HISTORY V111

Section 801

Dr. Powers

Spring I, 2009

COURSE MATERIALS AVAILABLE THROUGH COMPUTERS

Aside from the textbooks, most of the essential course material usually provided in workbooks and handouts is provided through computers. If you don't know how to use a computer, you'll need to learn the basics right away. This guide is intended to inform you just what materials are out there, and then to provide basic information on how to get them. If you've already been here at least one semester, you shouldn't even need the second part. If you need more than this guide, see me.

I. THE H:\TPOWERS\HIST111\SECTION 801 FOLDER ON THE LAB SERVER

Each networked computer in the USC Sumter main computer lab is connected to a directory on a server (in addition to those on the individual computer's hard drive and on any external sources such as floppy disks and CD's). That directory is designated as the "H drive." In that folder is a subdirectory named TPOWERS. Under that folder is another folder named HIST111. Beneath that is a folder called "Section 801" Using "My Computer," "Windows Explorer," or a word processor (WORD is the standard word processor on the lab computers) or any file management system you prefer, go to HIST111 (please be sure you go to “Section 801,” and not “Section 001”, which is for another class) and here's what you should find:

TPOWERS\HIST111\SECTION001

ADMIN folder, containing documents of an administrative nature. (These are in WORD format.)

GUIDES folder contains guides to writing abstracts, writing evaluations, interpreting grade marks on papers, etc. (These are in WORD format)

HANDOUTS folder, containing course materials which supplement textbooks, lectures, etc. Most of these are WordPerfect 5.1 or 6.1 files.

OUTLINES folder, containing nothing at the beginning of the semester. We'll be developing outlines for the course as we go along, and copies will be posted here.

FILELIST ("List of Computer Files") is a computer file (in the ADMIN folder) which lists each file on the server, the folder in which it appears, a brief description, and the point in the course at which you need to read it.

Sometimes, in WORD, it's difficult to get to the H:\ drive, because it doesn't appear to come up when you do a "File, Open." What probably WILL appear is a line saying "Labs on 'USC Sumter\home\… [H:]" The screen may cut off the last part of the line, not permitting the reference to the H:\ drive to appear. If you can't find a way to the H:\ drive, look for that line.

There's one more thing to be careful about when you're accessing the server: The standard word processor on the computers in the USC Sumter main computer lab is Microsoft WORD 2007. I have converted many of the HIST 111 files to WORD format, but there are many more which remain in the format in which they were originally written, usually WordPerfect 5.1. The WordPerfect 5.1 files carry a non-standard extender rather than one which identifies them as WordPerfect files. (For example, most handouts contain the extender .HO rather than a program-specific one like .DOC or .WP5.) For this reason, WORD and other Windows-based word processors may not display these files when you do a "File, Open" command. When you go looking for any HIST 111 files, please be sure that your word processor is set to show ALL files, and not just WORD files or those of your own word processor.

For this same reason, you cannot launch some of these files from "My Computer" or "Windows Explorer." Double-clicking on them, if they appear at all in those windows, will not normally invoke the proper application to open them. If you're trying to open and read a file, it's best to do so through a word processor.

Since these files are in several formats, please be sure that the word processor you're using can handle them. WORD, the program on the lab computers, can translate any of them, but WORD sometimes has a problem translating certain characters, lining up columns, and handling certain codes. This should not make any files unreadable, but you may find that fonts, formats, margins, symbols, etc. do not always convert properly. If this results in your being unable to use a file, please contact me, or see any of the people in the Computer Services Division. If you download these files to a disk and take them to use on another computer, please be sure that the other word processor can read the files. Almost any modern program can convert WordPerfect 5.1 files. Most Windows-based programs should be able to handle WordPerfect 6.0 or 6.1 files (which can be identified with ".wpd" at the end of the file name.) WORD can convert files to a number of formats. Just set the "Save As Type" box on the "File, Save As…" screen to the program you need. See me if you have any question about what any of this means.

Remember that if you're going to use the computers in the Main Lab, you'll need to bring a 3.5" floppy disk or a pen drive (or “flash drive” or “USB drive” or whatever) with you and insert it in the computer. You'll also need to have your USC Sumter I.D. card with you, or you won't be permitted to use the lab computers.

If you have any problems getting to any files, or if you still need a quick lesson on how to turn on the computer, load a word processor, and read, copy, or print files, just let me know.

