Student Survival Guide - Welcome to the Support Center

Transcription

Student Survival Guide
©2010, FIDM/The Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising
Last Updated: April 5, 2010
FIDM eLearning Survival Guide 2010
Table of Contents
About eLearning ..................................................................................................... 5
eLearning Education Support Advisors ..................................................................... 5
Help & Support Options for eLearning Students ..................................................... 6
Online Resources .................................................................................................. 6
24 Hour Help Desk ................................................................................................ 6
FIDM eLearning Support......................................................................................... 6
Questions about a Course or Its Content .................................................................. 7
A Typical Week in eLearning .................................................................................. 8
Step 1: Log In .............................................................................................................. 8
Step 2: Read the Message of the Day & Recent Announcements ......................................... 8
Step 3: Review Your Course Syllabus .............................................................................. 8
Step 4: Begin Your Coursework ...................................................................................... 8
Step 5: Complete and Submit Homework ......................................................................... 8
Computer Setup & Access ...................................................................................... 9
Minimum Requirements ......................................................................................... 9
Minimum Computer Hardware Requirements .................................................................... 9
Computer Software Requirements ................................................................................... 9
Browser & Plug-In Requirements .................................................................................... 9
Adding FIDM as a Trusted Site .......................................................................................10
Configuring Pop-up Blockers ............................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
System Checks ................................................................................................... 12
Alternative Firewalls .....................................................................................................13
Corporate Firewalls ......................................................................................................13
Windows XP Firewall (for PCs) .......................................................................................13
Virus & Spyware Check .................................................................................................13
Browser Check ............................................................................................................14
Configure Your Email Account ............................................................................... 14
Monitor Display Settings ...................................................................................... 15
PC Users .....................................................................................................................15
Mac Users ...................................................................................................................16
Logging In ............................................................................................................ 18
Obtaining Your Login Information .......................................................................... 18
The Welcome Email ......................................................................................................18
My Workspace .................................................................................................... 20
Profile ........................................................................................................................20
Adding a Picture to Your Profile......................................................................................21
Message of the Day ......................................................................................................23
Calendar .....................................................................................................................24
Recent Announcements ................................................................................................25
Navigating in a Course ......................................................................................... 27
Accessing Your Courses........................................................................................ 27
Using Your Course Tools....................................................................................... 27
Home .........................................................................................................................27
Announcements ...........................................................................................................27
Syllabus......................................................................................................................27
Calendar .....................................................................................................................28
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Modules ......................................................................................................................29
Lectures (in Modules) ...................................................................................................31
Assignments ...............................................................................................................34
Resources ...................................................................................................................35
Email..........................................................................................................................36
Chat Room ..................................................................................................................37
Course Members ..........................................................................................................39
Gradebook ..................................................................................................................39
Course Info .................................................................................................................40
Help ...........................................................................................................................40
Using Discussion Boards ...................................................................................... 41
Discussion Questions ........................................................................................... 41
Posting a New Thread .......................................................................................... 42
Replying to a Thread ........................................................................................... 43
Discussion Board Navigation ................................................................................. 44
Quizzes & Exams / Assessments .......................................................................... 46
Downloadable Quizzes and Exams ......................................................................... 46
Online Quizzes & Exams ....................................................................................... 46
Pre-Assessment Checklist ..................................................................................... 47
Starting the Assessment ...................................................................................... 48
Taking the Exam ................................................................................................. 50
Returning to an Incomplete Assessment ................................................................. 51
File Upload Questions .......................................................................................... 52
Reviewing Exam Scores ....................................................................................... 55
Limited Time ...................................................................................................... 57
Limited Access .................................................................................................... 57
Exam Deadlines .................................................................................................. 57
Exam Support ..................................................................................................... 57
Grade or Due Date Questions ............................................................................... 57
FIDM eLearning Policies ....................................................................................... 58
FIDM eLearning Attendance Policy ......................................................................... 58
eLearning Student Responsibilities ........................................................................ 58
eLearning Staff Responsibilities ............................................................................. 57
On-Campus Access to the eLearning Site ............................................................... 57
Responsibility of Electronic Communications ........................................................... 57
Student Records ................................................................................................. 57
Consumer Information ......................................................................................... 57
Directory Information .......................................................................................... 58
Student Conduct ................................................................................................. 58
Plagiarism & Cheating .......................................................................................... 58
Technical Difficulties ............................................................................................ 58
Solicitation / Distribution ...................................................................................... 59
Netiquette .......................................................................................................... 59
Daily Routines and Housekeeping ..................................................................................60
Writing Styles ..............................................................................................................60
Message Subjects ........................................................................................................60
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Other People's Messages...............................................................................................61
Be 'Legal, Decent, Honest and Truthful' ..........................................................................61
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About eLearning
eLearning is a form of learning that doesn't exclusively take place in a classroom. With
eLearning, the educational experience can take place anywhere, on campus and in your own
home using a personal computer with an Internet connection. The full Merchandise
Marketing Professional Designation is also available online.
The FIDM eLearning System is the software that FIDM uses to post its courses online for
eLearning students. The eLearning System location is: http://elearning.fidm.edu.
On the eLearning System, students are able to receive assignments, take tests, learn with
interactive exercises, work on group projects, communicate with instructors and classmates,
view announcements from instructors and other important information and access our 24/7
eLearning technical support.
The FIDM eLearning Program Office is physically located at the Los Angeles campus;
however, students from any FIDM campus are permitted to take eLearning courses.
eLearning Education Support Advisors
Education staff are available to advise students on the eLearning program classes and to help you
decide whether or not an online class meets your needs. Support advisors for eLearning education
are available to help you with issues such as:
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Adding and dropping eLearning courses
Grade Appeals
Faculty and Class Concerns
Registration Information
Books and Supplies
Is an online class right for you?
Contact Information - eLearning Education Support Advisors
Los Angeles
Orange County
San Diego
Elena Rodríguez
erodriguez@fidm.edu
213-624-1200 x3042
Room 313 (8-12:00)
Room 403 (1-5:00)
Cheryl Ianello
cianello@fidm.edu
949-851-6200 x1735
Room 153
Katherine Slauta
kslauta@fidm.edu
619-235-2049 x1835
Room 3230
San Francisco
David Orris
dorris@fidm.edu
415-675-5200
x1534
Suite 600
Mayra V. Rubio
mvrubio@fidm.edu
949-851-6200 x1739
Education Dept.,
Room 152
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Help & Support Options for eLearning Students
Due to the nature of eLearning, technical problems may arise, and in such a case it is
important to know who to contact for help. Please review the following support options to
determine where to direct your problem. This will help it to be resolved in the most efficient
manner.
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FIDM eLearning System: http://eLearning.fidm.edu
FIDM’s home page: http://www.fidm.edu
FIDM eLearning 24 Hr. Support: https://supportcenter.embanet.com/fidm/
Tech support: 1-866-FIDM-HELP
FIDM eLearning Staff: elearning.admin@fidm.edu
Online Resources
The most common problems that are encountered while using the FIDM eLearning System
revolve around finding items or using certain features.
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Visit the FIDM support pages at https://supportcenter.embanet.com/fidm/ to read
support documentation and check your computer’s software configuration for
eLearning. If you do this first, you may be able to solve the problem on your own.
Once you have accessed the FIDM eLearning Program at https://elearning.fidm.edu,
you can always return to the support pages by clicking the eLearning Gateway at
https://elearning.fidm.edu/portal/site/!gateway llocated at the bottom of the screen.
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Look for new announcements each time you login to elearning.fidm.edu.
Announcements that apply to the entire eLearning system will be posted in the
Message of the Day area, which can be seen both on the eLearning login screen
and also in the My Workspace tab once you have logged in. Recent
Announcements that are specific to a particular course can also be seen here.
Additional announcements may be seen by accessing the Announcements tool
within a course. These announcements often contain important information that may
help you resolve an issue.
