Index
Moodle not working
Videos don't play
Test Internet speed
Which iPod?
Which computer media player?
My picture on Moodle
Due Dates
What to print?
Email to cell phones
Questions
Moodle or the website is not working.
If your Internet works, but Moodle or the website is not working, contact Rick Jerz. Do not contact SAU's IT department because they do not have access to managing these resources.
The videos don't play.
The "Flash" videos need the to have free Flash player software loaded into your browser(s). Go to www.adobe.com for this software. Second, make sure your Internet connection speed is at least 400kbps (see question below). Most cable and DSL connections provide this speed. Third, make sure to pick the video from the left menu area. Also hit the "play" button because a few videos might have a black first "frame."
The easiest way to play my podcasts is by using iTunes and your iPod. If you are trying to download and play the podcast (m4v) videos, you need either the Quicktime player, which usually is installed along with iTunes, or one of the following players: Realmedia Player (version 11.0.6), Adobe Flash Player (version 1.5), Quicktime player (version 7.5.5), DivX Player (version 6.8), and Windows Media Player (version 11.0.5721).
The videos look the best at their full, normal size. This is approximately 640x480 pixels.
The SAU lab computers should be able to play the Flash videos, but you will need your own headphones. If you download the podcast videos, these can be played on the SAU lab computers using Quicktime.
How do I test the speed of my Internet connection?
Go to http://www.dslreports.com/stest, pick Flash 8 plugin..., then pick a location. Download speed needs to be greater than 400 Kb/s for my streaming videos.
Which iPod is best?
This is a tough question, and the answer depends upon your personal preferences. The iPod Touch or iPhone would be my first overall choice because the videos look best on these devices. I recommend a minimum of 8GB, but 16GB or more will give you plenty of room. The iPod Nano does well. It is more portable and easily fits in a pocket. The video screen, however, is smaller. The iPod classic is a good choice if you want lots of space (>120GB). It is a little heavier, but not bad. The Nano and Classic can double as PC storage devices. The Touch and iPhone can run applications, and can connect to wireless networks. Overall, I have liked the Touch.
Which media player is best on the PC?
I have had the best luck with RealPlayer. It seems to be able to play every format that I need played, including m4v, flv, wmv, mov, divx, etc. The Adobe Flash player can play my m4v and flv files, if you happen to download files of these types. The Quicktime player is also pretty nice, but it cannot play flv files and usually requires an iTunes install.
iTunes: http://www.apple.com/itunes/download
Real Player: http://www.real.com/
How do I show a picture of myself in Moodle?
When in Moodle, click on your login name (upper right-hand corner). This will get you to your profile. Edit your profile and you will see a section titled "Picture of". Use the browse button to upload your digital picture. Ideally, your picture should be around 320x320 (yep, square) pixels. If your picture is larger, you can crop and size it in a programs such as Photoshop. If you need help doing this, Deb Duley in Media Services at SAU can help. There are many other programs that can crop photos. If you don't size your picture, Moodle will do its best. You can always swap a better picture of yourself in Moodle whenever you desire.
Where and how do I find what and when homework is due?
In Moodle, there are several ways to find out what is due when.
1) With your mouse, hover any colored date on the Calendar.
2) Right under the calendar, look at the "Upcoming Events". This shows what is due within the next 10 days.
3) Click on the Calendar's month (e.g., January 2010).
4) In the Upcoming Events block, click on "Go to calendar".
5) In the "Activities" block (on the left), click on "Assignments" or on "Quizzes". This shows all open items and their due dates.
6) For "Forums", I put the due date in the Calendar. "Resources" do not have due dates.
What do I need to print for class?
Printing is up to you. All my materials are online and always available to you, so you do not necessarily need to print anything. Personally, I would probably print the lecture PowerPoints, 3-per page view, and use these to take notes in class.
How do you send emails to cell phones?
I use the site http://www.email-unlimited.com/stuff/send-email-to-phone.htm that helps me configure the proper email address form for your cell phone provider.