Tips For Success/FAQs

Announcements

• I just noticed that a pop-up window appeared when I logged into my course. What is this?
  • Your instructor may occasionally use the Announcements tool to provide information to you that is not contained in the course already. You do not need to reply to the announcement – just make sure you read it and follow the instructions.
• Can I delete the announcements?
  • No, only the instructor can delete the announcements.

Assessments

• How do assessments work in WorldClassRoom?
  • Your instructor may choose to use the Assessment tool to create a quiz which will look and act very much like one that you would receive in a face to face class. He/she can include all the usual types of questions such as true/false, multiple choice and fill in the blank. If this is the way they present the assessment, then you will interact with the tool to take the quiz and submit your answers. Once the quiz is graded, your grade will be available to you via the My Grades tool. At times, the instructor will just add the quiz as an attachment for you to download to your computer to fill out and then submit back to be graded.
• For more information on taking an assessment, please see the Assessments tutorial guide.

Assignments

• What type of assignments should I expect in an online class?
  • You may encounter a multitude of assignment types in your online classes. Some instructors will have you submit a paper, some will have you do research and report back to the class using the one of the communication tools, and some will have you collaborate with a small group and then submit your answers. You may also be asked to create a presentation using software such as PowerPoint and submit that for the instructor and/or class to review. The instructor will provide information about how they want your assignment submitted to them.
• Will all assignments come from the Assignments tool?
  • No, sometimes the instructor will have you add an attachment to the Discussions or even keep a transcript of a chat session.
• For more information on submitting assignments, please see the Assignments tutorial guide.

Discussions

• What is the best way to read Discussion postings?
  • The threaded discussion is the most traditional type of online discussion and is the most like an in-class discussion. Replies that are associated with the same post are grouped together, creating message threads that can be expanded and collapsed. An easy way to focus on one thread of discussion is to check the boxes next to the subjects of the posts or threads you would like to read, and then hit Create Printable View. This will launch a new window with all the posts in order and allow you to reply to any post in that view.
• How do I add formatting to my message so it looks more like a word processing document?
  • Use the HTML creator if you want to add formatting to your submission of information. Using this link, you will be able to change the look of your posting to add bullets, hyperlinks, and images as well as change the look of the text.
    
• What is the difference between posting in a blog or a journal? I see both features in WorldClassRoom.

A collaborative blog (weblog) allows students or instructors to post a chronological series of entries on a particular topic. Members of the class can then add comments to a blog entry if the instructor requests this. Journals give students a place for their own writing. The main difference between blogs and journals is that the journals can be kept private between the student and the instructor or shared with the class.

• For more information on discussions, please see the Discussions tutorial guide.

Files

• What types of files are ok to use in WorldClassRoom?
  • WorldClassRoom will allow all types of files to be uploaded. The most common types will be:
    • Documents: .doc, .docx, .pdf, .txt, .zip, .rtf,
    • Spreadsheets: .xls, .xlsx,
    • Presentations: .ppt, .pptx,
    • Images: .jpeg, .gif
  • Be sure to name your files in a manner that will be acceptable to WorldClassRoom by avoiding the use of extra characters (for example, (){}[]|`¬¦!"£$%^&*"<>:;#~_-+=,@ ) and spaces in the name.

Log in issues

• If your username and/or password are not working, try logging in through Connections. You can find the Connections log in on the front of the Webster homepage.
• If you have forgotten your username or password, go to the Connections login page and click on the link below the login box that says "I've forgotten my username or password."
• If you don't see your class listed in the course listings, you should:
  • Be aware that students are loaded into their classes on the Friday before classes start. Wait until that date before trying to access your clas in WorldClassRoom.
  • You should contact your advisor. You may not be enrolled in the class.
• Contact the Helpdesk for assistance with any of these issues that you are not able to resolve.
  
• Phone (314) 968-5995 or toll-free 1 (866) 435-7270
• Email  support@webster.edu
• Submit Help Ticket

Syllabus

• Where do I find my syllabus for the course that I am taking online?
  • You can obtain a general syllabus for most online classes at www.webster.edu/online. Click on the "Programs" tab, select the appropriate program, and then the course in which you are enrolled.
  • A syllabus specific to the course you are taking will be included in the course content of your class. You can click on the link in the tools within your class or you can also find it as a link on the course home page.

Settings you can change:

WorldClassRoom allows students and instructors to individualize the settings within their classes. To access these settings, click on My Settings at the top right side of the entry page in your class listing and then choose My Tool Options

.

• Font Size
• You can adjust the size of the font on your screen in the My Settings area. This will not adjust the size of the text within the course webpages.
• To do this follow the steps below:
• Click My Settings in the top right corner of the My Blackboard page.
• Click on the My Tool Options tab.
• Scroll Down to Fonts.
• Next to Font size is a drop down menu where you can determine which size you would like to view.
• Click Save.

• Mail
• The email within WorldClassRoom operates in a closed environment. This means that email sent to other users can only be checked and replied to from within WorldClassRoom. You do have the option to forward a copy of any email sent to you within the system to your Webster University email account.
• To do this, follow the steps below:

• Click My Settings in the top right corner of the My Blackboard page.
• Click on the My Tool Options tab.
• Scroll Down to Mail.
• Check the box for Mail forwarding. Remember, this only allows you to view a copy of the email. We suggest leaving the Show Messages and Show New Messages settings at the default
• Click Save

• Paging
• Paging determines the number of items that are displayed per page.
• If your paging is set too low, you may miss new content, specifically in the email and discussion tools. We suggest that you set your paging to the maximum amount (999) to ensure that you are able to view all of the content in your course.
• To do this, follow the steps below:
• Click My Settings in the top right corner of the My Blackboard page.
• Click on the My Tool Options Tab
• Scroll down to Paging
• Set Number of records per page to 999
• Click Save