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Resources tool in My Workspace functions as your personal storage space where
backups of your course documents can be stored.
24 Hour Help Desk
For all technical problems with logging in, configuring your computer, or major eLearning
System errors, call 1-866-FIDM-HELP. This number is a help desk service that is available
24 hours and day, seven days a week. When you call, please indicate that you are a FIDM
student, taking an online course, and need to speak to the support staff. You can also visit
the support site at https://supportcenter.embanet.com/fidm to submit on online request.
FIDM eLearning Support
If you have an issue with course progress, quizzes or exams (i.e. anything that affects
grades), the help desk service may defer the problem to the FIDM eLearning staff. To
contact the FIDM eLearning staff directly, you can call (213) 624-1200 X4472, X4471,
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X4473, X4476 or X4470. Or, you may send an email to eLearning.admin@fidm.edu. FIDM
eLearning staff is available Monday through Friday from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM Pacific Time.
Note: Be sure to send email messages from the address you want the recipient to reply to!
Questions about a Course or Its Content
If you have a question or concern about the course or its content, then you must contact
your instructor via the email address listed on the Course Syllabus. Please DO NOT
contact your instructor regarding technical problems.
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A Typical Week in eLearning
Each week’s material is released early every Wednesday. You will usually have until the
following Tuesday to complete your weekly assignments. This “Wednesday-Tuesday”
timeframe does not mean that you should log on Tuesday evening and expect to complete
all of your assignments before the deadline. Computer errors may occur, so you need to
allow time for the unforeseen. Logging in each Wednesday will let you plan ahead of time
what you need to do to complete your assignments and plan for longer-term assignments,
such as course projects that require partners, or assignments that may span several weeks.
Step 1: Log In
Log in to the FIDM eLearning System at http://eLearning.fidm.edu. (For more information,
see Logging In section of this manual).
Step 2: Read the Message of the Day & Recent Announcements
It is very important that you read your announcements every time you log in to the FIDM
eLearning System, as there may be updates from your instructor as well as important
system messages from FIDM.
Step 3: Review Your Course Syllabus
After clicking on a course, click the Syllabus link in the toolbar on the left. You should
review the Course Syllabus each week, as revisions may be made by your instructor
throughout the quarter.
Step 4: Begin Your Coursework
Click the Modules link in the toolbar on the left. Usually, it is a good idea to complete the
activities in the order they are listed, as some activities are prerequisites for others (e.g.
discussion questions are usually found within the lecture, so you will need to read the
lecture before you can participate on the Discussion Board.
Step 5: Complete and Submit Homework
When you have completed the necessary reading and multimedia activities for the week,
you will need to submit all required assignments. Usually instructors will want you to submit
your homework via the Assignments tool.
Important: Be sure to save backups of your work! It is important that
content for homework assignments be composed in Notepad or a word
processing program first and then saved as a copy to a local computer as a
backup. Exceptions for "lost" content are left to the discretion of the
instructor. You are expected to be proactive and protect your work.
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Computer Setup & Access
Minimum Requirements
You will need Internet access from your OWN personal computer. Access from the FIDM
computer labs, Idea Center, Library, or from your place of employment is
prohibited. Prior to using the FIDM eLearning system, students should setup their home
computers with the following minimum requirements.
Your computer MUST have the following software and hardware setup in order to
use the FIDM eLearning system. FIDM is not responsible for troubleshooting support if
your computer does not meet these minimum requirements. If you take an eLearning
course on an unsupported computer (like at Kinko’s or an Internet café), our technical help
desk will be extremely limited in their capacity to help you, and FIDM cannot be liable for
computer malfunctions or errors. Please ensure that your computer meets these minimum
requirements.
Minimum Computer Hardware Requirements
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256 MB RAM of Memory
5 MB free disk space
56.6 kbps modem connection speed (a high-speed connection is recommended)
Computer Software Requirements
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Microsoft Windows 98-Vista OR Macintosh OS X
Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 - 7.0 OR Mozilla Firefox 2.x
(Safari, Google Chrome, Netscape and AOL browsers are NOT supported).
Microsoft Office
Antivirus Software
A VALID AND CURRENT email address
Browser & Plug-In Requirements
All of the following are FREE downloads.
Browsers
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Internet Explorer 7 (for Windows):
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/internet-explorer/ie7/
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Please note that Internet Explorer 8 is not yet supported.
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Mozilla Firefox (for Windows or Mac)
http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/
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Please note that Safari, Google Chrome, Netscape and AOL browsers are
NOT supported.
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Plug-Ins
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Adobe Acrobat Reader: http://get.adobe.com/reader
Adobe Flash Player: http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/
Java Virtual Machine: http://www.java.com/en/
PC Plugins
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Microsoft Windows Media Player
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/download/AllDownloads.aspx?dis
plang=en&qstechnology
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Microsoft Windows Update: http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/
MAC Plugins
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QuickTime: http://www.apple.com/quicktime/player/
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Flip4Mac Windows Media® Components for QuickTime:
http://www.flip4mac.com/download.htm
Configuring Pop-up Blockers
If you click on a link and nothing happens, you may have a pop-up blocker turned on, which
is preventing your browser from opening a link in a new window. You may need to configure
your pop-up blocker to allow pop-ups from fidm.edu (see Adding FIDM as a trusted site
below).
Internet Explorer Pop-up Blocker
When a pop-up is blocked by Internet Explorer, a yellow bar will be displayed at the top of
the browser window.
https://elearning.fidm.edu
Figure 1 - Internet Explorer Pop-up Blocker
1. Click on the yellow bar to modify your pop-up blocker settings.
2. You may select the Always Allow Pop-ups from This Site… option to allow future
pop-ups from the FIDM eLearning web site.
Mozilla Firefox Pop-up Blocker
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When a pop-up is blocked by Mozilla Firefox, a yellow bar will be displayed at the top of the
browser window.
https://elearning.fidm.edu
Figure 2 - Mozilla Firefox Pop-up Blocker
1. Click on the Options button in the yellow bar to modify your pop-up blocker
settings.
2. You may select the Allow pop-ups for elearning.fidm.edu option to allow future
pop-ups from the FIDM eLearning web site.
Third-Party Pop-up Blockers
If you have any third-party toolbars installed as part of your web browser, you will need to
make sure that their pop-up blockers are configured to allow pop-ups from fidm.edu. Some
common third-party pop-up blockers include, but are not limited to those from Yahoo!,
Google, MSN, and AOL. Please refer to your toolbar’s support documentation, as FIDM does
not support these third-party items and recommends that you avoid using them in general.
Figure 3 - Yahoo! Toolbar: http://help.yahoo.com/toolbar/
Figure 4 - Google Toolbar: http://www.google.com/support/toolbar/
Figure 5 - MSN Toolbar: http://toolbar.msn.com
Figure 6 - AOL Toolbar: http://downloads.channel.aol.com/toolbar
Adding FIDM as a Trusted Site
Microsoft has placed increased security
options in Windows that are designed to
prevent dangerous content from being
downloaded. The problem is that it blocks
some good content as well. To ensure that
Windows allows for the best experience in
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using the FIDM eLearning system, you need
add *.fidm.edu as trusted site to your popup blockers. Make the following adjustments
to your computer before logging in for the
first time.
WINDOWS – Internet Explorer Users
1. Open the Internet Explorer web
browser.
2. Select Tools > Internet Options.
3. Click the Security tab.
4. Click the Trusted sites Web
content zone icon.
5. Click the Sites… button.
6. Type *.fidm.edu and click the
Add button. (Be sure that the
“Require server verification…”
checkbox is NOT checked).
7. Click OK to close all dialog boxes.
Figure 7 - Internet Explorer Trusted site Dialog box
WINDOWS – Internet Explorer Version 8.0
1. Go to the Tools menu> Select Compatibility View Setting, The Compatibility
View Settings window opens
2. Enter *.fidm.edu to the Add this website: field
3. Click the Add button
4. Click the Close button
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Figure 8 Internet Explorer 8 Tools Menu
Figure 9 - Internet Explorer 8 Compatibility View Settings
WINDOWS – Firefox Users
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1. Go to Tools > Options… > Content. Select the Content icon and be sure to check
all items in this window.
