Last Updated: 10/2/03
Link back to course Welcome...

Web.Edu Agenda 5
for class on October 4, 2003

  1. Startup
    1. Reminder - no class on October 11, but the class continues online. After today, see you again on October 18.
    2. Reminder to sign in during the class, using the online signin form on the course web site
    3. Course web site: http://www.is.wayne.edu/drbowen/webeduf03
    4. Computer upgrades?
    5. Pictures for a class photo album - this is not a course requirement
    6. Review of homework assignments:
      1. Weekly course progress reports - these count in your grade
      2. Course Information Form
      3. Readings in textbook - raw material for your postings
      4. Conference postings - you should be up to 5 or 6 today
        1. We will actually be using three different discussion forums - WebBoard, BlackBoard and ListServ (email). Requirement is for a minimum of eight postings in each, total of 26. It is important to keep the number of postings up because soon we will be moving to one of the other two, and if you think it is difficult to do postings now, wait until you try posting when others have moved on.
      5. Schedule for when you will work on this course during weeks when we don't meet. Plan A for first choice, Plan B if that doesn't work out.
      6. File Test to make sure that we can exchange homework files electronically.
        1. Go to the course web site and follow the link "File Test" to download the test file
        2. Save the file to your hard drive (C: for a PC)
        3. Open the file, and add your name at the bottom of the file.
        4. Save the file using "File > Save As..." and add your three initials to the beginning of the file name. For example, since my three initials are drb, I would save the file as drbTestFile.doc
        5. Email the new file to me at d.r.bowen@wayne.edu
        6. I will add a new line to the bottom of the file and email it back to you.
        7. Open the file, read the new line, and email the line to me. This will complete the test.
      7. I will probably put Online Grade Reports onlne before the next class. They will be a link from the course web site, and will have your Early Assessment grades and the number of postings, for example. To see your grades online,
        1. First, on the Course Information Form you must previously have changed "GradeReports" from No to Yes
        2. First and last names
        3. Password - the same one as for the Course Information Form
  2. Technical problems with online courses. Reminder: We will go into the non-technical problems later in the semester
    1. Review from last week
      1. Computer. Simple Internet connection makes few demands on a computer. Suitable computers cost under $500 today.
      2. Internet connection - WSU as an Internet Service Provider (ISP) - free modem dialup Internet
      3. Internet software - if you have an older computer with older software, and things seem to be working OK, you do not need to upgrade
      4. Protecting your computer from viruses, worms, hoaxes, trojan horses, spyware and more. Becoming critical!  Handout.
      5. Finding online courses and getting started - different definitions of online at WSU - I think that the students' definition of online is - when responsibility shifts towards you. What do you need to know before the class starts? What do you need to know during the semester? For example, how are changes announced?
      6. Problems with your Internet connection - How the Internet works / troubleshooting and getting help with your Internet connection (handout)
        1. Basic information is transmitted in packets from one IP address to another
        2. Domain name (e.g. www.is.wayne.edu) is translated to IP address by Domain Name Server (DNS)
        3. Client (your computer) and server
          1. Under use control, client requests a file from a server
          2. That server finds the file and returns it to client
          3. Client receives file, displays it for user
    2. Continuing with Internet handout

    3. Email systems.

      1. Maximum amount of storage for each user; fill this up and any further incoming email will be "bounced back" without any notification to you. Hotmail seems to particularly susceptible to this problem, because of the large amount of junk email sent there.

      2. Large files can be refused by your Instructor's email system (beware of graphics). If you get an error message that your Instructor's email is full, let him/her know right away (don't use email, of course!).

    4. File format compatibility.

      1. Can be the most vexing. You exchange files with the Instructor, must find compatible format. Can go wrong, especially with "off brand" word processor. Generally, the two "standard" word processors are Microsoft Word and WordPerfect (e.g. Lotus Notes). WSU bookstore has great software prices.

    1. Email: one method of transferring files, but there are alternates: (1) Web upload, (2)FTP.

    2. Managing files - this is and will be an issue in any online course. Can you find your files, in order to upload them, and can you find them once you have downloaded them? Unlike the other technical problems, this one is strictly up to you.
      1. How to find your files - the path to the file, or the file path
        C:\My Documents\WebEduF03\dtbEssay1.doc
        C:\  My Documents\WebEduF03\  dtbEssay1  .doc
        C:\ The drive (A: for floppy drive, C: for hard drive, may have others also) You have no choice over the available drives
        My Documents\WebEduF03\ Folders (two here, "My Documents" and "WebEduF03" You can name and rename folders. Folder names should make sense to you (describe the contents of the folder).
        dtbEssay1 File name You can name and rename file names. File names should make sense to you (describe the contents of the file).
        .doc Extension (indicates type and also determines which files will be visible when you look for files) In Windows, file extensions (technically they pare part of the name) are very important. By default, Windows hides them from you.
      2. When you save a file, almost all of the path is shown to you. 

    1. Use file names to identify what is in the file for you
    2. Use folders to organize your work, for example one folder for each course. Make new folder with the icon
    3. Do not change the extension or you may have trouble opening the file from within Word (unless you change the file types to look for), or if you are used to opening a file by double-clicking on it, this will not work if you change the extension.

    1. Getting help. (At the present time, many Instructors may not be aware of all problems).

      1. Other faculty, me for example.

        1. d.r.bowen@wayne.edu

        2. 313-577-1498 on campus (generally Mon, Wed, Thu during the academic year)

        3. 248-549-8518 at home

        4. 313-390-2155 at Ford Motor Company during the Summer, and Tue and Thu during the academic year

      2. WSU Computer Help Desk.

      3. The system administrator. Web Server administrators often have "mail to."

      4. Collect information on the problem (what happened, the exact error message if any, what was on the blue bar above the error message, what program (name and version) were you using, and what were you doing at the time).

        1. Screen shots are convincing - on Windows, tap <Print Screen> then open Word, switch to landscape view and Edit > Paste. Can be saved, printed, emailed, etc.

    2. Very rarely these problems may threaten to affect your grade, and if your Instructor is not supportive or understanding, you may need help to avoid being penalized for technical problems. Two normal methods of this type of non-technical help are:

      1. Most Universities require academic departments to have a grade appeal process. These processes must be accessible to students; see the literature or ask a counselor.

      2. Most Universities also have an Ombudsman. An Ombudsman is a designated person to assist students with academic problems.

  3. Assignments due next week (October 11)
    1. In the textbook, read Ch 2: The Types of Distance Learning
    2. Weekly report
    3. Postings
  4. Assignments due next class (October 18)class (from the assignment schedule on the Syllabus - get used to reviewing that)
    1. In the textbook, read Ch 3: How the Types of Distance Learning Work
    2. Weekly report
    3. Postings
    4. Email Test. This consists of your sending variety of email messages with difference addressing. Each message should say which part of the assignment it is, for example Email Assignment 1, Email Assignment 2, etc. Here are the messages to send:
      1. Email directly to me (d.r.bowen@wayne.edu)
      2. Email to someone else with a CC to me. You can get email addresses for class members from the Conference.
      3. Reply to an email message that someone else sends you, with a CC to me
      4. Copying and pasting specified text from the course web site into an email message to me. The text is the warning about plagiarism on the course syllabus.
  5. Turning off your computer:
    1. Sign out and save any other work
    2. Click the "Start" button (if you computer has a "Windows" key you can press that instead)
    3. Point to or click on "Shut Down..."
    4. Make sure that "Shut Down" is selected (not, for example, "Restart")
    5. Click the "OK" button or press the <Enter> key
    6. Wait until your computer turns off or displays a message that it is now OK to shut down your computer
    7. Turn off the computer if it does not turn itself off