A DRAFT Guide to USNA Starfish
for
Professors
POC: LT Jacob Foster Davis
This document will help you log in to the Starfish Program.
The Class of 1963 Center for
Academic Excellence
Levy Center, 2nd Floor
410.293.2933
davisj@usna.edu
2/1/2013
Page |1
Contents
What is Starfish? ........................................................................................................................................... 2
Legend and Conventions Used in This Guide ................................................................................................ 2
Setup Checklist .............................................................................................................................................. 3
How to Log into Starfish................................................................................................................................ 4
The First Time you Log in .............................................................................................................................. 7
Set up your Profile ........................................................................................................................................ 8
Your Institutional Profile ........................................................................................................................... 9
Your Contact Information ..................................................................................................................... 9
The “General Overview” box .............................................................................................................. 10
The “My Biography” box ..................................................................................................................... 10
Your Appointment Preferences .............................................................................................................. 11
Basics ................................................................................................................................................... 11
Location Preferences .......................................................................................................................... 11
Calendar Managers ............................................................................................................................. 12
Email Notifications .................................................................................................................................. 14
View Your Students ..................................................................................................................................... 15
Navigate to the Students Tab ................................................................................................................. 15
Filtering ................................................................................................................................................... 16
Viewing the Student Folder .................................................................................................................... 17
Viewing a Midshipman’s other Appointments (like MGSP usage) ......................................................... 19
How to… ...................................................................................................................................................... 20
How to Add an Appointment for a Single Participant ............................................................................ 20
How to get more help ................................................................................................................................. 23
Feedback on this Document ....................................................................................................................... 23
This document last updated: Thursday, February 14, 2013
This document located at: J:\Starfish Data Files\Tutorials and How To\Starfish Guide How to log in.docx
Page |2
What is Starfish?
Starfish is a web-based service used to connect with students and allow them to sign up for your
appointments. It is scheduled to replace TutorTrac.
Legend and Conventions Used in This Guide
 Means you should do this. Checking all of these blocks means you are all set up to be a tutor!
 I will try to point out important things to notice with this red circle.
 This is an optional step that may make your life easier!
 Don’t do this! Seriously. Please.
This document last updated: Thursday, February 14, 2013
This document located at: J:\Starfish Data Files\Tutorials and How To\Starfish Guide How to log in.docx
Page |3
Setup Checklist
This is all of the items you must do to set up your tutoring account and calendar. Hyperlinks on each item will take
you to the section of this document where the item is discussed in more detail.
Log In
 Open a Firefox, Chrome, or Safari web browser. Use Internet Explorer at your own risk!
 Navigate to the login page. http://www.usna.edu/AcCenter/Starfish.php
Set up Your Profile
 Access your profile page
 Verify that your USNA email address (“Institution email”) is correct. Contact LT Davis
(davisj@usna.edu) if it is not.
 Enter a short description about the fact that you provide tutoring. The first sentence should say,
“I tutor _________.” This will help Midshipmen quickly find that you tutor in the subject they
want. Don’t put the times/days that you offer in this spot.
 Set your minimum appointment length to 30 minutes
 Set the Scheduling deadline to 12:00PM the day of the office hours
 Check the “Allow drop-ins after deadline has passed” box.
 Add each of the locations where you offer/hold your tutoring sessions. Make the type
“Elsewhere” and the Name = the room number and building name. Also include instructions that
give a general description of where this room is.
This document last updated: Thursday, February 14, 2013
This document located at: J:\Starfish Data Files\Tutorials and How To\Starfish Guide How to log in.docx
Page |4
How to Log into Starfish
Starfish can be accessed on or off of the yard.
Quick login Links:
On the yard only: http://intranet.usna.edu/AcCenter/Starfish.php
On or off of the yard: http://www.usna.edu/AcCenter/Starfish.php
You can also navigate to this page from the Academic Center’s Website on the left side menu (link titled,
“Starfish”):
http://intranet.usna.edu/AcCenter/
 Open a Firefox, Chrome, or Safari web browser. Use Internet Explorer at your own risk!
 Navigate to the login page.
 Bookmark the login page in your web browser
This will bring you to the login page. Use your USNA userid and password to log in.