2. Click the Exceptions… button in the Allowed Sites Dialog box
3. Enter *.fidm.edu in the Address of web site text field
4. Click the Allow button. You will see *.fidm.edu as been added to the allowed Sites
list.
Figure 10 - Windows Firefox Trusted site Dialog box
MACINTOSH – Firefox Users
1. Go to Firefox > Preferences > Content. Select the Content icon and be sure to check all
items in this window.
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Figure 11 - MAC Trusted Sites Dialog Box
2. Select the Exceptions… button in the Allowed Sites dialog box
3. Enter *.fidm.edu in the Address of web site: text field
4. Select the Allow button. You will see *.fidm.edu as been added to the allowed Sites
list.
Clearing Cache
Web browsers are designed to automatically save a copy of the site in what is commonly
known as "cache". Clearing cache will free up disk space and ensure that the site you are
viewing is up to date. In addition, if you encounter a 401 error, clear your cache and try
logging in again.
WINDOWS: Clearing Cache on Firefox 3
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Go to Tools > Options.. >. Privacy icon.
In the Private Data section, click the Clear Now… button.
Ensure that Cache is checked, then click Clear Private Data Now.
Click the OK button to return to browsing.
WINDOWS: Clearing Cache on Internet Explorer 7
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1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
From the Tools > Internet Options > General tab.
Under Browsing history, click the Delete.... button
Next to Temporary Internet Files, click Delete files.... button to clear the cache
Click Close button.
Click OK button.
MACINTOSH: Clearing Cache on Firefox 3
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Click the Firefox > Preferences… > Advance icon click the Network tab.
Click Clear Now… button under the Cache section.
Ensure that Cache is checked, then click Clear Private Data Now.
Close the Advanced window.
Exit and re-launch the browser
System Checks
Alternative Firewalls
If you use an alternative firewall from companies such as Symantec, MacAfee, or Zone
Alarm, you may need to configure it to allow full access to *.fidm.edu. In addition, if your
computer is connected through a wireless router, e.g. in a home network, there may be a
hardware firewall enabled. Be sure it is configured to allow full access to *.fidm.edu. Please
refer to the user documentation for your software or hardware for instructions on how to do
so, as FIDM cannot support all such applications.
Corporate Firewalls
If you are attempting to access your eLearning course from work, the company may have a
firewall enabled that prevents access to FIDM eLearning. You will most likely not have
administrative access to reconfigure this firewall. Therefore, it is necessary to access your
eLearning course from your home computer.
Windows XP Firewall (for PCs)
Some versions of Windows XP include a built-in firewall. If you are having problems
connecting to the FIDM eLearning system after successful completion of the previous
configuration steps, you may be asked to turn off the Windows XP Firewall as a secondary
troubleshooting measure. The Windows Firewall may be accessed through Start > Control
Panel > Window Firewall.
Virus & Spyware Check
While you are using the FIDM eLearning system, you have a responsibility to make sure that
your machine is virus and spyware free. Not only does this affect your online experience,
but sharing projects or data with other students can cause a hidden virus or mal-ware to
spread through an entire class. Make sure you have antivirus AND anti-spyware software
installed, and USE IT WEEKLY to scan your machines.
AntiVirus Tools
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AVG Antivirus & Security Software (free!): http://free.avg.com/
Avast Antivirus Protection (free!): http://www.avast.com/eng/avast_4_home.html
Norton (Symantec) Antivirus: http://www.symantec.com/norton
McAfee Antivirus: http://www.mcafee.com
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Free Anti-spyware Tools
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Ad-Aware: The Original Anti-Spyware Company, Lavasoft: http://www.lavasoft.com/
Spybot - Search & Destroy: http://www.safer-networking.org/en/spybotsd
Browser Check
To be sure your computer meets all of the Browser Plug-in Requirements listed in the
previous section you should perform a Browser Check at
https://supportcenter.embanet.com/FIDM/browser.asp.
Configure Your Email Account
If you use a web-based email account, you will need to configure it to allow messages from
eLearning.admin@fidm.edu. Otherwise, you may miss out on important information
regarding your eLearning courses. Following are instructions for adding email addresses to
some popular web-based email clients. Please consult your email client’s help
documentation for more specific instructions.
AOL WebMail
1.
2.
3.
4.
Click Addresses.
Click New Contact.
Add eLearning.admin@fidm.edu.
Save your changes.
Gmail
1. Click Contacts.
button to create a new contact
2. Click the
3. Add eLearning.admin@fidm.edu to the email text box..
4. Click the Save button to save your changes.
Hotmail
1.
2.
3.
4.
Click Contact list
Click New to create a new contact.
Add eLearning.admin@fidm.edu to the Personal E-mail text box.
Click the Save link to save your changes.
Yahoo! Mail
1. Click Contacts
button to create a new contact
2. Click Add Contact.
3. Add eLearning.admin@fidm.edu into the Email address text box
4. Click the Save button to save your changes.
Repeat these steps for other important FIDM addresses, such as your instructors’ email
addresses, course inbox email addresses, etc.
You may also want to setup a filter that will allow all messages from fidm.edu email
addresses to land in your Inbox. You will need to consult your webmail documentation for
more information on setting up filters.
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Monitor Display Settings
The minimum screen resolution for the
FIDM eLearning system is 1024 X 768.
This will allow best view all course
material. Changing your monitor display
settings is not required, but it may make
it easier for you to use the FIDM
eLearning system. Following are
instructions for configuring your monitor
settings.
(Shortcut: Right click on your desktop >
Properties > Settings > then adjust
your screen resolution.)
Figure 12 – Windows Start Menu
WINDOWS Users
1. Select Start > Settings > Control Panel
2. Double-click the Display icon. (If you do not see it, click the link to Switch to Classic
View).
Figure 13 - Windows Control Panel
3. Click the Settings tab, and in the Screen resolution section move the slider to
1024 X 768. Then, click OK button.
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Figure 14 - Display Properties Dialog Box.
4. If a window pops-up asking if you want to keep your settings change, click the Yes
button. You may repeat these steps to change your screen resolution back to your
preferred setting.
Macintosh Users
1. From the Apple menu, select System Preferences...
Figure 15 - The Apple menu.
2. Under the Hardware menu, double-click the Displays icon.
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Figure 16 - System Preferences Dialog Box on a MAC
3. Select 1024x768 from the Resolutions list. Then close the dialog box.
Figure 17 - Monitor Display Dialog Box on a MAC
Note: By default, Mac monitors will be set to higher resolutions. Just make sure yours is set
to a minimum of 1024 x 768.
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Logging In
Obtaining Your Login Information
The Welcome Email
About a week before the first day of the
quarter, you should receive a Welcome
Email from elearning@fidm.edu. This
message will contain instructions for
accessing the eLearning System, as well as
your User ID and Password.
Your default password for your FIDM
eLearning account is your student ID. If you
do not know this number, you can find it
when you login to the FIDM Portal at
http://myfidm.fidm.edu. If you have trouble
logging into the portal, use the links for help
with username, password, and signing in.
If you have not received a Welcome
Email by the time class starts, please
check the following:
1. Are you checking the correct
email account? The email address
that you provided at the time of first
enrollment is the one to which your
Welcome Email will be sent. If this
address is no longer valid, please
contact eLearning.admin@fidm.edu
and request to have it changed.
2. Did you check your Bulk/Junk
folder? Some web-based email
clients will filter mail from
unrecognized senders into the junk
folder. Be sure to configure your
email account to allow mail from
eLearning.admin@fidm.edu. (See the
Configure Email Account section of
this manual for instructions.)
