eCampus

TECHNOLOGY

Are You Ready for Online Learning?

Are you ready to take an online course and be successful?

Find out with READI: This web-based tool assesses your likelihood for succeeding in an online learning program. READI indicates the degree to which you possess attributes that contribute to success in online learning. READI includes five major assessment components that measure:

Reading comprehension
Typing speed and accuracy
Technical competency–like ability to use a laptop, printer, software, and the Internet
Preferred learning styles
Individual attributes–like self-motivation, time management skills, self-discipline, availability of time, and persistence

Questions: Instead of self-assessment questions with obvious "right" and "wrong" answers, READI uses a sequence of activities to measure the degree to which you possess the traits needed for success in studying at a distance.

Results: READI provides an immediate score and diagnostic interpretation of results directly to you and to your prospective school.

Time: It takes 20 - 25 minutes on average to complete READI, but you may stop at any time and return to complete the survey at your convenience.

To begin, click the icon below.

On the next screen:

Choose the username that is related to your anticipated program of study
Enter the Password: Cats
Click Login

If you are returning to READI, use your email and PIN.

Activate Your OHIO ID

After you have been admitted, you will need to activate your OHIO ID, which is the key to most online services at Ohio University. If you are new to the university or are returning after an extended absence, you will need to activate your OHIO ID. Please follow the appropriate instructions below.

Students

You can activate your OHIO ID at the link below. Make sure you have your PID (Person Identification Number) ready. This number can be found on your letter of admission. Transactions for students are handled on the basis of a unique PID, and each student is assigned this number upon admission to the University. Social Security Numbers are collected from students at admission and are used for Federal reporting purposes only.

Activate your OHIO ID

If you have any problems activating your OHIO ID, please contact the Service Desk at 740.593.1222 or servicedesk@ohio.edu.

Blackboard 9.1

Online courses will be held in Blackboard 9.1.

System Requirements
If your computer does not have the proper hardware, Blackboard 9.1 may run slowly or may not run at all. Prior to using Blackboard 9.1 on your computer, compare your current system configuration with the system requirements below.

Windows		Macintosh
Minimum System Requirements		Minimum System Requirements
Operating System:	Windows Vista or 7	Operating System:	Mac OS X 10.6 or 10.7
Processor:	1 GHz	Processor:	1 GHz
RAM:	1 GB	RAM:	1 GB
Recommended System Requirements		Recommended System Requirements
Operating System:	Windows Vista, 7, or 8	Operating System:	Mac OS X 10.6, 10.7, or 10.8
Processor:	2 GHz or faster	Processor:	2 GHz or faster
RAM:	2 GB or higher	RAM:	2 GB or higher

To view a list of Blackboard 9.1 supported browsers and operating systems, click here.

Connection Speed
Once you have ensured that your computer has the proper operating system and hardware to run Blackboard 9.1, you should verify that your Internet connection is fast enough to support Blackboard 9.1. Online courses may require you to download/upload large files and often include streaming audio and video, both of which require faster connections.

Check your Internet connection download and upload speeds using the connection speed test at www.pcpitstop.com/internet/bw.asp.

The recommended Internet connection is broadband (high-speed) Internet with a consistent minimum speed of 1.5 Mbps. If your Internet connection is slower than the recommended speed, you may still use Blackboard 9.1.

However, you will encounter difficulties when loading pages, especially during peak usage times. You will also find that both audio and video playback can be very choppy. Additionally, downloading or uploading assignments may take a long time.

Browser Compatibility
To see if your Web browser is compatible with Blackboard 9.1, click here. Blackboard 9.1 requires that your Web browser conform to certain standards. If you have an out-of-date or unsupported browser, you will need to download either a certified version of your current browser or a different certified browser before attempting to log into Blackboard 9.1.

Note to America Online (AOL) users:
The AOL browser is not compatible with Blackboard 9.1. However, you can use your AOL Internet connection with one of the web browsers listed above for your operating system to access Blackboard 9.1.

Browser Configuration
Your browser must be configured properly as follows:

JavaScript must be enabled.
Cookies must be enabled.
Pop-up windows must be enabled.

Browser Plug-ins
At a minimum, you will need three browser plug-ins to use Blackboard 9.1: Adobe Reader, Adobe Flash Player, and the Java Runtime Environment plug-in. (You may need additional plug-ins if the course you are taking includes multimedia elements.)

Administrative access to the computer you are using is required, in case there is a need to install new or updated software. Since you will need to have the ability to install software on your computer, it is recommended that you do not rely on a computer at work or at a public library.

