This document identifies what every student will need to know within the first ten days of accessing a UW Colleges Online course. While all of the items listed may not apply to every online course, they represent what every student does need to know if he/she is going to be successful in the online learning environment provided by the University of Wisconsin Colleges Online.
The instructor will expect students to be ready for online learning.
The student should know how to...
- Accurately assess his/her own technical capabilities
- Obtain consistent, reliable access to a computer and the internet
- Perform basic computer and web browsing functions
- Communicate efficiently and effectively in writing and through voicemail
- Manage his/her time to complete tasks and meet deadlines
- Direct his/her own learning
- Work independently
- Obtain textbooks
- Request accessibility services, if needed
The instructor will develop and deliver a course electronically, through the D2L course management system. UW Colleges Online will make an initial contact with students, mostly likely via US mail or email. Students will be required to have a specific username and password to access the course sites. UW Colleges Online will inform students of system availability and scheduled down times.
The student should know how to...
- Access his/her username and set his/her password
- Navigate to the course management system (D2L) website
- Access the course sites for each of his/her classes
- Avoid the need to use the course management system (D2L) during scheduled down times
The instructor will provide information about the first activities in the course and provide directions to students about how to begin the class.
The student should know how to...
- Obtain the required course materials such as textbooks, electronic media, library resources and other instructional materials
- Find key tools for the course
- Begin the course on the scheduled date
- Navigate through the course site
The course will take place within a given time frame. All courses meet during the traditional fall/spring semester or the summer session. Courses do not require students to participate at a specific time or in a specific place. However, courses are not self-paced and do require students be actively and consistently involved in the course throughout the entire semester or summer session.
The student should know how to...
- Access the Course Calendar
- Be informed of important dates and deadlines, including drop and refund deadlines
The instructor will design the course activities in an organized pattern or structure. The pattern typically repeats itself from module to module or unit to unit. With repetition of the pattern, students should be able to become familiar with the cycle of activities and responsibilities for each module or unit of the course.
The student should know how to...
- Identify the structure of the learning cycle
- Successfully complete all the required activities that are due during each cycle
An online course will not require face-to-face instructor-to-student and/or student-to-student meetings.
The course site may contain course material in multiple formats, including text, images, electronic presentations, video and/or audio. To access these files, students must have the required software, downloads and players installed on their computers.
Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, and Apple Safari.
Microsoft Office; Apple QuickTime Player; RealMedia, RealPlayer or Real Alternative; Adobe Flash Player; Shockwave Player; Windows Media Player; WinZip; Adobe Acrobat Reader
The student should know how to...
- Access a computer with the minimum hardware and software requirements for the course
- Download and install any required browsers, viewers and players
- Connect to the internet and launch a browser such as Internet Explorer or Firefox
- Open multiple browser windows
Email may be used as a course communication tool between instructors and students, and between students. Students will be provided a UWC email address, which will be the required form of communication for UWC courses and similar activities. Students may also be able to communicate with the instructor directly through the course management system (D2L).
The student should know how to...
- Forward an email message from one email account to another
- Use a signature on an email message
- Provide a secondary method of contact such as second email address, pager and/or telephone number
Communication and conduct in the course community will be held to the standards of academic achievement, discipline, equal opportunity, student rights and regulations, and policies specified for any course at the institution.
The student should know how to...
- Contribute to the course in a meaningful way
- Compose course assignments, email messages and discussion board postings using appropriate tone (no flaming!), language, grammar and spelling
- Understand the consequences of cheating, plagiarism, or giving or receiving unauthorized assistance on tests or assignments
- Understand students’ rights and regulations
The instructor will require students to use specific communication tools and processes for specific purposes. The student will know, understand and follow the processes when communicating with the instructor and classmates. The instructor will specify how frequently the student should check news postings, email and discussion boards to stay engaged in the course.
The student should know how to...
- Send and receive email
- Attach files to email
- Zip (compress) files to be sent via email and Unzip (decompress) files sent via email
- Access, post, and respond to conversations on a discussion board
- Access tutoring or other online student services
- Request assistance from the UW Colleges Online Helpdesk
Students will be evaluated in each class. The instructor will describe the number of exams to be taken in the course, what type of exams will be given, what the time frame of each exam will be, if the exam will be timed, and if the exams will require a proctor.
The student should know how to...
- Access an exam online
- Submit an exam online
- Check an online exam grade and interpret exam results
- Maintain integrity and honesty in the online examination environment
- Access a paper-based exam
- Submit a paper-based exam
- Arrange for and verify a testing location and proctor, as necessary
Courses will have assignments which require completion by students.
The student should know how to...
- Complete course assignments
- Save course assignments in the required format (examples include: Word document, text file, Excel spreadsheet)
- Submit course assignments using the designated method (examples include: dropbox submission, discussion board posting, email attachment)
The instructor will specify critical policies regarding late work, make-up work, revised work, extra credit, course participation, requests for incompletes, and determination of final course grades.
The student should know how to...
- Actively participate in the course
- Access and use resources without plagiarizing
- Submit late or make-up work, if permission has been granted by the instructor
- Submit revised work, if permitted or required by the instructor
- Earn extra credit, if available
- Request an incomplete for the course, if circumstances require it
- Earn a final course grade
The instructor will provide students with text information, documents and links to websites. Students will read the text, document and website content either online or after printing. The instructor will provide students with suggestions and cues on what to print.
The student should know how to...
- Print documents using the application's File Menu or Printer button
- Print web pages using the browser's File Menu or Printer button
- Print web pages and linked documents using the browser's right-click context menu
- Use the right-click Open in New Window command to open a file in a new browser window
- Use the right-click Save Target As command to download a file, and then open it in a browser window or in its native application
The institution will provide services for students in online courses.
The student should know how to...
- Register for, drop, and withdraw from courses online
- Access available online library services
- Access available online student advising services
- Access available Helpdesk services
- Submit an electronic course wait list request, if necessary
- Submit the correct proctor information electronically, if necessary
The instructor may require students to participate in group-based tasks or activities.
The student should know how to...
- Use group communication and collaboration tools
- Play a responsible role in a group
- Contribute to a group in a timely manner
- Initiate group collaboration, if necessary, to complete the assigned task
- Meet group deadlines
- Avoid controlling or monopolizing the group
- Encourage participation among all group members
The instructor may request feedback from all students or specific students, and the instructor may allow the feedback to be anonymous.
The student should know how to...
- Provide meaningful feedback
- Provide feedback in a timely manner
- Provide anonymous feedback, if an option
The instructor will expect students to have access to the tools required for the course, throughout the length of the course. The instructor will expect students to complete the tasks and meet the deadlines as described in the course. The acceptance of late work or non-participation due to technical failure will be at the discretion of the instructor.
The student should know how to...
- Access a secondary computer if his/her primary computer fails
- Access on-campus computer labs, local library or other public-access computer labs
- Access a secondary email account if his/her primary account fails
- Contact the instructor via alternative means if all computer-based technology fails
- Document the dates and times assignments were submitted, by the use of email dates, time-stamps, document properties or electronic submission receipts
- Retain copies of all submitted assignments
Based on a document originally compiled by Illinois Central College
