CAMPUSCRUISER
I NFORMATION

CampusCruiser is a web-based campus community groupware designed specifically for educational institutions.  Our online class will be using many of the features of this groupware to facilitate class participation, interaction, and feedback.  It will be an important avenue for class communication, so please take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with its features. The CampusCruiser website offers tutorials that provide easy to understand information - so take a  "Cruise" through them.  You should also check out the help features for topics on using the Chat Room, Message Board, and submitting assignments.
 

1.  You must know your temporary Log In ID and Password. They are assigned by your campus's CampusCruiser administrator.  Your login ID is your first name initial, last name initial, plus the last six digits of your student ID number.  For example, if you are John Smith with student ID number 0277456, your login ID will be js277456 with js in lowercase and no zero.  (Your login is case sensitive - so check to make sure your CAPS LOCK is not on when entering login information). Your initial password is your birth date in the mmddyy format.  You must add zeros for single digit months and dates.  If your birth date is July 2, 1981, your initial password is 070281. You can find your student ID number on the bill the college sent to you.

2.   Using your home ISP (Internet Service Provider) or your on-campus Internet connection, enter the address for your campus's CampusCruiser site in your browser address box. For NCWC, that address is http://prod.CampusCruiser.com/ncwc. You should bookmark this site for easy reference. You can also access CampusCruiser from the NCWC website.

3.   After your CampusCruiser home page opens you must log in to the session. To log in:
a.  Type your Log In ID into the Log In ID text field
b.  Type your Password into the Password text field box.
c.  Click Go to send your log in information for verification.
 

The instructor will be using  CampusCruiser email addresses to contact students in this course.  Personal email addresses will be used only in emergency situations.  If you have problems with your email or login, please contact the IT department at (252) 984-5000 or help@ncwc.edu.  Please DO NOT contact the instructor unless you are unable to contact the above sources.

Important Note: Each Wesleyan student gets an email account from CampusCruiser after registration.  You do not have to ask for it or complete a form - it will automatically be assigned to you. Your email address is YourLoginID@mail.ncwc.edu. If your loginID is js279123, your email address will be js279123@mail.ncwc.edu
 

• Java enabled (for chat rooms)
• JavaScript enabled
• Cookies enabled
• Pop-up window enabled
• Secure connection (HTTPS)

The Message Board, similar to a newsgroup, permits users to post messages for other users to read and respond to. Follow these directions to use the Message Board:

• Click Message Board in the left side menu.
  Note that you are in Forums view.

How to Create and Edit Forums

1. Click on New Forum icon.

2. In the  Forum field, enter a name for your forum (NOTE:  the red asterisk indicates that this is a required field).

3. In the Detail field, enter your forum description.
4. When you are finished defining your forum, click the Save Forum button.

To edit a forum name or description

1. While viewing the list of forums, click on Edit item in the Action column.
2. After completing your editing, click the Save Forum button.

To delete a forum and all of the topics and posts associated with it

1. While viewing the list of forums, click on to the left of the forum title(s) to be deleted.

2. Click the Delete Checked icon to delete the selected forum(s).

How to Create and Edit Topics

To create a new topic

1. While viewing a chosen forum, click the New Topic icon.

2. In the  Topic field, enter a name for your topic (note that this is a required field).

3. In the Detail field, enter your topic details.
4. When you are finished entering your topic, click the Save Topic button.

To edit a topic name or detail

1. While viewing the list of topics, click on Edit item in the Action column.
2. After completing your editing, click the Save Topic button.

To delete a topic and all of the posts associated with it

1. While viewing the list of topics, click on to the left of the topic title(s) to be deleted.

2. Click the Delete Checked icon to delete the selected topic(s).

How Message Boards Work

Message Boards permit members of a community to communicate with one another on specific subjects without having to be in the same place at the same time.

Message Boards are organized in a hierarchical fashion:

1. Forums, created by the Community Host, specify and organize the categories of conversation within a community.

2. Topics, created within a Forum by any member of the community, are the questions or subjects to be discussed that are related to the Forum they are posted within.

3. Posts, created within a Topic by any member of the community, are replies to a Topic or to other replies within the Topic.

