Lab 1, TA Notes, CALS 85, 10-11:30am Mon 29 Aug, or  4:30-6:00 Thur 1 Sept 20101
For PowerPoint Instruction labs Sept 13-16

         BEFORE LAB:

      THE LAB:

      1.  Go Early

      2.      Take attendance

      3.      Have students make Name Tents that you collect after lab to remember your students.

      4.      Make sure students get out paper and pen and take notes.

      5.      Write your name, email, and phone numbers on the board and have the student write them down.

      6.      It is ok to tell student what keys to press, but you should never do it for them, or have anyone else do it for them.  They need to press the
                    keys and click the mouse themselves.

       7.      Have students login to the computers with their NetID (zoo user name) and password.  Can either log on Windows or MacOS

       8.      Show students http://www.uvm.edu/account/ , show forwarding, set spam filter max (50%). 
                    Tell students to check their UVM email at least once a day, and purge deleted messages in UVMWebmail.

      9.      Have students write down the URL for the course page: http://www.uvm.edu/~agri085/fall2011/labbook.html
                (any students that have trouble with Blackboard can go directly to the course page by typing in this URL).  If students can’t log in
                or are in the wrong discussion, tell Dr. L!

            10.  Log into Blackboard and have students post something in their Discussion Group: Under "My Groups", click on the double down chevrons,
                Choose "Group Discussion Board" Click on the Forum (for example "L01 Tuesday 2:30-4:30 Hannah & Rachel"), DO NOT CREATE
                A NEW FORUM!, Create a new thread, or reply to a thread that has already been posted.  Post threads about Information Technology:
                web pages you find useful, tips for iPhone use, IT news, etc.

        11.    Go to the LAB ONE link on the Course page.  Explain to students that this is a creative assignment.

        12.    Go over the assignment, including the links to guidelines for Power Point and student feedback form they will use next week. 
                Hand out the Yellow PowerPoint Critique sheet.  Answer any questions about dress/hook/must-knows, etc. on Yellow critique sheet.

       13.    TELL STUDENTS TO PRACTICE IN THE LAB so they know that presentation will work. Show them the lab schedule in syllabus! 
               
There should be no excuses about not being able to load the correct version.  Save .ppt in 3 independent places.

        14.    Walk students through creating a PCBackup folder on their home directory on zoo, using WinSCP or Fetch.  Explain they should start backing up
                all their computer work here!  Maybe create a Fall2011 sub-directory folder for this semester’s work.

       15.    Make it clear to the students that they are responsible for having their presentation work in the lab.  They need to work out the bugs before lab. 
                Students must practice the assignment in the lab itself, not just on their own MAC or PC!  If they have problems loading and have to wait
                until the following week because of the wrong version: -10%.  Show students the file conversion website http://www.zamzar.com.

        16.    Show links to lab schedules:    http://www.uvm.edu/~hmenzies/labsched.html

                       http://scripts.uvm.edu/cgi-bin/lab.pl

                       http://www.uvm.edu/it/watermanlab/

           17.     Show students the software archive and recommended software to download and install.

1      18.  The goal of the lab is to get everyone in the lab comfortable with the skills needed for the assignment, so students can say to themselves: “I can do this by myself”.

          19.    Ask for a show of hands “Who thinks they can do this assignment?  Any Questions?”

          20.    Walk through Power Point for those who need it, others may leave if they want to. 

           21.    Make sure students know your names & contact information and that they may contact you and meet with you outside of lab if necessary to get extra help with the lab.

    22.  Collect Name Tents at end of lab (so you can hand them out at the beginning of next lab).

            AFTER THE LAB: