Information Architecture and Knowledge Management

Accessing Online Classes
The online classes are held using the Vista course management system. Vista can be accessed from FlashLine (http://flashline.kent.edu ) via the "Vista single sign-on" link in the top of the left column of content on the My Courses page. For information of setting up your FlashLine ID, see the section on Official Notices. Vista will open in a new window or browser tab, and you will see all the courses you are currently enrolled in. A list of the technology requirements for the online courses can be found here: http://iakm.kent.edu/programs/online-km-certificate/techrequirements.html

You may also find this guide to getting started with Vista (PDF), our online course delivery system, useful.

Required Textbooks
To find out what textbooks are required for your courses, you can visit the University Bookstore website. Books can be ordered online and picked up in the bookstore, or shipped. You can also use this as a means to simply look up the books required. You will need the course number and section number for each of your classes. Online students should select Main Campus. On-campus students should be aware that there is a privately-owned bookstore near campus named DuBois, you can elect to try to find your books there. If a course does not have books listed, that does not necessarily mean that no books are required. You can contact the professor of the course directly, about 1 to 2 weeks before the start of term, to find out if there are required texts that have not been ordered through the bookstore.

Library Resources
The library has compiled a resource for off-campus and distance learning students that can be found at http://www.library.kent.edu/page/10349. This page includes information on all the electronic resources that the library offers, as well as instructions for acquiring print materials from off-campus. The resources on this page are also some of the most commonly used resources by on-campus students.

Official Notices and Announcements
All official notices from Kent State University will be e-mailed to each student’s kent.edu account. Students are expected to check this account at least once a week. You may check your kent.edu account from any computer by directing your browser to FlashLine at http://flashline.kent.edu . FlashLine is a secure site portal \where you can send e-mail, register for courses, and receive KSU news and information.

Your user id for your e-mail and FlashLine access is generally the first letter of your first name and first seven letters of your last name. If this is not correct, you can find your assigned id by accessing the Kent State on-line phone directory: http://www.kent.edu/phonedirectory/ . Your new password will consist of information that only you would know. The format for your new ten-character password is: AMMMYYSSSS

A = the first letter of your middle name. If you do not have a middle name, you have been assigned the character “x.”
MMM = The second through fourth characters will be the first three letters of your birth month (e.g., April – apr).
YY = the fifth and sixth characters will be the last two digits of your birth year.
SSSS = the seventh through tenth characters will be the last four digits of your social security number.

For example, if an individual’s information is as follows:

Name: Chris A. Jones
Date of birth: November 2, 1971
Social Security Number: 123-45-6789
Then their new password would be: anov716789

NOTE: You will be immediately prompted to select a new password of your choice after you log-on with the password containing your characters from the formula described above. You may find more information about your kent.edu account by accessing the Helpdesk website at http://www.kent.edu/is/.

Listservs
IAKM and INFORMATION-SOCIETY are the two listservs that exist for students in the IAKM program. The IAKM listserv is the primary listserv for the program and serves as the primary means of communication between the program office and students and includes messages on program updates, website updates, job or project opportunities, or IAKM-related seminars or opportunities outside the university. Students are added to the IAKM list after they are admitted into the program. Students who wish to change the e-mail address where list messages will be sent or join the INFORMATION-SOCIETY list should contact the IAKM office at 330-672-5840.

Information Society
IAKM students have their own student organization that began in January 2003. The Information Society was formed by IAKM students to help all students and the IAKM program.

The Information Society has a listserv for student discussion. To sign on to this listserv (which is separate from the main IAKM listserv) contact the IAKM office. This listserv is meant for discussion on topics related to Information Society business.

Student Portfolios
Many IAKM students create websites that feature the work that they have done during their studies and on their own. These online portfolios are very helpful in directing potential employers to projects that aren’t always easy to describe fully within your résumé. In IAKM we like to link to the portfolios of our students so that prospective students and employers can see the kind of work that they are doing. To see the portfolios of current students and alumni, visit the Student Portfolios Page at http://iakm.kent.edu/opportunities/portfolios.html .

Students who would like to create an online portfolio, but do not have web space, may take advantage of the free space available to all students. Each student gets 15MB of space on their www.personal.kent.edu page. Each student’s web address follows this formula: www.personal.kent.edu/~students_FLASHline_ID. In order to load your files up to this server follow these instructions:

If you want to transfer files to your account on mail.kent.edu use the following:

Profile Name: mail.kent.edu
Host Name/Address: mail.kent.edu
User ID: <Your Userid> (just your userid, do not include '@kent.edu')
Password: <Your password>

Students may download a free version of an FTP utility at http://www.kent.edu/is/Software/index.cfm. Kent State University prefers that students who are loading files up to their servers use the SSH Secure Shell Client.