Instructor Support   |   Frequently Asked Questions

Product Questions   (view Technical Questions)

1. Does it cost anything to use your course?
   There is no cost to the instructor or the school. Students purchase course access from us on our website by entering the ISBN in the form field on the left navigation bar of this site. (See Question 6 below.)



2. Do COD courses require a textbook?
   COD courses already contain all the content, assignments, and test material needed for a full-term course.



3. What is the difference between a COD course and an electronic textbook?
   From the very beginning, COD courses are written and designed to be Web-based courses. Unlike electronic textbooks, COD courses are based on distance learning theory, reflect sound online instructional design, are content rich and media rich, and take advantage of the technologies used by students and faculty. They also employ course management system tools for communication, course administration, and content customization.



4. What do I have to do to a COD course in order to use it?
   Very little, really. COD courses are ready for you and your students to use as is. COD will work with you and your local CMS site administrator to load the course on your server and to enroll your students. You simply need to post your syllabus and determine how you want assessments to be handled.



5. Can I add my own material to a COD course?
   Yes, your CMS enables you to add material to your course, although the only content that you must add is the syllabus.



6. How do students access the course?
   We will provide you the information that students need in order to purchase the course, via email. You need to provide that information to your enrolled students as soon as possible. COD courses are not available for purchase in the campus bookstore. Students come to the COD website and use the "Students: Purchase Course" form on the left navigation bar to purchase an access code.



7. What is a course management system?
   A course managements system is the software that "serves" course content to your students. It also allows you to manage student use of the courses and to monitor student progress, and it provides tools for student-student and student-instructor communication.



8. How do I know what CMS my school uses?
   Most schools have a CMS administrator who will know what CMS your school uses. Schools have different names for the departments that house the administrator. Some common departments are Academic Computing and Media Services, Instructional Technology, Instructional Resources, or similar. If you have any trouble finding help on your campus, feel free to contact us.



9. What is your refund policy?
   Since students are our purchasers, our Refund Policy applies to them.



10. What are the minimum technical requiremnts?
    Please view the Technical Requirements information for using Content on Demand courses.

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Technical Questions   (view Product Questions)

1. What software is required?
   Other than the CMS your school has, you will need a word processing program, an Internet browser (Internet Explorer is preferred), Adobe Acrobat Reader version 5 or higher, and Macromedia Shockwave Player version 8 or higher. See the Technical Requirements for more information.



2. How reliable is your system?
   Because our content rests on the course management system used by your school, platform reliability is dependent on the host of the course management system. With Blackboard and WebCT, most often this will be the CMS administrator on your campus. eCollege hosts courses for eCollege users. Please check with eCollege for reliability information.



3. What is a CMS administrator? Where do I find the one on my campus?
   With the exception of eCollege, the CMS administrator is responsible for running the course management system(s) that your school has chosen to license (eCollege hosts and supports courses for schools that use eCollege). Schools have different names for the departments that house the administrator. Some common departments are Academic Computing and Media Services, Instructional Technology, Instructional Resources, or similar. If you have any trouble finding help on your campus, feel free to contact us.



4. How do I add information to the Syllabus template?
   This process is different in each course management system. First, contact your school's CMS administrator. If that does not help, please choose one of the following links:
   • For Blackboard Enterprise information, go to http://behind.blackboard.com. From here, you will need to create an account to access the Behind the Blackboard support area. Behind the Blackboard contains documentation and other resources to help you use the Blackboard CMS.
   
   
   • For Blackboard Campus Edition information, go to http://www.webct.com/quickstart/viewpage?name=quickstart_faculty_epack. You will find resources to help you get started with your ePack.
   • For assistance with eCollege or Angel, please contact your school's CMS administrator or contact us.


5. Why can't I open the Adobe Acrobat files?
   You need to have the free Adobe Acrobat Reader (version 5 or higher) installed in order to view and print Adobe PDF files. You can get this from Acrobat Download page on the Adobe web site.



6. Why can't I see the Macromedia Flash lessons?
   You need to have the free Macromedia Shockwave Player (version 8 or higher) installed in order to view lessons and interactive elements. You can get this from Macromedia's Shockwave Download page.

If you still have questions, please contact us.

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