Figure 18 - Login Screen for the MyFIDM Portal
If you still are unable to find your Welcome Email, then send a message from your current
email address to eLearning.admin@fidm.edu IMMEDIATELY!
1. Go to https://eLearning.fidm.edu
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2. Before logging in, read the Student Rights and Responsibilities Statement
located in the tool menu on the left side of the screen. Note that by participating in
an online class, you are agreeing to these rules and policies.
Figure 19 - Student Rights & Responsibilities Statement
3. Enter your User ID in the user id: text field (consult your Welcome Email for this
information. Usually it is your first initial and last name, i.e. John Doe = jdoe).
4. Enter your student ID (without the dashes) in the password: text field.
Figure 20 - Sections in the eLearning System
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My Workspace
My Workspace is the first page you will see after logging into the eLearning system. This is
your personal Workspace.
Figure 21 - My Workspace View
Profile
You can use the Profile tool to introduce yourself to your online instructors and classmates.
Your profile will be accessible to others from the Course Members tool within your courses,
so you can control how much information you want to share about yourself.
1. Select the Profile link in the toolbar on the left. Click the Edit my profile link.
Figure 22 - Profile View in My Workspace
2. Fill out your Public Information. Note that First and Last name are required.
3. If desired, fill out your Personal Information.
4. You can choose to hide your entire profile or just your personal information. Note
that anything you choose to hide will not be visible to other course members.
5. Click the Save button at the bottom of the screen.
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Adding a Picture to Your Profile
To add your own picture to your profile, you will need to link to a Picture URL. (Note that
pictures sized 75 x 75 pixels will display best).
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You can link to a picture that is already available somewhere on the internet. For
example:
http://lookup.avatars.yahoo.com/ewimages?enc=ZOUubnpFScEXY1B4MTL9ROPV9qU
IOg--&size=large&type=png
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Or you can upload a picture to your Resources folder and use that URL.
1. Click the Resources link in the toolbar on the left.
2. Next to the My Workspace folder, click the Add drop-down menu and select the
Upload Files link.
Figure 23 - Resources in My Workspace
3. Click the Browse button to locate a file to upload from your computer.
4. If desired, give the file a Display Name.
5. Click the Upload Files Now button, to upload the file.
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Figure 24 – “Upload Files” View in My Workspace Resources
6. Click the link to display the image of the recently added file in a new browser
window.
Figure 25 - A Recently Added File
7. Copy (Ctrl + C [PC]; Command + C [Mac]) the URL from the browser address bar.
Figure 26 - A URL for a Picture File
8. Return to My Workspace, and click the Profile link in the toolbar on the left.
9. Click the Edit my Profile link and scroll down to the Picture section.
10. Select the Use Picture URL radio button.
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11. Paste (Ctrl + V [PC]; Command + V [Mac]) the URL into the space below.
Figure 27 - Picture URL pasted into the Personal Information Screen
12. Click the Save button to save your changes. Your picture will now be displayed as
part of your Profile.
Figure 28 - A Completed Student Profile with Image
Message of the Day
The Message of the Day is where you will find important system announcements, such as
notices for scheduled maintenance. You should read these messages each time you login, as
they will be updated regularly to notify users of important system events.
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Figure 29 - Message of the Day
Calendar
The Calendar in the My Workspace tab includes events for all of the courses in which you
are enrolled. A date highlighted in blue indicates that there are one or more events
associated with that date. Clicking on the hyperlink date will display those events.
Figure 30 - Calendar
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Recent Announcements
Recent Announcements for the courses in which you are enrolled will be displayed in this
area.
Figure 31 - Recent Announcements
•
•
•
You can specify how many announcements you would like to display by using the
show (quantity) items drop-down menu.
You can sort the announcements by using the Subject, From and Site headers.
You can view the message of an announcement by clicking on the hyperlink.
Figure 32 - Announcement View
•
Click the Return to List button to view all Recent Announcements.
Resources
Resources can functions as your Personal storage space where backups of your course work and
documents can be stored
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Upload Files
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Click Upload Files to add a file to your course page.
Click Browse button to locate the file.
Select the file you want to upload and click Open button.
In the Display Name field, enter the name of your file.
If you would like to upload more files, click Add Another File.
Click Upload Files Now button.
Note: a maximum of 1000MB may be uploaded at one time. Larger files may need to be uploaded one at
a time.
26
Navigating in a Course
Accessing Your Courses
All courses that you are enrolled in will be displayed in the tabs on the header bar. Only five
tabs can be displayed at once (My Workspace plus four courses). If you are enrolled in more
than four courses, your other courses will be accessible via the “My Active Sites“ pop-up
menu on the right side of the header bar. You may access a course by clicking on the
header bar link or selecting it from the pop-up menu.
Figure 33 – The “My Active Sites” Pop-up Menu
Using Your Course Tools
You will navigate your course by using the
toolbar on the left side of the screen.
Home
The first page displayed upon accessing a
course is the Home page. This page
contains information specific to the course
you are in, including a course description,
recent course announcements, recent chat
messages, and a course calendar. You can
return to this page at any time by clicking
the Home link in the toolbar on the left.
Figure 34 - Course Tools in the
Left Navigation Menu
Announcements
Click the Announcements link to view all announcements for the course you are in.
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Figure 35 - All Announcements View
•
•
•
•
You can specify how many announcements you would like to display by using the
show (quantity) items drop-down menu.
You can sort the announcements by using the header hyperlinks.
You can view the message of an announcement by clicking on the hyperlink.
Click the Return to List button to see all announcements for the course.
Figure 36 - A Single Announcement
Syllabus
The Course Syllabus is prepared by your instructor. It outlines the weekly topics of the
course, as well as important due dates that you should be aware of. It also includes
important class policies. You must review the Course Syllabus each week, as revisions
may be made by your instructor throughout the quarter.
You can print your Syllabus by clicking the printer icon
screen, then clicking the Send to Printer link.
in the upper left corner of the
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Figure 37 - Print Buttons for the Syllabus
Calendar
The course Calendar includes events only for the course that you are in.
•
You can use the View drop-down menu to display the calendar by Day, Week,
Month, Year, or specify a date range for a List of Events.
Figure 38 - Monthly Calendar View
•
Clicking on an event link will display the details for that event.
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Figure 39 - Calendar Event Details View
•
Use the provided buttons to navigate the course Calendar.
Modules
Modules is where you will find the bulk of your course content, including lectures,
handouts, quizzes and exams, and instructions for completing your weekly activities.
Modules will become available each Wednesday of the corresponding week and remain
available until the end of the quarter. You will see the Start and End Dates for each
Module. Modules that are currently available will be displayed as clickable hyperlinks. If
you try to access an activity before its Start Date or after its End Date, it will not be
clickable.
Figure 40 - Modules View
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•
•
•
Click on a link for more information on completing an activity.
Use the Prev and Next links to move back and forth between activities.
Use the Table of Contents link to return to the Module outline view. If this link is
not available, click the reset icon
to return to the Module outline view.
Figure 41 - Module Navigation Links
Authentication Required message
When you access this content, you may see a dialog box that says Authentication
Required or asks you to Connect to elearning.fidm.edu, you should use the same login
information that was provided in your Welcome Email. Always check the box to remember
your password, or you may have trouble accessing content later. You should only have to do
this once per login session.
Figure 42 - Internet Explorer Authentication
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Figure 43 - FireFox Authentication
Lectures (in Modules)
Lectures contain reading material provided by your instructor. At the top of the lecture
pages is a navigation bar that will allow you to move through the pages of the lecture. You
may use the arrows to move back and forth through the lecture.
When you click on a Lecture activity, you will typically see a Module Overview page that
details the activities for the current week. After reviewing the overview page, click the link
to access the lecture.
Figure 44 - "Access Your Lecture" Link
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Figure 45 - Lecture Navigation Arrows
Note: Assignments and discussion questions may also be included within the lecture pages,
so be sure to read them very carefully!
