Student Survival Guide - Welcome to the Support Center
Transcription
Student Survival Guide - Welcome to the Support Center
Student Survival Guide ©2010, FIDM/The Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising Last Updated: April 5, 2010 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 Table of Contents About eLearning ..................................................................................................... 5 eLearning Education Support Advisors ..................................................................... 5 Help & Support Options for eLearning Students ..................................................... 6 Online Resources .................................................................................................. 6 24 Hour Help Desk ................................................................................................ 6 FIDM eLearning Support......................................................................................... 6 Questions about a Course or Its Content .................................................................. 7 A Typical Week in eLearning .................................................................................. 8 Step 1: Log In .............................................................................................................. 8 Step 2: Read the Message of the Day & Recent Announcements ......................................... 8 Step 3: Review Your Course Syllabus .............................................................................. 8 Step 4: Begin Your Coursework ...................................................................................... 8 Step 5: Complete and Submit Homework ......................................................................... 8 Computer Setup & Access ...................................................................................... 9 Minimum Requirements ......................................................................................... 9 Minimum Computer Hardware Requirements .................................................................... 9 Computer Software Requirements ................................................................................... 9 Browser & Plug-In Requirements .................................................................................... 9 Adding FIDM as a Trusted Site .......................................................................................10 Configuring Pop-up Blockers ............................................... 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System Checks ................................................................................................... 12 Alternative Firewalls .....................................................................................................13 Corporate Firewalls ......................................................................................................13 Windows XP Firewall (for PCs) .......................................................................................13 Virus & Spyware Check .................................................................................................13 Browser Check ............................................................................................................14 Configure Your Email Account ............................................................................... 14 Monitor Display Settings ...................................................................................... 15 PC Users .....................................................................................................................15 Mac Users ...................................................................................................................16 Logging In ............................................................................................................ 18 Obtaining Your Login Information .......................................................................... 18 The Welcome Email ......................................................................................................18 My Workspace .................................................................................................... 20 Profile ........................................................................................................................20 Adding a Picture to Your Profile......................................................................................21 Message of the Day ......................................................................................................23 Calendar .....................................................................................................................24 Recent Announcements ................................................................................................25 Navigating in a Course ......................................................................................... 27 Accessing Your Courses........................................................................................ 27 Using Your Course Tools....................................................................................... 27 Home .........................................................................................................................27 Announcements ...........................................................................................................27 Syllabus......................................................................................................................27 Calendar .....................................................................................................................28 2 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 Modules ......................................................................................................................29 Lectures (in Modules) ...................................................................................................31 Assignments ...............................................................................................................34 Resources ...................................................................................................................35 Email..........................................................................................................................36 Chat Room ..................................................................................................................37 Course Members ..........................................................................................................39 Gradebook ..................................................................................................................39 Course Info .................................................................................................................40 Help ...........................................................................................................................40 Using Discussion Boards ...................................................................................... 41 Discussion Questions ........................................................................................... 41 Posting a New Thread .......................................................................................... 42 Replying to a Thread ........................................................................................... 43 Discussion Board Navigation ................................................................................. 44 Quizzes & Exams / Assessments .......................................................................... 46 Downloadable Quizzes and Exams ......................................................................... 46 Online Quizzes & Exams ....................................................................................... 46 Pre-Assessment Checklist ..................................................................................... 47 Starting the Assessment ...................................................................................... 48 Taking the Exam ................................................................................................. 50 Returning to an Incomplete Assessment ................................................................. 51 File Upload Questions .......................................................................................... 52 Reviewing Exam Scores ....................................................................................... 55 Limited Time ...................................................................................................... 57 Limited Access .................................................................................................... 57 Exam Deadlines .................................................................................................. 57 Exam Support ..................................................................................................... 57 Grade or Due Date Questions ............................................................................... 57 FIDM eLearning Policies ....................................................................................... 58 FIDM eLearning Attendance Policy ......................................................................... 58 eLearning Student Responsibilities ........................................................................ 58 eLearning Staff Responsibilities ............................................................................. 57 On-Campus Access to the eLearning Site ............................................................... 57 Responsibility of Electronic Communications ........................................................... 57 Student Records ................................................................................................. 57 Consumer Information ......................................................................................... 57 Directory Information .......................................................................................... 58 Student Conduct ................................................................................................. 58 Plagiarism & Cheating .......................................................................................... 58 Technical Difficulties ............................................................................................ 