Forums in Classes, Committees, Clubs, Departments, and Offices offer limited editing of previously posted messages. This is purposeful, to maintain the integrity of contributions within the academic setting. There are two conditions that must be met to allow editing of an existing Post:

1. The editor must be the original author.
2. There are no replies to the original Post.

Note that this means that if you post to a Topic, it is very likely to become a permanent part of the community record, so you should carefully consider how you express yourself.

Message Board participants can respond to a Topic, or they can respond to a specific Post within a Topic. Threads are created when participants respond to responses, thus creating a hierarchy of responses, or a "tree." This thread of responses is presented in a hierarchical fashion via the View by Thread tab. Alternatively (and by default), the responses to a Topic can be viewed chronologically via the View by Date tab. Participants can also choose to sort Topics by Title, Started By (originator name), or Last Post Date.

Message Board Post Handling

When viewing posts, various functions may to be available, depending on different circumstances. This is a review of those options:

Post Reply - All participants have the opportunity to post a reply to any message

Edit Message - Message editing is only possible if two criteria are met:

a. The editor is the original author
b. No posts have been made in response to the original post

Hide Message – Available at any time to community host (i.e., faculty in class); hides message content, and inserts the following for the message title: "Original message is no longer available. "

Delete Message - Available at any time to community host (i.e., faculty in class); deletes current message and all replies to it down the hierarchical tree. If this option is selected, a warning will appear stating: "Deleting current message will delete itself and all messages attached to it! Do you want to continue? "

Retract Message - Available at any time to message author; original title remains in place, but message content is replaced with: "Message was retracted by author!"

How to Reply to Message Board Topics and Posts

Message Board participants can reply to a Topic, or they can reply to a specific Post within a Topic (see "How Message Boards Work"),

To reply to a Topic or a Post, follow these instructions:

While viewing the list of Topics, click on Reply item in the Action column for the Topic to which you want to reply.

While on the View by Date tab Reply to Post item in the left column of the posting to which you want to reply.

While on the View by Thread tab, click the title of the Posting to which you want to reply, then click the Post Reply icon.

1. A title for your message is automatically generated and entered into the Subject field (note that this is a required field). You can accept this title or edit it as necessary.

2. In the Detail field, enter your Message details.

3. After completing your editing, click the Post Reply button.

4. Please Note:  In most cases, your ability to edit a posting after it has been submitted is extremely limited (see "How Message Boards Work"), so you should carefully consider how you express yourself.

Chat Room is the discussion room where all CampusCruiser users of your college can go to chat.  You can hold public discussions or hold a private "1 on 1" discussion with another user.

1.    Click Campus Chat from the left side menu.
A list of all chat room users is displayed on the right hand side. Please note that when you first access Campus Chat, the chat room dialog is considered docked. This means that it is immobile.

2.   To enter text that you want displayed in the chat room, type it in the field next to .
If you want to change the appearance of your text,...
o  Click to make your text appear bold.
o  Click to make your text appear italicized.
o  Click both and to make your text look both bold and italicized.
o  Click a block of color to change the color of your text.

When you have finished deciding how your text should appear in the discussion room, either press Enter on your keyboard or click on .  Here's an example of how different types of text look:

Special Features of Campus Chat Room

• :  When you click a user's ID from the right hand column and then click "Profile", the user's profile is displayed.

• :  If you do not want to see chat from a user click a user's ID from the right hand column. Then click B>Block.  You have blocked this user, which means you will no longer see this user's text in the chatroom. This user cannot use the Private feature to do a 1-on-1 chat session (see below).

Using Private Chat

If you would like to have a "1-to-1" private Chat with a user, follow these directions.

1.  Click the user's ID from the right hand column of the chat room.

2.  Click .  This will initiate a private chat room with that user.

As in the main chat room, enter text in the lower entry field and press either "Enter" on your keyboard or click "Send."

3.  When you are done, you can either click "Close" or the X to close the window.
 

CampusCruiser is currently updated each morning, Monday - Friday, between the hours of 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.  There will be occasional exceptions such as delays due to weather, and resource availability.  In addition, due to the method for updating class members, you will not be able to see your classes for approximately 30 minutes each day.  DO NOT PANIC. This is only temporary and should be restored within that time.  Just try again later. Sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.