II. THE WEB PAGE

I've got a World Wide Web page for my courses. The URL is:

http://www.uscsumter.edu/~tpowers/

Once you're there, just follow the links to “Courses for Spring, 2009, and from there to History 111-801. Again, be sure you go to the proper HIST 111 course. This is section 801, not Section 001.

Don't ignore the other materials of a general nature on the entry page. The readings aren't long, but you might find some of them very useful. The essay on plagiarism, for example, is there.

The web page is organized just like the server, with the same files under the same categories. Be aware that the process of converting text documents to a format usable by web pages sometimes affects the structure of the document. Those on the web page may not look like those on the server. You'll still be able to read everything, but the format may be different. The best formats are in the documents on the server, but that probably won't make any real difference.

There's something on the web page that's not on the server, in addition to the articles of general interest referred to above. There's a page called "Readings," with links to articles on the Internet pertaining to this course. I'll be calling your attention to them as we go along. Some are assigned for you to read. If you find others of interest, please let me know, and I'll consider adding links to them.

III. BLACKBOARD

I will be making use of the BLACKBOARD site for this course. Most materials on the server or the website will also be accessible through BLACKBOARD. BLACKBOARD is the ONLY place to get Power Points and Power Point outlines, and to submit your abstracts and evaluations.

To get into BLACKBOARD in the first place, you’ll need your userid and password. These are the same as those you use to get into your University E-Mail account. If you don’t have them, there’s a guide on how to get them in the following section. Once you have them, goto http://blackboard.sc.edu or just go to the USC Sumter home page (http://www.uscsumter.edu), go to the bottom of the page, and click on “Blackboard.” At the BLACKBOARD welcome page, click on “Login.” Enter your userid and password where indicated on the login screen, and click “login” or hit the <enter> key. This should bring you to your personal BLACKBOARD welcome page. Find the list of courses you’re enrolled in, and click on HIST 111.

The BLACKBOARD site is organized differently from the server or the website.

· To get to materials stored under ADMIN and GUIDES on the server and website, click on “Course Information” on BLACKBOARD.

· To get to materials stored under HANDOUTS, OUTLINES, and READINGS, click on the “Course Documents” buttons on BLACKBOARD. You’ll then see links which will take you to the relevant location

Abstracts and evaluations will be submitted through BLACKBOARD’s “Assignments” feature.

IV. E-MAIL

I will be using the course e-mail list which BLACKBOARD generates automatically.

UNLESS YOU GO IN AND CHANGE IT, BLACKBOARD AUTOMATICALLY SENDS ALL E-MAIL TO YOUR UNIVERSITY E-MAIL ACCOUNT! Check that account daily, or change your address in BLACKBOARD so that the e-mail will be forwarded to an address you use regularly. I often send out class information on e-mail, so it’s important that you check it.

To change your BLACKBOARD e-mail address, just go into BLACKBOARD, then click on TOOLS, then on “Personal Information,” then on “Edit Personal Information.” Just below your name will be a box for your e-mail address. Remove the address that’s in there (unless that’s the one you want to use) and enter your preferred one.

In case you’re new, or for some other reason didn’t know, USC provides all registered students with web-based e-mail accounts. This is University E-Mail. The class mailing list which BLACKBOARD constructs automatically uses your University E-Mail address, unless you set it otherwise as mentioned above. The University E-Mail accounts need to be activated before they can be used. Here's how you do that:

1. If you don't know your PIN, go by the Office of Records and Registration in the Administration Building and ask. (Usually, your initial PIN is your four-digit birthday code: that is, if your birthday is August 22, your initial PIN would be 0822.) If you do already know your PIN, skip to the next step.

2. Get on the internet and go to USC's VIP page (http://vip.sc.edu). Enter your USC I.D. number (usually your Social Security number without the dashes, but that’s beginning to change as USC tries to get away from using Social Security numbers as ID numbers) and your PIN as required. (If you used your initial PIN to get in here, the first thing the system should do will be to make you change your PIN.) Click on the "Technology" tab. From there, you should be able to retrieve your user identification number (userid) and password. If you already know your userid and password, skip to the next step.

3. Go to http://webmail.sc.edu. Enter your userid and password and follow the instructions for activating your account. Take a few minutes to become accustomed to the way the system works, so you'll know how to read or send mail.

My address is tpowers@uscsumter.edu.