl.us/classes/cop1830/http://home.earthlink.net/~ircc.edu/cop1830/http://webct6.ircc.edu/]The college Blackboard (formerly WebCT) server (see link above) provides a virtual classroom for online students. It is accessed from the web and provides a simple distance learning environment for students. It contains links to the instructor's web site, a course calendar, a closed email system, and group conferencing tools to allow student to student/teacher interaction. The system also provides online quiz capabilities and student grade reporting features.
Accounts are established for students on this server automatically based on their college course registration information. Students who register late or add a course should expect a delay (of a day or two) before their account is active. Instructions related to accessing these password-protected web-based accounts can be found at
[http://elearnhelp.ircc.edu/pin.html]
Students should [login
to the Blackboard/WebCT server] regularly to perform class activities and check for messages from
their instructor. After logging in, students should see a portal screen named "My Blackboard"
with links to the home pages for each online course that they are taking as well as
links to an overall calendar and other related college and Blackboard software sites.
Typically a student will click on the link to a course to retrieve its home page.
All of the features mentioned above will be accessible from a simple menu of icons on that home page.
Understand that each instructor defines which features will be available in each class,
so you might notice differences from any prior online class(es) you have taken online via Blackboard.
Web-based help is available from any screen by clicking on the word
"Help" located on the upper righthand corner of the screen.
One of the major advantages of using the Blackboard server for communication between students and instructors is offered by its closed email system. Only users with virtual classroom accounts on the system can send and receive email. This effectively eliminates spam (unwanted clutter or junk mail). It also restricts users from receiving any mail from outside of the Blackboard system. The fact that everyone uses the same web-based email system makes it easier to provide technical support to users. As such, all email sent to you by your instructor will be sent via the Blackboard server (unless it is "down" for some reason). Similarly, you are requested to send all email related to this course to your instructor via the Blackboard server rather than to his college email address (unless the Blackboard server is "down").
Whenever new unread email is waiting for a student, an email icon will appear under that course's entry in the Course List on the "My Blackboard" screen and the Mail (envelope) icon listed under the Course Tools area on the course home page will be followed by a white-on-green star.
The Blackboard system includes a calendar that your instructor will populate with assignment deadlines and quiz dates. You can also use this calendar for private notations.
The Blackboard system provides a group conferencing tool that it refers to "Discussions" similar to an old electronic bulletin board system (BBS). It allows class participants (students and instructor) to post questions or comments that can be viewed by all other participants. Readers can either post public replies or email private ones to the authors. This tools allows "threads" of discussion to take place, based on each original message posted. The posted threads are organized into a few groups called "topics" that will be used in our class for a few purposes.
Whenever new unread postings are available under any topic, a news icon will appear under that course's entry in the Course List on the "My Blackboard" screen and the Discussion "push-pin" icon on the course home page will be followed by a white-on-green star. After a student has entered the Discussions area, new unread message subject titles will appear listed in boldface.
The Blackboard system provides a real-time group conferencing tool that it refers to "Chat" similar to Internet Instant Messaging services to allow class participants (students and instructor) to converse by text while online simultaneously. Different conversation channels (or "Rooms") are available to allow separate groups of chat to take place. Students can also converse with students from other online courses under Blackboard. No assignments are planned that require the use of this tool. It is provided simply to enhance the student's virtual classroom environment.
The Assessment Tool provides a system for students to take quizzes online. As this tool will be used in this class, these quizzes will be multiple choice. Each student will have only one chance to take each quiz (without special arrangements with your instructor). The quizzes are typically open for two days, but students must be careful to start taking their quiz in time to complete it successfully within the timeframe allowed for the quiz, which will be will be noted in the course calendar and on the syllabus. It is advisable to take your quiz at a time when the college Blackboard support staff is on duty in case of difficulties. Also try to use a stable Internet connection and a reliable computer with an uninterruptible (battery backup) power supply if possible.
The "My Grades" grade tracking tool can be found in the Course Menu on the left side of the Blackboard course window. It is used by students to verify that their instructor has received and recorded assignment submissions and quiz scores. Quiz scores should appear automatically after the quiz period has expired, but the system does occassionally require manual attention by the instructor. So, if your quiz score has not appeared shortly after the end of the quiz period, notify your instructor by email. Assignment recognition must be posted manually by your instructor. Expect no more than a few days delay on the posting of these. Final grades are posted to the main college website shortly after the last day of final exams at the web address
[https://webreg1.ircc.edu/FCCSC/navigate/student.jsp]
The high storage demand required on the Blackboard server each semester requires the college to terminate class accounts at the end of every semester immediately after the standard final exam period. It is important that you complete end-of-term assignments and preserve (print or copy) any information that you want from the server before this time.
Both distance learning and traditional F2F students use the same textbook which serves as a framework for the course curriculum and bare minimal reading.
For more information on distance learning protocols, contact your instructor.
| Last Revised: 22 June 2007 |
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© 2007 Randolph Gibson | |
www.gibson.vero-beach.fl.us/classes/cop1830/dlprotocols.html |
E-mail: rgibson@ircc.edu |
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