Technology/Student Services
Distance Education
Whether you are new to distance education or just have questions about it, you should check out Saddleback College’s Distance Education Handbook. In addition to lots of useful information, it includes features such as strategies for success and a self-assessment test that you can take to determine whether distance education is a good option for you.
Course Website
This course uses the Blackboard on-line course management system. Blackboard course sites can be accessed from any computer (on or off campus) with Internet access. If you don’t have a computer at home, computer access is available at many locations on campus, as well as at a variety of off-campus locations such as public libraries. The Saddleback College Distance Education Program On-Line Help and Information web page contains valuable information about Blackboard, including some helpful video tutorials.
It is your responsibility to make sure that you have adequate equipment and Internet access, and sufficient computer knowledge, to meet the requirements of this course. If you have questions or concerns regarding any of these issues, please review the information in the above on-line assistance links.
You can access the class website using the same log-on information that you use for MySite. Do not use your personal (non-Saddleback College) email address because it won’t work.
If you are using Internet Explorer 7.0 as your browser, make sure that Active X is turned on and running on your computer. Alternately, you can either use an earlier version of Internet Explorer, or Foxfire with the default settings. You may also need to lower your firewall setting, adjust your cookies setting, and/or turn off ad blockers, phishing filters, or other similar tools Pop-ups, etc., are programmed as a part of Java (a type of computer-scripting software). Blackboard uses Java in many areas for many things. You need to make sure that java is enabled and that you add Blackboard to your "safe" list if you are keeping pop-ups blocked.
Student Services
General student service information is available on the Saddleback College website. General, academic, and service information can be obtained by accessing the Counseling Division and Financial Aid web pages. Individual and small group counseling information such as academic planning and review of transcripts is available by appointment. All other student services are available on campus during normal business hours.
On-line counseling is available for questions regarding transferability of courses; college procedures and academic policies; certificate, degree, and transfer requirements; course prerequisites; course offerings and course content; and referrals to other programs and services.
Accommodating Students with Disabilities
This course meets the requirements set forth in the accessibility checklist and universal design grid provided by Special Services. The web pages, video presentations, textbooks, and class materials used in this course are accessible to students with disabilities.
Technology Failure
Life isn’t perfect, and neither is technology. Just like “the dog ate my homework,” technology failure is seldom an acceptable excuse for missing deadlines, not participating in class discussions, or missing exams. However, technology occasionally fails. If you plan ahead and complete your course requirements in plenty of time, then you should have time to either resolve your technology problem or to find another computer that you can use.
You should not wait until the last minute to submit your homework assignments and exam papers. The forms that you will use to submit your work are controlled by timers connected to the Saddleback College servers. At the end of the time period allotted for the assignment or exam, the form simply disappears, and you can no longer submit your work. When several students try to submit their work at the same time, a “log jam” occurs. The inevitable result is that one or more students are unable to submit their work. Failure to submit your work because the form disappears at the end of the allotted time period is not an acceptable excuse -- you will not receive any credit for that assignment or exam. All date and time limits used in this class are based on the Saddleback College server clock -- not yours.
Once in a while, the Saddleback College server goes down or the Blackboard software malfunctions. If this occurs, it will happen to the entire system, affecting all students and staff. (If it only happens to you, it probably isn’t a system failure, so you should not plan to use this as an excuse. Any such claims must be backed up by written documentation, obtained by you from the Saddleback College Instructional Technology Center, regarding the specific event on which you are basing your excuse.) If a system failure occurs, I will keep the class informed via email. If the system failure is serious enough that the class schedule is significantly impacted, I will adjust the class schedule accordingly.FREE Software Downloads
The following links are for free downloads of .pdf reader and media player software for the Windows and Mac operating systems. Some of the assignments in this class will require the use of these types of software. Most computers already have this software, although you may need to update the version on your machine.
WARNING! Some of these websites offer both basic and enhanced versions. While the basic versions may be downloaded at no cost to you, you will be required to pay for the enhanced versions. None of the assignments in this class will require the use of an enhanced version of any of this software. Therefore, you should carefully read the website before downloading the software to make sure that you have chosen the version that you want.
Adobe Acrobat Reader
Windows
Mac
RealPlayer
Windows
Mac
QuickTime Player
Windows
Mac
Windows Media
Player
Windows
Mac
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