Richard Ascough

Assistant
Professor
of New
Testament

Queen's
Theological
College

Department
of Religious
Studies

Theological Hall Kingston, ON
Canada, K7L 3N6

(613) 533-6000
x78066

rsa@post.queensu.ca

http://
post.queensu.ca/~rsa

In order to take full advantage of web-enhanced courses or online courses you should have some familiarity with the basic skills for using a computer and the World Wide Web. You will need to have access to a Pentium class computer with Netscape 4.0 (or better) or Internet Explorer 5.0 (or better) as a web browser. Netscape can be downloaded free of charge from the Netscape site. Internet Explorer often comes with home computers. You will also need a word processing program such as Microsoft Word or WordPerfect. Other software might be specified by your instructor. You will need to be able to connect to the internet via a modem (56 K recommended) or via a T1/T3 connection (e.g., cable).

In order to log in to your WebCT page (called "myWebCT") and subsequent course pages you will need a Queen's user ID and password, both of which are from your Q-link email account (as explained below). You can obtain these after registering for at least one course at Queen's. However, this is where most of the logistical problems occur. For that reason, below we walk you through the steps for obtaining these. Please note, the whole process takes at least two weeks and is controlled by departments outside QTC. Thus, you need to insure an ability to access the WebCT course when the course begins. Unfortunately, if you do not have an ID and password we cannot override the system to get you into the course. Having said that, it's not too difficult to get an ID, it just takes time!

What follows are the steps for gaining access to Web based course material. Students new to the Theological College should start at step 1. Students who already have a Queen's student number (undergraduate or Theology) should proceed to step 2. Students who have a Q-link account and password can go immediately to step 4.

Gaining Access

Step 1. Students who are enrolling in an online course offered through Queen's Theological College and who have not previously taken a course at Queen's need to be admitted as a special student. To do this please, contact the Main Office at 613-533-2110 or send your full name, mailing address, phone number, fax number (if you have one), and your date of birth to Queen's Theological College, Kingston, ON, Canada, K7L 3N6. When we receive this information from you, we will send you registration forms either by mail or fax and your Queen's student number either by mail or by e-mail.

In order to be enrolled for the class you will need to complete and sign the registration forms that are sent to you and return them to the Main Office. You will also need to show receipt of payment for the course. Details on this process will be included in the registration material sent to you. The registration procedure will take about a week. However, since you will already have your student number you can proceed to step 2 while waiting for your registration to be processed.

Step 2. Once you have obtained your student number, you next need to get a PIN number (Personal Identification Number). In order to obtain this number you must either visit the Office of the University Registrar in Richardson Hall or call that office at 613-533-2040. PINS are CONFIDENTIAL and cannot be divulged by telephone or fax. A letter giving you your PIN number will be mailed to you or can be picked up at the Office of the University Registrar. This process takes at least one week to complete. Due to University regulations, the QTC main office cannot get access to your PIN number for you.

Step 3. Next, you need to obtain a Q-link user ID, which is part of a Queen's e-mail address. This is necessary to log into the WebCT software. To get a Q-link user ID, students must obtain a Q-link e-mail account, which is free to all Queen's students and can be done over the internet at http://www.queensu.ca/its/getid/. You will need to know your Queen's student number and PIN number to set up this account. Your Q-link e-mail account will be your_user_id@qlink.queensu.ca and you will be given a Q-link password. The Q-link id and password are needed to access your e-mail account and WebCT! Please note that it will take at least 24 hours for the activated Q-link ID to get into the WebCT system. Your Q-link ID will also allow you to access the electronic registration system at Queen's (QCARD).

Step 4. You are now ready to access the WebCT course. In order to log in to a specific Queen's course you must first go through the Queen's University WebCT Entry Page. Here you will find a number of helpful links to orient you to using WebCT. This page can be accessed at http://webct.queensu.ca:8888/webct/public/home.pl. From the WebCT Entry Page, click "Log on to myWebCT". Put in your Q-link ID as your myWebCT login ID (that is, everything before the @ sign in your email address), and your Q-link password as your initial password.

If it does not work immediately please try again in a few hours - it could be a server problem, either at Queen's or at your own server site. If you get an "Authorization Failed" message, please check your typing. If you continue to receive this message contact your instructor -- it may be the case that the student list for the course needs to be updated (particularly if you only recently registered for the course).

Please note: If you took online courses at Queen's prior to Fall 2001 you will recall that your student number was your password for WebCT. However, Queen's has now changed the procedure and your Q-link password is now also your WebCT password.

If you have forgotten your original Qlink password, visit http://www.queensu.ca/its/getid/ and enter your student number and PIN to see your original Qlink password.

Step 5. Once you have successfully logged into the myWebCT site you need to add the Queen's course for which you are registered to your myWebCT page (if it does not already appear there). To do this, click on the link "Add course" in the top left corner, then find the category your course belongs to and click on the category link (e.g., RELS or THEO). Find your course in the right hand column and click on the "+" sign beside the name of your course, put in your id and password (your student number), and then click on "Return to myWebCT Home Area". Now you have been authorized in this course, so the next time you enter your myWebCT page all you will need to do is click on the course link and it will take you directly to the site. To do so, click on the name of your course under "Courses" in the top left corner to enter into the course site.

Step 6 (optional). If you so desire, you can click on "Change Password" in the upper right corner and follow the directions to do so. Click on "Continue" and enter in your login ID and new password. You can also click on "Manage Bookmarks" and add some of your own personal bookmarks to your myWebCT page if you wish.

Because of this rather lengthy process for obtaining the proper ID and password to login to the WebCT courses, we suggest that you begin the process at the beginning of August for a course beginning in the Fall and the end of November for a course beginning in January. Later registrations may result in delayed access to the course. If you do find it necessary to register later QTC will make every effort to accommodate you, but cannot guarantee that the process can be accelerated. The good news is that you need only go through the above process once. For any subsequent courses that you take at QTC (online or on campus) you need only register for the course (and pay the fee!). Your student number, PIN number, and Q-link user ID will remain the same.

If you have any questions about any of these procedures, please contact the Main Office at 613-533-2110. We would be happy to help you.

STUDENT CHECKLIST:

My student number is: ___________________________.
My PIN number is: ___________________________.
My Q-link user ID is: _____________________@qlink.queensu.ca
My Q-link password is: ___________________________.