Common Lecture Icons
Look out for icons within the lecture material that indicate something else you must do,
such as:
Icon
Description
A reference to a slideshow in your module.
A reference to a discussion topic in your module
A reference to a video in your module.
A reference to a document, such as a PDF or Word document.
A cue to upload or submit a file through the eLearning System.
A cue to download a file from the eLearning System.
A reference to a hyperlink that you must visit.
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Multimedia (Slideshows & Videos)
Slideshows and videos are usually listed a separate activities in the module folder. It is a
good idea to review multimedia clips when your instructor mentions them since the lecture
material may reference them.
Note: Be sure you have the Windows Media Player (PC) or QuickTime & Flip4Mac WMV
Video (Mac) plug-ins installed so you can view the videos without a problem.
Downloads
You may also be required to download files as part of your weekly coursework. When you
click on downloadable activities, you will see a page similar to the following:
Figure 46 - Download File Dialog Box in FireFox
1. When prompted, choose to save the file to your computer.
2. If instructed, complete the file and submit it via the Assignments tool.
Note: If you click on an activity and nothing happens, look for a yellow bar at the top of
your browser. Clicking on this bar will give you options for downloading content from the
web.
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Assignments
The Assignments tool is what you will use to submit your homework. Once an assignment
has been grade, you can also located the Comments and grade in the Assignment tool
Submitting an Assignment
1. Click the Assignment link in the toolbar on the left.
2. Click on an assignment with the status of Not Started that you wish to submit.
Figure 47 - Assignment List
3. Assignments can be submitted as
plain text or attachments. (Most
courses require attachments). Fill in
the Assignment Text box or click
the button to Add Attachments.
4. To attach a file that you have saved
on your computer, click the Browse
button next to Upload local file.
5. Select a file to upload. (You may
repeat steps 1 and 2 if you need to
attach more than one file).
6. Click the Continue button.
7. Scroll to the bottom of the screen and
click the Submit button. You MUST
click Submit to turn in your
assignment! Once the assignment
was submitted you will also received
an email confirmation. Make sure to
keep a copy of the confirmation.
Figure 48 - Add Attachments
8. If you click on the assignment in the
Assignment List, its status will now be
Submitted.
Resubmitting an Assignment
In some cases, an instructor may ask you to
resubmit an assignment. These assignments
will be displayed in the Assignment List
with a status of Returned.
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1. Click the Assignment link in the
toolbar on the left.
2. Click on an assignment with the
status of Returned that you wish to
resubmit.
Figure 49 - Assignment List
3. Make the appropriate changes to your assignment: add or remove attachments or
include a note to your instructor.
Figure 50 - Text Editor in Assignments
4. Click the Resubmit button to resend the assignment.
5. The status will now be Re-submitted.
3
Late Assignments
If you submit an assignment after the indicated due date, it will be tagged as Late.
Depending upon your instructor’s policies, you may not receive credit for late assignments.
Note: If your instructor asked you to re-submit an assignment, and you post your
resubmission after the due date, the assignment will be tagged as late. Your instructor
should know, however, that the original assignment was received on time. Your grade
should not be affected.
Resources
If an instructor wants to give you access to a file that is not available elsewhere in your
course, he/she may place it in the course Resources folder. If an instructor indicates that
you need to access a file from Resources, do the following:
1. Click the Resources link in the toolbar on the left.
2. A list of the course Resources will be displayed. Locate the file you wish to
download. If you do not see it right away, it may be inside a folder. A folder icon with
indicates that there are more files inside. Click the folder to open it
a plus sign
and display the files inside.
3. Click on a file link to download the file to your computer.
Figure 51 - Resources View
4. When prompted, choose to Save File option to save the file.
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Figure 52 - Save File
Email
Email allows you to send messages to your classmates and instructors within a course. This
tool will primarily be used for private communication between you and your classmates
and/or instructors.
While you can compose and send messages using this tool, you will need to check your own
email inbox (Yahoo, Hotmail, Gmail, AOL, etc.) to receive incoming messages. To compose
a new message:
1. Select who you want to send the
message to by checking the
appropriate boxes. You can choose
All Students, All Instructors, or you
can select individual names.
2. The Subject line will contain the
course code by default. You should
also include the subject of your email
(e.g. Homework #1). If necessary,
click the link to Attach a file. (Note:
Most assignments will be submitted
via the Assignments tool).
3. Compose your message in the space
provided.
Figure 53 - Mail Tool
4. Always check the box to Send me a
copy, so you will have a record of
your sent messages.
5. Click the Send Mail button to send
your message.
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Figure 54 - Send Me a Copy
Note: All messages will be sent from the email address you provided at the beginning of
the quarter, so this is where replies to your email will be sent.
Changing Your Email Address
It is not advisable to change your email address once the quarter has started. This can
cause confusion when communicating with your instructors and classmates. If you have
changed your email address on the FIDM Portal since your first enrollment at FIDM, you
need to contact elearning.admin@fidm.edu so it can also be changed in the eLearning
system.
Selecting an Email Address
When choosing an email address for eLearning, please select one that is appropriate for
communication with your instructors and classmates. A good rule of thumb is to not use
anything that your instructor may be embarrassed to read aloud, or that you would not put
on a professional resume. FIDM reserves the right to ask you to change a potentially
offensive email address for eLearning purposes. Please see the section on Netiquette for
additional eLearning communication policies.
Chat Room
The Chat Room is a real-time communication tool that you can use to correspond with your
instructors and classmates.
1. Click the Chat Room link in the toolbar on the left.
2. You can see who is available for chat by referring to the Users in Chat section in the
upper right corner of the Chat Room screen. If you are not in the chat room, you can
©2010, FIDM/The Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising
Last Updated: April 5, 2010
see who is there by looking for the blue icon next to a name in the Users Present
box.
Figure 55 - Users in Chat
Figure 56 - Users Present
3. To begin chatting, simply type your message in the space provided, and click the
Add Message button.
Figure 57 - Chat Window View
4. All chat messages are displayed above. You can sort them by using the View dropdown menus.
Figure 58 - Chat Room View
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Note: All chat messages are archived and can be read by other students and instructors in
your course. This is NOT a private messenger, so keep your chats professional and relevant
to the course.
Course Members
Course Members is a list of your instructors and classmates.
•
You can view someone’s profile by clicking on their name.
•
You can see all Course Members’ pictures at once by clicking the Show Pictures
link.
Figure 59 - Site Roster
Gradebook
The Gradebook is where you will find grades for assignments that you have completed.
•
•
•
•
•
If your instructor has entered a grade for an assignment, it will be displayed in the
Score column.
If not score has been entered, a dash (-) will be displayed in the Score column.
You can use the headers in the gray bar to sort your Gradebook entries.
You and your instructor are the only ones who will see your grades. Your grades are
not visible to your classmates.
If your instructor included comments for an Discussion Board in the Gradebook, a
icon will be displayed. You can click the icon to read the comments.
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Figure 60 – Gradebook view
Course Info
Course Info is a general overview of your course.
Help
You can always access the Help tool for information on using the FIDM eLearning system.
For more information on eLearning Help and Support, see Help and Support Options for
eLearning Students at the beginning of this document.
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Using Discussion Boards
Throughout the quarter, you will regularly access course discussion boards to participate in
class discussions about weekly topics. You will be able to read messages from your
instructors and classmates and post your own messages on the discussion board.
Discussion Questions
Discussion questions are usually included in the lecture, but you must go to the Discussion
Board to answer them. These are important activities as many instructors count discussion
questions as participation points.
1. Click the Discussion Board link in the tool bar on the left.
2. You will see one or more Forums with various topics. (Forums are displayed with a
white background. Topics are displayed with a beige background).
 Forum
 Topic
Figure 61 - Discussion Board
3. Click on a Topic link to respond to a discussion question.
Note: You cannot respond to a Forum, so make sure you access the Topic to respond.
