DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.

First Year Writing: Digication & Digital Portfolios
Frequently Asked Questions 
[send additions to Michael


For how long will I have access to my account?  I don't want to lose all of the materials that I have in there.


As DePaul students you will have access to your Digication portfolios permanently; the license that DePaul purchased gives you access forever, as alumni.

 
How can I present long pieces of writing 8-10 pages, say in Digication without having to ask readers to scroll forever?

 

One possibility is to present your work via an attached file, such as a .doc or .pdf, since those file types ensure that you maintain control of your format and layout. However, many people are concerned with the typographic and aesthetic elements of the page: just a link to a .doc isn’t rhetorically compelling, so in this case try taking a screenshot of the first page of the paper to add as an image to the page, along with the link to the .doc/.pdf. Consider adding a brief intro text, like an annotation, for your readers so they know what to expect when they open the file.


If you prefer a digital presentation of your work, however, it is good practice to "chunk" and make your paragraphs smaller, and to increase white space between paragraphs to help with readability.

 

How are digital portfolios assessed?


The First Year Writing Program uses assessments and scoring based on the Program's Learning Outcomes. You can see a typical portfolio assessment scoring guide here: portfolio_scoring_guide.pdf

 

Will we be able to password protect the portfolios or will they be public?


When you create a new portfolio, one of your first choices is to decide who can view it:


 

Can I make my portfolio private and still give the instructor viewing access?


Yes. You give access to the instructor under “Custom Permissions,” where you can add her as a Viewer. There is one more series of steps that you must complete, which is less obvious, so that your portfolio appears under her “My ePortfolios” Directory:

> Portfolio Tools (upper right-hand corner)
> Settings
> Permissions
> Under Directory Listing, select "Yes, show in directory"


I want to make a banner to replace the default banner. How big is that space at the top?


The exact dimensions are 779 x 200 pixels. You can find more advice and banner resources here.


How do I (an instructor) make a portfolio -- a Digication course site, for example -- visible and available to students?


> Under Course, click "Settings"
> Go to "General Info"

> At the bottom of the page, check the “Portfolios” box
> Save

 

In the student view, a "Portfolios" tab will appear and students can now view the shared portfolio


What should I do if I try to log in to depaul.digication.com and receive a message to "Please provide an otherid?"


Clear your recent browser history:
> In Firefox, this can be found under History.
> In Internet Explorer this can be found under Internet Options.
Alternatively, you can try opening the site and logging in using a different browser than the one you are currently using.

 

What should I do if I click "Submit" to submit my assignment in Digication, but I recieve a "Please wait" message with a spinning circle icon

 

Mozilla Firefox is the recommended browser to use when submitting an assignment in Digication. Firefox users report far fewer issues with submission.

 

However, if Internet Explorer is used, please note that clicking Save and submit in the final step of the submission process will bring up the Security Warning pop-up below, and the user must click No.


Clicking Yes will cause a “Please wait…” message with a spinning circle to appear on your screen indefinitely, and your portfolio submission will not go through. If you find yourself on this “Please wait…” screen, simply refresh the browser page, complete the final submission step, and make sure to click No in the Security Warning pop-up window.

 

 

DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.