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GeorgiaVIEW FAQs for Instructors

Which web browser can I use with GeorgiaVIEW?
Why can't my students see/open a file/document/site in a GVVista section?
A link doesn't seem to work in Internet Explorer
Some students can't read a document I saved as an .rft file, what should I tell them?
Some Vista users cannot open my Word or Powerpoint attachments. What can I do?
Why can't my student see their grades?
How can I identify my section?
Where can I get step-by-step instructions on how to backup my students' coursework?
How do i print a single page?
Why can't I use the html Creator in GeorgiaVIEW?
When is the next Banner-to-Vista data export?
When is the next scheduled maintenance?
How do I add a Test Accommodation for an  ADA Student?
I can't  login to GeorgiaVIEW; I am sent back to the the list of USG institutions. What do I do?
How do I set Assessment Properties? 
How do I set the first page in a Learning Module?
How do I get my Grade Book back?
How can I move assessments between sections?
How do I back up the Grade Book?
What's wrong with my Assessment?
I keep getting error messages when I try to use chat; what to do?
 

Which web browser can I use with GeorgiaVIEW?

The following web browsers are "certified" with the latest version of GeorgiaVIEW (date: Feb. 2011). Other combinations may work, but some GVV functions may not function as expected.

For a comprehensive list and troubleshooting see Vista Compatibility with Browsers/Software .

Operating System Web Browser Web Browser
Windows 7 Internet Explorer 8 Firefox 3.6
Mac OS (Snow Leopard Safari 4 Firefox 3.6

Why can't my students see or open a file in a GVVista section?

GeorgiaVIEW supports a wide range of file formats, among them word processing file formats (.doc, .docx, and .rtf), and Real Audio file formats (.ra). Texbook publishers sometimes use these formats in EPacks that they make available to instructors to use in course management systems like GeorgiaVIEW.

However, file formats like these are not the best formats to use on the web because they are not always easy for users to see or hear. It is best to post documents as web pages (not as a word processing document). And avoid using proprietary file formats like Real Audio -".ra" files (which require the user to download a player to hear them).

The reason for this has nothing to do with GeorgiaVIEW. Whether or not a user can readily open a file depends on the settings the user has in his/her web browser or computer.

The solution
1. Before deciding to use a non web-friendly format consider the ease with which users can access a file in GeorgiaVIEW.
2. Use web-friendly, non-proprietary file formats.
3. Test your course on one of the GHC classroom computers. Test it in Internet Explorer and Firefox. Is it easy to get to your material? Test it on a slow PC in your public library.
4. If you do decide to use a non-web-friendly format (.doc, .docx, .rtf, ra for example) on the web, then tell users how to open the file by placing instructions prominently on your GeorgiaVIEW Home Page.

Where to get more HELP
1. The best place for information about how to play a particular file in GeorgiaVIEW is the Online Support Center:
http://help8.view.usg.edu
2. For solutions to handling any number of file types see http://www.fileinfo.com
3. The "GaVIEW Tips" section of this site:
4. GHC IT client support staff are wonderful sources of assistance.

A link to a URL does not work in Internet Explorer 8x

The problem: If a user clicks a link (a URL) you have put on a page in GVV when using Internet Explorer 8.0 (IE 8) and the link does not function as expected, causing the linked-to web site not to open, the problem is probably related to a security setting in IE 8.0 which prevents "unsecure" items opening.

Solution: IE 8.0 users should click the "YES" button when the "Security Information" popup window appears the first time they click a link (a URL) on a page on your GVV site. This will allow the web page or site to open normally.

Students can't read a document I saved as an .rft file, what should I tell them?

If the rtf document does not open on the computer you are using (whether or not it opens directly in the web browser depends on the user's computer or web browser settings), save the .rtf document and open it in a word processing application (e.g. WordPad, Notepad, Microsoft Word).

Rich Text Format (RTF) is a file format developed by Microsoft. Most word processors can process RTF files. The format was developed to enable documents to be transferred between application programs (or word processing programs). RTF files have the file extension, ".rtf". They also allow you to make changes to the document after it has been created unlike most files saved as a PDF. Files named so that they end with the file extension ".rtf" can be viewed with most word processing applications (e.g. WordPad, Notepad, Microsoft Word and Star Office).