Sometimes the discussion question itself is displayed on the forum. This varies from course
to course depending on how your instructor uses the FIDM eLearning System. If this is the
case, you will see a link that says “Read Full Description.” Click on this link to show the
discussion question.
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Figure 62 - Question as displayed on Discussion Board
Posting a New Thread
1. To create a new thread with a Topic, click the Post New Thread link in the upper
left corner of the screen.
Figure 63 - Post New Thread Link
2. Enter a Title for your response. (This is required).
3. Enter your Message in the area provided and format as desired.
4. Add Attachments if desired.
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Figure 64 - Discussion Board Message Editor
5. Click the Post Message button to post your response.
content for discussion replies be composed in Notepad or a word
processing program first and then saved as a copy to a local computer as a
backup. Exceptions for "lost" content are left to the discretion of the
Replying to a Thread
1. If a classmate has already posted a thread, you may reply to his/her posting. Click
on a thread link.
Figure 65 - A Thread Link
2. Click the Reply link.
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Figure 66 - Reply Link
3. If desired, enter a new Reply Title.
4. Enter your Message in the area provided and format as desired. (If you wish, you
may click the Insert Original Text button to view the message you are replying
to).
5. Add Attachments if desired.
6. Click the Post Message to post your reply.
Discussion Board Navigation
•
You can see how many messages have been posted to a topic by looking at text in
parentheses next to a topic link.
Figure 67 - Message Status
•
If you have not read a posting, it will be denoted by a closed envelope icon.
Figure 68 - Closed Envelope Icon
•
You can expand the thread by clicking the Display Entire Message link. This will
allow you to see the full text of the postings rather than just the subject lines.
Figure 69 - Display Entire Message
•
You can use the navigation links at the top of the screen to move to a particular
place within the Discussion Board.
Figure 70 - Discussion Board Navigation Links
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Editing your Threads
From time to time you may need to edit your Discussion Board responses due to
typographical errors or minor changes in content. To edit your threads, do the following:
1. Locate your Discussion Board response thread.
2. Select the Other Actions link to reveal the Edit link.
Figure 71 - Other Actions link and Edit link in a Discussion Thread
3. Select the Edit link to edit your thread.
How to copy and paste text from Microsoft Word
1. Compose your discussion posting in Microsoft Word.
2. Select All of the text that you typed. --Mac users press [ Apple + A ] -- PC users
press [ Ctrl+ A ]
3. Copy the text. -- Mac users press [ Apple + C ] -- PC users press [ Ctrl+ C]
4. Log into the eLearning system & select your course tab
5. Go to the Discussion Board tool
6. Select a Discussion Board Topic - the editor appear
7. Locate the Paste as plain text button. The Paste as plain text window will open.
Note: DO NOT USE THE PASTE FROM WORD BUTTON.
Figure 72 - Paste as plain text button
8. Place your mouse inside the editor and Paste your text. -- Mac users press [ Apple +
V ] -- PC users press [ Ctrl+ V ]
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Quizzes & Exams / Assessments
Downloadable Quizzes and Exams
For some courses, quizzes and exams are downloadable files. Follow the instructions to save
the file to your computer. Then complete and follow the instructions for submitting the file.
•
You may be asked to submit the file via the Assignments tool.
content for downloadable quizzes and exams be composed in Notepad or a
word processing program first and then saved as a copy to a local computer
as a backup. Exceptions for "lost" content are left to the discretion of the
Figure 73 - Download Assessment View
•
Or, you may be asked to submit the file using a file upload feature.
Figure 74 - Upload Assessment View
Online Quizzes & Exams
For most courses, you will take your eLearning assessments interactively online.
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Before taking an online assessment in the FIDM eLearning System, make sure you are
aware of your instructor’s policies for taking and grading assessments. When you click on an
online assessment activity, you will see a page similar to the following, which outlines
everything you need to do prior to taking the assessment.
Figure 75 - Assessment Notice
Pre-Assessment Checklist
You should have completed most of these items prior to beginning your eLearning courses
(see Computer Access & Setup > Microsoft Windows Configuration). However, you
should check through this list prior to taking any eLearning assessment to make sure your
computer is properly configured. This will save you a lot of time, and reduce the possibility
of technical difficulties and subsequent panic.

Use Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher or Mozilla Firefox as your browser. Do NOT
use Safari, Netscape or Google Chrome. You will run into problems when submitting
your answers.

We highly recommend, when taking exams, that you plug in your computer directly
onto the modem or router. A wireless connection can be unreliable. Your connection
could drop and could cause data loss.
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
Make sure that you have all pop-up blockers disabled (including those from IE,
Yahoo, Google, etc.)

Close ALL other programs before opening the exam (including instant messengers
such as Yahoo!, MSN, AOL, etc).
Starting the Assessment
1. When you are ready, scroll to the bottom of the page and click the link that says
“BEGIN YOUR EXAM.”
Figure 76 - "Begin Your Exam" Link
4. A new window will open with a login screen. You will be required to enter a name and
password which are the same as the ones you use to login to the FIDM eLearning
system.
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Figure 77 - Assessment Login Window
A list of assessments that are available to you will be displayed. Click the link for the
assessment which you would like to take.
Figure 78 - List of Assessments View
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Taking the Exam
1. The exam will be launched, and the questions will be displayed one at a time. The
timer at the bottom will show you how much time you have remaining to complete
the exam. (Note that not all exams have time limits).
Figure 79 - Sample Exam Questions
2. Answer each question, and click the Next button to proceed. You may use the
Previous button to move back, or click the Save button to save your answer before
proceeding to next question. You may click on a number to move to a specific
question. Do NOT use the Back and Forward arrows at the top of your browser, as
this will interfere with your assessment progress.
3. If for some reason you unexpectedly get shut out of the system while taking the
exam, your answers should be saved, and you should be able to re-launch the exam
and pick up where you left off. (See Returning to an Incomplete Assessment for
more information). If this is not the case, you will need to contact
elearning.admin@fidm.edu to request a reset.
4. When you reach the last question, you will see a Finish or Submit button in the
lower right corner of the screen. If you are ready to submit your answers, click
Finish or Submit. Otherwise, if you have time remaining, you may go back to check
or change any of your answers. You may not change your answers after you have
clicked Finish or Submit.
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Figure 80 - Finish Exam Button
5. Your score will be displayed along with a message confirming that you have
completed the assessment. If you would like to review your answers, click the Next
button. This will show you which questions you answered correctly, and which
questions you answered incorrectly. When you are done reviewing your answers,
click the Exit button.
Figure 81 - Assessment Completion Confirmation
Note: Your exam may include questions that are not graded by the system, like essay or
short answer questions. Your instructor will review the exam scores and adjust for nongraded questions before a final grade is given. Your final, official grade for all assessments
will come from your instructor.
Returning to an Incomplete Assessment
You should make every effort to complete an assessment in one sitting without
closing the browser window until you have submitted your answers. However, it is
understood that technical difficulties may occur. For instance, your computer shuts down
when you were taking your exam. You may still log in to complete you exam. If for some
reason you are not able to finish an assessment in a single sitting please follow these
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steps:When logging into the assessment system, click the checkbox to Show list of any
unfinished assessments.
Figure 82 - Assessment Login Window
1. Only the available assessments that you started, but did not finish will be displayed.
Figure 83 - List of Available Assessments
2. Click on the assessment you wish to take, and proceed until it is complete.
Note: The “Save As You Go” feature periodically saves your work automatically. Only the
answers that were completed prior to the last automatic save will have been saved. You
may have to re-answer some questions. Please use the Next and Previous buttons to ensure
that you have completed all answers before clicking Submit or Finish.
File Upload Questions
Some exam questions may require you to upload a file as your answer. These question
types will be denoted by instructions telling you what kind of file to upload, as well as
Browse field that lets you select a file that has been saved on your computer.
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Figure 84 – Browse for File in Question View
1. After following the instructions to answer the question and saving the specified file to
your computer, click the Browse button to locate the file.
