course Phy 121
Task: `q001. Go to the page http://vhmthphy.vhcc.edu/ and click on your course (Phy 1 must also click on one additional link entitled Physics I Homepage). Describe what you see there.Your response (insert your response beginning in the next line):
I see bulleted information in black and red summarizing what types of information are found within each link at the top of the page.
Task: `q002. Click on Assts or Assignments (unless assignments appear by date when you scroll down the page, as will be the case for Liberal Arts Mathematics classes), then on Due Dates, and describe what you see there. Note due dates are updated by the first day of classes; until this update the Due Dates will be for the preceding semester.
Your response (insert your response beginning in the next line):
This page lists assignments that are due each week.
Task: `q003. Return to Assts, take a quick look down the page, and describe what you see. It is recommended that you bookmark this page in your browser (e.g., add it to Favorites) so you can access it easily and quickly.
There might well be things you don't understand about the Assignments page. You will get more specific information later to help you read and understand this page. Briefly describe what you do and do not understand about this page.
Your response (insert your response beginning in the next line):
This page has links for groups of assignments based on their week number.
Task: `q004. Click on Info and locate the syllabus or course of study for your course (Liberal Arts Mathematics students click on Course of Study, near the top of your page). Read it and acknowledge that you have been able to find the syllabus and know how to locate it: Note that you should re-read the syllabus or course of study on or shortly after the first day of class, to be sure you have read the document that will apply to the term in which you are taking the course.
Your response (insert your response beginning in the next line):
I found the syllabus and know how to locate it: homepage – info – syllabus – Phy 121
Task: `q005. Return to the http://vhmthphy.vhcc.edu page and once more click on the page for your course. Add this page to your bookmarks (e.g., in Internet Explorer, add to Favorites), and acknowledge in your response that you have done so.
Your response (insert your response beginning in the next line):
This page has been bookmarked.
Task: `q006. On the http://vhmthphy.vhcc.edu page, click on Blackboard, and sign in using the same username and password you use to access the registration system. When the Blackboard screen comes up you should find a 'course' entitled 'Supervised Study Current Semester'. Click on this 'course' and give a brief description of what you see. You need not read all the information that appears, just take a quick look and give a line or two of description.
Your response (insert your response beginning in the next line):
This leads to a welcome letter posted by you explaining that this class is not managed primarily by Blackboard.
Task: `q007. We might use various features of this Blackboard page, but the course is not delivered using Blackboard. Blackboard has a number of very good features, but it is of necessity a 'closed' system and not sufficiently flexible or efficient to be the primary vehicle. The one feature we are sure to be using is the Grade Center, where you can check your grades on tests and my comments. Locate the tab for the Grade Center and click on it. Describe what you see.
Your response (insert your response beginning in the next line):
I did not find a link or path to the Grade Center.
Task: `q008. You need not look at any more of this page, but you are welcome to do so if you choose, and you may ask any questions you wish in your response. If you have no questions, or do not feel the need to further explore this page, just respond with 'ok' or something of that nature.
Your response (insert your response beginning in the next line):
I still do not understand exactly what day assignments are due. It seems we might be working on a few during the week and that they are due by the end of the week?
Right. They are due by the first of the following week.
I'm not sure exactly what the link looks like for the Grade Center. Could just be a 'check grade' link. That won't be relevant until the first test, and I'll try to find out before then and let everyone know. Most students are finding it OK, but they might be students who have seen Blackboard before.