How to. . .

This page gives you nitty-gritty instructions on doing most things in the course. Each of the main topic in red is vital to your performance in the course. Read this entire page. See also the "Help" and FAQ pages. Don't understand something? Ask!! You can't do what you don't understand. If you need a hands-on tutorial on any element of the course, visit me during office hours.
Course Schedule: Assignments are generally due each Monday and Thursday evening by MIDNIGHT (that is as Monday becomes Tuesday and Thursday becomes Friday). You may, however, submit them at any convenient time before the absolute due date/time as listed on the assignments page. Except for assignments where you respond to your fellow classmates, you may work ahead, if you wish. Check the assignments page frequently as things may change. Quizzes are available one week before the final due date.
Navigation tip: If you right-click on any of the menu items to the left, you can open that page in a new window. That might be more convenient at times.

Table of Contents: How to. . .

  • communicate effectively electronically
  • participate in Vista discussions
  • reply to prior discussion postings
  • improve your performance on discussions
  • handle Vista login problems
  • synthesize/ integrate information from many different sources
  • take a reading quiz
  • check my grades
  • find NCSU rules and regulations about practically anything

      • communicate effectively electronically
    1. Unity email address made official for students As of August 13, 2007, all official email correspondence from the university should be sent to students’ Unity email addresses. This includes email regarding student account information, eBILLs, and correspondence from instructors regarding classes. Students have been notified of the change in the email address that is associated with their records in the student information system. Instructors should continue to use students’ email addresses provided by Registration and Records. The university implemented these changes because of the increased use of email for official communications and the need to have confidence that the email is being delivered to valid student email addresses. Students still have the option of forwarding their email to another account.
    2. Write email messages that are clear and professional. Always include your full name, course and sections numbers, and specific assignment that you're asking about. "Hey" is not an appropriate salutation. Spell check and proofread the email. In an online course, you ARE what you write. I suggest reading this article on Diversifying and Improving Student-Instructor Communication.

      participate in Vista discussions

       Vista is where you will engage in online discussions with your classmates. Navigation tip: To move around Vista, you CANNOT use your browser's "Back" button. Instead use the course tools on the upper lefthand corner of the Vista window. Use the discussions button to reach Vistas.
      1. Write your discussion with your word processor, then copy and paste it into the online discussion box. This practice allows you more time for reflection, spell checking, and revision. Do NOT email me your discussion postings; enter them on the Vista discussion page.
      2. Vista destroys word processor formatting, so SINGLE SPACE POSTINGS. Double space between paragraphs (insert a blank line).
          Once logged into Vista
        1. Click on discussions on the menu at the top of the page
        2. Click on the proper topic and then click on the first message (It reads some thing like "Click here to reply").
        3. Click on reply and on the subject line, insert your name (that will make it easier to find your messages.)
        4. Paste your message into the box, then click the preview button at the bottom of the screen. If everything looks good-to-go, press post.
      3. Proofread for deficiencies in evidence, argument, or presentation (format). See the Discussion Rubric for a summary of how I will evaluate your online contributions.

      reply to prior discussion postings

       To create more interaction among students, I sometimes assign two due dates for a discussion topic. Based on the first letter of your last name (R-Z, etc.), different portions of the class post their thoughts by an initial due date. Those in the response group read assigned texts as well as the postings by their colleagues. The response group posts their evaluations of the prior discussion by the next regular due date (Thursday for an initial Monday due date; Monday for an initial Thursday due date). This schedule applies even if the reply date's assignment is a quiz, not a discussion. Read the other student postings when it is your turn to respond. Your response duties may vary, so read the individual assignments instructions carefully. You must quote directly from each of the selected discussions. Post your reply to the same thread as the original discussions that you are replying to. Put another way, your comments should appear under the original discussion topic and date that you reply to. Read the HI 216 Reply and Evaluation Rubric or the HI 453 Reply Rubric to see how your response will be graded.

      improve performance on discussions
      1. Compare your graded discussion with the rubric (discussion or reply, as appropriate). Honestly and thoughtfully examine what you did well, according to the rubric, and what you failed to do. Also examine the instructions above on this "how to" page.
      2. Read discussions posted by other students. Compare each paragraph with one of your own. You'll likely see ways to improve. When you reply (see above), study other discussions carefully, looking for the best practices that follow the rubric. Then emulate those practice in your future discussions.
      3. If you wish more help from the instructor, here's the procedure. Do a self-assessment of your own work. Annotate a copy of the discussion, writing (in CAPS or another color font) what you perceive as its strengths and weaknesses. Work paragraph by paragraph. Email the document to Dr. Slatta who will review your work and annotations and add additional comments on your work. Why this policy? First, YOU need to learn to think critically about your own work--it's called metacognition.. Second, Official NCSU GER policy says so. GER courses should "encourage students to take personal responsibility for their education, including the ability to find, evaluate and communicate new information, setting the stage for life-long learning."

      handle Vista log-in problems

       If you have Vista access problems, check these issues.
      1. Possible browser problems. Vista can do a browser check for you at the log in page.
      2. When you reach the NCSU WRAP screen to enter your unity ID and password, look at the various options. Consider the type of computer access you are using (off a network, etc.) and then choose the proper type of connection.
      3. Read any announcements on the Vista log-in screen. If Vista is down or having problems the techies will post a message to alert you.

      synthesize/ integrate information from many different sources

       The approach to this course requires that you synthesize or combine many different sources of information into a logical units (paragraphs). This is the key high-level cognitive skill that we work on repeatedly (review Bloom's Taxonomy of Cognitive Skills. To assist you in organizing and synthesizing, consult and apply this Synthesis Matrix. Or you may use a concept map or outline to organize information from different sources into logical, topical paraagraphs.

      take a reading quiz

       You have several open-book reading quizzes designed to make certain that you understand the course's main textbook and other materials. Once you've read the relevant chapters, go to Vista and take the quiz. I strongly urge you to do the reading first; then take the quiz (open book). Doing this will give you a quicker, less frustrating quiz experience. You have two hours to take each 10-question quiz, but you only have access to each quiz once, so allow sufficient time. If the quiz involves web-based materials, open a second browser window to access that information. Quizzes are available for a week before the due date through midnight of the due date. You have two hours to take each quiz.

      check grades

       Click on "My Grades" in Vista to see your discussion and quiz grades. If you don't see a grade posted, first check the discussion area to make certain that you posted your contribution. Use the search feature at the top of the screen to look for your own name and all your postings. If you did the assignment but failed to get a grade, email me with the exact discussion number and date. I sometimes overlook postings, or you may have posted it in the wrong place. You can also use the Progress button to monitor your course peformance.

      find NCSU rules and regulations about practically anything.