MOODLE Orientation

Each new student that registers for an online course at Webber International University is registered into a MOODLE Training Course (MTC 090). This course is intended to get you familiar with all of the MOODLE functions so that you will have a successful online experience. 

All task and assignments should be completed before beginning your program courses.     

The information below contains essential items you will find in all of the online courses in your program. Please review and become familiar with them knowing how to locate each of them on MOODLE. 

• ***Helpful Tip*** Instead of using the back button, use the breadcrumbs at the top of the screen. Breadcrumbs allow you to maneuver back to a previous page or jump back quicker than using the back button. You will find the breadcrumbs just below the WIU logo when you are in MOODLE.

Click on a Topic to find the information that will pertain to each weeks material. Each Topic contains pertinent information for the subject to be covered that week. You will find four main categories: Objectives, Materials or Resources,  Assignments, and Assessments (more information on these later in the Orientation under Getting Started).

- Activities Box

On the left side of MOODLE,  you will notice a box labeled Activities. Items listed in this area include Assignments, Forums (DT's) and Resources.

Assignments

The Assignments link contains a list of all assignments and assessment activities you will need to upload for the course. Typically, these are word documents. Please remember to save your files in Rich Text Format (.rtf). Once you have uploaded an assignment in a Topic, it will show the time and day you uploaded it to class. This tells you as a student, that you have submitted your document. Other systems may refer to an area like this as an assignment drop box. The courses will also have an "Assignment Submission" link listed in the Topic for you to upload your assignment.

Forums

Forums are where the class discussions will take place. Many times you will hear this being referred to as the Discussion Topic’s (DT's). You are required to post 4 days per week with at least 8 “related” posts to earn full participation. To fully engage in the DT's, we recommend that all students read and respond to other students in the class. This is an important part of the class and we feel you will find it fascinating to read the comments from other students all over the country. DT's for each week will be listed within the Topic under activities. You can learn more about participation by clicking on Chapter 3 and reading the document titled “participation rubric.”

Quizzes

The Quizzes link will take you to a compiled list of all quizzes and tests you will have for the course. Each quiz and test, specific to the Topic (week), is listed under the Assignment and Assessment within the Topic.

Resources

Resources contain a variety of links you will find helpful as you progress through your course and program. Some examples of items you will find here are documents pertaining directly to the course and websites to help you succeed in your program.

Checking Your Forum Posts

Click on the participants link on the left hand side of the course under the box titled “People.” Click on your name and then on the “forum posts” tab to review the posts you have made in the course. You can also check the rating (“relevant” or “not relevant”) each post has been assigned by the instructor by clicking “Count of Ratings: Click here” in the lower right corner of the forum post box.

Preparing to Learn Online

Student Strategies for Success

Learning in the online environment is different in many ways than learning in a physical classroom. The student must be more self-directed and assume greater responsibility for the learning process. Time management is critical. There are some tips that can help the transition from a traditional classroom to an online course. You really do control your learning in an online course. In many cases, success will be measured based on your individual approach and the effort you put into it.

Get to Know the Course
Review the syllabus as soon as possible and refer back to it often.  It will likely include all of the assignments and due dates for the duration of the course. Make note of when assignments are due and what activities are required each week. Explore the weekly content. Visit the discussion forums and see what’s coming up.  Armed with this information, you can plan your schedule.

Plan Your Schedule
While online courses give you the flexibility to work on the course wherever and whenever you wish, there are deadlines and due dates that can easily be missed if you don’t plan ahead. Be sure you are aware of the course due dates and plan your time to work on the course accordingly. Your life is likely busy with other courses and commitments. There will be times that are busier for you. By planning ahead, you can work under the best possible conditions and avoid the stress of deadline pressures. If you know you will be unable to access the course for a period of time, let your instructor know as early as possible.

Log in Daily
Start on day one! Conversations will be taking place in the discussion forums. Your instructor will make announcements and, along with your classmates, may send you personal messages. In many cases, the Learning Management System forwards messages to your email. Be sure to check it daily, as well.  Logging in at least once every day will help you stay on top of assignments and feel more connected to your instructor and classmates.

Participate
Discussion forums are like "class participation" in the traditional classroom. The best way to actively engage with your instructor and your classmates is by making meaningful contributions to the discussion forums. Discussions may also be an integral part of the instructor’s evaluation of your work. Take the time to visit the discussions every day, post as part of or in addition to the assigned work, and comment on the other posts there. Students get frustrated when classmates do not respond to posts. Try posing a question at the end of your response to encourage others to reflect and respond to you. You will get more out of the course by exchanging ideas with your peers, and you will create connections with your classmates by participating with them in discussions.

Know Who to Contact
If you have questions about the content of the course, an issue to discuss or need clarification, contact your instructor via discussion forums or private messaging – whichever is appropriate. Do not be afraid to reach out to your instructor or to classmates who may be able to help or clarify course requirements. If you are having technical difficulties with the course learning management system, you should contact Georgie O'Leary at moodle@webber.edu.

Adapted from http://brown.edu/ce/faculty/online/resources/preparing-students.php

Thank you for choosing us!!!!

We the staff and faculty of WIU are very excited that you have chosen to continue your college education with us. We pride ourselves in preparing leaders for tomorrow. You are no exception. If we can assist you in any way please do not hesitate to let us know.   

• Listed below are the steps you should follow at the beginning of each course.

  1^st The first thing you should do at the start of your course is to read the meet your instructor section. This section contains important information such as how to contact your instructor, specific information related to the way this instructor teaches, descriptions on the how to start this particular course, etc.

  2^nd Read the Syllabus completely. This document contains pertinent information to the course and what you will be expected to complete within the course describing course requirements. Information found may contain required textbook information, course number and description, grading scale/procedures, learning objectives, course outcomes, and more!

