BOT 101A Online
Orientation
Introduction
This orientation will introduce you to the
course content and expectations for BOT 101A online. You'll also
have a chance to make sure everything is set up and ready to go.
Your first quiz (at the end of this orientation) will include
questions about the syllabus and Blackboard, so make sure you go
over them 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 (Assignment #1 on your syllabus) to complete this orientation.
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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 Grossmont 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 kit at the campus bookstore, or from
another source. You will need them on the first day of class. In
the kit you will find 2 textbooks and the GDP keyboarding
software on a CD. This course teaches keyboarding and document
processing in Microsoft Word 2007. If you already have Word 2007
on your computer, you’re ready. You absolutely must use Word
2007 for this class because older versions of Word will not
work with the GDP keyboarding software. (See below for more
details about the required course materials).
-
Login to Blackboard. The first day of
class is August 25, 2008. One day before class
begins, those who have enrolled will be entered into the
Blackboard system.
If you enrolled successfully in the class, you should now be
able to access the class. If you register for the class less
than one week prior to class starting, you must contact me to be
entered into the Blackboard system. If you want to add the class
after the start date, you need to contact me for an add code.
Please do not enroll yourself into Blackboard until you first
check to see if your name is already there. If you wind up in
Blackboard twice, it will be confusing for us both. Simply use
the username and email that is provided for you by the Grossmont
computer department. You can edit these later.
-
How to login to Blackboard
(available August 24 – one day
before class begins)
A. Go to http://bb.gcccd.net
(click on this link or the Blackboard Login link on the
Grossmont College homepage.
B. Click the login button
C. For Username, enter your name as firstname.lastname
(all lower case with a dot between your first and last names)
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 login in, STOP
and contact me (barb.gillespie@gcccd.edu).
Do not panic. We will 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. The first time you login to the
course (or anytime you change e-mail address), click on the Tools
button, select Personal Information, and update
the e-mail address that you prefer to use for this class. When I
send class e-mail announcements, it will go to the e-mail
address in your profile. Save any changes.
-
Print the syllabus
(available August 24 – 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 about the
syllabus 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.
-
Install
the GDP keyboarding software. Turn to page 4 in your
syllabus and follow the instructions to install and set up the
GDP software. You will also need the GDP software manual.
-
Install Word 2007 software.
Beginning with Lesson 20, you will need Word 2007 installed. GDP
will automatically launch Word when it is needed.
-
Take the online orientation quiz
(available August 24 – one day
before class begins). After completing the steps
above, you can take the quiz (worth 20 points and due the first
week of class). 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. This is
Assignment #1 in your syllabus.
- Begin on the course assignments.
Turn to page 5 in your syllabus and begin on the assignments in
the order they are listed. You can turn in assignments early.
See instructions for submitting assignments by clicking "How
to Upload your keyboarding assignments" link on the Course Information page in the class website. The due dates
for each assignment are listed in the syllabus. Most assignments
are due by midnight on Saturday, but be sure to check the
syllabus. The weeks of the midterm and final exams, I need your
work earlier (by Wed) so that I can grade everything and return
feedback before you take the exam.
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Course textbook and software
The textbook kit is available at the
Grossmont College Bookstore.
The textbook kit including the GDP10 software is available in the
Grossmont College Bookstore or online at
www.whywaitforbooks.com.
·
Required:
College Keyboarding &
Document Processing, Lessons 1-60, 10th edition,
by Scott Ober, Jack E.
Johnson, & Arlene Zimmerly, with GDP10 software. ISBN-13:
978-0-077-212-568 (This kit comes in a navy blue box and includes
the keyboarding textbook, a word
processing manual, and a CD with software). NOTE: Must be
the 10th edition text and software; and for Word 2007.
·
Word 2007 software, which is part of Office 2007. NOTE: Older versions of
Word will not work with the GDP keyboarding software.
You can get academic pricing, which is significantly lower than
retail, at several places. The best prices are available at
www.collegesoftware.org
(about $75 + S&H), but is exclusively for currently-enrolled
students. You can also check
www.gradware.com ,
www.journeyed.com , and www.campustech.com.
·
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
·
CD drive
·
Operating system:
Windows XP with Service Pack 2 or later
·
Internet access:
Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher
·
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 class is only 8 weeks in length and all work must be
completed by the class end date (October 27, 2008).
-
Schedule
at least 5-7 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.
-
Don't wait
until the last minute to start an assignment. If you run into a
problem, it may take time to get help.
-
Contact
your instructor as soon as you begin to have problems or if
you decide to drop.
-
Check
e-mail and Blackboard Announcements several times a week.
- Have a back-up plan in case your
computer crashes.
Congratulations you are ready to earn
your first points in the class. Be sure to mention that you have
read this orientation page in your e-mail to me:
barb.gillespie@gcccd.edu
Good luck and let's have fun!!!
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