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About Lotus Notes Databases

Accounts and Passwords

Accessing the Groups

Notes Etiquette

More Help

For technical assistance in using Lotus Notes, contact Mark Kraynak at Kraynak@american.edu

About Lotus Notes Discussion Databases:  We will use the University's state of the art  Lotus Notes  Databases to extend the classroom experience beyond the conventional limits imposed by time and place. These discussion databases are like list serves, but with added features.  In most classes, students will participate in two "virtual" discussion groups:  the first, the Entire Class Discussion Database, will include all members of the class and will be used to post messages and conduct discussions involving the entire class;  the second, the Team Database, will be limited to members of the teams into which the class will be divided.

You have each been added to the group for the entire class as well as to your individual group.  If you go to http://domino.american.edu and from there click on "CAS Courses Using Lotus Notes Discussion Databases," you should be able to access the appropriate discussion group without any problems, provided that you enter your EagleNet ID as your username and your "correct" Internet password as your password.
 

Accounts, IDS and Passwords:  Please pay careful attention to the following points (as one or more of these points may apply to you):  For Details, see the OIT's Computer Accounts Page.

• Your Internet password is NOT always the same as your EagleNet password.  However, if you use your AU e-mail account as your primary e-mail account and if you use Netscape to access your AU e-mail account, then your e-mail password is also your Internet password.  In other words, you use the same password to access both your e-mail and the discussion databases.
  
  
• If you do NOT use your AU e-mail account, you may still access these discussion databases.  But, you need to know what your EagleNet ID is.  Your EagleNet ID is a combination of your first and last initials, the last four digits of your AU ID # and the letter a (or in some rare cases the letter b).  For instance, if your name is Jane Smith and your AU ID# is 1234567, your EagleNet ID would be js4567a.
  
  
• If you have never used your Internet password to access e-mail at American University or to access other web-based discussion databases for any past or current courses, your default Internet password is your date of birth to be entered in the 6-digit mmddyy format (with no dashes or slashes).
  
  
• If your Internet password is still your date of birth or if  your Internet password has been reset some time within the last few days, click on Computer Accounts and follow the prompts.

 
• Finally, please keep in mind that you access and use these discussion database only via the web.  When you are in one of AU's computer labs, you may see an icon for Lotus Notes, which would open the Lotus Notes software.  You have no need to open the Lotus Notes software for the purpose of this course, as all his discussion groups are web accessible on the domino.american.edu web site.

 
• If you experience technical difficulties connecting to the internet, logging in to the database, using your Internet ServiceProvider, etc., please report them to the Office of Information Technology Help Desk at 202-885-2550, or via the web at:http://help.american.edu.  If you have questions about the use of the database itself, you may contact Mark Kraynak at kraynack@american.edu.

Accessing Course Discussion Groups:  This discussion group can only be accessed through Netscape or Internet Explorer:

You may access the course with your "Internet Password." If you already know about your Internet password, great.

If you don't, please go to http://www.american.edu/oit/newmail.html and read the information there.

To access a course, go to this Web address: http://domino.american.edu

If you haven't already used your Internet Password, click on "Test your Internet Password" at the top of the page.

Choose the link "Courses using Lotus Notes Discussion Groups"

Find your course number/name and click on it.

Click on "New Main Topic," "Response," or "Response to Response" to enter a new document.

 When done, click on the "Submit" button.

 

 

• Any messages posted on the Entire Class Discussion Database, will go to every member of the class, including the instructor and teaching assistants.  Posting a message (or a response) on the Entire Class Discussion Database is like raising your hand and asking a question or offering an observation in class.  It should be used for messages, questions and discussions that are relevant to the entire class.

 
• Your Team Database is restricted to the members of your team (as well as the Instructor and Teaching Assistant, who will generally be silent).   This is where Team discussions relating to the class assignments will be conducted.  It is also where your will work on your team projects.

 
• For private communication between student and student or between a student and the instructor (or a teaching assistant), e-mail is still preferable.

 
• One of the advantages of Lotus Notes is that it permits "threaded discussions."  One person can post a "new main topic."  Others may post "new responses" to the main topic, or even "responses" to "responses."  This allows members of a discussion to organize their virtual "conversations" in a more intelligible way.  Try to keep your discussions orderly and coherent.  It will take some practice, but you will get the hang of it.

Need Help? Should you experience any problems, please contact:

Mark Kraynak, Graduate Fellow
Academic Computing Services, Office of Information Technology
American University
tel:  (202) 885-2773
e-mail:Kraynak@american.edu

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