Depending on the learning management system (Blackboard, Canvas, Moodle, Sakai, etc.), an online course will employ a discussion board where instructors and students can start and contribute to discussion topics. Often you will be asked to post and reply to peers by sharing typed comments, but your instructors might encourage you to share your thoughts via audio or video, too.
With this in mind, you’ll need to understand some basic rules for good online etiquette. Respect others and their opinions. Respect the feelings and opinions of your peers even though they may differ from your own. Don’t assume that everyone shares the same views, opinions, or backgrounds. Consider others’ privacy.
In an online classroom you’ll need to speak up, ask questions, and share your thoughts. If you’re thinking, “Eh, not me,” think again. Some instructors make communication a requirement; your skills and frequency of interaction may be a portion of your overall grade. Be forgiving.
Instructors use announcements to communicate important information to the whole class. When an announcement is posted, you’ll see it in the LMS course, and may receive notifications via email or text message, depending on your preferences and the capabilities of the LMS. Content Pages.
When your completed assignments are submitted, they will appear in the gradebook. Within the gradebook, instructors can grade and provide feedback on your assignments. To learn more about the learning management systems you may encounter, check out their respective videos below.
Learning Management Systems. A learning management system (LMS) is the primary way you’ll interact with your online courses. It’s an application that helps instructors deliver course content, administer assignments, communicate with students, manage grades, and many other things. It’s basically the classroom, the gradebook, ...
You can post text, links, images, and other files. Discussion boards usually allow you to record video and audio. Groups. If an instructor divides your class into groups, the groups are typically created and managed automatically in a separate section designed for collaboration.
A web browser is a software application used to search the Internet. Most of us use web browsers every day to search for information (psst…you’re using one right now). As you take online courses, you’ll likely run into a situation where the software or website you need to access is not compatible with the browser you are using.
Depending on the task in your online course, you may need to create a document, a spreadsheet, or a slideshow presentation. To complete your work you’ll need to use one of the following paid or free applications.
Cloud-based file management services allow you to collaborate with others and sync your files across devices and from the Web, instead of storing files on your device’s hard drive. This is extremely handy if you work on coursework on multiple devices, or if you’re working within a group.
Your online courses may require you to meet synchronously (i.e. at the same time) online using a web conferencing tool. When using one of these applications, you’ll want to make sure you have the necessary software beyond a mic, webcam, and headphones.
When you take online courses, you’ll encounter various forms of media, from video to audio to images. Depending on the task at hand, you’ll need a software application to either view and/or edit the media. Take a look at the options below and keep them in mind when the need arises.
I use process-oriented guided inquiry learning (POGIL) to teach my chemistry courses. This approach has students work in teams in a problem-based approach to understanding chemistry concepts. Not only do they gain a deeper understanding of the material, but they also learn important communication and teamwork skills that they can use for the rest of their lives in both an academic setting as well as the workplace. However, in chemistry, as in most disciplines, practicing scholarship activities is the really the best way to learn. Hands-on research in the lab is where students encounter the ultimate problem-based learning environment with an authentic project that takes them through the scientific method from beginning to end. These opportunities give students the best experience in what it’s like to be a chemist.
As a professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, Stanley Schneider wants to change the way students think about and live on this earth. “I want them to experience awe and a sense of privilege and responsibility for living on this planet.” Schneider’s passion for animal behavior, social insects (especially honey bees), and the evolution of social behavior is infectious and his students thrive under his guidance.
Sridhar Varadarajan, associate professor of chemistry in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, joined the faculty at UNC Wilmington in 2003 and teaches a wide variety of courses at the undergraduate and graduate level.