Download and save the .rtf document to your computer, open a suitable word processing application and open the .rtf document from within the application.

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Some users cannot open my Word or Powerpoint attachments. What can I do?

You may be saving these documents in either Microsoft Office 2007 (Windows) or Microsoft Office 2008 (Mac). By default, these Office applications save files in a new, different format, ending in "x." (docx instead of doc; pptx instead of ppt). Other Vista users who have not upgraded to Office 2007 or 2008 will be unable to open these new file types with older versions of Word or Powerpoint. Simply changing the file extension manually does not make these files viewable.

Solution: Both Office 2007 & 2008 can be configured to save files in the previous format. This is called Compatibility Mode. A quick solution is to save the document as a .doc, not as a .docx

Why can't my student see their grades?

1. Make sure the MyGrades Tool is added.

2. Make sure the MyGrades Tool is not Hidden.
Go to Build Tab
Go to Manage Course
Select Course Menu
Scroll down to the very bottom and make sure that under "My Tools", the "My Grades" is not hidden
If the only option to the right is "Show Link" then you have it Hidden - click on Show Link to unhide.

3. Make sure the Grades are Released to Students.
Go to the Teach Tab >
Grade Book >
Grade Book Options (top right) >
choose Column Settings >
Make certain that "Released to Student" says Yes under each Desired Grade Column and Grade Column says Yes under each Desired Grade Column

4. To test to see if students can see their grades,
Go to the Grade Book and input grades for your fake account (Demo Student)
Save
Go to Student View and see if you can see the grades
If you can see the grades in student view, the students can see theirs.

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How can I identify my section?

GeorgiaVIEW does not list course section CRNS. Instead, it identifies a section as follows:
Developmental Reading -Fall Semester-2010 READ-0099-P1

You can quickly identify a section by looking at the last letter/number, which designates either the campus or delivery method. This information is also used on course section rolls in Banner (SCORE). Here's the section numbering system.

C1 Cartersville sections
H1 Heritage Hall sections
M1 Marietta sections
P1 Paulding sections
D1 Douglasville sections
V1 DVD sections
HY1 Hybrid sections
W1 Web sections

Where can I get step-by-step instructions on how to backup my students' coursework?

Read this step-by-step expanation about how to backup your students' coursework

How do I print a single page?

Printing (html) pages in GeorgiaVIEW is made much easier if the instructor uses Learning Modules to display pages. In Learning Modules, print options appear at the top of the user's page automatically, enabling the user to print any number of pages in the Learning Module.

To print a page that is not part of a Learning Module (like a syllabus), you need to instruct the web browser to print only the "frame" (part of the screen) containing the page you want to print otherwise you will print the menu bars you use to navigate GeorgiaVIEW.

► Internet Explorer 8x users:
1. Right-click in the area of the document you want to print and click the printer icon on the Internet Explorer toolbar.
The "Print preview" window appears.
2. Change "As laid out on screen" to "Only the selected frame" in the "Print preview" toolbar at the top.
3. Click the printer icon at the top-left of the the "Print preview" toolbar.

► Firefox 3.6x users:
1. Right-click in the area you want to print (i.e. the page or document).
2. Select "This Frame" from the pulldown menu that appears.
3. Select "Print Frame" from the flyout menu that appears
4. Select a printer from the print dialog, and click OK.


Why can't I use the HTML Editor in GeorgiaVIEW?

There are several articles in the Online Support Center relating to the HTML Creator and browsers for both PCs and Macs. I have listed a few below. A variable that is often overlooked when reviewing configurations is add-ons, plug-ins, or toolbars. These are often added without the user’s knowledge. So it is a good idea to check for these when having issues with your browser.

For more articles like this just go to http://help8.view.usg.edu and type “HTML Editor” in the search box in the upper left corner.

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When is the next Banner-to-Vista data export?

