Frequently-Asked Questions
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How will the course be taught? How will I communicate with my instructor and classmates?
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How do I order course materials (textbooks, course syllabus, etc.)?
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I plan to use my own computer. What hardware and software do I need?
How will the course be taught? How will I communicate with my instructor and classmates? Online courses incorporate a combination of teaching methods and instructional technologies which may vary from course to course: DVD lectures, discussion using a computer conference or a telephone conference, private communication using e-mail, research using the library and the World Wide Web, learning activities on the Web, and printed course manuals. You'll communicate using e-mail, online discussion boards, and, in some courses, virtual chat.
How
do I order course materials (textbooks, course syllabus, etc.)?
Books, syllabi, DVD's and other materials for all courses
delivered via technology may be ordered by mail, phone or fax, or online
from the University of Maine at
Augusta Bookstore. You can obtain order forms and a list of required
materials for all courses at your nearest University College Center
or site, or by calling the UMA bookstore at 1-800-621-0083.
On-campus students enrolling in ITV, Compressed Video or online courses
from their home campus may also purchase their course materials at their
local campus bookstore.
Please consult the list of required materials before placing your order.
Please note that syllabi and most course materials are NOT handed out
in class. They must be ordered through the bookstore. (Although many
online instructors distribute some materials via the internet, many
of these courses also rely on bookstore-delivered materials.
Plan to order your books and course materials two to three weeks before
the beginning of class to ensure their timely arrival (Mastercard, VISA,
Discover).
Please allow a minimum of five working days for delivery. Materials
will be shipped by UPS to the street address provided (UPS will not
deliver to PO boxes) or you may pick up your books in person.
Bookstore Phone: 1-800-621-0083
FAX: 1-800-243-7338
Hours: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday
How will my
work be evaluated?
Online courses use some of the following methods for evaluating
student work: research papers, short papers, projects, exams you take
at home, on-line participation, and occasional field-based assignments
(field placements, etc.). If your course requires that you take proctored
exams, you'll take them at a site or University College Center within
a four- or five-day "window" noted on your Course Schedule.
(You'll need to contact Teleservice at 1-800-868-7000 before or during
the first two weeks of the semester to arrange to have your exams sent
to the location where you'll be taking them.) Because room and proctoring
staff availability varies widely across the system, not all sites and
University College Centers may be able to administer exams on all days
noted in the Course Schedule. It is your responsibility to contact the
staff at your site or University College Center to schedule your exams.You
may also register online for a local
exam site.
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What computer
skills do I need?
You should be comfortable with your computer's operating system, whether
you're using a Macintosh or Windows computer. This includes such things
as where to find files on your computer, how to save files, formatting
disks, etc. You should be comfortable using a word processing program.
You should also be able to use a Web browser and an e-mail program.
Take this short skills
survey to check your computer savvy.
A few specialized courses may require advanced computer applications
(spreadsheets, for example, in certain accounting courses) or may require
you to download and install plug-ins (for example, Real Player or QuickTime)
in order to access streaming audio and/or video clips. These courses
are identified in the printed and online course listings, and detailed
specifications will be listed on course Web sites. Check your computer's
multimedia capability.
How can I learn the computer programs I need for my course?
Use our online Computer QuickGuides.
If you plan to do your work at sites and University College Centers,
step-by-step instructions are available and staff are glad to assist
you.
If you're not yet an experienced computer user, we suggest you take
an adult education course at your local high school or a workshop at
a University College
Center near you.
Depending on which course you take, the computer applications you will
need to learn may include the following :
• Web browser (Netscape 4 or above or Internet Explorer 4 or above)
• Blackboard (a Web-based program
for delivering content and for on-line communication)
• WebCT (a Web-based program for delivering
course content and for on-line communication, used mostly by University
of Maine faculty)
• E-mail program
• First Class (a computer conferencing
and e-mail program at the University of Maine)
• listserv (an electronic
"mailing list")Listed below are practice activities to get
you started learning some of these tools.
• BlackBoard CourseInfo
practice course (login as James.Sawyer or Margaret.Jones, password 'student)
• WebCT
(Login as 'WEB101', password 'help')
• FirstClass
(login as 'fcdemo', password 'fcdemo')
Where can I get technical support?
Call the numbers below for help with the following:
• how to use one of the software applications listed above
• technical problems with site and University College Center computers
• the login process (login names, passwords, login problems, etc.)
You are responsible for setting up your home computer.
For help with:
BlackBoard, site and Center computers:
UNET Technical Support Center.
Hours: 7am to 10pm Monday - Friday;
7am to 2pm on Saturday
1-800-696-4357 (HELP) (toll-free)
WebCT and First Class:
1-877-947-HELP (toll-free)
Hours: 8am to 5pm Monday - Friday
I don't own a computer.
Where can I get access to one?
Computer labs are available at University campuses and University College
Centers. In addition, ITV receive sites throughout the state have a
limited number of computers for use by students. If you are considering
use at a site, check with the site coordinator to find out the availability
of computers in your area.
University College
and receive site locations.
Some courses use software applications that are not available at sites
but are available at University College Centers. Be sure to check the
Course Information for courses that interest you.
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I plan to use my own
computer. What hardware and software do I need?
Hardware and software choice depends on a number of factors, including
your patience. Computers with less capacity or power may work, but the
results will be slower. For a satisfactory learning environment we recommend
that you use a Pentium computer running Windows 95 or later, or a Macintosh
running System 8 or later. You may also need:
• an Internet connection through an Internet Service Provider (A
28.8 kbps link is the minimum acceptable speed for Web browsing; a 56K
connection is highly recommended if your course includes multimedia
components, including streaming audio and video using RealPlayer or
QuickTime.) Note: although you may own a 56K modem, your connection
speed may be considerably lower at times.
• a Web browser (Netscape version 4.0 or higher or Microsoft Internet
Explorer version 4.0 or higher recommended)
• an E-mail program (if you have a "maine.edu" e-mail
account, you'll be able to read and send e-mail over the Web using IMP
mail.
• a word processing program that can save files in a format that
others can work with. The University College Centers and sites have
Microsoft Word. (Saving your work in Rich Text Format, or RTF, is recommended,
since most current word processors are able to open such files without
losing formatting.)
A few courses may require enhanced computers such as those with a sound
card. These courses are identified in the printed and on-line Course
Guide, and detailed specifications will be listed on course Web sites.
The best way to gauge whether your computer will deliver adequate performance
is to try it out.
How much
time will this course require?
Online courses require as much or more time as "traditional"
courses. Even though you won't have to attend class sessions (typically
three hours a week), plan on spending about as much time reading, viewing
videotapes, and participating in on-line conferences. Additionally,
you'll have to complete assignments as you would in a "traditional"
course. You'll have to pace yourself, as these courses require that
you stick with a regular schedule for completing assignments, taking
tests, etc. Read comments
by faculty and staff.
I'm convinced
that an asynchronous course will work for me. How do I find out more
about courses? How do I register?
Visit our University College
Website for a complete listing of online courses and registration information.
To register, call the Teleservice Center at 1-800-868-7000 or visit
a University College
Center near you.