Course - Questions and Answers (FAQs)
SkillSoft and Partnership Common Course Questions
Note: If you can't find your question and answer here regarding course issues you might want to try Technical Issues FAQs or Computer Requirements FAQs.
SkillSoft and Partnership Common Course Questions
Can I take courses from other computers?
How many courses may I take?
Can I take an online course over again?
How long will it take to complete my course?
Do I have to log in to take my course?
Can I take courses if I have a dial-up connection?
If I want to continue with a course from a different computer (i.e. work/home), will I have to start all over again?
Will I be 'kicked out' of my online learning course if I leave my computer on?
I can't see the navigation buttons at the bottom of my screen. What's wrong?
What should I do after completing my course?
SkillSoft and Partnership Common Course Answers
Can I take courses from other computers?
Yes. As long as you have an Internet connection, the computer meets all the requirements, and you have your online learning user name and password.
The Partnership does not place restrictions on the number of courses that you may take. However, if you have the option of taking courses at work then you must first consult with your supervisor and/or Online Learning Liaison to see if your agency has set any rules regarding the number or type of courses that you may take during working hours.
Can I take an online course over again?
Yes. You can take a single lesson or an entire course as many times as you wish. One reason people do this is to "refresh" their knowledge when it's time to practice what they've learned. Another reason is to improve your score on the final test so that you can get a certificate! (You must score at least 70% on the final test to get a Certificate of Participation.)
How long will it take to complete my course?
The length of courses varies greatly, but many are 3-4 hours long. However, you may stop and restart as many times as you need to.
Do I have to log in to take my course?
Yes, you first must log in from the online learning home page with your user name and password.
Can I take courses if I have a dial-up connection?
Yes. If you have a very slow connection to the Internet, you may want to download courses. See Technical Issues FAQs to Download Courses.
If I want to continue with a course from a different computer (i.e. work/home), will I have to start all over again?
No. You may pick up from where you left off from any computer with a connection to the Internet.
Will I be 'kicked out' of my online learning course if I leave my computer on?
If you do not do any activity (move the mouse, touch the keyboard, etc.) after eight hours you will be logged out of online learning. It is recommended that you save your work often. If you are not coming back for a while it is best to log out of the program.
I can't see the navigation buttons at the bottom of my screen. What's wrong?
The resolution (or viewing quality) of your computer monitor may not be set properly. See Technical Issues FAQs regarding Screen Resolution.
What should I do after completing my course?
You should complete an evaluation from the Online Learning Center. We also recommend that you discuss what you have learned with your colleagues.
In SkillPort I see a "Catalog" button, should I be using it?
Can I download a SkillSoft course to my computer?
How do I get a report of the SkillSoft courses I have taken?
How do I add a course to My Plan?
How do I remove a course from My Plan?
How do I change the due date of a course or my reminder option?
What is a pre-test and why would I want to take it?
What is a post-test?
What are Job Aids and Skill Briefs?
Do I have to take all of the lessons in a course?
I tried to take my course in SkillSoft on Sunday, but I couldn't do it, what's wrong?
Can I get help from a mentor?
In SkillPort I see a 'Catalog' button, should I be using it?
It is not recommended. This button will show you a list of all of the courses that are available to you, but it's presented in a way that is confusing for most people. A better way to see a list of all of the online courses you can take is to click on the "Online Learning Catalog" button on the Partnership's Online Learning Home Page.
Can I download a SkillSoft course to my computer?
Yes. It is recommended that you download a course if your connection to the Internet is very slow. See Technical Issues FAQs for steps on how to download a course to your computer.
How do I get a report of the SkillSoft courses I have taken?
From the SkillPort home page:
- Under Shortcuts click on My Report and your report will appear.
- From the menu of your browser (i.e., Internet Explorer, Netscape, etc.) go to File, Print to print your report.
How do I add a course to My Plan?
To add a course to My Plan see Quick Steps for Accessing and Using Online Learning or follow the steps below:
From the SkillPort home page:
- Locate SEARCH-and-LEARN.
- In the Search for box, type a keyword for a course you are looking for (e.g., image, word, grammar), then click on the Search button.
- Click on the course name that you want to add to your plan.
- Click on Add this Course to My Plan button.
- Locate Select Folder area and click on Add this item to the main My Plan folder. Note: Sometimes you will not see this step. In that case proceed to the next step.
- In the Add to My Plan dialog box fill in the information next to Goal, Due Date, and Reminder.
- Click on Submit. The course is now listed under My Plan.
- Click the Go button to start the course and make it appear as an item in the Online Learning Center. You may choose to exit the course at this point or you may begin a lesson.
How do I remove a course from My Plan in SkillSoft?
From the SkillPort home page:
- Under Shortcuts click on My Plan to view all your courses in My Plan.
- Find the course you want to remove and click on the course name.
- Click on Modify My Plan button.
- Next to the word Action: click on Remove from My Plan.
- At the Modify My Plan area click on Click here to return to My Plan. Your course will no longer appear in My Plan.
- When you return to the Online Learning Center, click on the Refresh button in the Course Selection box to see all of your course updates.
How do I change the due date of a course or my reminder option?
