The purpose of this page is to provide technical and pedagogical information to students enrolled in an online course at the College of Saint Elizabeth. The information is designed to support students involved in online learning, thus maximizing their success with it.
Online courses at the College of
Saint Elizabeth utilize Blackboard 6.1. Blackboard is a course management system.
There are two types of online courses: blended and fully online courses. Blended
courses consist of some face-to-face classes and some online classes. The ratio
of face-to-face classes to online classes varies from professor to professor.
Fully online courses may include one or two face-to-face classes or meetings (generally the first and/or last class) but ordinarily the classes take place online using Blackboard.
Online learners are most successful when they possess the right mix of computer skills. For online courses at the College of Saint Elizabeth, the following computer skills enhance students' success: proficiency with email, Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Internet Explorer, and Blackboard as well as basic computer skills.
Email skills: Student should be able to send, open, respond to and manage email messages. They should also be able to insert and open Word attachments in an email message.
Microsoft Word skills: Students should be able to type, save, open, and print a document. They should be able to copy and paste as well as format text.
PowerPoint skills: Students should be able to open a slide presentation and navigate within it (move from slide to slide.)
Internet Explorer skills: Student should be able to access the Internet and use a search engine, such as Google, to locate materials on the Internet. They should also be able to navigate within a website. It is helpful if students are able to download (obtain from the Internet) and install (save on one's computer) programs called "plug-ins" and other accessories that enable one to use more functions on the Internet. The most frequently used plug-ins are Flash and Acrobat. Often these plug-ins are already installed on one's computer. Students unable to download and install them may want to enlist the assistance of a person with more computer expertise to assist them.
Blackboard skills: There is a tutorial at the end of this handbook that covers essential Blackboard skills. These skills are: how to access Blackboard and how to access a course, how to access course materials, how to read announcements, how to use the discussion board, and how to use the digital drop box.
Basic computer skills: Students should be able to open a program (such as Word and PowerPoint); save, open, and manage (organize) files; and use a CD.
A live Internet connection. For minimum acceptable performance, Blackboard
recommends at least a 56k modem connection, although Blackboard can be accessed
with slower connections.
A monitor capable of at least 800 x 600 resolution. For best performance,
access Blackboard at 1024 x 768 resolution or higher. Blackboard can be accessed
at lower resolutions (such as 640 x 480) although scroll bars may interfere
with the interface at low resolutions.
As a Web-based application, Blackboard itself has no minimum hardware requirements
for your computer. However, since Blackboard does require a browser, Internet
Explorer 6.0 is the recommended browser since not all browsers will work with
Blackboard.
For technical problems with Blackboard (e.g difficulty getting into Blackboard, difficulty accessing a course in Blackboard, or features of Blackboard that do not appear to be functioning properly) students should call the Blackboard Support Line: 973-290-4044.
For assistance with course content (material/information in a course site in Blackboard) students should contact their professor.
For help with Microsoft Word, PowerPoint,
or Internet Explorer students may call the Academic Technology Center (ATC).
Lab aides are available Monday-Friday from 8AM until 10:30PM, Saturday from
8AM until 5PM, and Sunday from 2PM until 10:30PM during the Fall and Spring
semesters. Hours are extended at the end of each semester. Check the ATC section
of the College website for lab aide
hours during the January Intersession and the summer.
Mahoney Library provides a vast array of print and non-print resources. Online students will access to a variety of online databases most helpful. They may be accessed through the Academic Web Resources tab in Blackboard.
The Registrar's Office is responsible for student registrations. Once a student is registered for a class that includes an online component or a fully online course, access to the Blackboard site is provided by the administrator of Blackboard (in Instructional Technology of the Academic Technology Center.) Students who have difficulty with their registration status may contact either their academic adviser or the Registrar's Office.
The Academic Technology Center provides assistance with Blackboard and the Microsoft Office programs. A Blackboard tutorial, designed by the Academic Technology Center, is available at the end of this handbook.
Blackboard accounts are provided to all registered students. New students are given an account at the start of classes in their first semester. For those who register close to the start of the semester or during the add/drop period, there is usually a time delay of at least 3 days for the creation of a new account. No forms are needed for Blackboard accounts.
How do I access Blackboard?
Blackboard may be accessed through the College website (www.cse.edu). Once on the home page of the College website, click on the "Current Students" tab. A screen will open that contains a set of buttons on the right side. Click "Log onto Blackboard" to access Blackboard.
What day and time does my class meet?
Many students ask this question. Online courses are asynchronous, meaning they do not require students and professors to be in the same place at the same time. Students choose the time to do their coursework that is most convenient for them. Most professors will use a weekly schedule, posting an announcement, assigning readings, and posting discussion questions for each week. Some will provide timelines for student participation in a discussion question, requiring a response by a certain date.
Do I have to attend any classes on campus?
Generally there are no more than two classes on campus. Many professors meet on campus for the first class meeting and some also meet in person for the last class or exam. Courses that involve students from various parts of the country do not hold any on campus classes.
What about tests?
Blackboard contains an assessment feature that enables professors to administer tests online. Some professors use this feature; others will use a take-home test. Some courses make use of projects rather than tests.
How can I learn about Blackboard?
There is a tutorial at the end of this handbook that provides step by step directions on the use of some fundamental parts of Blackboard. There is also a Help function within Blackboard and a student manual under the Student Tools section of Blackboard. (You must be within a course site to access the manual.)
What It Takes to Be Successful Through Distance Learning
In addition to reading the helpful information below, be sure to take the Is Distance Learning For Me? quiz that diagnoses how well a Web-based course fits your needs and lifestyle.
The most significant factor helping students to succeed in Web-based classes is their ability to manage time. The more successful students report spending 2 to 3 hours regularly each week for each hour of credit for a class. For example, a 3-credit class required a minimum of at least 6 to 9 hours of work each week of the semester to complete all requirements.
Without class lectures to spur that quick burst of activity to complete the project or to study for the test, some students procrastinated through weeks of the semester, only to find themselves so far behind that they could never catch up. We strongly recommend that you work out your typical weekly schedule on paper so that you will have a general guide for fitting your time to study into your other activities.
Tips in scheduling study time:
Use a semester calendar to lay out your deadlines. If your instructor did not provide specific deadlines, set your own and meet them.
Arrive a bit earlier to work and use that 20 minutes for study.
Have your lunch hour away from the "gang" with the textbook and syllabus.
Review the syllabus, study guide, or notes while waiting for the kids at the dentist (school, dance lesson, etc.)
Find a corner at school to work on a project between (before/after) other classes.
Get up a half hour before the kids and use that time for the study.
Decide to work solidly for an hour - and keep to that hour limit as close as possible. Using a timer with a bell or tone alarm set to the time to stop can be very useful and productive (you don't have to guess or keep looking at the clock but can totally concentrate on the work).
Do not puzzle for days on a problem. Contact a fellow student in the class or the instructor for help early in a problem.
(adapted from What It Takes to Be Successful Through Distance Learning – Prentice Hall)
How well would Web-based courses fit your needs and lifestyle? Pick one answer for each question, and score as directed following question 10.
1. My need to take this course now is
a. high - I need it immediately for degree, job, or other important reason.
b. moderate - I could take it on campus later or substitute another course.
c. low - It's a personal interest that could be postponed.
2. Feeling that I am part of a class is
a. not particularly necessary to me.
b. somewhat important to me.
c. very important to me.
3. I would classify myself as someone who
a. often gets things done ahead of time.
b. needs reminding to get things done on time.
c. put things off until the last minute.
4. Classroom discussion is
a. rarely helpful to me.
b. sometimes helpful to me.
c. almost always helpful to me.
5. When an instructor hands out directions for an assignment, I prefer
a. figuring out the instructions myself.
b. trying to follow the directions on my own, then asking for help as needed.
c. having the instructions explained to me.
6. I need faculty comments on my assignments
a. within a few weeks, so I can review what I did.
b. within a few days, or I forget what I did.
c. right away, or I get very frustrated.
7. Considering my professional and personal schedule, the amount of time I have to work on Web-based courses is
a. more than enough for a campus class or Web-based course.
b. the same as for a class on campus.
c. less than for a class on campus.
8. When I am asked to use VCRs, computers, voice mail, or other technologies new to me
a. I look forward to learning new skills.
b. I feel apprehensive, but try it anyway.
c. I put it off and try to avoid it.
9. As a reader, I would classify myself as
a. good - I usually understand the text without help.
b. average - I sometimes need help to understand the text.
c. slower than average.
10. If I have to go to the campus to take exams or complete work
a. I can go to campus anytime.
b. I may miss some lab assignments or exam deadlines if campus labs are not open evenings and weekends.
c. I will have difficulty going to the campus, even in the evenings and on weekends.
Add 3 points for each "a" that you indicated, 2 points for each "b," and minus 1 (-1) for each "c."
If you scored 23 or over, a Web-based course is a real possibility for you.
If you scored between 15 and 22, Web-based courses may work for you, but you may need to make a few adjustments in your schedule and study habits to succeed.
If you scored 14 or less, Web-based courses may not currently be the best alternative for you; talk to a counselor.
The ten questions in the questionnaire reflect some of the facts about taking Web-based courses.
Web-based students sometimes can end up neglecting courses because of personal or professional circumstances, unless they have specific and compelling reasons for taking the course. Procrastination causes the downfall of many students.
Some students prefer the independence of Web-based courses; others find it uncomfortable.
Web-based courses give students greater freedom of scheduling, but they can require more self-discipline than on-campus courses.
Some people learn best by interacting with other students and instructors. However, Web-based courses often do not provide much opportunity for this interaction. The individual student must take responsibility for regularly contacting other students and the instructor. This may be facilitated by the use of discussion boards and e-mail, but the responsibility for regularly checking these systems rests solely on the student.
Web-based courses require students to work from written directions without face-to-face instructions.
In some Web-based and distance learning classes that use "snail mail," it may take two weeks to get comments back by mail from an instructor.
Web-based courses require AT LEAST as much time to be dedicated by the student as on-campus courses. Typically successful students report having spent more time - not less - than for a regularly scheduled class.
Web-based courses use technology for teaching and communication.
Textual materials (either on paper or on the computer) are the primary sources of directions and information in Web-based courses.
Some Web-based courses require some on-campus work; orientation, review sessions, exams, labs. Student schedule flexibility is important.
