Essential Component 3:

Transcription

1 Essential Component 3: Form Initial Student View

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3 EC 3: Form Initial Student View Consider how the course looks when students log in for the first time. Is the course professional looking, well-organized, and visually appealing? Remember that graphics are used to engage student in an online course, so it is important to engage students immediately when they log into a course. Element 1: Create the Top of the Course It is important to achieve a simple, engaging and professional first impression in a course by adding course identification. This can be done by including the following in the top of the course: Graphic: Use a label to add a graphic that represents the information contained within the course. Course identification: Use a label to identify the course with the rubric number and name as it appears in the registration catalog. Instructor identification: Use a label to identify the faculty member s name so students will recognize who is teaching their course. Example of a Top of the Course with a graphic, course identification and instructor identification 1: Add a Label with Text To add a label with text, such as the course identification infromation: 1. Click Add Resource at the top of the page. Note: The add resource options box will appear Add Resource 2. Click Label

4 3. Type the text in the text editor box. Note: The font size of the largest text in the initial student view should be set at approximately 36 pt and bolded font CRN: XXXX 4. Select Save and return to course at the bottom of the page Save and return to course Cancel 2: Upload a Graphic To upload a graphic: 1. Create a label. 2. In the text editor box, select the Insert/edit image icon & Click Find or upload an image Select Browse Browse No file selected 5. Locate the image file to insert. 6. Click Open &

5 7. In dialog box, make any needed change to file title, author or license. 8. Select Upload this file & Attachment Browse No file selected Save as Author Name here Choose license Upload this file 9. Type in an image description, or alt tag for ADA compliance purposes Image description 10. Click on the Appearance tab. 11. Enter the deminsions to resize the image & Click Insert. Element 2: Use Course Communication Communication with students is vitally important within an online course environment. 1: Give Updates and Important Messages Instructors can give updates and important messages to students in EO using several methods: News forum: The News forum is a default forum located in the top of the course that cannot be deleted. It is used by faculty to announce course updates and messages. It has a forced subscription option that ensures each student receives an copy of the message. 21

6 The Forced subscription in the Subscription and tracking area should be turned on for this option to work. Note: The forum is only available only for instructor use; students cannot respond to News forum postings. Even though the forum cannot be deleted, it can be hidden. To hide the news form, and any other item in EO: 1. Select the Edit drop down for the News Forum News forum Edit 2. Select Hide in the drop down menu. Hide Label announcements: An altenative to the News forum is to use a label to display updates and important information in the top of the course. Advanced forum: Consider a second forum as a general discussion area. Create a new forum using a standard Advanced forum to facilitate discussions and collaboration. Located in the top of the course, this forum is easily accessible for course announcements, mutual information and solutions to basic admin questions about the course. Best Practice Tip! Forums are public areas where all students see the same information. Take care that private information is not made public, such as student grades. Those types of conversations should take place using the system. To add an Advanced forum: 3. Select Add Resource from the top of the course Add Resource 4. Select Advanced forum from the Add Resource menu that appears

7 5. Type in the name of the forum. 6. In the forum description, provide the directions and discussion prompt for the discussion. Consider adding a representative graphic as well & General Cafe Use this forum to share ideas and ask questions about this course. 7. Configure the general settings. Note: Ignore other settings if this forum is being used as a general forum. 8. Select Save and return to course Save and return to course Save and display Cancel Element 3: Provide Technology Help Providing technology support to students is critical to student success. An instructor can provide access to technical support by using a label to add help desk contact information. 1: Provide a Help Desk Contact Information Label To create a technology help label: 1. Create a label. 2. In the label text box, type the following message: Get 24/7 help with your online technology issues. Go to: and click on Eagle Online Help Desk or contact them toll free 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by calling: , then select option 4, then option 2, and then option 3. There are more items for which Instructors can provide technology help for student success. Labels with with contact information for Ask-Online, DE-Help Desk and Online Tutors can also be added. Best Practice Tip! Share the following helpdesk information with students: Get 24/7 technology help! Select Eagle Online Help Desk or call and select Opt 4, 2 then 3 Best Practice Tip! Technology help should include a note and link to use Firefox as the preferred browser for EO: Also indicate any , plugin links (Adobe reader, etc.) and student help videos or guides for the course. 23

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