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Important Links
Online Orientations
BOT Online Instructors
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Introduction
This orientation will introduce you to the course content
and expectations for BOT 126 online. You'll also have a chance to make sure
everything is set up and ready to go. Your first quiz (to be taken after
this
orientation) will include questions about information found on this web
page, syllabus, and Blackboard. Please review all items carefully. While you work through this
orientation, jot down any questions you might have and post them to our
course Help discussion board. I recommend that you print this page, and
check each item off as you complete it. Don't forget to take the 20-point
quiz to complete this orientation. The Orientation quiz is found in
Blackboard at the "exams" link. If you score less than 20 points, please
take it again. You are allowed multiple attempts until you successfully
score 18 out of 20 points.
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What to do for this assignment
- Print this page
and mark each item as you
complete it.
- Enroll in the course.
You enroll for this online
course the same way you enroll in any other Cuyamaca College course. You
will need to be enrolled in the course before you can access the course
Blackboard site.
- Buy the textbook and install the software. You
can buy the book at the campus bookstore, or from another
source. You will need them on the first day of class. This course teaches Microsoft Access
2010. If you already have Access 2010 on your computer, you're ready. If
you have an older version of Access, you must upgrade to the newer
version. (See below for more
details about the required course materials.)
As a student enrolled in an online class,
you are responsible to login and begin working on the day class starts.
- Login to Blackboard.
The first day of class is
April 9, 2012.
Enrolled students will
be able to access the class in the Blackboard system the day before the class
starts. If you enrolled successfully in
the class, you should be able to access the class. A welcome email will be
sent to enrolled students prior to the class with the syllabus attached. If you want to add the class after the start date, you need to contact
your instructor for an add code.
- How to login to Blackboard
(available one day before class begins)
A. Go to
http://gcccd.blackboard.com
(click on
this link or the Blackboard Login link in the web page navigation
at the left side of this page)
B. Click the Login button
C. For Username enter your name as firstname.lastname
(all lower
case)
D. For Password enter your birthday (mmddyy)
E. If you cannot login successfully the first time, try it again. Your
login information is the same as when you login to any computer on campus.
If you still have trouble logging in, STOP and contact me (cuyamacamike@hotmail.com).
Do not panic, we'll get it fixed. Do not click the
create an account
button as this will only complicate matters and delay your first
login.
- Successful login! Now that you have logged in,
welcome to the course. Read the Welcome announcement. This
announcement contains helpful information on how the course works and
where to start.
- Update your personal information
(if applicable).
I regularly send class announcements and email through
Blackboard. It is very important you keep your email address
current in order to receive these communications. Please
login to WebAdvisor, click on STUDENTS, then UPDATE PERSONAL
INFORMATION and list your preferred email address and the
telephone number where I can reach you if needed. WebAdvisor
updates BlackBoard nightly, so it's important to keep
current information in WebAdvisor.
Therefore, your email in n WebAdvisor is identical to your email in Blackboard.
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Print the syllabus
(available one day before class begins). In the Blackboard
course site, click on the Course Information
button. Click on the
syllabus link. Print the syllabus and keep it with your textbook. You may
need to save the syllabus and then open it to print it. READ the whole
syllabus (you will need to answer questions on the quiz).
- Familiarize yourself with the course web site by
clicking on all of the links (buttons) in the course navigation on the
left side of the course website. There are also several links on the web
pages that display. Browse through them thoroughly to familiarize yourself
with the entire course website.
- Take the online orientation quiz.
After completing the steps above, you can take the quiz (worth
20 points and due by Wed the first week of class).
You must score 18 out of 20 points to successfully pass the quiz. Login to
Blackboard, click on the Exams
link, and click on the Online
Orientation Quiz. The quiz will cover information from the syllabus
and Blackboard.
- Begin on the course assignments. Turn to the
"Assignments and Deadlines" section
in your syllabus and begin working on the assignments in the order they are
listed. You can turn in assignments early, but please submit an entire
chapter at one time. You are encouraged to work ahead as the class moves
at a fast pace. Assignments will be submitted online in Blackboard using
the "Submit Homework Here" link in the Assignments section.
Do not email any homework. It will not be accepted. The due dates for each assignment are listed in the
syllabus and in Blackboard.
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Course textbook and software
NOTE: We are changing textbooks for Fall 2011
classes to teach Microsoft Office 2010. If a book kit
is listed, you will need all components included in the kit. If
you purchase your book online other than the Cuyamaca Bookstore, you may not
receive all items in the required kit. Also, you should verify that access
codes are valid if you purchase your book online from another seller. Read information carefully below.
You will not be able to use the BOT lab to take an
online BOT course. As an online student, you must provide your own computer
with the required minimum specifications prior to the class start date.
- Access to a PC/Windows computer with the following
requirements:
- Computer/Processor: 500-MHz or
higher
- Memory: 256 MB of RAM or higher
- Hard disk: 2 GB of available hard
disk space
- Monitor: 800 x 600 minimum monitor
resolution; 1024 x 768 recommended DVD drive
- Operating system: Windows XP with
Service Pack 2 or later
- Internet access:
Internet Explorer 6.0
- Sorry, no Macintosh as the Office program is very different on a
Mac.
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Advice from BOT online students
- Keep up with the class.
The biggest problem online students have is gradually falling behind.
You lose points when assignments are late, and you may be dropped from
the class if you get behind. This classes is only 8 weeks in length and
all work must
be completed by the class end date. The Comprehensive Access 1
classes are scheduled in short blocks so that you can complete all three
classes in a single semester, as requested by students.
- Schedule at least 10 hours per week to focus on the
class. Some students may need more or less time, so you can make
adjustments based on your skill level in Word.
- Work ahead. Don't wait until the last minute to start an
assignment. If you run into a problem, it may take time to get help,
especially with technical issues.
- Contact your instructor
as soon as you begin to
have problems or if you decide to drop.
- Check e-mail and online discussion several times a
week.
- Have a
back-up plan in case your computer
crashes. You can always use the Open Lab in E-121 during
open hours.
Good luck and let's have fun!!!
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