58 Solicitation / Distribution ...................................................................................... 59 Netiquette .......................................................................................................... 59 Daily Routines and Housekeeping ..................................................................................60 Writing Styles ..............................................................................................................60 Message Subjects ........................................................................................................60 3 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 Other People's Messages...............................................................................................61 Be 'Legal, Decent, Honest and Truthful' ..........................................................................61 4 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 About eLearning eLearning is a form of learning that doesn't exclusively take place in a classroom. With eLearning, the educational experience can take place anywhere, on campus and in your own home using a personal computer with an Internet connection. The full Merchandise Marketing Professional Designation is also available online. The FIDM eLearning System is the software that FIDM uses to post its courses online for eLearning students. The eLearning System location is: http://elearning.fidm.edu. On the eLearning System, students are able to receive assignments, take tests, learn with interactive exercises, work on group projects, communicate with instructors and classmates, view announcements from instructors and other important information and access our 24/7 eLearning technical support. The FIDM eLearning Program Office is physically located at the Los Angeles campus; however, students from any FIDM campus are permitted to take eLearning courses. eLearning Education Support Advisors Education staff are available to advise students on the eLearning program classes and to help you decide whether or not an online class meets your needs. Support advisors for eLearning education are available to help you with issues such as: • • • • • • Adding and dropping eLearning courses Grade Appeals Faculty and Class Concerns Registration Information Books and Supplies Is an online class right for you? Contact Information - eLearning Education Support Advisors Los Angeles Orange County San Diego Elena Rodríguez [email protected] 213-624-1200 x3042 Room 313 (8-12:00) Room 403 (1-5:00) Cheryl Ianello [email protected] 949-851-6200 x1735 Room 153 Katherine Slauta [email protected] 619-235-2049 x1835 Room 3230 San Francisco David Orris [email protected] 415-675-5200 x1534 Suite 600 Mayra V. Rubio [email protected] 949-851-6200 x1739 Education Dept., Room 152 5 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 Help & Support Options for eLearning Students Due to the nature of eLearning, technical problems may arise, and in such a case it is important to know who to contact for help. Please review the following support options to determine where to direct your problem. This will help it to be resolved in the most efficient manner. • • • • • FIDM eLearning System: http://eLearning.fidm.edu FIDM’s home page: http://www.fidm.edu FIDM eLearning 24 Hr. Support: https://supportcenter.embanet.com/fidm/ Tech support: 1-866-FIDM-HELP FIDM eLearning Staff: [email protected] Online Resources The most common problems that are encountered while using the FIDM eLearning System revolve around finding items or using certain features. • Visit the FIDM support pages at https://supportcenter.embanet.com/fidm/ to read support documentation and check your computer’s software configuration for eLearning. If you do this first, you may be able to solve the problem on your own. Once you have accessed the FIDM eLearning Program at https://elearning.fidm.edu, you can always return to the support pages by clicking the eLearning Gateway at https://elearning.fidm.edu/portal/site/!gateway llocated at the bottom of the screen. • Look for new announcements each time you login to elearning.fidm.edu. Announcements that apply to the entire eLearning system will be posted in the Message of the Day area, which can be seen both on the eLearning login screen and also in the My Workspace tab once you have logged in. Recent Announcements that are specific to a particular course can also be seen here. Additional announcements may be seen by accessing the Announcements tool within a course. These announcements often contain important information that may help you resolve an issue. • Resources tool in My Workspace functions as your personal storage space where backups of your course documents can be stored. 24 Hour Help Desk For all technical problems with logging in, configuring your computer, or major eLearning System errors, call 1-866-FIDM-HELP. This number is a help desk service that is available 24 hours and day, seven days a week. When you call, please indicate that you are a FIDM student, taking an online course, and need to speak to the support staff. You can also visit the support site at https://supportcenter.embanet.com/fidm to submit on online request. FIDM eLearning Support If you have an issue with course progress, quizzes or exams (i.e. anything that affects grades), the help desk service may defer the problem to the FIDM eLearning staff. To contact the FIDM eLearning staff directly, you can call (213) 624-1200 X4472, X4471, 6 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 X4473, X4476 or X4470. Or, you may send an email to [email protected]. FIDM eLearning staff is available Monday through Friday from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM Pacific Time. Note: Be sure to send email messages from the address you want the recipient to reply to! Questions about a Course or Its Content If you have a question or concern about the course or its content, then you must contact your instructor via the email address listed on the Course Syllabus. Please DO NOT contact your instructor regarding technical problems. 7 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 A Typical Week in eLearning Each week’s material is released early every Wednesday. You will usually have until the following Tuesday to complete your weekly assignments. This “Wednesday-Tuesday” timeframe does not mean that you should log on Tuesday evening and expect to complete all of your assignments before the deadline. Computer errors may occur, so you need to allow time for the unforeseen. Logging in each Wednesday will let you plan ahead of time what you need to do to complete your assignments and plan for longer-term assignments, such as course projects that require partners, or assignments that may span several weeks. Step 1: Log In Log in to the FIDM eLearning System at http://eLearning.fidm.edu. (For more information, see Logging In section of this manual). Step 2: Read the Message of the Day & Recent Announcements It is very important that you read your announcements every time you log in to the FIDM eLearning System, as there may be updates from your instructor as well as important system messages from FIDM. Step 3: Review Your Course Syllabus After clicking on a course, click the Syllabus link in the toolbar on the left. You should review the Course Syllabus each week, as revisions may be made by your instructor throughout the quarter. Step 4: Begin Your Coursework Click the Modules link in the toolbar on the left. Usually, it is a good idea to complete the activities in the order they are listed, as some activities are prerequisites for others (e.g. discussion questions are usually found within the lecture, so you will need to read the lecture before you can participate on the Discussion Board. Step 5: Complete and Submit Homework When you have completed the necessary reading and multimedia activities for the week, you will need to submit all required assignments. Usually instructors will want you to submit your homework via the Assignments tool. Important: Be sure to save backups of your work! It is important that content for homework assignments be composed in Notepad or a word processing program first and then saved as a copy to a local computer as a backup. Exceptions for "lost" content are left to the discretion of the instructor. You are expected to be proactive and protect your work. 8 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 Computer Setup & Access Minimum Requirements You will need Internet access from your OWN personal computer. Access from the FIDM computer labs, Idea Center, Library, or from your place of employment is prohibited. Prior to using the FIDM eLearning system, students should setup their home computers with the following minimum requirements. Your computer MUST have the following software and hardware setup in order to use the FIDM eLearning system. FIDM is not responsible for troubleshooting support if your computer does not meet these minimum requirements. If you take an eLearning course on an unsupported computer (like at Kinko’s or an Internet café), our technical help desk will be extremely limited in their capacity to help you, and FIDM cannot be liable for computer malfunctions or errors. Please ensure that your computer meets these minimum requirements. Minimum Computer Hardware Requirements • • • 256 MB RAM of Memory 5 MB free disk space 56.6 kbps modem connection speed (a high-speed connection is recommended) Computer Software Requirements • • • • • Microsoft Windows 98-Vista OR Macintosh OS X Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 - 7.0 OR Mozilla Firefox 2.x (Safari, Google Chrome, Netscape and AOL browsers are NOT supported). Microsoft Office Antivirus Software A VALID AND CURRENT email address Browser & Plug-In Requirements All of the following are FREE downloads. Browsers • Internet Explorer 7 (for Windows): http://www.microsoft.com/windows/internet-explorer/ie7/ • Please note that Internet Explorer 8 is not yet supported. • Mozilla Firefox (for Windows or Mac) http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/ • Please note that Safari, Google Chrome, Netscape and AOL browsers are NOT supported. 