This document last updated: Thursday, February 14, 2013
This document located at: J:\Starfish Data Files\Tutorials and How To\Starfish Guide How to log in.docx
Page |5
This document last updated: Thursday, February 14, 2013
This document located at: J:\Starfish Data Files\Tutorials and How To\Starfish Guide How to log in.docx
Page |6
 It would not be wise to save your password in your browser’s password manager, as this is the
same login you use for your other USNA services.
This document last updated: Thursday, February 14, 2013
This document located at: J:\Starfish Data Files\Tutorials and How To\Starfish Guide How to log in.docx
Page |7
The First Time you Log in
The first time you log in (and in the future if you don’t set up your schedule) you will see the “Office
Hours Setup Wizard
We won’t use this wizard.
 Uncheck the “Show me the Office Hours Setup…” box so that this doesn’t bother you again.
This document last updated: Thursday, February 14, 2013
This document located at: J:\Starfish Data Files\Tutorials and How To\Starfish Guide How to log in.docx
Page |8
Set up your Profile
The first time you log in, you should set up some of your information. You may also need to visit these
pages over time to maintain your information.
To access your profile, click on your name in the top right corner of the Starfish interface:
You should then see your profile page. This page contains 3 tabs: Institutional Profile, Appointment
Preferences, and Email Notifications. The Institutional Profile tab should be active/selected.
 Access your profile page
This document last updated: Thursday, February 14, 2013
This document located at: J:\Starfish Data Files\Tutorials and How To\Starfish Guide How to log in.docx
Page |9
Your Institutional Profile
This page contains information that other people around the Yard will see about you.
Your Contact Information
Starfish has a few tools that can help you stay notified when Midshipmen make appointments with you.
The options should be self-explanatory. If you don’t to check your USNA email, you might want to add
an alternate email address and have Starfish send your appointment notifications and changes there.
There are also options for you to be notified at your cell phone. Keep in mind that information you
provide here will be visible to Midshipmen.
 Verify that your USNA email address (“Institution email”) is correct. Contact LT Davis
(davisj@usna.edu) if it is not.
 Don’t put any information into your profile that you expect to be private. It won’t be.
 Verify your phone number (if you have one/care to provide)
 Customize your email preferences.
This document last updated: Thursday, February 14, 2013
This document located at: J:\Starfish Data Files\Tutorials and How To\Starfish Guide How to log in.docx
P a g e | 10
The “General Overview” box
This section of your Institutional Profile gives Midshipmen a general idea of how you can help them.
They will see this information when they are considering signing up for your tutoring sessions.
 Enter a short description about the fact that you provide tutoring. The first sentence should say,
“I tutor __[subject(s)]_ ____.” Don’t put the times/days that you offer in this spot.
 Don’t mention the dates or times that you offer tutoring in this section. We will do this a
different way.
The “My Biography” box
This allows you to tell a bit about yourself. All users will see this information.
 Provide a short biography. Consider including your credentials as they relate to your role as a
Tutor.
This document last updated: Thursday, February 14, 2013
This document located at: J:\Starfish Data Files\Tutorials and How To\Starfish Guide How to log in.docx
P a g e | 11
Your Appointment Preferences
This tab is important because it sets up a few bits of information that you will need later and throughout
your time as a Tutor. It will also allow us to enforce rules that we impose on Midshipmen who wish to
make appointments with you.
Basics
 Set your minimum appointment length to 30 minutes
 Set the Scheduling deadline to 12:00PM the day of the office hours
 Check the “Allow drop-ins after deadline has passed” box.
Location Preferences
This very important step will allow you to designate where you will hold your tutoring sessions. It lists all
of the locations that you have defined and will save you time in the future.
This document last updated: Thursday, February 14, 2013
This document located at: J:\Starfish Data Files\Tutorials and How To\Starfish Guide How to log in.docx
P a g e | 12
 Add each of the locations where you offer/hold your tutoring sessions. Make the type
“Elsewhere” and the Name = the room number and building name. Also include instructions that
give a general description of where this room is.
Calendar Managers
Calendar Managers are other users that can edit your Calendar. This will either be blank or will contain
the name of one of the Academic Center staff. This allows us to manage your calendar in the case that
you can’t or have other problems.
