Lisa's FAQ

How's this class work, anyway? (see a flowchart of weekly tasks)

GENERAL QUESTIONS

Nothing's working right!

Make sure you are NOT using Internet Explorer as your browser. Use Firefox or Safari. Also make sure that you don't have the pop-up blocker turned on.

Where is the syllabus?

The front page of the class is the syllabus. There are links to all relevant information and activities.

Do I have to print the workbook?

The documents workbook is required reading, and you will find it more convenient to print it, but I can't make you do it.

Where do I turn in the Assignments?

The assignments are not turned in -- they are for focusing your studies to prepare for quizzes and discussion forums.

Where do I turn in the answers to the questions on the workbook documents?

Again, like the assignments, these are for your use -- they aren't turned in. If you are stuck for a discussion topic, try one of them.

What do I do if I find a broken link or something that doesn't work in a lecture?

Please please let me know in Messages so I can fix it.

Is there a paper in this class?

No.

What grade am I getting? How do I see the grades?

On the main page, in the Administration block, click on Grades. You will see listed scores for all assignments, even though Study Guides are not counted toward your total. Only those in the "graded" category are counted. At the bottom you'll see a number, a percentage and a letter in bold. This is your grade so far based on what has been done so far.

How are you doing the grades?

Check the Class Info block on the main page. There are links there to the Grading page.

DISCUSSION FORUMS

How often do I have to post in the forums?

Two or three times per week.

When do I have to post?

The first post is always due by Wednesday midnight, the second by Sunday night.

Can I reply or do I have to actually post a new topic?

Either -- replies and posts both count as posts.

How do I know what we're supposed to post?

Instructions are indicated in the discussions for the first week or two. The idea of discussion is not conversation, but rather collaborating to form a collection of primary sources, then use them as a foundation for writing and commenting. I come in and guide each discussion late in the week; the second post of the week should be in response to my guidance.

I keep trying to post and I'm getting an "incorrect sessionkey" error.

If you log in and go to the forum to post, then open a new window or tab and go to Moodle to log in again, Moodle logs you out of the first window, ending that session.

But I lost my whole forum post!

At any time, there could be a power failure or your ISP could knock you off the internet. Always write anything extensive in a text program first, then copy-and-paste it into Moodle.

Why are we rating forum posts?

In some classes, you are asked to rate the discussion posts. This helps give the author an understanding of how the post is being perceived. It also gives me an understanding of how students are perceiving each other's work, and provides a sense of responsibility.

How are my forum posts graded?

Posts are not graded individually, but collectively, to allow maximum opportunity for practice and improvement. Discussion is part of the Participation Assessment, which happens twice, at mid-term and near the end of the semester. Each time, 10% of the grade is assigned, so participation in the course and in the forums especially is worth 20% of the grade.

How do I add an image, video clip, or link to a website to my forum post?

See these instructions:
Add an image
Add a video clip
Add a link to a website (or here's a quick video tutorial on adding a link)

The instructor says to use "primary sources". What is a primary source?

A primary source was created during the time period we're studying. An example would be a letter, diary, artwork or document produced during that era. A secondary source is something about that time, but created later. Examples of primary sources might be a book by Mark Twain, a political cartoon from the 19th century, or an ancient Greek statue. Examples of secondary sources might include your textbook, Wikipedia, or a website about Mark Twain.

There's one more complication! A clip from a film made during the 1930s would be a primary source if we were studying the 1930s. But if that 1930s film were about something that happened in 1870, that same film would be a secondary source if we were studying the 1870s.

The forum is a mess! How can I see things more easily?

At the top of each forum, there is a drop-down menu. I set the default at nested form, which I like because each reply is indented and you can see the whole discussion on one screen. If that's not for you, try one of the other views. For a Blackboard-style experience where you click separately on every post, try "Display replies in threaded form".

Do I have to use only the sources posted in the forum?

No. You should use at least one, two if you can, of the sources posted by yourself or your colleagues. Remember, you control what's on the board, and can always add another source yourself! If you need a third source for a thesis or test question, you may add one from anywhere you wish, so long as you cite it properly.

QUIZZES

What are the quizzes like?

All quizzes (except the final exam) have both multiple-choice questions and one or two essays, sometimes with an option. Students can prepare for the multiple-choice questions by using the Practice Quizzes. The essays are expected to be complete, include a thesis (highlighted in bold text) and use details from course materials, especially primary sources. They are not "short answer". The final exam is all essay.

I missed the 5 pm quiz deadline! Can I take the quiz late?

Once the deadline has passed and a quiz is closed, you need a password. A quiz may be taken up to one week late for partial credit, but only after using Messages to request the password. Some classes may have an amnesty day late in the semester, to do a missed quiz, again only for partial credit.

Are quizzes timed?

No, quizzes are not timed, BUT your ISP may close your internet connection if you leave your quiz open too long! Many ISPs break the connection after 30 minutes of "inactivity".

I tried to take a quiz and it says I need a password.

You must be taking it late, because I passcode the quiz after the deadline. Message me to get the password for taking the quiz up to one week late.

