Frequently Asked Questions - Instructor FAQs


How do I use Novell Classfiles folders?

When you log on and open your Novell classfiles, you'll find a folder for each class you teach; "150HE" and "250FL" for example. Inside are four folders, each with different student access privileges.

  • Admin is invisible to students, you may use it to store files you don't yet want to make accessible.
  • Announcements is a "read only" folder, meaning students can open and read files, but can't save changes or add files to this folder. [Note: Because Word files can be opened by a limited number of users at a time, you should have all students drag the file to the desktop or to their folder before opening it.]
  • Drop Box is a "write only" folder, meaning students can't open files, but they can drop files into it for secure collection of their work. Mac drop boxes are "belted" so students can't view the contents inside. Students can open Windows drop boxes, but can see no content, though instructors do. Students drag a file onto the drop box from any location they have saved it to. This is a desktop maneuver rather than a "Save As" command from a Word dialogue box.
  • Discussion is a "read/write" folder, meaning all students can both read and add material to this folder. Use it to return work or exchange drafts. Only one user at a time can open a file in Discussion. Users can drag the file to the desktop to make a copy to open. This is not a secure folder, so it's possible for a student to peek at another's work or to retrieve the wrong paper. Use it only for the short term. NOTE: If you lock a file in Discussion, it isn't really locked; any user can delete it.
  • You can make folders inside of folders. They have the same access as the parent folder in which they reside. For example, in Discussion you could create folders for groups to exchange drafts or to retrieve exercises.
  • When students log on with their own username and password [after week two] they [and only they] can see their own folder which they can "Save As" from Word or open and drag from the desktop. The student folder provides a good backup for all work.
What happens after English 150 and 250?

As ISUComm continues to grow, our goal is an ambitious one. You should encounter more communication in many of your courses, not just your ISUComm Foundation Course. Not only will you be practicing communication more, but you’ll be hearing more about the hows and whys of effective communication. You should encounter much of the same terminology as well. As you take courses in your major, expect to run into some of the communication terms presented in this guide. Even if you don’t, use these terms as a way to analyze the communication situations and perform the communication tasks that you’ll be using in your career. Communication learning never ends. To be a responsible citizen in a democracy like ours requires our best communication skills. Build on what you learn here to contribute to the activities that strengthen our society.

How can I integrate communications-intensive assignments into my non-English courses?

The ISUComm Consultants program can aid departments across campus with adding to and revising the communication components of their own curricula. These consultants help instructors and departments develop communication activities and assignments that are grounded in each academic discipline's unique set of oral, written, and visual communication practices. For more information or to schedule an initial consultation feel free to contact our staff.

How do I access classfiles from off campus?

All Users

For Web-based access, the address to enter is http://netstorage.ait.iastate.edu.

Use just your netID and password to login [rather than "name.faculty etc."as in Novell server login].

You may encounter several secure access warning boxes; click okay to each.

To open a file,double click the file name rather than selecting "download" in the file menu.If the file opens in a Web window [thus doing strange things to formatting], select SAVE AS in the FILE menu and save as a ".doc" file.

If the file opens to a dialogue box asking whether to open or save to disk, select save to disk or "save file as" rather than searching for an application.

The interface does not allow drag and drop file transfers. To load files, under "file" select "upload file" and click "browse" then select the file from your desktop and click "open."

Windows/ PC Users

Using FileZilla

  1. Log into Sidecar (the yellow key) with your Net-ID and password.
  2. Click on File->Site Manager.
  3. Select one of the servers from the list (isua1.iastate.edu...isua5.iastate.edu) and click Connect.
  4. Your local files will be listed on the left-hand side and the files on the server will be listed on the right-hand side. To move files from your local machine to the server (and vice versa), just drag the files from one side to the other.

To use FileZilla to connect to an Iowa State file system or locker:

  1. Log into Sidecar.
  2. Click on File->Site Manager.
  3. Click on the "New Site" button and then type in a name for the connection.
  4. In the host field on the right, type in isua4.iastate.edu.
  5. In the Logon type field, make sure "Normal" is checked.
  6. In the User field, type in your Iowa State Net-ID.
  7. Click on "Advanced" button at the bottom.
  8. In the default remote directory, type in the directory where the files are stored on AFS.
    This will generally be:
    A. /afs/iastate.edu/general/lockername for personal file space
    B. /afs/iastate.edu/class/lockername for class lockers
    C. /afs/iastate.edu/private/stuorg/www/directory/ for stuorg lockers
  9. Under "Passive transfer mode settings" select "Use passive mode".
  10. Click "OK".
  11. Click "Connect".
  12. Enter in a password and click "OK". You do not have to use your real password here.
  13. Your local files will be listed on the left-hand side and the files in the locker will be listed on the right-hand side. To move files from your local machine to the server (and vice versa), just drag the files from one side to the other.

Mac/ Apple Users

Using Fetch

  1. You must have Kerberos installed on the Macintosh. Kerberos can be downloaded at: http://www.sitelicensed.iastate.edu
  2. You must have Fetch installed on the Macintosh.

    3. For instructions on how to install Fetch, view the following link: http://www.it.iastate.edu/faq/view.php?id=457

    For instructions on how to set up Fetch, view the following link: http://www.it.iastate.edu/faq/view.php?id=117

  3. Log into Kerberos with your username and password.
  4. Open Fetch and select one of the isua servers (isua.iastate.edu). Use your username and connect using 'FTP with GSSAPI' and 'Enable encryption' and select 'Connect'.
  5. Once connected it will open your default web space and you need to get to the 'stuorg' folder. Go to 'Path' at the top of the window and choose the 'iastate.edu' selection. The path to your directory should be --> /afs/iastate.edu/class/lockername