9 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 Plug-Ins • • • Adobe Acrobat Reader: http://get.adobe.com/reader Adobe Flash Player: http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/ Java Virtual Machine: http://www.java.com/en/ PC Plugins Microsoft Windows Media Player http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/download/AllDownloads.aspx?dis plang=en&qstechnology Microsoft Windows Update: http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ MAC Plugins QuickTime: http://www.apple.com/quicktime/player/ Flip4Mac Windows Media® Components for QuickTime: http://www.flip4mac.com/download.htm Configuring Pop-up Blockers If you click on a link and nothing happens, you may have a pop-up blocker turned on, which is preventing your browser from opening a link in a new window. You may need to configure your pop-up blocker to allow pop-ups from fidm.edu (see Adding FIDM as a trusted site below). Internet Explorer Pop-up Blocker When a pop-up is blocked by Internet Explorer, a yellow bar will be displayed at the top of the browser window. https://elearning.fidm.edu Figure 1 - Internet Explorer Pop-up Blocker 1. Click on the yellow bar to modify your pop-up blocker settings. 2. You may select the Always Allow Pop-ups from This Site… option to allow future pop-ups from the FIDM eLearning web site. Mozilla Firefox Pop-up Blocker 10 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 When a pop-up is blocked by Mozilla Firefox, a yellow bar will be displayed at the top of the browser window. https://elearning.fidm.edu Figure 2 - Mozilla Firefox Pop-up Blocker 1. Click on the Options button in the yellow bar to modify your pop-up blocker settings. 2. You may select the Allow pop-ups for elearning.fidm.edu option to allow future pop-ups from the FIDM eLearning web site. Third-Party Pop-up Blockers If you have any third-party toolbars installed as part of your web browser, you will need to make sure that their pop-up blockers are configured to allow pop-ups from fidm.edu. Some common third-party pop-up blockers include, but are not limited to those from Yahoo!, Google, MSN, and AOL. Please refer to your toolbar’s support documentation, as FIDM does not support these third-party items and recommends that you avoid using them in general. Figure 3 - Yahoo! Toolbar: http://help.yahoo.com/toolbar/ Figure 4 - Google Toolbar: http://www.google.com/support/toolbar/ Figure 5 - MSN Toolbar: http://toolbar.msn.com Figure 6 - AOL Toolbar: http://downloads.channel.aol.com/toolbar Adding FIDM as a Trusted Site Microsoft has placed increased security options in Windows that are designed to prevent dangerous content from being downloaded. The problem is that it blocks some good content as well. To ensure that Windows allows for the best experience in 11 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 using the FIDM eLearning system, you need add *.fidm.edu as trusted site to your popup blockers. Make the following adjustments to your computer before logging in for the first time. WINDOWS – Internet Explorer Users 1. Open the Internet Explorer web browser. 2. Select Tools > Internet Options. 3. Click the Security tab. 4. Click the Trusted sites Web content zone icon. 5. Click the Sites… button. 6. Type *.fidm.edu and click the Add button. (Be sure that the “Require server verification…” checkbox is NOT checked). 7. Click OK to close all dialog boxes. Figure 7 - Internet Explorer Trusted site Dialog box WINDOWS – Internet Explorer Version 8.0 1. Go to the Tools menu> Select Compatibility View Setting, The Compatibility View Settings window opens 2. Enter *.fidm.edu to the Add this website: field 3. Click the Add button 4. Click the Close button 3 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 Figure 8 Internet Explorer 8 Tools Menu Figure 9 - Internet Explorer 8 Compatibility View Settings WINDOWS – Firefox Users 10 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 1. Go to Tools > Options… > Content. Select the Content icon and be sure to check all items in this window. 2. Click the Exceptions… button in the Allowed Sites Dialog box 3. Enter *.fidm.edu in the Address of web site text field 4. Click the Allow button. You will see *.fidm.edu as been added to the allowed Sites list. Figure 10 - Windows Firefox Trusted site Dialog box MACINTOSH – Firefox Users 1. Go to Firefox > Preferences > Content. Select the Content icon and be sure to check all items in this window. 11 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 Figure 11 - MAC Trusted Sites Dialog Box 2. Select the Exceptions… button in the Allowed Sites dialog box 3. Enter *.fidm.edu in the Address of web site: text field 4. Select the Allow button. You will see *.fidm.edu as been added to the allowed Sites list. Clearing Cache Web browsers are designed to automatically save a copy of the site in what is commonly known as "cache". Clearing cache will free up disk space and ensure that the site you are viewing is up to date. In addition, if you encounter a 401 error, clear your cache and try logging in again. WINDOWS: Clearing Cache on Firefox 3 1. 2. 3. 4. Go to Tools > Options.. >. Privacy icon. In the Private Data section, click the Clear Now… button. Ensure that Cache is checked, then click Clear Private Data Now. Click the OK button to return to browsing. WINDOWS: Clearing Cache on Internet Explorer 7 12 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. From the Tools > Internet Options > General tab. Under Browsing history, click the Delete.... button Next to Temporary Internet Files, click Delete files.... button to clear the cache Click Close button. Click OK button. MACINTOSH: Clearing Cache on Firefox 3 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Click the Firefox > Preferences… > Advance icon click the Network tab. Click Clear Now… button under the Cache section. Ensure that Cache is checked, then click Clear Private Data Now. Close the Advanced window. Exit and re-launch the browser System Checks Alternative Firewalls If you use an alternative firewall from companies such as Symantec, MacAfee, or Zone Alarm, you may need to configure it to allow full access to *.fidm.edu. In addition, if your computer is connected through a wireless router, e.g. in a home network, there may be a hardware firewall enabled. Be sure it is configured to allow full access to *.fidm.edu. Please refer to the user documentation for your software or hardware for instructions on how to do so, as FIDM cannot support all such applications. Corporate Firewalls If you are attempting to access your eLearning course from work, the company may have a firewall enabled that prevents access to FIDM eLearning. You will most likely not have administrative access to reconfigure this firewall. Therefore, it is necessary to access your eLearning course from your home computer. Windows XP Firewall (for PCs) Some versions of Windows XP include a built-in firewall. If you are having problems connecting to the FIDM eLearning system after successful completion of the previous configuration steps, you may be asked to turn off the Windows XP Firewall as a secondary troubleshooting measure. The Windows Firewall may be accessed through Start > Control Panel > Window Firewall. Virus & Spyware Check While you are using the FIDM eLearning system, you have a responsibility to make sure that your machine is virus and spyware free. Not only does this affect your online experience, but sharing projects or data with other students can cause a hidden virus or mal-ware to spread through an entire class. Make sure you have antivirus AND anti-spyware software installed, and USE IT WEEKLY to scan your machines. AntiVirus Tools • • • • AVG Antivirus & Security Software (free!): http://free.avg.com/ Avast Antivirus Protection (free!): http://www.avast.com/eng/avast_4_home.html Norton (Symantec) Antivirus: http://www.symantec.com/norton McAfee Antivirus: http://www.mcafee.com 13 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 Free Anti-spyware Tools • • Ad-Aware: The Original Anti-Spyware Company, Lavasoft: http://www.lavasoft.com/ Spybot - Search & Destroy: http://www.safer-networking.org/en/spybotsd Browser Check To be sure your computer meets all of the Browser Plug-in Requirements listed in the previous section you should perform a Browser Check at https://supportcenter.embanet.com/FIDM/browser.asp. Configure Your Email Account If you use a web-based email account, you will need to configure it to allow messages from [email protected]. Otherwise, you may miss out on important information regarding your eLearning courses. Following are instructions for adding email addresses to some popular web-based email clients. Please consult your email client’s help documentation for more specific instructions. AOL WebMail 1. 2. 3. 4. Click Addresses. Click New Contact. Add [email protected]. Save your changes. Gmail 1. Click Contacts. button to create a new contact 2. Click the 3. Add [email protected] to the email text box.. 4. Click the Save button to save your changes. Hotmail 1. 2. 3. 4. Click Contact list Click New to create a new contact. Add [email protected] to the Personal E-mail text box. Click the Save link to save your changes. Yahoo! Mail 1. Click Contacts button to create a new contact 2. Click Add Contact. 3. Add [email protected] into the Email address text box 4. Click the Save button to save your changes. Repeat these steps for other important FIDM addresses, such as your instructors’ email addresses, course inbox email addresses, etc. You may also want to setup a filter that will allow all messages from fidm.edu email addresses to land in your Inbox. You will need to consult your webmail documentation for more information on setting up filters. 14 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 Monitor Display Settings The minimum screen resolution for the FIDM eLearning system is 1024 X 768. This will allow best view all course material. Changing your monitor display settings is not required, but it may make it easier for you to use the FIDM eLearning system. Following are instructions for configuring your monitor settings. (Shortcut: Right click on your desktop > Properties > Settings > then adjust your screen resolution.) Figure 12 – Windows Start Menu WINDOWS Users 1. Select Start > Settings > Control Panel 2. Double-click the Display icon. (If you do not see it, click the link to Switch to Classic View). Figure 13 - Windows Control Panel 3. Click the Settings tab, and in the Screen resolution section move the slider to 1024 X 768. Then, click OK button. 15 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 Figure 14 - Display Properties Dialog Box. 4. If a window pops-up asking if you want to keep your settings change, click the Yes button. You may repeat these steps to change your screen resolution back to your preferred setting. Macintosh Users 1. From the Apple menu, select System Preferences... Figure 15 - The Apple menu. 2. Under the Hardware menu, double-click the Displays icon. 16 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 Figure 16 - System Preferences Dialog Box on a MAC 3. Select 1024x768 from the Resolutions list. Then close the dialog box. Figure 17 - Monitor Display Dialog Box on a MAC Note: By default, Mac monitors will be set to higher resolutions. Just make sure yours is set to a minimum of 1024 x 768. 