From the SkillPort home page:
- Under Shortcuts click on My Plan to view all your courses in My Plan.
- Find the course you want to change and click on its course name.
- Click on Modify My Plan button.
- At the Modify My Plan window make the changes you want for that particular course.
- Click on Submit button.
What is a pre-test, and why would I want to take it?
A pre-test is a series of questions that you can take before you start a course that tests your knowledge of the material the course covers. If you score well on the questions, you can "skip" taking some of the lessons, but they will still be marked completed. This is a good strategy when you are familiar with some or all of the material in the course but would like to "fast track" your way to a certificate. It's also a good way to pinpoint areas where your knowledge is weak.
To take a pre-test, you should click on the link called Take Course Test at the top-right corner of the screen when you open a course. You can only take the pre-test to "fast track" before you start ANY of the lessons.
A post-test is a series of questions related to the major objectives of the course. It is designed to be taken after you have finished your course. Taking it will help you in two ways: to see what objectives you have mastered, and to determine whether you have learned the subject well enough to obtain a certificate.
What are Job Aids and Skill Briefs?
Job Aids are documents that help you make use of the key ideas in a course in your daily work. They are also referred to as performance-support tools, since they provide a quick "look-up" of the things you are likely to want to remember.
SkillBriefs are single page summaries of the information in the course. They are great to use as a refresher or from which to study.
You can access both Job Aids and SkillBriefs by clicking on the icons at the bottom of the screen when you have a SkillSoft course open. (If unable to view either of these, see Technical Issues FAQs on Why can't I display SkillBriefs and Job Aids.)
Do I have to take all of the lessons in a course?
No. Our online learning courses are designed to be self-paced learning experiences. You may complete any or all of the lessons that interest you in the order you wish. To get the most benefit from your experience, we recommend that you complete all of the lessons in the order that they are presented on the Course Menu when you start the course. If you would like to receive a certificate for a course, you must complete every lesson in the course.
I tried to take my course in SkillSoft on Sunday, but I couldn't do it. What's wrong?
SkillSoft courses are unavailable from 1-3 p.m. on Sundays and 1-2 a.m. on Wednesdays, as these two time periods are set aside for SkillSoft’s routine server maintenance. As soon as that time is past, you will be able to access your courses again!
Can I get help from a mentor?
At times when you take an online course, you'll have questions about the things you've learned. Some of the Skillsoft courses have online subject matter experts (mentors) available to provide support, guidance, and encouragement to learners. Learners can have a live 'chat' session with a mentor, or use e-mail to contact them. Chat sessions are available around the clock, and there is a guaranteed six-hour turnaround time for e-mail questions.
Next time you go to SkillSoft's 'Search-and-Learn' area to search for a course, notice that beneath the course names, you'll see the mentoring opportunities that are available for that topic. You can add a mentoring session in the same way you would add a course to My Plan. Mentoring services are most often available for computer courses, but also appear for other topics as well. Not every topic has mentoring available with it.
Who should take labor-management courses?
Who can I talk to if I have a question regarding course content?
Will I be tested?
What is a pre-test?
What is a Mastery Assessment?
How can I view my scores and progress?
How do I join the discussion group in the Partnership's labor-management courses?
How do I get to the labor-management resources in either labor-management course?
Will the program save my place if I have to log out before I complete my course?
Partnership Course Answers
Who should take labor-management courses?
The Partnership's labor-management courses are specifically designed for NYS management, CSEA leaders, and especially those who are labor-management committee co-chairs. However, if you are a CSEA-represented NYS employee and you have an interest in either the Labor-Management Committee Basics or Working with the Contract courses, you are welcome to take them. See Get Started.
Who can I talk to if I have a question regarding course content?
The instructors for the labor-management courses can be contacted at LMCoach@nyscseapartnership.org with your questions and comments. More specific information is available on the Meet the Instructors page.
A pre-test (What Do You Know Already?) will check your current knowledge of the material and will help you to focus on those areas in which you need to gain knowledge. In order to obtain a Certificate of Achievement or Participation, you must successfully complete the Mastery Assessment (final test) provided at the end of the course instruction.
A pre-test is a short series of questions related to the major objectives of the course. It is designed to be taken before you start your lessons. Taking it will help you in two ways: to focus on those areas in which you need to gain knowledge, and provide you with a starting point from which you can measure your progress.
A Mastery Assessment is a short series of questions related to the major objectives of the courses. It is designed to be taken after you finish your course. Taking it will help you in two ways: to see what objectives you have mastered, and determine whether you have learned the subject well enough to obtain a certificate.
How can I view my scores and progress?
The My Progress feature, available from the Main Menu, will display what lessons and topics you have seen and the scores of any quizzes and tests you have taken. See the Help section for more information about this feature and other options on the Main Menu.
How do I join the discussion group in the Partnership's labor-management courses?
- When in one of the courses click on Main Menu
- Click on Discussion group.
How do I get to the labor-management resources in either labor-management course?
When in one of the courses click on Resources.
Will the program save my place if I have to log out before I complete my course?
Yes, when you return to the Main Menu, you may use either the Go To Last Page/Topic Viewed button or click on My Progress and click on the lesson/topic where you left off.
