Course Orientation in Pictures
If there are other things that you need pictures about, just email me.
How
to Login and Succeed at this Course
Caution: Please Do Not Come Into the
Course This Way
What’s
on the Course Menu for US History I and US History II
What’s
on Learning Modules for US History I and US History II? (Everything you need in
one spot.)
What’s
in a Unit? (All Units have the same things in the same order.)
How
Self-Tests and Full-Tests Work Whether Evidence Quizzes or Learning Quizzes
How
Do Self-Tests and Full-Tests Work to Help You?
How to Login and Succeed at this Course
If you are going to do your work at a WCJC computer lab, you do not need the preparation instructions below. If you want to work from your own computer, you will. Based on student comments, you will not be safe if you try to do Blackboard from your phone.
1.
Go to https://wcjc.blackboard.com
Caution: Do not go through the portal or even the link on WCJC’s home page.
WCJC’s webpage and portal have been down, but Blackboard has stayed up.
2.
You see a Login Here section
on the left.
Before you login, notice the upper
right section of the screen with the link Help
& Resources. You will use that link to make sure your computer and browser work with this Blackboard.
FYI: I care about you all, but I am not a techy. WCJC’s IT can help (at Help & Resources). My 1 tech tip is—if your browser is not working or displaying what I say is there—try a different browser for a day.
3.
Follow the directions in the Login Here section for what you type in those 2 fields.
4. Login on the Blackboard log in screen.
5.
On the left side of the new screen see the words
My Courses.
6. Look for our course (with the word HIST or History in it) and click on it.
7.
When you click on the course, you see the
Learning Modules page.
8. For your first days, you will work with Evidence Quizzes. Then you will shift to Unit 1 and its Learning Quizzes.
Caution: Please Do Not Come Into the Course This Way
The Director of Distance Education at WCJC encourages students never to use what is called Blackboard’s Global Navigation.
The students that I have seen fail horribly used this tool in the upper right area next to the log out button.
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For example, two thought they were failing because they clicked on something they thought was My Grades. Other students seem to think that they can click and go. They skip the instructions so they frequently fail and sometimes do work they did not need to do.
Caution: Also Blackboard does not record that you are in the class so—as far as your instructor knows—you are not in the course.
What’s on the Course Menu for US History I and US
History II
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The link from orientation, including the syllabus |
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Heading for the 2 links for
Course Materials (work you do in
the course): |
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Provides everything you need: from study guides, instructions, lessons, to primaries—including all of the Blackboard tools you use including quizzes |
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Shortcut to each of the folders for Learning Quizzes in each Unit |
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Heading for Blackboard tools that we use in this course |
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Blackboard’s tool for public news |
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Blackboard’s tool for your
personal view of your grades in
the Gradebook. Tip:
Make sure that the upper right at My Grades shows Order by: Course order |
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Heading for additional information |
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Videos from Blackboard to help you with Blackboard’s tools |
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College
links, such as to Disability Services History links, such as an introduction to the discipline of history, a searchable and sorted US Constitution, Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, and to a map website |
What’s on Learning Modules for US History I and US History II? (Everything you need in one spot.)
The Learning Modules page not only gives you access to whatever is listed in the List of Due Dates, but gives you reminders of what units and other work will be available here on the date in the List of Due Dates.
Learning Modules for US History I
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< A reminder about Announcements |
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< Everything you need for Getting Started |
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< Everything for Unit 1 |
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< Everything for Evidence and the 3-PartWriting |
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< Everything for Unit 2 |
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< Everything for Unit 3 |
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<Everything for the Final Exam |
Learning Modules for US History II
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< A reminder about Announcements |
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< Everything you need for Getting Started |
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< Everything for Unit 1 |
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< Everything for Evidence and the 3-PartWriting |
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< Everything for Unit 2 |
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< Everything for Unit 3 |
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< Everything for the Final Exam |
What’s in a Unit? (All Units have the same things in the same order.)
All Units are organized in exactly the same way and US History I and II are organized in the same way.
Example of a Unit for US History I or US History II
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< The Study Guide for the Unit (and guide to 17 of 25 exam questions) |
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< Learning Quizzes for the Unit (and source of 8 of 25 exam questions) |
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< Usually 3 to 4 Lessons in each Unit to help you see the patterns of history not just for a good grade but as a life-time understanding |
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How Self-Tests and Full-Tests Work Whether Evidence Quizzes or Learning Quizzes
What’s the Only Password You Need?
The password for the Self-Tests is:
selftest < no capitals, no spaces, no punctuation
Notice Blackboard Before You Take a Self-Test
Units begin with a quiz on common concepts in history that freshman students commonly do not know. This shows an example for US History I, but the quizzes work the same way in US History II.
Notice Blackboard After You Take a Self-Test
Notice the Self-Test is still there—and you cannot retake it, but you can still look at and you should. Why? You need to know what you know and what you have to learn.
Notice there is additional material to help you teach yourself and below that the Full-Test you can retake as many times as you want—with the highest score counting.
How Do Self-Tests and Full-Tests Work to Help You?
One of my favorite thinkers about learning says that what make the difference for learners is their knowing what they know and do not know. This course tries to make it possible for you to learn what you do not know without cost to you in your grade. Here’s what the syllabus says about how they work to help you.
Method of Using Quizzes to Help
Students with Varied Backgrounds:
Whether Learning Quizzes on concepts or map locations (200 points) or the Evidence Quizzes for history (40 points), quizzes always consist of:
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A self-test so you find out what you know and
you do not know. The name is self-test because you are testing yourself so you know what you need to do.) The goal is
positive so no points are lost.
Self-Tests are extra credit and have questions that are only worth .01. (A .01
is so small that it is equivalent to a penny compared to a dollar.)
Tip: On the other hand, it is in your
interest to answer Self-Tests accurately so measure your own brain accurately
for 2 reasons.
1. You
want to know what you know and do not know to save time and to correct or
complete what you do not know. Caution: With
Evidence Quizzes, this is particularly important because, if you miss many
questions, you must follow instructions carefully because writing about history is different from your prior
experiences.
2. If
you already know the content in the Self-Test and prove that by being correct
on over 80 percent of the questions on that Self-Test, you earn the points for
its Full-Test without taking it.
Your instructor enters those points at the end of each Unit after the Learning Quizzes
close.
· Once you submit the self-test, Blackboard automatically displays additional content (if needed) and a Full-Test so that you can earn full points while teaching yourself the vocabulary and map locations that you do not know. You may repeat as many times as you wish, and your highest score counts.
A Visual to Help You: How a Self-Test and its Full-Test works
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You take a Self-Test |
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You are right 80% or more of the questions. Notice what you missed. |
You are right 79% or fewer of the questions. Jot down what you missed—not the whole question but brief words. Tip: You can always go back to look at the Self-Test again. |
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Blackboard sometimes
displays resources, such as dictionary definitions. |
Blackboard sometimes displays resources, such as dictionary definitions. If it does, use Ctrl-F (Find) to search the resources for what you missed. (Ask if you need help.) If Blackboard does not display the Full-Test, you made a 0 on the Self-Test. (Tip: You can confirm that at My Grades.) Email bibusc@wcjc.edu with your name, class, and the exact name of the Self-Test. I will reply back that I deleted the 0 so you can take the Self-Test. |
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If you want to, you may take the Full-Test. |
You take its Full-Test until you understand. |
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When the
Unit tests close, |
Your highest score counts. |
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You have the
Full points |
You have the
Full points |
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