Get rid of the errata sheets and start fixing errors
I have multiple cases where minor errors like grammatically incorrect sentences in PowerPoint slides or defective IPS signature files and it takes months to years(!) to fix those flaws. Please implement a process to quickly fix simple errors.
Regards
Philippe Schnyder
shared this idea
Hi Phillippe,
Please forward any errors you find in the courses and assessments to the NetAcad Support Desk – academysupport@netacad.net. Please provide as many details as possible: page number, observed errors and your recommendations so that we may record, validate and resolve them.
In the past, we had to accumulate these errors and provide the fixes in a Minor Release. With NetSpace, we have the ability to fix the errors online relatively quickly.
Priority 1 and 2 errors will be validated and fixed relatively quickly. Priority 3 and 4 (minor) errors will also be validated and fixed on a scheduled basis. We are committed to fixing all reported errors.
We do compile and publish these errors in the errata list https://www.netacad.com/group/communities/support so that other instructors may observe the reported errors before they are fixed.
Thank you!
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To directly address your answer: When it comes to files available for download what you need is to optimize your workflows. If you’d put all the relevant files like powerpoints and word files on a Sharepoint server or something similar which allows you editing and publishing to the general public you could modify affected files instantly and publish them after doing QM. This makes a lot of sense for fixing minor issues likes typos because instructors could rely on the files available only instead of checking the errata sheets and fix the errors themselves.
But there are also general issues:
Development has just stopped in so many ways and there are so many minor and larger issues of which a lot should be fixed within reasonable time. This situation makes it really hard to be motivated to work with NetAcad.
Let me give you a few examples:
You change the prerequisites for the final exam – with large possible consequences – but don’t communicate it: https://netspace.uservoice.com/forums/168832-instructor-feedback-forum/suggestions/5028420-better-inform-about-changes
You don’t get enough votes on uservoice – even to just report everything you have to mention. You consider changing this – but it could be easily changed immediately: https://netspace.uservoice.com/forums/168832-instructor-feedback-forum/suggestions/4439525-give-us-more-votes
You have inconsistencies with abbreviations like PTSA (https://cisco-netacad1.custhelp.com/app/account/questions/detail/i_id/1079864)
By default if an user updates its email address it doesn’t get changed inside classes (https://cisco-netacad1.custhelp.com/app/account/questions/detail/i_id/1077335)
Sometimes scores don’t get into the gradebook – this is detected (explanation mark) but not automatically fixed – if you can detect it you at least could fix it once a day using a scheduled task (https://cisco-netacad1.custhelp.com/app/account/questions/detail/i_id/1074421)
We had a case where for some reason there was no chapter 11 exam in newly created CCNA R&S ITN classes – something like this should be addressed before quitting beta testing. (https://cisco-netacad1.custhelp.com/app/account/questions/detail/i_id/1071957)
CCNA R&S doesn’t include numbers in class titles – we regularly need to assist academies in determining the correct order. Why can’t you use and 1-4 in the course titles (and a-d for the temporary CCNA explorations replacement courses)?
Then there are obvious errors like (https://cisco-netacad1.custhelp.com/app/account/questions/detail/i_id/1071955, https://cisco-netacad1.custhelp.com/app/account/questions/detail/i_id/1071954 and https://cisco-netacad1.custhelp.com/app/account/questions/detail/i_id/996238) and in some cases you need more than a year to fix those issues!
Then we search for ways to get a PDF (with all exercises or at least all PDF in one ZIP) for the new CCNA R&S with form fields to fill out – and what we get is answer how to create a ZIP file: Which I was able to do without a manual for at least 15 years (https://cisco-netacad1.custhelp.com/app/account/questions/detail/i_id/1069414 & https://cisco-netacad1.custhelp.com/app/account/questions/detail/i_id/1067051/page/2/r_id/159)
Un-Concluding of a class fails and I contact the support after almost a month I get an answer that they fixed the issues – but the (former) students still won’t show up in the class (https://cisco-netacad1.custhelp.com/app/account/questions/detail/i_id/1068903, and yes I didn’t bother to try to get this fixed)
Offering 24 hr time format which is more often used than 12 hr (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Date_and_time_representation_by_country#Time)
Supplying the appropriate (CA, ITC, ASC) suffix in all views: https://netspace.uservoice.com/forums/168832-instructor-feedback-forum/suggestions/3168950-fix-display-of-ca-itc-and-asc-in-some-sections