Summer Semester 2012

May 7: Update course sections/instructors since last ZSRLDIS, Load students
June 4: Update instructors. course sections/students added since last ZSRLDIS
June 6: Update instructors. course sections/students added since last ZSRLDIS
June 7: Update instructors. course sections/students added since last ZSRLDIS
June 8: Update instructors. course sections/students added since last ZSRLDIS

Fall Semester 2012

July 02: Initial ZSRLDIS: course sections/instructors only
August 14: Update course sections/instructors since last ZSRLDIS, Load students
Aug 16: Update sections/students/instructors since last ZSRLDIS
Aug 20: Update instructors. course sections/students added since last ZSRLDIS
21: Update instructors. course sections/students added since last ZSRLDIS
22: Update instructors. course sections/students added since last ZSRLDIS
 

When is the scheduled GeorgiaVIEW maintenance?

Spring 2012 GaVIEW Maintenance Schedule

Summer 2012 GaVIEW Maintenance Schedule

How do I Add a Test Accommodation for an ADA Student?

Accomodating ADA Student in Assessments


I can't login to GeorgiaVIEW Vista, I get sent back to the list of colleges; What do I do?

The Online Support Center has a comprehensive, step-by-step solution to rectify the problem.

How Do I set Assessment Release Properties?

For a quick overview  read about how instructors can set up and release student tests. Georgia Southern has detailed videos and pdfs .

How do I set the first page of a Learning Module?


By default, when you create a Learning Module in GeorgiaVIEW, the first page the user sees when they click the name of the learning module is the table of contents.

However, the table of contents always appears on the left when you create a learning module: this is the table of contents that enables the user to see what is in the LM, as well as to move from page to page in the module. This is the normal table of contents that is automatically generated as you add files to the learning module, using the page titles -not the file names, remember.

This is redundant; you probably don't want the user to see the table of contents twice! What you probably want is for the user to see the first actual page in the LM, with the navigation ToC on the left (with the blue links). You can specify that the first page the user sees is the first page in the learning module rather than the table of contents itself.

1. Go to the page where the learning module is located (the name/icon the user clicks to get to the LM).
2. Next to the LM name, locate the "action links" for the LM -right after the name you'll see a chevron pulldown menu (this is the action link pulldown).
3. Click the action link pulldown and select "Edit Properties."
4. Under the "First page of the learning module" option, select the "radio button "The first page in the learning module should be" option.

 

My Grade Book has disappeared! How can I get it back?

 
ANSWER:
 
Your Grade Book hasn't actually disappeared; this is probably a Java issue.
 
Try these steps: In the Grade Book, right-click on the blank screen and click Reload.
 
If that doesn't work, clear your Java cache. Then restart your computer (if necessary).  That should solve the problem.
 

How can I move assessments between sections?
 

Moving Assessments (pdf with screenshots)
 
1. Login to the GaVIEW section that contains the assessment you want to export.
2. Within the Build tab, click on the Assessments link in the Course Menu.
3. Check the box next to the assessment(s) you want to export, then at the bottom of the list, click on the Export button
4. GaVIEW will open the Content Browser window where it will prompt you for a location - choose "My Files". Give it a name in the "Save as:" box, and click Ok.
5. GaVIEW will export the assessment. It might take several seconds to do so. Once finished, GaVIEW will alert you. Click Continue.
6. Navigate to the section where you want to import the assessment.
7. Within the Build tab, click on the Manage Course link, and then select Import.
8. GaVIEW will open the Content Browser. Navigate to My Files and check the box next to the .zip file you created in Step 4 and click Ok.
9. GaVIEW will import the assessment(s). It might take several seconds to do so. Once finished, GaVIEW will alert you. Click Continue.
10. Your assessment(s) and associated questions and settings have now been imported and are available on the Assessments link.
 

How do I back up the Gradebook?

 
There is an article about how to back up materials (including the Gradebook).
http://d2.parature.com/ics/support/default.asp?deptID=8075&task=knowledge&questionID=2634
 

What's wrong with My Assessment?

 

1. Can a student save answers in an assessment to be submitted at a later date?

 

ANSWER: Yes, as long as the student does not click the "Finish"/"Submit" buttons and the quiz is available, the student can come back to any saved question. Also, the instructor can "force" a submission if the student forgets later on.

 

2. Why is it that my answers weren't saved when I took a quiz?


ANSWER: IMPORTANT When takiing a quiz, click Save for each individual question.  It is not recommended to use the Save All button at this time. This may be part of a known issue with Vista, currently being addressed.

