FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT ONLINE COURSES |
|
| See Santiago Canyon College for more course listings | |
|
|
|
A. GENERAL QUESTIONS
B. QUESTIONS ABOUT COMPUTER HARDWARE, SOFTWARE, ETC.
B. QUESTIONS ABOUT COMPUTER HARDWARE, SOFTWARE, ETC.1. What kind of computer and equipment do I need to take this class?Any computer equipped with a modem that uses an operating system with a graphical user interface (GUI) would be appropriate for this course. Computer examples include a PC with any version of Windows or a Macintosh computer. While there is no specific "minimum requirement" for computer speed, your enjoyment of the Internet and its resources will certainly be enhanced (and your frustration level lowered) by a computer with faster performance, higher-quality monitor, and printing capability.You will also need a means of accessing the Internet, typically over a telephone line. You can use your regular phone line but will be unable to make or receive other phone calls while accessing the Internet, so many "Internauts" have installed a second phone line for their modem or have selected another form of access, such as from their cable TV provider or via DSL where available. NOTE: Students who use a text-based interface or a computer equipped with a speech synthesizer can adapt instructions to that environment. If this applies to you, please let the instructor know so you can collaborate on how to accommodate your situation.
2. Will the school provide an Internet connection for me to use while taking this class?No, the college does not provide an Internet connection for you to use from home or to take the online class. It only provides limited Internet access from shared computers in the classroom for students enrolled in the traditionalcourses and very limited access from the college libraries and computer labs. You might also find public access at many public libraries, but these options are often very limited and unsatisfactory for the rigors of an online class.
3. Do I need to have an Internet Service Provider? How do I get an Internet Connection? How much will it cost?You do need to have Internet access to participate in the online version, typically purchased from an Internet Service Provider (ISP). If you do not already have access and still want to participate in an online class, you can find names and contact information from several web pages. Two sites you might find helpful are The List and Internet Access Provider Meta-List .You can also find lists of ISPs in many local computer magazines. These are available in most computer stores and are usually distributed for free. One that is readily found in Orange County is called Computer Currents; another publication is MicroTimes. There are also advertisements in most newspapers. The cost will vary from provider to provider, but typically runs about $20 per month. You may even find an ISP that offers a free trial period, perhaps even lasting the length of the course. See the note below about Free Internet Service Providers. Remember that reliable access is often more important than cost, and take everything into consideration (including whether they have a toll-free access number for you to call) before signing up for a service. At any rate, make sure you have your Internet access established and know how to getconnected before the class begins, because it can be very frustrating to be working out the "bugs" while the rest of the class is moving ahead.
4. Special note for people with AOLAOL is a very popular online service and it offers many attractive features to its subscribers. However, students in online classes, both at our college and others across the nation, have reported some problems accessing their online coursework through AOL, including timeouts, disconnects, features such as "submit" buttons or exams that don't always work right, problems accessing PDF files, etc.Many of these problems seem to be caused by AOL's browser, which apparently doesn't interface properly with Blackboard. If AOL is your Internet Service Provider, be sure to use another browser such as Internet Explorer for the course access after you connect to the Internet.
4a. What about Free Email accounts?There are many places that offer free email, including Gmail.Com, Hotmail, Yahoo Mail, and others. However, these are sometimes problematic and warrant some discussion here. To get the free service, users often have to provide personal information. Many "free email accounts" have suddenly disappeared or had disrupted service at one point or another. We have occasionally had problems with 'free' email servers. But the MAIN problem is when students create a separate 'free email account' to use for online coursework and then 'forget' to check their email. It only works if you check it regularly, preferably every day or two.5. What software do I need?Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox or similar browsers are appropriate for accessing the course materials. The AOL Browser software does NOT always properly access everything. In addition, some course materials may also use the free Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is usually already installed on most computers or your instructor can give you the link to download it at no cost if it's used for your course.
6. What if my computer crashes during the class?If you have a severe computer problem that cannot be repaired in a reasonable time frame, contact the instructor to discuss the situation and your options. You can contact the college at (714) 628-4900 if you have no contact information for your professor and they can direct your call to the proper office.
7. Is there a computer lab on campus where I can take this class? Can we use the Library computers to take the class?There are computer labs on campus at both Santiago Canyon College and Santa Ana College. In addition, the college libraries have Internet computers, as do most of the public libraries in the area. However, since these are "shared" computers, you must be creative to get enough time on the computers to complete some of the longer assignments.
|
|