  3^rd Post a response in the Introduction section as instructed by the professor. The Introduction or Meet-N-Greet is a forum for students and the instructor to get to know one another. Tell the class something about yourself that you would like others to know. I think you will be surprised how a friendship with another classmate can begin in a forum. 4^th Go to Course Messages for communication from your instructor or other classmates. Some instructors like to send private messages to you as a student.

  5^th Click on Topic 1 or week 1 and review the objectives, resources assignments and activities and begin posting in the Discussion Topics (DTs). It is important to read the Objectives before moving to the Materials. You will THEN complete Assignments, and FINALLY complete the Assessment activity while responding to the DT's during the week. The bullets below describe each of these areas.

  6^th Begin posting in any DT's (listed at the bottom of each Topic). 

  • Objectives These indicate the purpose of the Topic and contain the main items to be covered for this week. You should have an understanding of these items by the end of the week.

  • Resources These contain what you use to help you learn the Objectives. Many times instructions here will contain items like: read chapter ___, view the PowerPoint presentation. There are other websites that pertain to the Topic that your instructor may direct you to.

  • Discussion Topics (DTs) DT's are forums which questions are presented for students to reply and discuss. Students are encouraged to respond and post to not only the main statement or question, but to other students in the class. The instructor of the course will be facilitating the discussion and posting when needed. You will also notice that all of the Topics DTs are listed at the very bottom of each Topic (under Assessments). To view each DT, simply click on the title of the DT to view and reply.

  • Assignments This is where you will be directed to complete assignments such as: study guides, quizzes, essays, article reviews, textbook questions, etc. These should be completed before moving on to Assessments.

  • Assessments This is a measure of your learning for the Topic. The Assessment activity will determine your understanding of the subject. These activities usually include exams, quizzes, papers, etc. 

  ***NOTE*** It is important to note the importance of following these steps in order. Be sure to read the Objectives to know what the main points to be covered will be, read the Materials, complete the Assignments, and finally complete the Assessments. You should do these in this order while participating in the DT's on a daily basis.

   

Weekly Hours to Study
You should expect to study a minimum of 20 hours per week.  This can vary according to the number and types of courses you are enrolled into.  Depending on your knowledge in the subject area you may need to spend additional hours studying to understand the material.

Withdrawal
Withdrawing from courses can have serious implications such as full time status, financial aid, student account balance, etc. In the event that you need to withdraw, you must understand that you might be financially responsible and have occurred costs and have out of pocket costs or loss of Financial Aid. Please keep in mind that you cannot withdraw from a course after a certain point. If you must withdraw, this must be requested prior to the end of the withdrawal period.

E-Mail Account
Please use your webber.edu email account when possible. By using your college email account you may eliminate future problems.

Weekly Work in Class
Assignments and assessment activities are to be COMPLETED within each week. Remember, each week begins on Monday 12:00 a.m. (midnight) and ends the following Sunday at 11:55 p.m. (midnight) 7 days later. All assignments and assessments MUST be completed within the week. Time is calculated by Eastern Time in the United States.

Scholastic Dishonesty
Webber International University may initiate disciplinary proceedings against a student accused of scholastic dishonesty. Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating and plagiarizing. Plagiarism is presenting someone else's words as one's own, whether in writing or in speaking. Cheating and plagiarism, whether intentional or accidental, are serious offenses. Scholastic dishonesty will not be tolerated in any course. Plagiarism and other forms of cheating are examples of such dishonesty and will result in serious consequences.
Disciplinary Action by the Instructor -- An instructor who suspects a student of scholastic dishonesty will inform the student of the allegation as soon as possible. It is up to the instructor to determine the disciplinary action to be taken, which could include giving the student a zero for the assignment, reducing the students grade for the course, assigning an "F" for the course, or other action. The instructor will send a written report of the incident to the student and to the Dean of Academic Affairs. If the Academic Dean concludes that the incident merits additional disciplinary action (such as suspension or expulsion), he/she will send a written report of the case to the Vice-President of Instruction for recommended additional disciplinary action.

Good Luck!!!

Help Desk

If you are having technical difficulties in your course, please contact your instructor right away and let them know the problem. Often they can help you resolve it. If not resolved please email your MOODLE Administrator, Georgie O'Leary, at moodle@webber.edu or 863-638-2934. Please leave a detailed message and she will respond to you within 24 hours. Please be as descriptive as possible when leaving any type of message. Keep in mind the message will be received and problems resolved in the Eastern Standard Time zone.

Online Library

The Webber International University online Library offers eBooks, online periodicals, and online tutorial services. To visit our remote library services, including EBSCOhost, ProQuest, and the Opposing Viewpoints Resource, click here research database.

Turnitin.com

Some courses will require students to use Turnitin.com which is a way for students to check for plagiarism on essays and research papers. Your instructors will give you directions in the course on how to utilize this system.

Tutoring

Welcome to the PASS Center at Webber International University. PASS represents Programs for Academic Student Support; the Center provides services to students as a supplement to classroom instruction. We exist strictly to help students make better grades. To that end, we offer tutoring services in both Math-related and English-related classes. Tutors work seven days each week. The pass center can be reached at passcenter@webber.edu from 8am to 9pm seven days a week.

Assignment Submission:

Most courses will require a variety of assignment and assessment activities that will make up your grade. As discussed at the beginning of this orientation, each student that registers for an online course at Webber International University is registered into a MOODLE Training Course (MTC 200). This course is intended to get you familiar with all of the MOODLE functions so that you will have a successful online experience. You should complete this course before beginning your online courses. The orientation course should take no more than 45 minutes to an hour to complete.