 

3. I got locked out of a quiz before I could finish it. What should I do?

 

ANSWER: If you can, log back into your course as soon as you have restarted your computer or once Internet connectivity is restored.  Go back into the quiz by clicking the Continue Assessment button. Only answers saved prior to shutdown are retained.

If time has already expired, you may still be able to save or change answers and submit the quiz, but the instructor will see that your submission is late. If you cannot save answers, then the instructor has likely "disallowed answer submission after time has expired."

In any case, email your instructor immediately to explain that you were locked out of the quiz; include any error messages that displayed. (Only your instructor can reset your quiz.)

TIP: While taking a quiz, click Save Answer immediately after selecting an answer to a question. Saving your answers as you go prevents loss of work in the event of a technical problem.  

4. I submitted an assignment, etc. but my instructor says it was never received. What can be done to verify my submission?
 

ANSWER: Your instructor can run a tracking report on your activities within GeorgiaVIEW, during a specific date range.  This report will show what was submitted and when, or if at all.  (Sometimes Vista users may think an item has been submitted when the "final step" did not actually occur.)

If your instructor is unfamiliar with running this sort of report, or interpreting the results, your instructor should contact your GeorgiaVIEW Institutional Administrator for advice & assistance.

 

5. I'm trying to open a quiz but nothing happens.

 

ANSWER: This problem is usually caused by a "Pop-up Blocker."

WARNING: Your quiz may be set up to open in a new window. If your quiz will not open, make sure all pop-up blocking programs on your computer are turned off. 

Also, sometimes the quiz window will automatically minimize itself to the task bar. So check your computer's task bar for a window titled something like "Assessment."  This is especially the case if another quiz window is already open.

Something weird just happened when I submitted my Assessment? What should I do?

 

 

ANSWER:

  1. Report the anomaly to your instructor ASAP.  Your instructor will have to reset this exam for you, if you can negotiate a re-take.
  2. If necessary, your instructor may report the issue to your institutional GeorgiaVIEW administrator for further investigation, in conjunction with GeorgiaVIEW technical resources, to determine whether your anomaly is documented in, or confirmed from, the server logs.  Do NOT wait until weeks have passed!  Log files are not kept on-file forever, not even for an entire semester, so such administrator escalations must be made ASAP.  Students will be expected to provide anomaly details, such as which assessment misbehaved, how, and when.
  3. If students get "kicked out" of Vista while taking an exam late on a Friday night, they may have been working when Vista is periodically taken-down for weekly maintenance.  These necessary maintenance windows are determined months in advance, by & with institutional consensus & awareness.  Instructors should always be mindful of scheduled maintenance, and should schedule assignment or assessment due dates accordingly.  Click HERE to view the GeorgiaVIEW scheduled maintenance calendar.
  4. Students should contact the OSC helpdesk ASAP.  The OSC cannot reset your quiz for your instructor, nor do they have access to the server information, nor can they usually get you "back into" your midterm.  However, the OSC can help you determine whether some aspect of your computer's configuration (multiple versions of Java installed, use of currently unsupported browsers, popup blockers, etc.) may have contributed to the problem you observed, so it does not happen the next time.  Ideally, contact the OSC when you are seated at the same computer you used to access the quiz, and when you have adequate time to troubleshoot as requested by OSC personnel.  Click HERE to view the USG Browser Checker.

 

 

 

 

 

What's wrong with the Chat Tool?

You need to check the Java version you are using to make certsain you are using the one that allows Chat to function.

Blackboard has acknowledged a problem with Sun's recent release of Java 6 (JRE 1.6.0_29).

 This Java version causes Vista chat tool to report that sessions have "expired."  Do NOT upgrade your Java to this version if presented with the opportunity. If you have already upgraded to build 29, you should upgrade to JRE 1.6.0_30 from this URL.  http://java.com/en/.  Then, follow instructions at this URLhttp://java.com/en/download/help/java_update.xml#auto_update to UNCHECK the automatic update feature. DO NOT update your Java during the semester or you may have unexpected issues submitting assignments or assessments.

 

Page last updated: May 2, 2012