Online Frequently Asked
Questions
Q: How do I save my lessons?
A: As you know, you will be losing access to the online classroom two weeks after the end of this course. These instructions are designed to help you keep your lessons for future reference.You can print each chapter of your lessons by clicking the ‘File' menu and choosing ‘Print'. Make sure your printer is online and stocked with paper. When you're ready, click the ‘OK' button.
You can also save each chapter of your lessons to disk by clicking the ‘File' menu and choosing ‘Save As'. Then, simply use the drop-down list to select the drive and/or folder to which you want to save the file. Click the ‘Save' button when you're ready. Remember the name of the file and the drive and folder to which you saved the file, and do not change the name of the file. To view the saved file later, use ‘My Computer', the ‘Windows Explorer', or other tool to go to the drive and folder to which you saved the file. Then, just double-click the file you want to open. You do not have to be online to view the file.
If you use Netscape 4 or greater and your browser is equipped with e-mail capabilities, you can e-mail each chapter of the lessons to yourself. Just click the ‘File' menu and choose ‘Send Page'. Type in your e-mail address and click the ‘Send' button. Then, just check your mail. The lesson should arrive within a few minutes.
If you use Internet Explorer 3 or greater and Microsoft Outlook, you can e-mail each chapter of the lessons to yourself. Just click the ‘File' menu and choose ‘Send To' followed by ‘Mail Recipient Using Microsoft Outlook'. Type in your e-mail address and click the ‘Send' button. Then, just check your mail. The lesson should arrive within a few minutes.
Q: What are the course requirements?
A: This course is conducted online over the World Wide Web. In order to access your online classroom, you will need an up-to-date web browser--such as the Netscape Navigator (version 3 or greater), Netscape Communicator (version 4 or greater), the Microsoft Internet Explorer (version 3 or greater) or America Online (version 4 or greater).
You can download a free copy of the Netscape or Microsoft browsers by pointing your current web browser to the following addresses:
Netscape Navigator
http://home.netscape.com/download/Microsoft Internet Explorer
http://www.microsoft.com/msdownload/If you'd rather, you can also purchase (for about $35) the Netscape Navigator or the Microsoft Internet Explorer at large software stores, such as CompUSA: .
Q: What is the Online Classroom?
A: This course is conducted through an online classroom. You will need to go to this classroom to obtain your lessons, work through tutorials, take quizzes, complete assignments, participate in discussions with your fellow students, and ask questions of your instructor.
Now that you have completed the orientation for this course, you will be able to access the online classroom.
After you identify yourself, we will perform a brief check to verify that you have properly registered and paid for this class. If all is well, you will be granted full access to the online classroom and all the material contained therein.
Q: What about e-mail and administrative matters?
A: As I mentioned earlier, the course discussion area is reserved solely for discussion of the material in your lessons.
Please do not use the course discussion areas for compliments, complaints, requests for extensions, or other personal matters. Instead, please send such messages directly to my teaching assistant via e-mail. The teaching assistant's e-mail address is: sabri@sabri.org
Please understand that it may take my teaching assistant two or sometimes three business days to respond to e-mail, so provide plenty of time for a response.
If you have a question about payments, refunds, transcripts, certificates, adds, drops, or transfers, please contact the college directly.
If you are having trouble receiving e-mail, cannot access all or part of the online classroom, or have any other problem not directly related to the course material itself, please feel free to send a message to my course administrator. The administrator's e-mail address is: sabri@sabri.org
The administrator deals with many students from many different courses. Each and every time you write to the course administrator, please make sure and include your complete name, and the name of the course that you are taking. Please keep your messages brief, but provide a complete explanation of your problem in each and every message.
Believe it or not, the course administrator often receives messages that say only "Yes, that's right." or "Didn't get it.", to which the administrator is forced to respond: "What on Earth are you talking about?"
GETTING STARTED - "THE ROUTINE"
Q: Once I become enrolled, what's a good process to follow for navigating through the course?
A: First, make sure that you read and thoroughly understand all of the information . Answers to many of the questions that you have can be located here.
Next, go through each lesson page by page. Printing them out is a good idea: When you get to the last page of the lesson, make sure to scroll down and click NEXT. This will take you to the Supplementary Material pages where the "lesson links" (HTML text) are located.
Click on Assignment and you will access the assignment for the current lesson. Answers to the assignment should be posted at the Discussions Area. Please, do not post your answers as a reply to my posting. Instead, use a new posting. This helps with archiving and retrieving the answers for future use.
Finally, return to the Assignment or Supplementary Material page, or go back to the Quiz entrance screen, scroll down or up and find Discussion.
From here you can go into the Discussions AreaWhen you see a comment that has a + sign, no one has responded. A comment that has no + and a date means that I have responded. Make sure to open these postings to read responses to your messages and your
classmate's messages. Feel free to respond to my postings or your classmates.
It's that simple!
USE OF TEXTBOOKS
Q: Are textbooks recommended?
A: While no textbooks are required, many students find the Online experience to be enriched through the use of supplemental texts. However, because of heavy reliance on the World Wide Web for information, texts are purely discretionary.
At the beginning of the course, I will post a few textbooks that I recommend for those that are interested.
POSTING OF ANSWERS TO ASSIGNMENTS
Q: How do I post answers to assignments?
A: Answers are posted at the Class Discussion Area. Please create a new posting for your answers.
INOPERATIVE LESSON LINKS
Q: What happens when I click on a link at the Supplementary Material page and I get an error message?
A: If you surfed the 'net very often, you probably know that Internet references on the World Wide Web are somewhat unreliable. When an on-line course is being developed, the internet link is of course "live." Occasionally, after the on-line course is completed, these links lose their support or are not hosted and as a result, are no longer accessible.
I normally check for this condition at the beginning of each lesson and if it is detected, provide a substitute reference.
CURRENT ON-LINE TECHNOLOGY
Q: Why aren't there video or audio clips or embedded hypertext links in the lessons?
A: To satisfy the largest audience, the course was designed to use the technology that provides the greatest reliability and appeals to a common denominator. However, the course format has gone through a few evolutions and will continue to do so as the technology improves.
Q: Do I have to write a biography?
A: Because all our communication is online, a biography is the only way for us to get to know one another. The biography is the equivalent to introducing yourself to the class in the traditional classroom.
Q: Can I contact the instructor?
A: Yes, your instructor is available 24 hours a day. You can post your concerns on the discussion board, or contact the instructor directly via e-mail.
Q: Do I need to buy a textbook?
A: You are not required to purchase any textbooks. The lectures provided to you are sufficient. Education To Go makes it very easy for you to print them and make a small book out of them. However, if you wish, Fundamentals of English Grammar by Betty Azar would be recommended. You may purchase this text online from Amazon.Com.