This document last updated: Thursday, February 14, 2013
This document located at: J:\Starfish Data Files\Tutorials and How To\Starfish Guide How to log in.docx
P a g e | 13
This document last updated: Thursday, February 14, 2013
This document located at: J:\Starfish Data Files\Tutorials and How To\Starfish Guide How to log in.docx
P a g e | 14
Email Notifications
This settings page allows you to customize when the Starfish system will send you email alerts.
 Set up a “Planning Reminder”. I recommend the “send one email reminder with all
appointments” for a daily synopsis.
 Customize your other email notification preferences
 If you made changes… click Save!
This document last updated: Thursday, February 14, 2013
This document located at: J:\Starfish Data Files\Tutorials and How To\Starfish Guide How to log in.docx
P a g e | 15
View Your Students
Viewing your students can help you keep track of who they are getting help from and tell you other
information about them.
Navigate to the Students Tab
The students tab will allow you to see all students that you are associated with.
This will show you a list of all of your students.
This document last updated: Thursday, February 14, 2013
This document located at: J:\Starfish Data Files\Tutorials and How To\Starfish Guide How to log in.docx
P a g e | 16
Filtering
You can choose to show all students, or just a subset. Pulling down “Connection” allows you to pick only
your advisees, or an individual section of students.
This document last updated: Thursday, February 14, 2013
This document located at: J:\Starfish Data Files\Tutorials and How To\Starfish Guide How to log in.docx
P a g e | 17
Viewing the Student Folder
Each Midshipman’s name always appears with a hyperlink. Clicking on this will take you to the
Midshipman’s folder.
This document last updated: Thursday, February 14, 2013
This document located at: J:\Starfish Data Files\Tutorials and How To\Starfish Guide How to log in.docx
P a g e | 18
This document last updated: Thursday, February 14, 2013
This document located at: J:\Starfish Data Files\Tutorials and How To\Starfish Guide How to log in.docx
P a g e | 19
Viewing a Midshipman’s other Appointments (like MGSP usage)
In each student folder, you can click on the Appointments tab to see when this student visited anybody
that provides tutoring, counseling, or EI.
This document last updated: Thursday, February 14, 2013
This document located at: J:\Starfish Data Files\Tutorials and How To\Starfish Guide How to log in.docx
P a g e | 20
How to…
The basics are covered above, but there may be other abnormal but frequently occurring things you
have to do to keep your data lined up.
How to Add an Appointment for a Single Participant
Your regular tutoring appointments should be group appointments, but if for some reason you need to
add an appointment for a single person:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Go to your Calendar by clicking the Appointments tab.
Click Add Appointment
Fill out the Scheduling Tab
Go to Outcomes and fill it out
Click Submit
This document last updated: Thursday, February 14, 2013
This document located at: J:\Starfish Data Files\Tutorials and How To\Starfish Guide How to log in.docx
P a g e | 21
This document last updated: Thursday, February 14, 2013
This document located at: J:\Starfish Data Files\Tutorials and How To\Starfish Guide How to log in.docx
P a g e | 22
This document last updated: Thursday, February 14, 2013
This document located at: J:\Starfish Data Files\Tutorials and How To\Starfish Guide How to log in.docx
P a g e | 23
How to get more help
If this document doesn’t answer your questions or solve your problems, please contact:
LT Jacob Foster Davis
or the current Starfish Administrator
256 Levy Center, 2nd Floor
(office) 410.293.2933
(office) davisj@usna.edu
Dr. Rebecca Shepherd
267 Levy Center, 2nd Floor
(office) 410.293.2957
(office) shepherd@usna.edu
You can always find out more information about Starfish and other Academic Center programs by
visiting our website: http://www.usna.edu/AcCenter/ and http://intranet.usna.edu/AcCenter/
Feedback on this Document
Please provide feedback to this document. Tell me what you like and don’t like. Tell me what needs to
be improved. davisj@usna.edu
This document last updated: Thursday, February 14, 2013
This document located at: J:\Starfish Data Files\Tutorials and How To\Starfish Guide How to log in.docx