Note: Pay close attention to the acceptable file types that you may submit! This may vary
for different courses and questions.
A File Upload Form will open in a new window.
Figure 85 - File Upload View
Note: If this window does not open, please check to make sure you have all pop-up
blockers disabled.
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2. Click the Browse button to locate the file on your computer. The path and name of
the file will appear in the space provided.
Note: Be sure to select the correct file here, because after you click Submit you will not be
able to change the file. Click the Cancel button if you need to make a change to your file
upload.
3. Click Submit to upload the file.
4. If the upload is successful you will receive a confirmation message. Click the Close
button to save the details of the upload and exit the File Upload Form.
Figure 86 - Uploaded Filename in File Upload View
5. The name of the file you uploaded will be displayed in the field below the question.
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Figure 87 - Uploaded Filename in Question View
6. Click the Finish button to submit your file as your answer.
Reviewing Exam Scores
1. When you log in to the FIDM eLearning assessment system, along with your list of
available assessments, you will find a link to See reports on past assessments.
Click this link to review your scores for completed assessments.
Figure 88 - See Reports on Past Assessments
2. Select a date range for the assessment scores you would like to see. Then click the
See list of results button.
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Figure 89 - See List of Results
3. A list of results will be displayed. You may click the Coaching Report icon next to
any assessment to see detailed results, including the answers you selected for each
question.
Figure 90 - Coaching Report icon
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Limited Time
Many assessments have a time limit. If you are taking an exam with a time limit, you will
see the Time Remaining at the bottom of the screen. The timer will count down as you
take the assessment. If you are unable to answer all questions in the time allotted, you will
only receive credit for the questions that were answered correctly within the time limit.
Limited Access
Most assessments are limited to one access only. This means that you are only allowed to
take the exam once.
Exam Deadlines
Many assessments are available for a limited amount of days. The dates of availability will
coincide with the weekly modules and quiz or exam due dates. If you attempt to access an
assessment before or after the dates it is available, it will not appear in the list of exams
that are available to you.
Exam Support
Technical Difficulties
If you experience any technical difficulties while taking an exam, you must contact the
eLearning staff immediately. They may be reached at elearning.admin@fidm.edu or (213)
624-1200 X4472, X4471, X4473, X4476 or X4470 between the hours of 7:00 AM and 6:00
PM, Monday thru Friday. Your inquiry will be answered as soon as possible.
It is your responsibility to alert the eLearning Administrator of problems, as they will not
know you are experiencing difficulties if you do not tell them. In addition, if you have
contacted support and are expecting a reply, it is important that you check your email
frequently. Do NOT request help and check for a reply two or three days later. Some
support issues, such as exam resets and deadline extensions are time-sensitive, and if you
are not regularly checking your email, you may miss your opportunity to complete the exam
within the time period authorized by your instructor.
Grade or Due Date Questions
If you have any questions regarding your grade or the due date of an exam, you must
contact your instructor. If special circumstances arise that require a deadline extension or
an exam reset, your instructor must authorize such actions. If authorization is received, you
will receive an email from the eLearning Administrator with the details of the reset or
deadline extension. It is your responsibility to follow through when such exceptions are
granted.
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FIDM eLearning Policies
For a comprehensive overview of the
FIDM eLearning Guidelines, go to
https://elearning.fidm.edu, and before
logging in, click the eLearning Policies
link in the toolbar on the left.
(If you are already logged in, click the
eLearning Gateway link at the bottom of
the screen. Then locate the eLearning
Policies link.)
Figure 91 - Left Navigation
in eLearning System (before logging in)
FIDM eLearning Attendance Policy
To be successful in the FIDM eLearning program, you will need to be able to conduct
yourself in a self-paced learning environment. While the prospect of learning in the comfort
of your own home and at your own pace is certainly attractive, the responsibility is on you
to maintain participation in your course. You must check the announcements, discussion
board AND your email often for communication from your instructor or classmates. There
are due dates for assignments and exams, just as in on-campus courses, and you are
expected to adhere to these deadlines.
eLearning Student Responsibilities
•
•
•
•
•
•
Logging in AT LEAST EVERY OTHER DAY from your OWN personal computer.
Access from FIDM computer labs, Idea Center, Library, or from a place of
employment is prohibited. Participation in the FIDM eLearning program requires that
the students be able to interact with the course in a distraction-free environment.
Checking your email regularly, particularly if you are expecting a reply from an
instructor, classmate, or support staff.
Demonstrating appropriate time management skills, including but not limited
to submitting assignments by the requested date and time, completing exams by the
requested date and time, and completing exams or quizzes.
Staying on track with your course in accordance with your instructor's guidelines
and submitting assignments by the requested due date.
Completing exams or quizzes within the allotted timeframe and deadline.
While you are permitted to access the reading material at any time, you must
complete most assessments (exams and quizzes) in one sitting. There is often only
one chance to take the assessment, so you should allow yourself ample time to
complete the assessment.
Ensuring that your personal computer meets the minimum hardware and
software requirements as outlined by the FIDM eLearning Program.
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eLearning Staff Responsibilities
•
•
•
•
•
Monitoring access to assist instructors in determining participation scores for your
online classes.
Keeping reports on all accesses to the eLearning program.
Keeping reports on all activity within the eLearning program, including but not
limited to, discussion comments, activity progress, login times and dates, and
assessment scores.
Actively communicating any policy changes and planned system outages to you
through announcements, email or discussion postings within your course.
Questions about the attendance policy should be addressed to your instructor. Please
refer to your Course Syllabus for further information.
On-Campus Access to the eLearning Site
Please be advised that eLearning students are NOT permitted to access their eLearning
courses from on-campus computers. This includes computers at the Idea Center, student
computer labs, and the Library at all campuses. These resources are meant to assist oncampus students with on-campus research and studies. The benefit and purpose of the
eLearning program is to enable students to study using their own computer on their own
time. Please afford your fellow students the opportunity to conduct their on-campus studies
using FIDM technology resources.
Responsibility of Electronic Communications
Please remember to use common sense and professionalism when communicating with your
instructor and classmates electronically. The immediacy of email and chat communications
necessitate thought and planning, especially when submitting assignments to your
instructor. Any content sent to FIDM instructors and staff via electronic means is subject to
the rules of student conduct as put forth by FIDM in the academic handbook.
Student Records
All FIDM student records are kept private in accordance with the Family Educational Rights
and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA). Written consent from the student is required for release of
records to outside parties, except for those agencies authorized by law. Under this Act,
students may:
•
•
•
Review their educational records.
Challenge information they believe to be inaccurate, misleading, or not in accord
with their right to privacy.
Contact the US Department of Education if they feel that the FERPA policy is not
being administered properly.
Questions about this policy should be directed to the Vice President of Education at the Los
Angeles campus.
Consumer Information
Any questions or unresolved problems concerning the college or its faculty and staff should
be forwarded in writing to the FIDM Vice President of Education at 919 South Grand Avenue,
Los Angeles, CA 90015.
57
Directory Information
The Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising may release directory information,
including the student's name, address(es), telephone number(s), major, current enrollment
status, dates of attendance, degrees, (including date and level of distinction), details about
participation in officially recognized activities, and name of the most recent school attended
by the student. This information may be released to prospective employers, in media
releases, in announcements of scholarships and awards, and for purposes approved by the
college administration. The student may request that directory information be withheld by
notifying the Vice President of Education in writing.
Student Conduct
All students must conform to federal, state, and local laws. They must respect the rights of
others and conduct themselves in a manner conducive to the educational purposes of the
college. Students are prohibited from bringing firearms onto any FIDM campus. FIDM
reserves the right to suspend or dismiss any student at any time when the administration
deems such action to be in the best interests of the student, student body, or college. A
Student Conduct Policy and Statement of Disciplinary Procedures is available from the
Education Department. The chief academic officer of the college shall, prior to the
suspension of any student, notify the appropriate law enforcement authorities of any acts of
the student which may be in violation of ordinances of the state, county, or city.
