Materials for this course can be found in two locations on the Web -- the course web site you're reading now (http://virtual.parkland.edu) and the online Angel conferencing system (angel.parkland.edu).
The course web site
The course web site includes essential information about class policies, textbooks, technical requirements, paper assignments and due dates. It also offers reference pages and links that will help you find research material and improve your writing skills.
The major areas of the course web site are Home, Syllabus, Assignments, Writing Tools, Research Tools and Computer Use (the page you're reading now). Some of these pages are also available within the Angel conferencing system.
The page you'll be referring to most often is the Assignments page, which is a calendar with dates for completing textbook readings and submitting papers. Follow the links to read all the instructions for completing each paper assignment.
This is a web site that functions as a conferencing area for members of this section. You'll be using it to submit your paper assignments, read and respond to other students' papers, and read regular "lecture notes" from me. Angel is also a closed email system you can use to send messages to me and other students in the class.
To use Angel, make your regular connection to the Internet, open a browser and go to angel.parkland.edu. Angel can also be accessed through the direct link on your Parkland Connection page.
Logging in
You'll need a User ID and password to use Angel. The first time you log in, your User ID will be your full Parkland email address (typed in lower-case letters). Your password is your full Social Security number. Once you have entered Angel, you can change your password (from "My Page", click on "Preferences," then "Change Password.")
Once you log in, you'll see the "My Page" area of Angel, which has links to your courses, your Angel mailbox (with a notice of new mail), announcements, help files and other Angel features. To enter the English 102 area, just click the class name from the list under the "Courses" heading.
Note that the course area will not be activated until a few days before the semester begins. Before that time, you can log in and access other Angel functions. A good place to start exploring is the "Help" link found on "My Page".
The course area is organized in five sections, linked from tabs at the top of the page. The main area of course activity is under the Lessons tab, which will contain messages and discussion forums that can be viewed by everyone in the class. You should check this page -- and read all the messages -- at least once or twice a week. You'll see two types of icons for the postings here:
A post with this
icon is a discussion forum that you'll use to submit assigned papers and read and respond to other students' papers.
The first time you log in, you should see the "Jeopardy" and
"Paper 1" discussion forums here.
A forum that requires action from you (assigned papers and responses) will have
a subhead of "Assignment folder". As we begin work on future papers,
I'll also be adding forums you can use to ask questions, share information and
discuss the assignment with other students, before it's due. These optional
folders will be subtitled "Discussion".
A post with
this icon is a message from me. This is where I'll be posting
announcements, updates, "how-to" tips and other information you'll need to complete
your papers. The first two messages are titled "Welcome" and
"Paper 1 assignment".
Angel email functions are under the Mail & Chat tab. There's also a link to the Student Lounge, an online chat room where you can talk with me or other students who are online.
The Syllabus and Assignments & Calendar tabs are direct links to these pages on the course web site.
Typing and submitting your paper assignments
You'll be posting your papers and other assignments to specific discussion forums located under the Lessons tab. Your first assignment is Paper 1. To post your paper, open (double-click) the forum with that name and click "New post" on the top menu.
To send a short message, you can simply type the text into the message area. For longer papers, you should prepare your text in your word-processing program and then use "cut and paste" to load the text into the Angel message box. If you type a long paper directly into Angel, you risk losing all your work if your computer, your browser or the system crashes.
1 - Save your file first. Then use the mouse to highlight the text in your word-processing file. Most programs also have a "Select All" keyboard shortcut you can use to highlight the entire document (CONTROL-A in Microsoft Word).
2 - Cut the highlighted material by using CONTROL-X (press both keys at the same time). This sends the text to the Windows clipboard. If you've saved your file before cutting, you can close the word-processing program.
3 - Log into Angel. Click the "Lessons" tab and open the appropriate forum icon to open the assignment folder.
4 - Open a new message box. After you've opened the forum, choose "New post" to create a new message. On the Subject: line, type in your last name and the assignment number (Smith - 1)
5 - Paste your text. Move your cursor to the top of the message box. Use CONTROL-V on your keyboard to insert the text from the Windows clipboard.
6 - Important:
After your text is loaded into the message box, proofread and check
the formatting and spacing. Use the "Preview" button to see
how your message will display after posting. You may need to add or delete spaces and lines to make paragraph breaks clear.
If you're having trouble with line breaks, be
sure you are using "automatic wrapping" when you type the text
into your word processor. Type a "hard return" (Enter on the
keyboard) only when you want to begin a new
paragraph. Don't use a hard return at the end of
each line within a paragraph.
Be sure to save your files often while you're working on them. Many word-processing programs have an "Autosave" feature that will do this at regular intervals for you (look in the software's "options" or "preferences" menu to turn this on). Always keep backup copies of your files on a separate disk.
It's essential that you post your papers by the deadline. We'll be doing peer review and editing exercises with all assignments, so if you post a paper late, you'll inconvenience every member of the class. If you are ill or have a family emergency, email me and we'll work something out.
Important: Please do not submit your paper as a file attachment. Students will be reading and providing feedback on each others' papers, so it's important to provide easy-to-read text displayed in the message box. If you attach a file, other students will have to download the file and read it with software on their home computers. If they don't have the same software you used to prepare the file, they may not be able to read your paper.
For most assignments, you'll be reviewing and responding to papers written by other students. These responses will be posted to the discussion forum, but you may also want to send a personal note to the author of the paper. To do this, click the message you want to respond to and choose "Mail author" from the bottom menu. A new message box will appear with a list of all members of the class. Highlight the person you want to mail, type your message and click "Send".
You can send private messages to me and other students by clicking the "Mail & Chat" tab, then "Send mail". A new message box will appear with a list of all class members' names under the "To" heading. Highlight the person you want to mail, type your message and click "Send". Another way to send private mail is to click the "Roster" tab, then click the student's email address.
To identify the content of your message, fill in the Subject: line as follows:
If you're sending a paper assignment to a discussion forum, always identify it with your last name and the assignment number -- Steinbeck-1 -- on the Subject: line.
If you're sending a personal message that is not an assignment, simply type in a few words to describe the content. These messages should be sent to personal Angel mailboxes. Use the discussion forums only for completed papers and assigned responses.
To read a message in your mailbox or a paper in a discussion forum, simply double-click the file name and the message will open. An easy way to read all the messages in a folder is to open the first one, then use the "Next" navigation button at the top of the screen to move directly to the next message.
You can also print messages with the "File/Print" command (CONTROL-P on your keyboard). I suggest that you print out all the paper tips and updates that I post under the Lessons tab.
I'll evaluate and grade all major papers except Paper 1. After you post a paper in the appropriate discussion forum, I'll send you a reply with a grade and comments.
Don't panic.
The Angel system is fairly simple once you practice with it a few times. If possible, spend some time navigating the menus and reading the online help files before the course begins.
The best way to avoid panic is not to wait until the last few hours before an assignment is due to discover you have a problem. As mentioned elsewhere, it's a good idea to complete the actual writing of your assignments a few days in advance so you'll have extra time to solve any technical problems that may come up.
Technical support
If you're having difficulty with registering for the course or logging into Angel, please do not waste time by contacting me. I don't have access to any functions related to Angel logins or your actual enrollment, so I can't help you. For questions regarding:
Course registration or tuition payments -- call the Parkland Admissions office (217-351-2208 or 800-346-8089).
Using or logging into Angel -- call or email Dennis Happ at Parkland.