17 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 Logging In Obtaining Your Login Information The Welcome Email About a week before the first day of the quarter, you should receive a Welcome Email from [email protected]. This message will contain instructions for accessing the eLearning System, as well as your User ID and Password. Your default password for your FIDM eLearning account is your student ID. If you do not know this number, you can find it when you login to the FIDM Portal at http://myfidm.fidm.edu. If you have trouble logging into the portal, use the links for help with username, password, and signing in. If you have not received a Welcome Email by the time class starts, please check the following: 1. Are you checking the correct email account? The email address that you provided at the time of first enrollment is the one to which your Welcome Email will be sent. If this address is no longer valid, please contact [email protected] and request to have it changed. 2. Did you check your Bulk/Junk folder? Some web-based email clients will filter mail from unrecognized senders into the junk folder. Be sure to configure your email account to allow mail from [email protected]. (See the Configure Email Account section of this manual for instructions.) Figure 18 - Login Screen for the MyFIDM Portal If you still are unable to find your Welcome Email, then send a message from your current email address to [email protected] IMMEDIATELY! 1. Go to https://eLearning.fidm.edu 18 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 2. Before logging in, read the Student Rights and Responsibilities Statement located in the tool menu on the left side of the screen. Note that by participating in an online class, you are agreeing to these rules and policies. Figure 19 - Student Rights & Responsibilities Statement 3. Enter your User ID in the user id: text field (consult your Welcome Email for this information. Usually it is your first initial and last name, i.e. John Doe = jdoe). 4. Enter your student ID (without the dashes) in the password: text field. Figure 20 - Sections in the eLearning System 19 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 My Workspace My Workspace is the first page you will see after logging into the eLearning system. This is your personal Workspace. Figure 21 - My Workspace View Profile You can use the Profile tool to introduce yourself to your online instructors and classmates. Your profile will be accessible to others from the Course Members tool within your courses, so you can control how much information you want to share about yourself. 1. Select the Profile link in the toolbar on the left. Click the Edit my profile link. Figure 22 - Profile View in My Workspace 2. Fill out your Public Information. Note that First and Last name are required. 3. If desired, fill out your Personal Information. 4. You can choose to hide your entire profile or just your personal information. Note that anything you choose to hide will not be visible to other course members. 5. Click the Save button at the bottom of the screen. 20 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 Adding a Picture to Your Profile To add your own picture to your profile, you will need to link to a Picture URL. (Note that pictures sized 75 x 75 pixels will display best). • You can link to a picture that is already available somewhere on the internet. For example: http://lookup.avatars.yahoo.com/ewimages?enc=ZOUubnpFScEXY1B4MTL9ROPV9qU IOg--&size=large&type=png • Or you can upload a picture to your Resources folder and use that URL. 1. Click the Resources link in the toolbar on the left. 2. Next to the My Workspace folder, click the Add drop-down menu and select the Upload Files link. Figure 23 - Resources in My Workspace 3. Click the Browse button to locate a file to upload from your computer. 4. If desired, give the file a Display Name. 5. Click the Upload Files Now button, to upload the file. 21 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 Figure 24 – “Upload Files” View in My Workspace Resources 6. Click the link to display the image of the recently added file in a new browser window. Figure 25 - A Recently Added File 7. Copy (Ctrl + C [PC]; Command + C [Mac]) the URL from the browser address bar. Figure 26 - A URL for a Picture File 8. Return to My Workspace, and click the Profile link in the toolbar on the left. 9. Click the Edit my Profile link and scroll down to the Picture section. 10. Select the Use Picture URL radio button. 22 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 11. Paste (Ctrl + V [PC]; Command + V [Mac]) the URL into the space below. Figure 27 - Picture URL pasted into the Personal Information Screen 12. Click the Save button to save your changes. Your picture will now be displayed as part of your Profile. Figure 28 - A Completed Student Profile with Image Message of the Day The Message of the Day is where you will find important system announcements, such as notices for scheduled maintenance. You should read these messages each time you login, as they will be updated regularly to notify users of important system events. 23 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 Figure 29 - Message of the Day Calendar The Calendar in the My Workspace tab includes events for all of the courses in which you are enrolled. A date highlighted in blue indicates that there are one or more events associated with that date. Clicking on the hyperlink date will display those events. Figure 30 - Calendar 24 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 Recent Announcements Recent Announcements for the courses in which you are enrolled will be displayed in this area. Figure 31 - Recent Announcements • • • You can specify how many announcements you would like to display by using the show (quantity) items drop-down menu. You can sort the announcements by using the Subject, From and Site headers. You can view the message of an announcement by clicking on the hyperlink. Figure 32 - Announcement View • Click the Return to List button to view all Recent Announcements. Resources Resources can functions as your Personal storage space where backups of your course work and documents can be stored 25 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 Upload Files 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Click Upload Files to add a file to your course page. Click Browse button to locate the file. Select the file you want to upload and click Open button. In the Display Name field, enter the name of your file. If you would like to upload more files, click Add Another File. Click Upload Files Now button. Note: a maximum of 1000MB may be uploaded at one time. Larger files may need to be uploaded one at a time. 26 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 Navigating in a Course Accessing Your Courses All courses that you are enrolled in will be displayed in the tabs on the header bar. Only five tabs can be displayed at once (My Workspace plus four courses). If you are enrolled in more than four courses, your other courses will be accessible via the “My Active Sites“ pop-up menu on the right side of the header bar. You may access a course by clicking on the header bar link or selecting it from the pop-up menu. Figure 33 – The “My Active Sites” Pop-up Menu Using Your Course Tools You will navigate your course by using the toolbar on the left side of the screen. Home The first page displayed upon accessing a course is the Home page. This page contains information specific to the course you are in, including a course description, recent course announcements, recent chat messages, and a course calendar. You can return to this page at any time by clicking the Home link in the toolbar on the left. Figure 34 - Course Tools in the Left Navigation Menu Announcements Click the Announcements link to view all announcements for the course you are in. 27 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 Figure 35 - All Announcements View • • • • You can specify how many announcements you would like to display by using the show (quantity) items drop-down menu. You can sort the announcements by using the header hyperlinks. You can view the message of an announcement by clicking on the hyperlink. Click the Return to List button to see all announcements for the course. Figure 36 - A Single Announcement Syllabus The Course Syllabus is prepared by your instructor. It outlines the weekly topics of the course, as well as important due dates that you should be aware of. It also includes important class policies. You must review the Course Syllabus each week, as revisions may be made by your instructor throughout the quarter. You can print your Syllabus by clicking the printer icon screen, then clicking the Send to Printer link. in the upper left corner of the 27 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 Figure 37 - Print Buttons for the Syllabus Calendar The course Calendar includes events only for the course that you are in. • You can use the View drop-down menu to display the calendar by Day, Week, Month, Year, or specify a date range for a List of Events. Figure 38 - Monthly Calendar View • Clicking on an event link will display the details for that event. 