CE (WebCT/Blackboard) Student Frequently Asked Questions
Issues in Regard to:
- Getting Started in CE
- Browser Tune Up and Settings
- Accessing CE
- Logging In
- Deny of Access
- Lack of a link to your course
- Excessive Course Links/Hiding Courses
- Posting Assignments
- Questions About a course? (Student)
- My Tools
- Accessibility to your personal course (Student)
- Chatroom Issues
- Customization and Preferences
- Adding Teaching Assistants Into Your Course
- Obtaining and Enabling your E-mail
- Checking graded work
- Problem not listed? See Contact Information
What do I need to get started with CE at USD?
Email username and password (your USD account username and password is the same username and password for CE access at USD). Test to make sure that you have activated your email account and it is in working condition (send an email via http://mirapoint.sandiego.edu).
If you login to the server above and see a link for a course you are taking on CE, but when you click on it , it says "Access Denied", it means that your faculty has not granted you access to the course.
First, please contact your faculty and let him/her know that you cannot gain access. Next, verify if he/she has performed roster upload and have granted you access to the course. Furthermore, if they do see your information on their roster within their CE course or not.
We will need to have all the above taken by you before you report further trouble with your CE course access and completing the Cotact us form. Please remember to do ALL the above steps, run browser check too, then let us know if you still have problems.
We have also prepared a first day of class handout to help you get started with login information (you need to have Acrobat Reader downloaded to view this document).
Browser Check and Tune up and Settings:
In order for browser of your choice to work with current version of CE, you must run the Browser tune up completely. Follow the steps with pop blocker, Java settings and all other plugins required. If you do not perform this important task at the beginning, I promise that you will run into some form of trouble when you are in a hurry needing to upload or download a file, submit a posting or quiz, or joining in a chat. You must use a supported and compatible browser depending on use of Macintosh (Safari), or PC (IE6 --IE7 is not working well with CE at this point).
How should I configure my browser?
Many of the problem with your access to CE can be resolved if you make sure that your computer set-up is compatible with CE. To make sure your browser is ready for CE, run a browser tune up CE browser tune-up. It has all the information you'll need to make your browser ready for CE.
To make sure your browser is ready for CE, visit the CE browser tune-up.
Make sure you are not trying to access the chat room from behind a firewall. If you are unsure if your network uses a firewall, ask the person who takes care of the network. If it's an Internet Service Provider (ISP), call your ISP.
How do I know which version of CE to access?
Your instructor can tell you. Check your syllabus or ask your instructor.
How do I access CE?
Go to http://pope.sandiego.edu
What is my username (CE ID) and password to log in to CE?
Your username and password are the same as your USD Unet (email) username and password. Be sure to leave off @sandiego.edu when typing your username.
What should I do if I cannot log in to CE?
Make sure that your USD Unet (email) account works by checking email. Go to http://mirapoint.sandiego.edu and log in. If you cannot check email, go to the Serra 205 computer lab and see one of the lab supervisors or call them at 619-260-2765. If you can check email but cannot get into CE, contact your instructor. Verify whether they have granted you access to the course.
What if I can log in to CE but when I click on a course link, I get a message stating that access is denied?
There are several reasons why access may be denied:
- Your instructor is not using CE for the course
- Your instructor has not granted access to the course yet
If you know that your instructor is using CE and you cannot follow the course link, contact your instructor and ask if you have been granted access to the course.
How can I hide links to courses in my Course List in CE if the instructor is not using it?
You can hide links to courses in your Course List in CE by doing the following:
- Log in to CE
- Click on the pencil icon in the top right corner next to Course List.
- Click on the Hide Link button for any courses you wish to hide in your Course List.
- Click the My Courses tab to return to the previous screen.
How do I post assignments to my CE course?
This will depend on the preference of the professor. Assignments maybe posted via email or discussion board as attachment or via the Online Assignment Dropbox.
Please check with your professor on his/her preferred choice.
I have a question about my course (or the course material). Who should I ask?
Your professor is a good starting point.
How come no tools show up in the My Tools area when I switch to the Student View tab?
As an instructor, you need to enable Student Tools. If you don’t, students won’t see them in the My Tools area. To enable Student Tools, do the following:
* Go to the Build tab
* Click Manage Course (in the Designer Tools menu)
* Go to the bottom of the Tools page in the center of the screen and check (or uncheck) the boxes next to the Student Tools that you want students to have access to
* Click the Save button on the bottom of the screen
Why can’t my students can’t access my course?
* Make sure they are logging in to http://pope.sandiego.edu
* Make sure they are entering the correct user name and password (both case-sensitive). They can verify by trying to log in to their mail, which uses the same user name and password as CE (http://mail.sandiego.edu)
* In your course, click on the Build tab, then click on Grade Book. You should see a list of students enrolled in your course.
* Click the check box next to the students who don’t have access to your course
* Click the Grant Access button
* Your students now should be able to access the course. If they can’t, please send the following information to Shahra (meshkaty@sandiego.edu): your name, the course title, name, number, and section number, the student’s first name, last name, ID number, and username.
I can't access the chat room.
Most problems with the chat room are browser or firewall related.
Make sure you are not trying to access the chat room from behind a firewall. If you are unsure if your network uses a firewall, ask the person who takes care of the network. If it's an Internet Service Provider (ISP), call your ISP.
How do I change the color of the links that appear on my course’s home page?
* From the build tab, click on the Manage Course button
* Click Colors
* Click Custom
* Click the pencil icon next to This is a link on the page
* On the color chart that pops up, select
your preferred color and click Apply
* Click Apply again to apply the change to your course
How do I add teaching assistants into my course?
Please send Shahra your teaching assistant’s name and username and the name and number of the course(s) you want them to have access to. She will give then give grant them access
Obtaining your E-mail Account:
Students can only access CE courses at USD with their USD Unet account username and password.
If you don't have your Unet (email) account established, you will not be able to see your course.
Please go to Serra Hall 205 or UC 117, with your valid USD ID and request an account setup. Or, you can do this online at http://mirapoint.sandiego.edu/
If you change status, from under grad to grad, or if you are a staff member at USD, but taking course, please re-establish your account by going to Serra Hall 205.
I want to check my grades (or quiz scores) but don't see them.
To see your grades or quiz scores, you will need to click on the My Grades link in your course. If you do not see your grade and expect to have a grade, using your USD email account, send an email to your instructor.
I can't find an answer to my question. What should I do?
You can contact us via the Contact Us link --We will not be able to answer questions in a timly manner without your proper, detailed, complete input about your account (first/lastname/your ID number, your username), your course info (professor, title, course name and number and course section), your exact error message report (what server/url you are logging into, what you type, what you click on and what you receive). The more complete information we receive from you the first time, the quicker we can troubleshoot your issue. Please keep in mind that your first point of contact is your faculty, then this FAQ list, and then the Contact Us form. http://www.sandiego.edu/webct/contact.php
