Virtual Campus Student Orientation Welcome to Virtual Campus Spring 2015

The Online Student Experience No Formal Class Meetings You schedule class time Self Directed Learning Experience No Instructor in the room Virtual Office Hours Ask the Instructor and Course Messages No students in the room Discussion Forums Collaborate Sessions

The Online Student Experience Online courses are equivalent to their face to face versions Student Success Rates are lowest at 73% compared to 78% face to face SB 1720 (opted out of Dev. Ed.)

Tips for Success Familiarize yourself with your learning styles – BE AssessmentBE Assessment Allocate enough time – average 3 hours per credit hour (8 to 10 hours per week) Complete Smarter Measure Assessment Virtual Campus Administrator: Kendall St Hilaire

Tips for Success Participate in orientation Have a PC backup plan Have more than one internet browser Know how to clear cache and cookies Save your work in multiple locations Ask for help when Blackboard Student Help Desk Familiarize yourself with the learning environment Keep a calendar that includes important dates and scheduled study time Avoid doing anything at the last minute – work ahead whenever possible Create a dedicated study space with no distractions Build a support system

Blackboard Login Page All online courses (fully online, hybrid, and web-assisted) are taught using Blackboard, IRSC’s learning management system.

Login Username & Password Username: IRSC Student ID Number Password: Same as MyIRSC PIN Default: MMYY of birth Example: May 1, 1986 = 0586

Password Resets Online: Security question/answer must be setup in MyIRSC (Profile menu) Automatic sync with Blackboard within 30 minutes On Campus: Visit any IRSC campus By Phone: Call Center (772) 462-IRSC

Password Resets

Blackboard Student Help Desk 24/7 Support Knowledge Base Frequently Asked Questions Live Chat Trouble Ticket Request Phone Support

Blackboard Student Help Desk 24/7 Support

Course Access When will you have access? Online Courses: First day of the semester Wednesday, January 7 th at 12:00 a.m. F2F Courses: First day of class Example: M/W class is unavailable until Wednesday of that week.

Course Access You must log into the course early: Read syllabus for understanding Make note of due dates, test dates, etc. Complete attendance requirement If not, your financial aid may be reduced May be different for each course ( , discussion post, etc.) Daily course login is recommended

Blackboard Help Site The Official Blackboard Help Site

Blackboard Control Panel

Blackboard Discussion Boards How to Use Blackboard Discussions

Messages vs. Tools Your instructor will determine if, how, and where these communication tools will be used in your course. How to Use Message Tool How to Use Tool

Blackboard On-Demand Videos

Blackboard Collaborate Online collaboration and web conferencing platform Instructors may use this tool for: virtual office hours interactive class sessions tutoring Accessed through links in Blackboard or a link provided by instructor

Supported Internet Browsers Internet Explorer Google Chrome Safari Firefox

Browser Essentials Clearing cache and cookies Slightly different in each browser Resolves many issues in Blackboard Google or contact Blackboard Student Help Desk for assistance

Browser Security Issues

SmarterMeasure Online learning readiness assessment Learn more about your strengths and weaknesses Considerations: How well can you use a computer? How motivated, organized, and self-directed are you? How do you prefer to learn new information?

SmarterMeasure Username: “associates” or “bachelor” Password: “online”

Questions or Comments?