28 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 Figure 39 - Calendar Event Details View • Use the provided buttons to navigate the course Calendar. Modules Modules is where you will find the bulk of your course content, including lectures, handouts, quizzes and exams, and instructions for completing your weekly activities. Modules will become available each Wednesday of the corresponding week and remain available until the end of the quarter. You will see the Start and End Dates for each Module. Modules that are currently available will be displayed as clickable hyperlinks. If you try to access an activity before its Start Date or after its End Date, it will not be clickable. Figure 40 - Modules View 29 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 • • • Click on a link for more information on completing an activity. Use the Prev and Next links to move back and forth between activities. Use the Table of Contents link to return to the Module outline view. If this link is not available, click the reset icon to return to the Module outline view. Figure 41 - Module Navigation Links Authentication Required message When you access this content, you may see a dialog box that says Authentication Required or asks you to Connect to elearning.fidm.edu, you should use the same login information that was provided in your Welcome Email. Always check the box to remember your password, or you may have trouble accessing content later. You should only have to do this once per login session. Figure 42 - Internet Explorer Authentication 30 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 Figure 43 - FireFox Authentication Lectures (in Modules) Lectures contain reading material provided by your instructor. At the top of the lecture pages is a navigation bar that will allow you to move through the pages of the lecture. You may use the arrows to move back and forth through the lecture. When you click on a Lecture activity, you will typically see a Module Overview page that details the activities for the current week. After reviewing the overview page, click the link to access the lecture. Figure 44 - "Access Your Lecture" Link 31 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 Figure 45 - Lecture Navigation Arrows Note: Assignments and discussion questions may also be included within the lecture pages, so be sure to read them very carefully! Common Lecture Icons Look out for icons within the lecture material that indicate something else you must do, such as: Icon Description A reference to a slideshow in your module. A reference to a discussion topic in your module A reference to a video in your module. A reference to a document, such as a PDF or Word document. A cue to upload or submit a file through the eLearning System. A cue to download a file from the eLearning System. A reference to a hyperlink that you must visit. 32 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 Multimedia (Slideshows & Videos) Slideshows and videos are usually listed a separate activities in the module folder. It is a good idea to review multimedia clips when your instructor mentions them since the lecture material may reference them. Note: Be sure you have the Windows Media Player (PC) or QuickTime & Flip4Mac WMV Video (Mac) plug-ins installed so you can view the videos without a problem. Downloads You may also be required to download files as part of your weekly coursework. When you click on downloadable activities, you will see a page similar to the following: Figure 46 - Download File Dialog Box in FireFox 1. When prompted, choose to save the file to your computer. 2. If instructed, complete the file and submit it via the Assignments tool. Note: If you click on an activity and nothing happens, look for a yellow bar at the top of your browser. Clicking on this bar will give you options for downloading content from the web. 33 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 Assignments The Assignments tool is what you will use to submit your homework. Once an assignment has been grade, you can also located the Comments and grade in the Assignment tool Submitting an Assignment 1. Click the Assignment link in the toolbar on the left. 2. Click on an assignment with the status of Not Started that you wish to submit. Figure 47 - Assignment List 3. Assignments can be submitted as plain text or attachments. (Most courses require attachments). Fill in the Assignment Text box or click the button to Add Attachments. 4. To attach a file that you have saved on your computer, click the Browse button next to Upload local file. 5. Select a file to upload. (You may repeat steps 1 and 2 if you need to attach more than one file). 6. Click the Continue button. 7. Scroll to the bottom of the screen and click the Submit button. You MUST click Submit to turn in your assignment! Once the assignment was submitted you will also received an email confirmation. Make sure to keep a copy of the confirmation. Figure 48 - Add Attachments 8. If you click on the assignment in the Assignment List, its status will now be Submitted. Resubmitting an Assignment In some cases, an instructor may ask you to resubmit an assignment. These assignments will be displayed in the Assignment List with a status of Returned. 34 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 1. Click the Assignment link in the toolbar on the left. 2. Click on an assignment with the status of Returned that you wish to resubmit. Figure 49 - Assignment List 3. Make the appropriate changes to your assignment: add or remove attachments or include a note to your instructor. Figure 50 - Text Editor in Assignments 4. Click the Resubmit button to resend the assignment. 5. The status will now be Re-submitted. 3 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 Late Assignments If you submit an assignment after the indicated due date, it will be tagged as Late. Depending upon your instructor’s policies, you may not receive credit for late assignments. Note: If your instructor asked you to re-submit an assignment, and you post your resubmission after the due date, the assignment will be tagged as late. Your instructor should know, however, that the original assignment was received on time. Your grade should not be affected. Resources If an instructor wants to give you access to a file that is not available elsewhere in your course, he/she may place it in the course Resources folder. If an instructor indicates that you need to access a file from Resources, do the following: 1. Click the Resources link in the toolbar on the left. 2. A list of the course Resources will be displayed. Locate the file you wish to download. If you do not see it right away, it may be inside a folder. A folder icon with indicates that there are more files inside. Click the folder to open it a plus sign and display the files inside. 3. Click on a file link to download the file to your computer. Figure 51 - Resources View 4. When prompted, choose to Save File option to save the file. 35 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 Figure 52 - Save File Email Email allows you to send messages to your classmates and instructors within a course. This tool will primarily be used for private communication between you and your classmates and/or instructors. While you can compose and send messages using this tool, you will need to check your own email inbox (Yahoo, Hotmail, Gmail, AOL, etc.) to receive incoming messages. To compose a new message: 1. Select who you want to send the message to by checking the appropriate boxes. You can choose All Students, All Instructors, or you can select individual names. 2. The Subject line will contain the course code by default. You should also include the subject of your email (e.g. Homework #1). If necessary, click the link to Attach a file. (Note: Most assignments will be submitted via the Assignments tool). 3. Compose your message in the space provided. Figure 53 - Mail Tool 4. Always check the box to Send me a copy, so you will have a record of your sent messages. 5. Click the Send Mail button to send your message. 36 Figure 54 - Send Me a Copy Note: All messages will be sent from the email address you provided at the beginning of the quarter, so this is where replies to your email will be sent. Changing Your Email Address It is not advisable to change your email address once the quarter has started. This can cause confusion when communicating with your instructors and classmates. If you have changed your email address on the FIDM Portal since your first enrollment at FIDM, you need to contact [email protected] so it can also be changed in the eLearning system. Selecting an Email Address When choosing an email address for eLearning, please select one that is appropriate for communication with your instructors and classmates. A good rule of thumb is to not use anything that your instructor may be embarrassed to read aloud, or that you would not put on a professional resume. FIDM reserves the right to ask you to change a potentially offensive email address for eLearning purposes. Please see the section on Netiquette for additional eLearning communication policies. Chat Room The Chat Room is a real-time communication tool that you can use to correspond with your instructors and classmates. 1. Click the Chat Room link in the toolbar on the left. 2. You can see who is available for chat by referring to the Users in Chat section in the upper right corner of the Chat Room screen. If you are not in the chat room, you can ©2010, FIDM/The Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising Last Updated: April 5, 2010 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 see who is there by looking for the blue icon next to a name in the Users Present box. Figure 55 - Users in Chat Figure 56 - Users Present 3. To begin chatting, simply type your message in the space provided, and click the Add Message button. Figure 57 - Chat Window View 4. All chat messages are displayed above. You can sort them by using the View dropdown menus. Figure 58 - Chat Room View 38 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 Note: All chat messages are archived and can be read by other students and instructors in your course. This is NOT a private messenger, so keep your chats professional and relevant to the course. Course Members Course Members is a list of your instructors and classmates. • You can view someone’s profile by clicking on their name. • You can see all Course Members’ pictures at once by clicking the Show Pictures link. Figure 59 - Site Roster Gradebook The Gradebook is where you will find grades for assignments that you have completed. • • • • • If your instructor has entered a grade for an assignment, it will be displayed in the Score column. If not score has been entered, a dash (-) will be displayed in the Score column. You can use the headers in the gray bar to sort your Gradebook entries. You and your instructor are the only ones who will see your grades. Your grades are not visible to your classmates. If your instructor included comments for an Discussion Board in the Gradebook, a icon will be displayed. You can click the icon to read the comments. 39 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 Figure 60 – Gradebook view Course Info Course Info is a general overview of your course. Help You can always access the Help tool for information on using the FIDM eLearning system. For more information on eLearning Help and Support, see Help and Support Options for eLearning Students at the beginning of this document. 40 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 Using Discussion Boards Throughout the quarter, you will regularly access course discussion boards to participate in class discussions about weekly topics. You will be able to read messages from your instructors and classmates and post your own messages on the discussion board. Discussion Questions Discussion questions are usually included in the lecture, but you must go to the Discussion Board to answer them. These are important activities as many instructors count discussion questions as participation points. 