To download and install the current versions of Adobe Reader and Adobe Flash Player:

Go to www.adobe.com/downloads.
Click the Get Adobe Reader button.
Return to www.adobe.com/downloads.
Click the Get Adobe Flash Player button.

You will also need the correct version of the Java plug-in. This is not the same thing as JavaScript. Blackboard 9.1 will not run properly if you are using an incompatible version of Java or if you have multiple versions of Java installed. Click here to download Java.

Boston University Online has an excellent tutorial that will walk you through the process of checking your version of Java and then updating and enabling it if needed. (The following links will open in a new window.)

Windows users should go to:
http://www.bu.edu/webcentral/learning/vista/start/winxp-java.html

Macintosh users should go to:
http://www.bu.edu/webcentral/learning/vista/start/mac-java.html

Firewall Setup
Many computers use a firewall to block harmful programs and data from their computers. However, firewalls are also capable of blocking certain aspects of Blackboard 9.1, so your firewall may need to be configured manually to allow Blackboard 9.1 to operate properly.

If you access Blackboard 9.1 from work (or a public library, community college, or university), you may need to ask the technical support personnel for that organization to configure the firewall(s) between your computer and the Blackboard 9.1 server.

If you access Blackboard 9.1 from home and have a firewall installed, you may need to make changes to the firewall settings to allow access to Blackboard 9.1. For assistance making changes to your computer’s firewall, contact the Office of Information Technology by email at bbsupport@ohio.edu or call 740.593.1222. (The default settings of the Windows and Macintosh built-in firewalls will not interfere with Blackboard 9.1.)

Getting Started with Blackboard 9.1

Get started.

Access Your Online Course(s)

Locate the "My courses" box on the "My Ohio" page. Click the name of your course.

If you don't see your course, don't worry!
Some instructors make their courses unavailable while they are finalizing course content, but they will make it available when it is ready for student access or by the first day of the term.
Allow four hours from time of online registration before accessing.
If you still don't see the name of your course, contact 1.888.551.6446.

When your course appears, read the instructor's welcome message. Then explore!

How to Find Help

Visit�the Office of Information Technology Blackboard 9.1 support site at: http://bbsupport.ohio.edu.
Call�the Office of Information Technology Service Desk at 740.593.1222 or send an email to servicedesk@ohio.edu.
Check your program's student page to see if you have a link to online program support.

Student Tutorials for Blackboard 9.1

There are more instructions for students posted at www.ohio.edu/oit/bbsupport/howto/students.

CatMail

The Ohio University student email system, called CatMail, will be available for use upon activation of your OHIO ID. Your CatMail email is your OHIO ID@ohio.edu.

Student CatMail accounts include:

1. 10GB of email storage

2. Spam and virus protection

that allows access from any location with a Web connection

Calendar feature for personal, academic and student involvement use (record appointments, share calendars, schedule meetings)

You OHIO ID and password are the key to numerous online services, including:

1. Class registration and schedules

2. Online billing statements and payment options

3. Grade reports

4. Free software downloads

5. Access to online classes

To keep in touch with professors and classmates, you need to use your Ohio University CatMail account. Please check your CatMail email regularly for official University correspondence. Many Ohio University departments and professors depend on CatMail for both announcements and assignments. We do not recommend forwarding your CatMail account, as you will likely not receive important email messages.

If you have problems accessing your email or have questions, call the Service Desk at 740.593.1222 or email servicedesk@ohio.edu.

Netiquette (Email Etiquette)

When you write an email to your advisor/instructor:

Always include a clear Subject Heading at the top (this helps the person to know the email is not spam).
Include your full name and PID number at the end.
Reread your email before you sent it—is it well-written (grammar, spelling, punctuation)? Is your purpose clear? Is your tone polite and respectful?
Do no use IM-speak or emoticons (smiley faces, etc).
Never write in all caps (in email terms, it represents shouting).

Tech Depot

On the Athens Campus, the Tech Depot is your one stop shop for technology needs.

Virus Protection
Ohio University provides free virus protection software for student use–Sophos for Windows and Macintosh. Click here for more information.

Microsoft Office
Ohio University subscribes to the Microsoft Campus Software program, which provides the Windows or Macintosh versions of Microsoft Office to students at a very reasonable price. Consequently, we recommend that you use the current version of Microsoft Office–Microsoft Office 2010 for Windows or Microsoft Office 2011 for Macintosh OS X.

For information about purchasing Microsoft Office 2010 or Microsoft Office 2011, go to www.ohio.edu/oit/techdepot/software.

Ohio University would like to recognize and thank Boston University Online for providing some of the content in this section.

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