Plagiarism & Cheating
All academic work submitted by a student should be original work. Cheating and plagiarism
are cause for formal counseling and may lead to disciplinary measures. Cheating, or
academic dishonesty, includes but is not limited to all forms of giving or getting
unauthorized materials on examinations and projects. Students who cheat will receive an
"F" on the exam or project and will be subject to disciplinary action through the College
Review Board, which may result in suspension from the college. Plagiarism, a form of
cheating, involves obtaining or attempting to obtain academic credit by copying the words
or ideas of another (from a book, magazine article, or website, for example) and passing
them off as one's own without documentation -- that is, without acknowledging the source
with quotation marks, footnotes, and lists of works cited. Students who plagiarize will
receive an "F" on the assignment and may be subject to further disciplinary action.
Please note that eLearning students are expected to display the same kind of goal-oriented
and self-directed learning as in on-campus classes. Unauthorized “teaming up” on
homework assignments, essays, exams, or another eLearning course work is prohibited
unless permitted explicitly by the instructor.
Technical Difficulties
FIDM cannot be held liable for technical problems with your personal computer or any PC
you use to access the eLearning Program, so please thoroughly read the section on
Computer Access & Setup before beginning. If you cannot follow these guidelines, please
contact your student advisor to discuss alternatives.
FIDM eLearning support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to help with
technical issues in connecting to FIDM’s eLearning system, using course tools, and
assessment difficulties. It is the student’s responsibility to contact support to seek
assistance EARLY and OFTEN. What this means is that even if your computer has
58
unexpected difficulties and you cannot access deadline-oriented material at the last minute,
technical difficulties will not be considered an excuse.
Upon calling the toll-free help line (866.FIDM.HELP) to help desk will take a record of your
call and contact FIDM staff if necessary to remedy the situation.
The instructor is NOT responsible for technical difficulties that arise when using the
eLearning Program, and will not accept excuses of a technical nature for late assignments,
missing test scores, and non-participation in the discussion board. It is the student’s
responsibility to seek assistance and work with help desk staff to resolve them.
This means:
1. Contacting support immediately upon experiencing the problem
2. Identifying yourself as a FIDM student to the offsite help desk
3. Providing a full description of the problem (full text of error messages, full
description of what happens or what was done before, during, and after the error)
4. Providing contact information (name, email or phone) in order for support to contact
you again.
5. Working with support in conducting the steps necessary to solve the issue in a timely
fashion.
Midterms and final examinations are not appropriate or opportune times to discover an
issue. Make sure you allow yourself enough time to work with us to fix your issues in order
to receive full credit for your assignments.
Solicitation / Distribution
The solicitation and distribution to students of non-FIDM materials and the use of the
college facility (including web infrastructure) for non-FIDM purposes is prohibited. Posting
flyers, pamphlets, posters, and FIDM-owned electronic media including email, for
advertising purposes and selling products to FIDM students in a virtual campus setting is not
allowed.
Netiquette
The following is an excerpt from Alex Reid's Email Etiquette, originally set as a guide for
Oxford University students. This applies to all use of email and discussion board postings
within eLearning and throughout FIDM.
“In the established communication media (such as postal mail and telephone) certain
widely-observed conventions have emerged which help promote a sound basis for
communication between the relevant parties. Electronic mail and newsgroups are relatively
new forms of communication, and consequently few people may be aware of appropriate
conventions to use.
These are gradually emerging, and the following set is based on advice being provided to
network users at many sites around the world.
These conventions (often called 'network etiquette’ or 'netiquette') recognize that it is very
easy to dispatch email messages or newsgroup postings very quickly, and little thought is
often given as to how the message will be received. For instance, if you had intended
something in fun, will the humor be evident? If not, it could become quite offensive.
59
The following code sets out what is considered acceptable behavior for network users. The
guidelines apply equally to the use of email, newsgroups and any other electronic
communications media.
Daily Routines and Housekeeping
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Check your mail regularly; ignoring a mail message is discourteous and
confusing to the sender.
Always reply, even if a brief acknowledgement is all you can manage - there
is still sufficient unreliability about email transmissions to create doubt in the
mind of the sender that you ever received it.
Conversely, never assume that simply because you have sent a message, it
has been read.
Reply promptly. Email systems often do not have the conventional 'pending'
trays of the desktop, nor secretaries to remind you, so it may be easier to
forget an email message.
Treat the security of email messages about the same as a message on a
postcard; i.e. recognize that anyone along the chain of distribution could get
to see what you have said, and it might even end up in someone else's
hands. If you have sensitive messages to send, use some form of encrypting
(known only to you and the recipient, such as PGP), or use some other more
secure medium.
Develop an orderly filing system for those email messages you wish to
keep; delete unwanted ones to conserve disk space.
Make arrangements for your email to be forwarded to someone to handle
when you go away, or install an automatic reply system advising that you will
not be able to respond.
Encourage others to communicate with you by email. Ensure you give
them your correct email address - include it on your business card and
letterhead.
Writing Styles
•
•
•
•
Be very careful how you express yourself, especially if you feel heated
about the subject (for instance if you are shooting off a quick response to
some issue). Email lacks the other cues and clues that convey the sense in
which what you say is to be taken, and you can easily convey the wrong
impression. If you meant something in jest, use a 'smiley' [ :-) ] to convey
that.
Remember the message will be read by another person who may not
appreciate your “personality.”
Don't reproduce a message in full when responding to it, especially if you are
posting to a newsgroup. This is hard on the readers, and wasteful of
resources. Instead, be selective in the parts that you include in your
response.
Try to keep messages fairly brief. Most people wouldn't choose a
computer screen to read text on in preference to a printed document, and it
can get very tiring for some users. Try to restrict yourself to one or two
screen-fuls at most.
Message Subjects
•
Make sure that the 'subject' field of your message is meaningful.
Where someone receives many messages, it can be very confusing and
60
•
•
frustrating not to be able to judge the subject matter correctly from its
subject field. This is especially important when you are posting messages to
newsgroups. When you use the 'reply' option, ensure that the subject field
(usually filled in for you under those circumstances) still accurately reflects
the content of your message.
Try to restrict yourself to one subject per message; sending multiple
messages if you have multiple subjects. This helps recipients to use the
'subject' field to manage the messages they have received.
Don't broadcast email messages unnecessarily. It's very easy to do, but
can be very annoying to recipients (and wastes resources). In particular, do
not send or forward chain email - it offends some people and is wasteful of
network resources.
Other People's Messages
•
•
Don't extract and use text from someone else's message without
acknowledgement. This is plagiarism. You wouldn't do this with
conventional mail, so don't let the ease of being able to do it with email lead
you into bad habits.
Don't make changes to someone else's message and pass it on
without making it clear where you have made the changes. This would
be misrepresentation.
Be 'Legal, Decent, Honest and Truthful'
•
•
•
•
Don't pretend you are someone else when sending mail.
Don't send frivolous, abusive or defamatory messages. Apart from
being discourteous or offensive, they may break the law.
Be tolerant of others' mistakes. Some people are new to this medium, and
may not be good typists, or they may accidentally delete your message and
ask you to resend it.
Remember that the various Laws of the land relating to written
communication apply equally to email messages, including the laws relating
to defamation, copyright, obscenity, fraudulent misrepresentation, freedom of
information, and wrongful discrimination.”
What all this comes down to is that you are required to respect your instructor, classmates,
and your school in your electronic communications in your eLearning course. This includes
emails, discussion postings, chat messages, and content that you submit or post to the
FIDM eLearning System. The online class is still a classroom, even in the virtual sense, and
you are required to adhere to the FIDM Conduct and Responsibilities Policy at all times. If a
disciplinary issue arises, FIDM staff will respond accordingly.
61

Student Survival Guide - Welcome to the Support Center

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