1. Click the Discussion Board link in the tool bar on the left. 2. You will see one or more Forums with various topics. (Forums are displayed with a white background. Topics are displayed with a beige background). Forum Topic Figure 61 - Discussion Board 3. Click on a Topic link to respond to a discussion question. Note: You cannot respond to a Forum, so make sure you access the Topic to respond. Sometimes the discussion question itself is displayed on the forum. This varies from course to course depending on how your instructor uses the FIDM eLearning System. If this is the case, you will see a link that says “Read Full Description.” Click on this link to show the discussion question. 41 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 Figure 62 - Question as displayed on Discussion Board Posting a New Thread 1. To create a new thread with a Topic, click the Post New Thread link in the upper left corner of the screen. Figure 63 - Post New Thread Link 2. Enter a Title for your response. (This is required). 3. Enter your Message in the area provided and format as desired. 4. Add Attachments if desired. 42 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 Figure 64 - Discussion Board Message Editor 5. Click the Post Message button to post your response. Important: Be sure to save backups of your work! It is important that content for discussion replies be composed in Notepad or a word processing program first and then saved as a copy to a local computer as a backup. Exceptions for "lost" content are left to the discretion of the instructor. You are expected to be proactive and protect your work. Replying to a Thread 1. If a classmate has already posted a thread, you may reply to his/her posting. Click on a thread link. Figure 65 - A Thread Link 2. Click the Reply link. 43 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 Figure 66 - Reply Link 3. If desired, enter a new Reply Title. 4. Enter your Message in the area provided and format as desired. (If you wish, you may click the Insert Original Text button to view the message you are replying to). 5. Add Attachments if desired. 6. Click the Post Message to post your reply. Discussion Board Navigation • You can see how many messages have been posted to a topic by looking at text in parentheses next to a topic link. Figure 67 - Message Status • If you have not read a posting, it will be denoted by a closed envelope icon. Figure 68 - Closed Envelope Icon • You can expand the thread by clicking the Display Entire Message link. This will allow you to see the full text of the postings rather than just the subject lines. Figure 69 - Display Entire Message • You can use the navigation links at the top of the screen to move to a particular place within the Discussion Board. Figure 70 - Discussion Board Navigation Links 44 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 Editing your Threads From time to time you may need to edit your Discussion Board responses due to typographical errors or minor changes in content. To edit your threads, do the following: 1. Locate your Discussion Board response thread. 2. Select the Other Actions link to reveal the Edit link. Figure 71 - Other Actions link and Edit link in a Discussion Thread 3. Select the Edit link to edit your thread. How to copy and paste text from Microsoft Word 1. Compose your discussion posting in Microsoft Word. 2. Select All of the text that you typed. --Mac users press [ Apple + A ] -- PC users press [ Ctrl+ A ] 3. Copy the text. -- Mac users press [ Apple + C ] -- PC users press [ Ctrl+ C] 4. Log into the eLearning system & select your course tab 5. Go to the Discussion Board tool 6. Select a Discussion Board Topic - the editor appear 7. Locate the Paste as plain text button. The Paste as plain text window will open. Note: DO NOT USE THE PASTE FROM WORD BUTTON. Figure 72 - Paste as plain text button 8. Place your mouse inside the editor and Paste your text. -- Mac users press [ Apple + V ] -- PC users press [ Ctrl+ V ] 45 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 Quizzes & Exams / Assessments Downloadable Quizzes and Exams For some courses, quizzes and exams are downloadable files. Follow the instructions to save the file to your computer. Then complete and follow the instructions for submitting the file. • You may be asked to submit the file via the Assignments tool. Important: Be sure to save backups of your work! It is important that content for downloadable quizzes and exams be composed in Notepad or a word processing program first and then saved as a copy to a local computer as a backup. Exceptions for "lost" content are left to the discretion of the instructor. You are expected to be proactive and protect your work. Figure 73 - Download Assessment View • Or, you may be asked to submit the file using a file upload feature. Figure 74 - Upload Assessment View Online Quizzes & Exams For most courses, you will take your eLearning assessments interactively online. 46 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 Before taking an online assessment in the FIDM eLearning System, make sure you are aware of your instructor’s policies for taking and grading assessments. When you click on an online assessment activity, you will see a page similar to the following, which outlines everything you need to do prior to taking the assessment. Figure 75 - Assessment Notice Pre-Assessment Checklist You should have completed most of these items prior to beginning your eLearning courses (see Computer Access & Setup > Microsoft Windows Configuration). However, you should check through this list prior to taking any eLearning assessment to make sure your computer is properly configured. This will save you a lot of time, and reduce the possibility of technical difficulties and subsequent panic. Use Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher or Mozilla Firefox as your browser. Do NOT use Safari, Netscape or Google Chrome. You will run into problems when submitting your answers. We highly recommend, when taking exams, that you plug in your computer directly onto the modem or router. A wireless connection can be unreliable. Your connection could drop and could cause data loss. 47 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 Make sure that you have all pop-up blockers disabled (including those from IE, Yahoo, Google, etc.) Close ALL other programs before opening the exam (including instant messengers such as Yahoo!, MSN, AOL, etc). Starting the Assessment 1. When you are ready, scroll to the bottom of the page and click the link that says “BEGIN YOUR EXAM.” Figure 76 - "Begin Your Exam" Link 4. A new window will open with a login screen. You will be required to enter a name and password which are the same as the ones you use to login to the FIDM eLearning system. 48 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 Figure 77 - Assessment Login Window A list of assessments that are available to you will be displayed. Click the link for the assessment which you would like to take. Figure 78 - List of Assessments View 49 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 Taking the Exam 1. The exam will be launched, and the questions will be displayed one at a time. The timer at the bottom will show you how much time you have remaining to complete the exam. (Note that not all exams have time limits). Figure 79 - Sample Exam Questions 2. Answer each question, and click the Next button to proceed. You may use the Previous button to move back, or click the Save button to save your answer before proceeding to next question. You may click on a number to move to a specific question. Do NOT use the Back and Forward arrows at the top of your browser, as this will interfere with your assessment progress. 3. If for some reason you unexpectedly get shut out of the system while taking the exam, your answers should be saved, and you should be able to re-launch the exam and pick up where you left off. (See Returning to an Incomplete Assessment for more information). If this is not the case, you will need to contact [email protected] to request a reset. 4. When you reach the last question, you will see a Finish or Submit button in the lower right corner of the screen. If you are ready to submit your answers, click Finish or Submit. Otherwise, if you have time remaining, you may go back to check or change any of your answers. You may not change your answers after you have clicked Finish or Submit. 50 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 Figure 80 - Finish Exam Button 5. Your score will be displayed along with a message confirming that you have completed the assessment. If you would like to review your answers, click the Next button. This will show you which questions you answered correctly, and which questions you answered incorrectly. When you are done reviewing your answers, click the Exit button. Figure 81 - Assessment Completion Confirmation Note: Your exam may include questions that are not graded by the system, like essay or short answer questions. Your instructor will review the exam scores and adjust for nongraded questions before a final grade is given. Your final, official grade for all assessments will come from your instructor. Returning to an Incomplete Assessment You should make every effort to complete an assessment in one sitting without closing the browser window until you have submitted your answers. However, it is understood that technical difficulties may occur. For instance, your computer shuts down when you were taking your exam. You may still log in to complete you exam. If for some reason you are not able to finish an assessment in a single sitting please follow these 51 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 steps:When logging into the assessment system, click the checkbox to Show list of any unfinished assessments. Figure 82 - Assessment Login Window 1. Only the available assessments that you started, but did not finish will be displayed. Figure 83 - List of Available Assessments 2. Click on the assessment you wish to take, and proceed until it is complete. Note: The “Save As You Go” feature periodically saves your work automatically. Only the answers that were completed prior to the last automatic save will have been saved. You may have to re-answer some questions. Please use the Next and Previous buttons to ensure that you have completed all answers before clicking Submit or Finish. File Upload Questions Some exam questions may require you to upload a file as your answer. These question types will be denoted by instructions telling you what kind of file to upload, as well as Browse field that lets you select a file that has been saved on your computer. 