Frequently Asked Questions

Many questions and answers benefit everyone.   As the course progresses, common questions and information may be added to this web page.  Please make your suggestions in the Communication Room and we will incorporate them here as resources for new and ongoing students.

• What computer set-up works best?
  The online features we are using (in the ANGEL Learning Management System) work best in the Internet Explorer or Firefox browsers.  Please download the latest version of one of these browsers. 

• How does our course website work?
  A highly recommended student guide to using ANGEL is available through this link:  ANGEL_73_Student_Quickstart_Guide.  This Student Guide is a PDF document.  If you need the free PDF reader, you can download it at http://www.adobe.com/products/reader/.   
    
  When you use the student guide, please note that I have changed the titles on the "course tabs" on the top of each web page in order to better reflect how we will be using those tabs.  The student guide uses the original titles for these tabs.  So when reading the guide, note this relationship:
  Our Course Home Tab = Course Tab in student guide
  Our Calendar Tab = Calendar Tab in student guide
  Our In Box / Out Box Tab = Lessons Tab in student guide
  Our Information Tab = = Resources Tab in student guide
  Our Communication Tab = Communicate Tab in student guide
  Our Gradebook Tab = Report Tab in student guide

• What is a good way to start the class?
  Carefully read all parts of the "Syllabus" first. Then look over the "Schedule" of activities and due dates for the class.  Use the remaining links on the left-side navigation bar to become familiar with all the features of the class.  Finally, proceed to the "Assignments" link and find the "Start Here" and first-week assignments.  Print out this assignment page and the web page with the first week's homework questions.  Refer to these print-outs to work through the week's activities.

• What is a good way to do the homework?
  The last thing we want is for hard work to be lost due to a computer crash!   If you compose your essay answers directly online, you can suddenly lose everything you've done (I speak from experience!).  Here's a suggestion on how to avoid this disaster:
  (1) Read the week's assignment page under "Assignments."
  (2) Print out the questions for the week from the "Questions" web page.
  (3) Answer the questions OFF-LINE by using a Word Processing program such as WORD to type up the essay answers.
  (4) Once you have completed an assignment, open your "In box / Out box." 
  (5) Open the submission form for that week's homework and copy your answers onto it -- copy and paste from your WORD document, for example.  (You may need to use the "Control" and "C" keys to copy from your document, and the "Control" and "V" keys to paste into the appropriate boxes in the homework submission form.)
  (6) Now submit your assignment.  You have greatly shortened the time you need to be online and you also have a backup copy of all your work on your hard drive in case something goes wrong.

• What happens if some of the class features do not work properly?
  My first suggestion is to check to see if this is a computer set-up problem.   Do not use the AOL browser which has been problematic for online courses at many colleges.  Click here to download the latest free version of Internet Explorer.   Secondly, check to see if this is a firewall problem.  If you are using a work place computer, try accessing the class from your home computer (many employers have firewalls designed to prevent access to interactive websites).  Thirdly, if you still have difficulties, try accessing the class through the Open Computer Lab on campus.   Check in with North's e-Learning Support Center (NeLSC) for more help:
  NeLSC website:  http://www.virtualcollege.org/help/index_help.html
  NeLSC email: distance@sccd.ctc.edu
  NeLSC phone:  206-527-3738
  NeLSC location:  LB 2237 (Library Building, separate entrance just south of main entrance)

• Can we work ahead on our assignments?
  Yes!  Turn in your assignments as soon as you can.  Once the homework assignment and quiz for the week have been submitted for grading, the module for the next week's assignments will automatically appear in your "In box / out box".  So a new week's submission forms are not available until the current ones have been completed and graded.
   

• How do email and the discussion board work?
  Check the web page that leads to each of these online tools.  You will find some hints on how to use them at the bottom of these web pages.  If you are having some problems, please let me know and we'll work out the solutions!  (p.s. Thanks for your patience.)
   

• How do we view the results of the graded homework?
  To quickly check your grade sheet, visit the "Grade book" web page.   To view your graded document and any comments which have been added, go to your In box / out box.  Click on the original assignment to view your graded work.