FA L L 2 0 11

TECHNICAL ORIENTATION

TECHNICAL ORIENTATION

• Session starts at 11:00 am • We’ll be online shortly• Speaker test starts

about 10:45

• To ask questions, • use the chat window

CLOSED CAPTIONING

• This session will not be closed captioned. • If you need a closed caption version, please see our

Summer 2011 video located on the blog:• http://maryjane47.wordpress.com and look for

Technical Orientations• Press CTRL-F8 open the Closed Captioning window.• CC only works from the time you enter forward; it does

not ‘go back’ to dialog you may have missed

WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION

• Mary Jane Heider• Director, Academic Computing• mjheider@genesee.edu

• Judie Littlejohn• Advisor, Distance Learning• jmlittlejohn@genesee.edu

WHEN IN DOUBT

• Contact your instructor

• Contact Mary Jane• mjheider@genesee.edu

• Contact the Help Desk• helpdesk@genesee.edu• 1-866-614-5004 (toll free, 24x7)

WHERE TO START

• Three bookmarks

• www.genesee.edu

• Genesis.genesee.edu

• www.outlook.com

TAKING AN ONLINE CLASS

• Get the textbook• “Go to” class faithfully; log in regularly

• Your instructor can see when you log in

• Read the syllabus; note important dates• Tests, homework, reading assignments

• Be prepared for a lot of work on your own• Expect to spend 10-20 hours per week on a single class

TURNING IN ASSIGNMENTS

TURNING IN ASSIGNMENTS

• Start with the syllabus and/or do not hesitate to ask your instructor!

• Most likely one of the following:• Blackboard Assignment• Blackboard Email• Blackboard Discussion• Publisher Web Site• Genesee Email• USPS mail• Fax

THREE ACCOUNTS

• Genesis Account

• Outlook.com email account

• Network account

• Same username for all 3; may not be the same password

• Publisher web site may be a 4th

GENESEE EMAIL

• Check your Genesee email regularly• Many instructors will only take messages from Genesee

email• Only use your personal email (Yahoo, email, roadrunner) in an extreme

emergency• The Help Desk is open 24x7 to help you log into your Genesee email

• Identify yourself: “Mat 129 student”• Put your name in your email• Explain fully; too much is better than not enough

• Be patient in expecting an answer

GENESEE EMAIL

Your Email username is the same as your Genesis username

The email address takes the form: username@my.genesee.edu

NETWORK ACCOUNT

• On Campus• To log into any computer

• At a distance• To access the library online databases

MY COURSES

• Log in through Genesis

GENESIS TABS

• My Genesis – access to “Banner Self Service”• My Courses – access to course materials

MY COURSES TAB

• Information and links to courses

GETTING TO MY COURSES

• Technical Issues• ALWAYS say “Run” to the 1st Java• Say “No” to the 2nd Java (shown below; you may not

get this)• A white screen means you have Norton Internet

Security on your computer; turn it off

MY COURSES

• Known as “Blackboard” or “My Courses” or “WebCT” interchangeably

• Poke through all the links• When in doubt go to the Course Content or “home”

page

BLACKBOARD MENU

• Look for your syllabus first• Home page or in a Learning Module• The ‘green snowflakes’ means there

is new material

EMAIL

EMAIL – THE CRITICAL STEP!

EMAIL

• Select “All section instructors” OR search through the list

• Click SAVE

EMAIL

• Put in an subject that is descriptive• “Request for information on assignment 1”• “Question about quiz 2”• “Problems with references on research paper”

• Explain your question/request fully• Sign your message with your name (yes, it’s on the

message, it’s just polite!)

• Be patient in getting an answer back

BB- ASSIGNMENTS

• The Assignment tool may be how you submit homework/papers• Watch for file format requirements• “RTF” – in your word processing software, click on

File > Save As and look for “Rich Text Format” as an option

•

ASSIGNMENT TOOL

• Watch the date and time you are given• All times are local (Eastern Standard)• READ THE INSTRUCTIONS!

ASSIGNMENT TOOL

• Do you type in the text box or upload an attachment?• If you cannot upload an attachment, you missed the “Run” Java

command. Log out of Blackboard (don’t just close, LOG OUT) and then come back into your course; watch for the “Run” option.

DISCUSSIONS

• Discussions are where you interact with other members of the class

• Play nice!

DISCUSSIONS

• Read, reply, comment• Play nice!

LEARNING MODULE

• There can be lots of material here

• Read it ALL! Do not assume they are all the same

• There is usually critical course material found here

ASSESSMENTS

• This means Quiz and Test• Watch the dates and times available

• No link means it’s not available

• “View All Submissions” to look at old copies of your quiz

ASSESSMENTS

• Can be timed/untimed, one time only/multiple attempts

• All have deadlines

ASSESSMENTS

• Be sure to “Save Answer” for each question as you go along or “Save All” at the end

WHAT NEXT?

• If you don’t have the textbook, get it NOW!• Look for the syllabus• Make sure you can log into: Genesis, Outlook.com email

and network• If you need a publisher access code, get that now• Ask questions

TECHNICAL PROBLEMS

• They will happen! Look for info…• Read the blog: maryjane47.wordpress.com• Help desk online: hd.genesee.edu• “Like” us on Facebook:

• www.facebook.com/GeneseeCommunityCollege

• Follow us on Twitter:• Sunygcc (general info)

• Call the college and listen to the message• 1-585-343-0055 (mostly weather related)

HELP!

• Contact your instructor

• Contact Mary Jane• mjheider@genesee.edu

• Contact Judie• jmlittlejohn@genesee.edu

• Contact the Help Desk• helpdesk@genesee.edu• 1-866-614-5004 (toll free, 24x7)