52 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 Figure 84 – Browse for File in Question View 1. After following the instructions to answer the question and saving the specified file to your computer, click the Browse button to locate the file. Note: Pay close attention to the acceptable file types that you may submit! This may vary for different courses and questions. A File Upload Form will open in a new window. Figure 85 - File Upload View Note: If this window does not open, please check to make sure you have all pop-up blockers disabled. 53 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 2. Click the Browse button to locate the file on your computer. The path and name of the file will appear in the space provided. Note: Be sure to select the correct file here, because after you click Submit you will not be able to change the file. Click the Cancel button if you need to make a change to your file upload. 3. Click Submit to upload the file. 4. If the upload is successful you will receive a confirmation message. Click the Close button to save the details of the upload and exit the File Upload Form. Figure 86 - Uploaded Filename in File Upload View 5. The name of the file you uploaded will be displayed in the field below the question. 54 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 Figure 87 - Uploaded Filename in Question View 6. Click the Finish button to submit your file as your answer. Reviewing Exam Scores 1. When you log in to the FIDM eLearning assessment system, along with your list of available assessments, you will find a link to See reports on past assessments. Click this link to review your scores for completed assessments. Figure 88 - See Reports on Past Assessments 2. Select a date range for the assessment scores you would like to see. Then click the See list of results button. 55 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 Figure 89 - See List of Results 3. A list of results will be displayed. You may click the Coaching Report icon next to any assessment to see detailed results, including the answers you selected for each question. Figure 90 - Coaching Report icon 56 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 Limited Time Many assessments have a time limit. If you are taking an exam with a time limit, you will see the Time Remaining at the bottom of the screen. The timer will count down as you take the assessment. If you are unable to answer all questions in the time allotted, you will only receive credit for the questions that were answered correctly within the time limit. Limited Access Most assessments are limited to one access only. This means that you are only allowed to take the exam once. Exam Deadlines Many assessments are available for a limited amount of days. The dates of availability will coincide with the weekly modules and quiz or exam due dates. If you attempt to access an assessment before or after the dates it is available, it will not appear in the list of exams that are available to you. Exam Support Technical Difficulties If you experience any technical difficulties while taking an exam, you must contact the eLearning staff immediately. They may be reached at [email protected] or (213) 624-1200 X4472, X4471, X4473, X4476 or X4470 between the hours of 7:00 AM and 6:00 PM, Monday thru Friday. Your inquiry will be answered as soon as possible. It is your responsibility to alert the eLearning Administrator of problems, as they will not know you are experiencing difficulties if you do not tell them. In addition, if you have contacted support and are expecting a reply, it is important that you check your email frequently. Do NOT request help and check for a reply two or three days later. Some support issues, such as exam resets and deadline extensions are time-sensitive, and if you are not regularly checking your email, you may miss your opportunity to complete the exam within the time period authorized by your instructor. Grade or Due Date Questions If you have any questions regarding your grade or the due date of an exam, you must contact your instructor. If special circumstances arise that require a deadline extension or an exam reset, your instructor must authorize such actions. If authorization is received, you will receive an email from the eLearning Administrator with the details of the reset or deadline extension. It is your responsibility to follow through when such exceptions are granted. 57 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 FIDM eLearning Policies For a comprehensive overview of the FIDM eLearning Guidelines, go to https://elearning.fidm.edu, and before logging in, click the eLearning Policies link in the toolbar on the left. (If you are already logged in, click the eLearning Gateway link at the bottom of the screen. Then locate the eLearning Policies link.) Figure 91 - Left Navigation in eLearning System (before logging in) FIDM eLearning Attendance Policy To be successful in the FIDM eLearning program, you will need to be able to conduct yourself in a self-paced learning environment. While the prospect of learning in the comfort of your own home and at your own pace is certainly attractive, the responsibility is on you to maintain participation in your course. You must check the announcements, discussion board AND your email often for communication from your instructor or classmates. There are due dates for assignments and exams, just as in on-campus courses, and you are expected to adhere to these deadlines. eLearning Student Responsibilities • • • • • • Logging in AT LEAST EVERY OTHER DAY from your OWN personal computer. Access from FIDM computer labs, Idea Center, Library, or from a place of employment is prohibited. Participation in the FIDM eLearning program requires that the students be able to interact with the course in a distraction-free environment. Checking your email regularly, particularly if you are expecting a reply from an instructor, classmate, or support staff. Demonstrating appropriate time management skills, including but not limited to submitting assignments by the requested date and time, completing exams by the requested date and time, and completing exams or quizzes. Staying on track with your course in accordance with your instructor's guidelines and submitting assignments by the requested due date. Completing exams or quizzes within the allotted timeframe and deadline. While you are permitted to access the reading material at any time, you must complete most assessments (exams and quizzes) in one sitting. There is often only one chance to take the assessment, so you should allow yourself ample time to complete the assessment. Ensuring that your personal computer meets the minimum hardware and software requirements as outlined by the FIDM eLearning Program. 58 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 eLearning Staff Responsibilities • • • • • Monitoring access to assist instructors in determining participation scores for your online classes. Keeping reports on all accesses to the eLearning program. Keeping reports on all activity within the eLearning program, including but not limited to, discussion comments, activity progress, login times and dates, and assessment scores. Actively communicating any policy changes and planned system outages to you through announcements, email or discussion postings within your course. Questions about the attendance policy should be addressed to your instructor. Please refer to your Course Syllabus for further information. On-Campus Access to the eLearning Site Please be advised that eLearning students are NOT permitted to access their eLearning courses from on-campus computers. This includes computers at the Idea Center, student computer labs, and the Library at all campuses. These resources are meant to assist oncampus students with on-campus research and studies. The benefit and purpose of the eLearning program is to enable students to study using their own computer on their own time. Please afford your fellow students the opportunity to conduct their on-campus studies using FIDM technology resources. Responsibility of Electronic Communications Please remember to use common sense and professionalism when communicating with your instructor and classmates electronically. The immediacy of email and chat communications necessitate thought and planning, especially when submitting assignments to your instructor. Any content sent to FIDM instructors and staff via electronic means is subject to the rules of student conduct as put forth by FIDM in the academic handbook. Student Records All FIDM student records are kept private in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA). Written consent from the student is required for release of records to outside parties, except for those agencies authorized by law. Under this Act, students may: • • • Review their educational records. Challenge information they believe to be inaccurate, misleading, or not in accord with their right to privacy. Contact the US Department of Education if they feel that the FERPA policy is not being administered properly. Questions about this policy should be directed to the Vice President of Education at the Los Angeles campus. Consumer Information Any questions or unresolved problems concerning the college or its faculty and staff should be forwarded in writing to the FIDM Vice President of Education at 919 South Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90015. 