When taking an online course, the first
task is to carefully peruse the site, printing out assignment dates
and course requirements. Depending on the software, online courses
will differ slightly, but like different make autos, all are
essentially the same.
A few Navigational tips will
help you get around any course. These directions apply to Netscape
Navigator but have analagous applications to Internet Explorer and
other browsers:
1. You can use the "back" and
"forward" (or similar) commands on your browser tool bar to
easily move forward or backward from where you are to a previously
accessed page. Note this will only work if you have a previously
accessed page. These navigation shortcuts may be represented by arrows
on your menu bar. In some other cases there may be icons, shortcut
menu options or other devices to allow you to jump to particular
places on the website.
2. Be sure to "bookmark" your
class page for easy access. You can then click on your bookmark to
automatically load it into the "location" you want to go
to.This will save you the time of re-typing your URL location each
time you want to return to class. Note however that if the URL of the
page changes or for some reason is offline, you may need to once-again
type in the correct URL and re-bookmark it.
3. If there have been changes to a web
page since you last viewed it, the "cached" version of the
page (the one in temporary memory on your screen) may need to be
"reloaded" to display updated information. Hit the
"reload" (or similar) button on your browser menu bar to be
sure you are looking at the most current screen information. This may
be needed, for example, if you have posted a message in an on-line
bulletin board forum area, and
want to see your message appear.
4. Passwords often cause confusion for
students. Generally we think it is a good policy to only use passwords
where the nature of the content (copyrighted material with
restrictions on who can view it), or if the security of the content
justify it. If your course content is protected you should have been
given directions on how to register and use your password to access
the protected information.
For example quizzes and tests are
normally protected in most courses so that only registered students
may access them. In almost all cases a computer server somewhere will
be matching the name and password you input on to the screen with a
secure database file somewhere. If there is a match you will get in,
if not you will be denied access.
Be sure you follow access
directions EXACTLY including upper and lower case of letters, spaces,
spelling etc. If you cannot get in, check with the systems
administrator, department, or professor right away to let them know
you are having a problem. Also be sure to WRITE DOWN any access names
or passwords that you have self-selected. Invariably you will forget
them if not written somewhere safe. Needless to say, do not give any
unauthorized persons access to these codes.
For purposes of this section on course
navigation, you may wish to sample navigation in a real online course
by visiting a course in Philosophy 115/Logic and Critical Thinking. A
sample of the introductory page is shown here. While the graphics of
this page may take a minute to load depending on the speed of your
computer, bookmarking the page will "cache" it in your
computer's memory so loading will be quicker the next time you visit.
If you would like to visit the actual link, go to this address:
http://dl.ccc.cccd.edu/classes/internet/philosophy115/
You will note that main icons
appear and the titles themselves give a good overview of the
course, giving you a clear indication where to find specific
information: Letter of Agreement; Introduction and Enrollment;
Important Phone Numbers; Important Dates; Bookstore Buyback;
Examination Map for Local Students; Instructor; Philosophy 115;
Assignment Sheet; Required Project Paper; Extra Credit Information;
Lecture Notes; Quizzes Online; Discussion Forum; Live Chat; and Check
Your Grade. Take some time to navigate the site. Within the
Lecture Notes you will find Real Video clips, which add audio and
video dimensions, very important to some students’ learning style.
While courses will have different
formats and will use different software in course design, essentially
the same information categories and technologies as those you find in
Philosophy 115. And like the driving skills you learned in that first
automobile, the skills you learn in Philosophy 115 or any online
course are generally transferable to all online courses.
