Help Desk for Online Courses
Can't find your answer here?
Contact PC Online Course Help at:
sphinney@portervillecollege.edu
Be sure and include the following in your email:
- your name
- the class you are enrolled in
- what exactly you are trying to do and specifically what is not working
- what browser and OS you are using
Frequently Asked Questions
General Questions
What computer or technical skills will I need, to take an online class?
Do you offer an online orientation course for students?
I'm on the waitlist in an online class. What do I do?
Do online classes ever require students to come to campus?
Can I use PC Library resources online?
Can I talk with a counselor online?
Login Questions
When will I be able to login to my class?
How do I login to my Moodle class?
How do I find my student ID number?
I forgot my Moodle course password. What do I do?
When I try to login I get an error. What do I do?
Can I use AOL to access my online class?
Email Questions
I need to email my instructor but I don't know his/her email address. What do I do?
Instructors tell me they are sending me emails, but I'm not receiving them. What do I do?
Grades, Assignments and Testing Questions
Where can I find my final grade?
What if my computer crashes while I'm taking an online test?
---- ANSWERS ----
Q. What computer or technical skills will I need, to
take an online class?
A. For improved success you should know how to...
- type efficiently
- operate a word processing program (i.e. Microsoft Word)
- save files in alternative formats
- send and receive email including attachments
- find files on your computer
- find information on the Internet
- evaluate information you find on the Web
- use a discussion board
- download and install programs
- follow instructions for updating your browser
- customize settings on your browser
- copy and paste text from one program to another
Q. Do you offer an online orientation course for
students?
A. No, but INFS P050, INFS P055, and INFS P100 are classes that we
recommend students take before enrolling in an online class. They
will help you learn many things that will be useful to you as an online
student.
Q. I'm on the waitlist. What do I do?
A. If you have not received an email from your instructor contact
him/her to see if he/she allows waitlisted students to gain access to
the class materials.
Q. Do online classes ever require students to come to
campus?
A. Yes, some online classes have a requirement that students come to
campus for special meetings (orientations, exams, etc.). Please check
the course outlines to determine if
campus meetings are a requirement in the course you are considering.
Q. Can I use PC Library resources online?
A. Yes, just go to the PC Library website for more information.
Q. Can I talk with a counselor online?
A. Yes, online counseling is available. Just send an email to our online counselor and wait for a reply.
Q. How do I get to my course?
A. You should receive an email from your instructor by the first day
of the semester (or the first day of class for late start classes) with
instructions on how to login to class. The email will be sent to your
college assigned email address. Contact your instructor if you do not
receive the email message by the first day of class.
Q. When will I be able to login to my class?
A. Students who are on the official class roster will be able to
login to their course on the first day of the semester, unless otherwise
notified. For classes that start later in the semester, check the
schedule for the first day of class.
Q. How do I login to my Moodle class?
A. Your instructor will email a course key to you. Go to the
Moodle login page
and if you don't yet have a Moodle account create one. Then login
to your class using
the key that was emailed to you.
Q. How do I find my student ID number?
A. Login to My BanWeb at
banweb.kccd.cc.ca.us. Once logged in select "Personal Information"
and choose the last option, "View your Student/Employee ID". Your ID
will be displayed. It will begin with the @ symbol and be followed by
eight digits. Write it down in a safe place. In the future you can use
this Student ID instead of your SSN to login to BanWeb. Make sure and
choose "Exit" when done.
Q. I forgot my Moodle password. What do I do?
A.
Moodle Reset Password link
Q. When I try to login I get an error. What do I do?
A. Most login error messages are a result of entering an incorrect
Username or Password. Check to make sure that your Caps-Lock key on
your keyboard is not activated and try entering your Username and
Password again, being sure to follow the instructions above for logging
in to your course.
Q. Can I use AOL to access my online class?
A. You should not use the AOL browser but you can use the AOL
connection to connect to the Internet. Download and install a supported
browser for best success.
Q. I need to email my instructor but I don’t know
his/her email address. What do I do?
A. Your instructor's email address should be in one of the following
locations: printed schedule, online schedule, campus directory online or
on the course outline (link to course
outline listings).
Q. Instructors tell me they are sending me emails,
but I’m not receiving them. What do I do?
A. Are you checking your college assigned email address? Check to see if your email box is full. When your box is full,
incoming email is blocked from reaching you. Another possibility is that
a spam guard or security restriction on your email account is blocking
email messages from your instructor. Check your spam folder or your
security restrictions.
Q. Where can I find my final grade?
A. Your final official grade can be found through the My BanWeb
system. Login to BanWeb at
banweb.kccd.cc.ca.us and click on “Login to Secure Area.” Use your
Student ID and PIN and click the Login button. Click on “Student and
Financial Aid”, click on “Student Records”, click on “Final Grades”, and
then select the term from the drop down list and click the “Submit”
button.
Q. What if my computer crashes while I'm taking an
online test?
A. You are responsible for submitting tests, quizzes, exams, and
assignments on-time. If your computer crashes and it can't be restarted
or doesn't work properly, you should have a backup computer that you can
use. In other words, a computer crash is does not excuse you from
meeting a course deadline. Be prepared for a worst-case scenario and have a
back-up plan that ensures you are able to submit work before the
deadline. Always save
your work, and save it often. Most importantly, don't wait until the very
last minute to turn in your work, because if something goes wrong you
are left with no time to find a solution.