57 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 Directory Information The Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising may release directory information, including the student's name, address(es), telephone number(s), major, current enrollment status, dates of attendance, degrees, (including date and level of distinction), details about participation in officially recognized activities, and name of the most recent school attended by the student. This information may be released to prospective employers, in media releases, in announcements of scholarships and awards, and for purposes approved by the college administration. The student may request that directory information be withheld by notifying the Vice President of Education in writing. Student Conduct All students must conform to federal, state, and local laws. They must respect the rights of others and conduct themselves in a manner conducive to the educational purposes of the college. Students are prohibited from bringing firearms onto any FIDM campus. FIDM reserves the right to suspend or dismiss any student at any time when the administration deems such action to be in the best interests of the student, student body, or college. A Student Conduct Policy and Statement of Disciplinary Procedures is available from the Education Department. The chief academic officer of the college shall, prior to the suspension of any student, notify the appropriate law enforcement authorities of any acts of the student which may be in violation of ordinances of the state, county, or city. Plagiarism & Cheating All academic work submitted by a student should be original work. Cheating and plagiarism are cause for formal counseling and may lead to disciplinary measures. Cheating, or academic dishonesty, includes but is not limited to all forms of giving or getting unauthorized materials on examinations and projects. Students who cheat will receive an "F" on the exam or project and will be subject to disciplinary action through the College Review Board, which may result in suspension from the college. Plagiarism, a form of cheating, involves obtaining or attempting to obtain academic credit by copying the words or ideas of another (from a book, magazine article, or website, for example) and passing them off as one's own without documentation -- that is, without acknowledging the source with quotation marks, footnotes, and lists of works cited. Students who plagiarize will receive an "F" on the assignment and may be subject to further disciplinary action. Please note that eLearning students are expected to display the same kind of goal-oriented and self-directed learning as in on-campus classes. Unauthorized “teaming up” on homework assignments, essays, exams, or another eLearning course work is prohibited unless permitted explicitly by the instructor. Technical Difficulties FIDM cannot be held liable for technical problems with your personal computer or any PC you use to access the eLearning Program, so please thoroughly read the section on Computer Access & Setup before beginning. If you cannot follow these guidelines, please contact your student advisor to discuss alternatives. FIDM eLearning support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to help with technical issues in connecting to FIDM’s eLearning system, using course tools, and assessment difficulties. It is the student’s responsibility to contact support to seek assistance EARLY and OFTEN. What this means is that even if your computer has 58 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 unexpected difficulties and you cannot access deadline-oriented material at the last minute, technical difficulties will not be considered an excuse. Upon calling the toll-free help line (866.FIDM.HELP) to help desk will take a record of your call and contact FIDM staff if necessary to remedy the situation. The instructor is NOT responsible for technical difficulties that arise when using the eLearning Program, and will not accept excuses of a technical nature for late assignments, missing test scores, and non-participation in the discussion board. It is the student’s responsibility to seek assistance and work with help desk staff to resolve them. This means: 1. Contacting support immediately upon experiencing the problem 2. Identifying yourself as a FIDM student to the offsite help desk 3. Providing a full description of the problem (full text of error messages, full description of what happens or what was done before, during, and after the error) 4. Providing contact information (name, email or phone) in order for support to contact you again. 5. Working with support in conducting the steps necessary to solve the issue in a timely fashion. Midterms and final examinations are not appropriate or opportune times to discover an issue. Make sure you allow yourself enough time to work with us to fix your issues in order to receive full credit for your assignments. Solicitation / Distribution The solicitation and distribution to students of non-FIDM materials and the use of the college facility (including web infrastructure) for non-FIDM purposes is prohibited. Posting flyers, pamphlets, posters, and FIDM-owned electronic media including email, for advertising purposes and selling products to FIDM students in a virtual campus setting is not allowed. Netiquette The following is an excerpt from Alex Reid's Email Etiquette, originally set as a guide for Oxford University students. This applies to all use of email and discussion board postings within eLearning and throughout FIDM. “In the established communication media (such as postal mail and telephone) certain widely-observed conventions have emerged which help promote a sound basis for communication between the relevant parties. Electronic mail and newsgroups are relatively new forms of communication, and consequently few people may be aware of appropriate conventions to use. These are gradually emerging, and the following set is based on advice being provided to network users at many sites around the world. These conventions (often called 'network etiquette’ or 'netiquette') recognize that it is very easy to dispatch email messages or newsgroup postings very quickly, and little thought is often given as to how the message will be received. For instance, if you had intended something in fun, will the humor be evident? If not, it could become quite offensive. 59 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 The following code sets out what is considered acceptable behavior for network users. The guidelines apply equally to the use of email, newsgroups and any other electronic communications media. Daily Routines and Housekeeping • • • • • • • • Check your mail regularly; ignoring a mail message is discourteous and confusing to the sender. Always reply, even if a brief acknowledgement is all you can manage - there is still sufficient unreliability about email transmissions to create doubt in the mind of the sender that you ever received it. Conversely, never assume that simply because you have sent a message, it has been read. Reply promptly. Email systems often do not have the conventional 'pending' trays of the desktop, nor secretaries to remind you, so it may be easier to forget an email message. Treat the security of email messages about the same as a message on a postcard; i.e. recognize that anyone along the chain of distribution could get to see what you have said, and it might even end up in someone else's hands. If you have sensitive messages to send, use some form of encrypting (known only to you and the recipient, such as PGP), or use some other more secure medium. Develop an orderly filing system for those email messages you wish to keep; delete unwanted ones to conserve disk space. Make arrangements for your email to be forwarded to someone to handle when you go away, or install an automatic reply system advising that you will not be able to respond. Encourage others to communicate with you by email. Ensure you give them your correct email address - include it on your business card and letterhead. Writing Styles • • • • Be very careful how you express yourself, especially if you feel heated about the subject (for instance if you are shooting off a quick response to some issue). Email lacks the other cues and clues that convey the sense in which what you say is to be taken, and you can easily convey the wrong impression. If you meant something in jest, use a 'smiley' [ :-) ] to convey that. Remember the message will be read by another person who may not appreciate your “personality.” Don't reproduce a message in full when responding to it, especially if you are posting to a newsgroup. This is hard on the readers, and wasteful of resources. Instead, be selective in the parts that you include in your response. Try to keep messages fairly brief. Most people wouldn't choose a computer screen to read text on in preference to a printed document, and it can get very tiring for some users. Try to restrict yourself to one or two screen-fuls at most. Message Subjects • Make sure that the 'subject' field of your message is meaningful. Where someone receives many messages, it can be very confusing and 60 FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010 • • frustrating not to be able to judge the subject matter correctly from its subject field. This is especially important when you are posting messages to newsgroups. When you use the 'reply' option, ensure that the subject field (usually filled in for you under those circumstances) still accurately reflects the content of your message. Try to restrict yourself to one subject per message; sending multiple messages if you have multiple subjects. This helps recipients to use the 'subject' field to manage the messages they have received. Don't broadcast email messages unnecessarily. It's very easy to do, but can be very annoying to recipients (and wastes resources). In particular, do not send or forward chain email - it offends some people and is wasteful of network resources. Other People's Messages • • Don't extract and use text from someone else's message without acknowledgement. This is plagiarism. You wouldn't do this with conventional mail, so don't let the ease of being able to do it with email lead you into bad habits. Don't make changes to someone else's message and pass it on without making it clear where you have made the changes. This would be misrepresentation. Be 'Legal, Decent, Honest and Truthful' • • • • Don't pretend you are someone else when sending mail. Don't send frivolous, abusive or defamatory messages. Apart from being discourteous or offensive, they may break the law. Be tolerant of others' mistakes. Some people are new to this medium, and may not be good typists, or they may accidentally delete your message and ask you to resend it. Remember that the various Laws of the land relating to written communication apply equally to email messages, including the laws relating to defamation, copyright, obscenity, fraudulent misrepresentation, freedom of information, and wrongful discrimination.” What all this comes down to is that you are required to respect your instructor, classmates, and your school in your electronic communications in your eLearning course. This includes emails, discussion postings, chat messages, and content that you submit or post to the FIDM eLearning System. The online class is still a classroom, even in the virtual sense, and you are required to adhere to the FIDM Conduct and Responsibilities Policy at all times. If a disciplinary issue arises, FIDM staff will respond accordingly. 61