Online Technology and Skills

BA 7070 Online Technology and Skills

Prof. Spalding's Email: aspalding@wayne.edu

Required Technology and Skills

Email. Students use email as their primary means of communicating with Prof. Spalding in this course. Please carefully review the Email Protocols in Prof. Spalding's Class.
Internet Access. An online course of study, by definition, requires internet accss.

High speed internet access is, of course, recommended at all times. At a minimum, student should plan to take quizzes and exams from a good computer connected to a high quality high speed internet access. Campus computers (for example, computer lab or library computers at the Main Campus or the Oakland Center) are the most reliable.

As a general rule, Windows XP works more reliably than Windows Vista for quizzes and exams.
For other recommendations regarding quizzes and exams, carefully read both the Quizzes and the Exams pages of the syllabus from top to bottom.

Scanner. Students are required to scan their Wayne State University One Card picture ID in color and to Send it to Prof. Spalding using the Digital Drop Box tool on Blackboard.

This is the only task for which a scanner is needed.
The One Card should be scanned to a .jpg format, in color (not black and white), and should be named with the student's name. For example, Sally E. Kim's One Card should be scanned to a file named Sally_E_Kim.jpg, and Sent to Prof. Spalding by way of the Digital Drop Box tool on Blackboard.

Send the actual .jpg file itself; do not embed or insert the .jpg file into a Word file, a .ZIP compressed file, a .pdf file, or other format.

Be sure to use the Send button, not the Add button. Otherwise, Prof. Spalding will not receive your scan of your Student ID.
If you don't have a scanner, ask around: it is likely that you know someone who has a home or office printers that include a scanner. Or, have your One Card scanned at a Kinko's, an office supply store, or similar retail outlet. Again, ask around and use your resourcefulness.

Digital Camera or Digital Video Camera. Most student in this course prefer to record their research paper presentation and upload it onto the Discussion Board, rather than present in person. This procedure is optional, but results in extra credit points. For more information about this, carefully read the Research Paper page of the syllabus from top to bottom.

If you don't have a digital camera, ask around: it is likely that you know someone who has a digital camera that has the capability of recording a ten minute video.

Headphones with Microphone, and Web Cam. For students who wish to take advantage of online office hours (rather than attempt to meet up with Prof. Spalding in person), headphones with microphone, plus a web cam, are required.

These need not be expensive. Headphones that include a microphone are available for less than $ 20, and web cameras are also available for less than $ 20.

Blackboard Live Classroom (WIMBA). Students can interact with Prof. Spalding during online office hours on Blackboard Live Classroom (sometimes referred to as WIMBA).

To interact with Prof. Spalding during online offiice hours, students use Blackboard Live Classroom
Watch the Announcements page on Blackboard for the times of forthcoming online office hours. These are posted from time to time.

If your question cannot wait until the next scheduled online office hours (or if no office hours are scheduled for the near future), simply send your question to Prof. Spalding by email. Remember to follow the email protocols for this course.
Prior to participating on online office hours, it is necessary that you Send a scanned copy of your student identification (Wayne State University One Card) to Prof. Spalding by way of the Digital Drop Box on Blackboard. For information about this, see above.
If you do not have the necessary technology (e.g., web cam), send your question by email, making sure to follow the email protocols for this course.

At the time of the posted office hours, go the the Live Classroom link at the Communications button on the Blackboard site for this course, and click on the "Prof. Spalding's Online Office" link.

Before signing onto Blackboard to use the Live Classroom, clear the cache, and all cookies, from your browser.

If you don't know how to clear the cache, and all cookies, from your browser, find your way to someone who can help you, such as a technician at a campus computer lab.
If possible, it is also a good idea to reboot your computer before signing onto Blackboard to use the Live Classroom.
Before signing onto Blackboard to use the Live Classroom, also make sure no other windows are open, including any other tabs or windows within your browser.

Before you enter the Online Office room, be sure to run the setup wizard (on the right-hand side of your screen) to make sure your computer, headphones and microphone are ready to use the Live Classroom.

Make sure your browser allows pop-ups from wayne.edu, from http://208.185.34.123, and from https://208.185.34.123

After you enter the online office hours room, click on the Video icon to the right of the Talk Button.

Click the both the "Start Transmitting Video" button (with an icon that looks like an eye) and the "Show preview video" button (with an icon that looks like a small picture within a larger picture) to enable them.

If your camera is operating properly, you'll see the Presenter in the Live Classroom (probably Prof. Spalding or another student) in the larger (background) view, and your own transmission in the lower (picture-in-picture) view.

Use the "Raise your Hand" function to let Prof. Spalding know that you are ready talk.

Remember to make sure your video is enabled. Prof. Spalding does not have conversations unless he can see that it is really you.
When Prof. Spalding "calls on" you by making you the Presenter, you will see yourself in both pictures while you are the Presenter.

When you are the Presenter, you will only see yourself in the video window on your screen. (You will see yourself in both the larger (background) view, and your own transmission in the lower (picture-in-picture) view. You will not see Prof. Spalding during the time that you are designated as the Presenter.

Click and hold down the Talk button to talk. Try not to interrupt others.
When Prof. Spalding moves the Presenter back to himself, or to another student, that's who will show in the larger background view.

Online office hours are not confidential. Students may, and are invited to, listen in. Archives are sometimes made available for reference by all students at a later time. For questions of a confidential nature, send an email.
As necessary, make use of the Help function to train yourself to use the Live Classroom.

One-on-One Consulations. Ocasionally Prof. Spalding determines, as a result of email communications or regular online office hour conversations with a student, that a one-on-one conversation with that student is required or appropriate. In such a case, Prof. Spalding will invite the student to set up an appointment with him for a one-on-one conversation by special appointment in the Office Hours room on Live Classroom (with web cam enabled). The time and date of the appointment is established ahead of time by email.

Prior to the appointment, you must have scanned your Wayne State University One Card picture ID and and have Sent it to Prof. Spalding using the Digital Drop Box tool on Blackboard.
Remember to make sure your video is enabled. Prof. Spalding does not conduct one-on-one consultations unless he can see that it is really you.