Des Moines Area Community College.

Online Learning

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DMACC Online Learning » Faculty Resources

Faculty FAQ

Where can students get their DMACC User Name and PIN to login in to DMACC email and WebCT?

Students will receive a letter from DMACC with log-in information. This information will also be emailed to each student's DMACC Webmail address. If a student did not receive a letter or an email, login information is below. Registration will be send students two separate letters with their Webmail user name and password. Students should keep this information available. Please note that all official communication from DMACC will go to students' DMACC Webmail address. A student's DMACC Webmail address may not be available until approximately 7 days prior to the start of the semester, and access to your courses will not be available until 2 or 3 days prior to the start of the semester.

To access DMACC Webmail, go to: www.dmacc.edu

  • Near the top right corner of the page, click on Webmail
  • You will be asked for your user name and password.
    • Your user name is your first initial, middle initial and last name. If more than one student has your initials, you may have a number after your last name.
    • Your password
      • If you are a first-time student at DMACC, your password for the first time logging in will be the last four digits of your DMACC ID. The system will ask you to change your passwordonce you have logged in successfully. Make sure you change it to something you will remember and that it is over 4 digit
      • If you have been a student prior to the 2005-06 school year but have not used WebMail, your password will be the last four digits of your social security number. The system will ask you to change your password once you have logged in successfully. Make sure you change it to something you will remember and that it is over 4 digits.
      • If you have been into the Webmail system previously, your password will be whatever you set up at that time. If you do not recall your password, you can contact the helpdesk at 515-965-7300 or email them at http://www.dmacc.edu/helpdes
  • Outlook Web Access will open and you're ready to read and send mail.

A student's user name and password for WebCT are identical to a student's user name and password for the DMACC webmail system. Please note that WebCT and the DMACC webmail are tied together. If a student changes their password in the DMACC webmail system, it automatically changes in the WebCT course log-in site. If you have been a DMACC student previously, you may already know your user name and password for the webmail system.

What is an e-Pack and how does it affect my online course?

An ePak is a supplemental electronic information from textbook publishers that can be loaded into your WebCT course. It is important that you find out right away if there is an e-Pack that you want or need to use in your course. You can do this by contacting your District Chair or Program Chair to find out if there is e-Pack for your course. They should also be able to tell you where (generally found at the textbook publisher's website) to find the e-Pack needed for your course. If you will be using an e-Pack in your course, it is CRUCIAL that this e-Pack be loaded into your course shell in WebCT BEFORE you do any work on developing. If an e-Pack is loaded AFTER you've added other content, information and design elements to your course shell, the e-Pack will completely wipe-out any of that work you have done.

What is the difference between a web-enhanced course, a web-blended course and and an online course?

Online course: A course taught entirely online. Students are not required to come to campus at any point during the semester

Web-blended course: A course taught partially online and partially in the classroom. The time spent face-to-face is lessened because of the online component of the course.

Web-enhanced course: An instructor uses WebCT to enhance their fully face-to-face course. Classroom time is not lessened because of the online component. WebCT is often used to web-enhance a course by posting the syllabus or other documents, having students take their exams online, or to use the grade book feature.

Prior to a semester, instructors will need to determine whether or not they will be using WebCT to web-enhance their course(s). Once that decision has been made, the course needs to be coded as web-enhanced in Banner. This code will trigger the course to be automatically created in WebCT when courses are loaded for the upcoming semester. Instructors should contact the person responsible for scheduling in their area to have the course(s) coded correctly. NOTE: Online and web-blended courses are already coded in Banner and therefore will have course shells automatically created.