Can I use my textbook and open other windows to view lectures during a quiz?

Yes, but be careful. If you have to log in again in a tab or new window, you may log yourself out of the quiz and lose what you've done. A better solution is to open the lecture in a different browser.

How do I find primary sources from the forums during a quiz?

You can open another window or tab and navigate to forums individually any time. You can also use the Search Forums box on the main page.

Why should I write my essay questions in a separate program?

If your ISP kicks you off the internet, or there's a power outage, or you get accidentally logged off of Moodle, you'll lose your work. Always create text in a text program, then copy-and-paste.

How do I copy and paste?

On Windows, it's control-C to copy, then control-V to paste. On Mac, it's -c and -v.

Why are there two chances to take the quiz? do I have to take it twice? can I retake it?

You have two attempts possible on each quiz. This might be useful for people who saw the first attempt and realized they weren't prepared, or who had a technical problem with the first try (such as the ISP timing out). You do not have to take it twice if you are happy with your first try. If you do take it twice, make sure all items (including essays) are filled in completely. This is important, because the final score is the AVERAGE of the two attempts. Before you take it a second time, keep in mind that the questions may be different, and your score will be the average of the two attempts. You may not retake a quiz after it's been graded.

I could see how many multiple-choice questions I got right on the Practice Quiz or Study Guide, but I can't on a real Quiz. Why?

The Practice Quizzes and Study Guides are multiple-choice only, so the computer grades it, and I want you to see how you did right away so you can see how much more you need to study. But on a real quiz, you should have already studied and be ready, and releasing the score before I grade the essay is not what I want to do.

How come I can't see my grade/comments/feedback on a quiz?

To see your quiz after grading is completed, go to Grades, then click on the link for the quiz. To the right, in blue, you should see your score. Click on that score to see the whole quiz, with answers, comments and feedback.

If you still can't see anything, the instructor may not have released the grades yet, or may not have changed a setting that needs to be changed, so Message the instructor and ask.

Another reason could be that you didn't actually submit the quiz. It is common for students to save, but not actually click the "Submit all and finish" button. The instructor can't grade a quiz that isn't submitted. Message the instructor for the password to submit the quiz, but be sure it's not more than a week after it was due.

I am in History 111 or 104. When I look at my quiz, it says I got 16 points out of 20, but my grade says I only got 8 points. What's up?

The system I'm using doesn't accept half points, so I have to make each multiple-choice question worth 1 point even if it should only be half a point out of 10. That makes the total 20 inside the system, but the quiz is for 10 points. So the system divides that number in half for the grade.

On the last few quizzes, there seem to be fewer multiple-choice questions -- why?

As we begin creating and proving historical themes, the essays become more involved and are worth more points. The focus is less on retention of facts and more on analysis. Fewer multiple-choice questions are needed toward the end of the class.

How do I view my old quizzes?

Again, click on Grades from the box, then "graded". You can then select the quiz itself to view the whole quiz, so long as it has been graded and released to all.

E-MAILS

Why am I getting a zillion emails?

The default is that when you post to a forum, you are automatically "subscribed", and it sends you emails from that forum. To stop it, go to Profile, click "Show Advanced" (if needed) and change the setting "Forum auto-subscribe" to "No". The only forum everyone is forced to subscribe to is "Latest News", my announcements.

Sometimes the system keeps sending you emails from the forums even though you've turned this setting off. When you go into a forum, check the upper right-hand corner of the discussion page. I have set all discussions so that you have a choice about whether to subscribe. If it has the option "Unsubscribe to this forum", click that link.

Can I email you?

I much prefer that currently enrolled students use Messages from inside the class site. It keeps a better record, and the email won't get lost in all my MCC business email

TECHNICAL ISSUES

I pasted from Word and my test or post shows all this gobbedly-gook before what I wrote.

Microsoft products do not play well with others. In tests and forums, pasting from Word shows all your formatting code. There are a couple of things you can do:

1. In Word, save as .rtf or plain text instead of .doc or .docx, then paste the text.
2. Don't use Word -- use Notepad or something very simple.

(There is a "Word cleanup" button, but it doesn't work as well as the solutions suggested above.)

For discussion forums, you can post, then go back to your post and click "Edit", and get rid of the extra code.

Why can't I bold anything?

Maybe you can't see the HTML Editor above the field where you paste your essay. You should have editor buttons visible. They don't show in Safari, only Firefox. The Editor looks like this:

If you still don't see it, go to your Profile, click Edit Profile and make sure you have the HTML editor enabled:

For more information and a video demonstration, see this screencast.

I can't hear the audio or see the video.

Make sure you have Quicktime properly installed from inside Firefox.

I went to a link in the class, but it says 404 or the page isn't there.

That happens! Let me know via Messages. If you'd like a bit of extra credit, find and suggest a page that can take its place!

What do I do if I have a big hairy technical problem?

Contact me in Messages (or email if you can't do Messages). MCC's helpdesk does not assist with my classes.

Where's your office?

My office is in room 605 at the San Elijo campus. I'm there Mondays and Wednesdays.