This orientation module is designed around four key topics:
Please read through the material presented in each topic area and complete activities as they are assigned for a quick orientation to online learning using Moodle.
In order to successfully complete this course, you must own or have ready access to the following minimum computer hardware and software. Students are advised that PCs are the primary equipment supported by Athabasca University's Helpdesk. Only limited assistance for other hardware and software platforms is offered. Students are responsible for their own communication costs, including long distance telephone charges, Internet subscriptions, and other communications service requirements.
Please proceed to CNHS Technical Requirements for more information (Web Browser, Software Considerations, Technical Support, etc).
Flash is required for some of the activities and the videos. Flash can be downloaded for free from www.adobe.com.
Adobe PDF Reader is required for some of the readings. Reader can be downloaded for free from www.adobe.com.
For the duration of the course, Athabasca University will provide technical and usage support for Moodle. If you have problems using the learning platform (Moodle), please contact the Athabasca University Helpdesk and identify yourself as a student with the Centre for Nursing and Health Studies (CNHS). Please have your student ID number available any time you contact Athabasca University for assistance.
The Help Desk is available at the times listed below:
By the end of this section of the orientation module you should be able to do the following:
Moodle is the learning platform used to deliver your online course. You are working "in" this platform right now. Simply put, Moodle provides a set of tools that you will use to read the course material and to communicate with your tutor and your fellow students.
All online courses within the Centre for Nursing and Health Studies
(CNHS) are password protected. Do not share your password with other
people. Doing so is a violation of the Athabasca University Information Technology Electronic
Data Security Policy. Take time to read this policy now.
The first page you saw when you logged on to this course was the
"Course Home Page". The home page contains the content and tools that
you will use in this course. Tools common to all online courses are
discussed below (additional tools may be included in some courses).
The "Course Home Page" is a compilation of web pages and tools organized into the sections detailed below.
Section |
Description |
|
Introduction |
This section of the Home Page provides a brief overview of the course. It is the top-most, center document that appears on the course home page. |
| Communications |
The "Communications" section includes the Course Mail, Chat and the Conference forums. You will find more detail on these tools below. |
|
Study Guide |
The "Schedule" page provides a brief summary of what is required in each unit and the suggested timing. The "Study Guide Units" section contains the units that comprise the course. Each unit provides a commentary and instructions regarding how to proceed through the unit. Prompts are included within the units that tell you when it is time to complete individual and interactive (conference forum) activities. |
|
Assessment |
The "Assessment Overview" page contains the guidelines and marking criteria for each assignment and for other graded learning activities (if applicable) in the course. Prompts that tell you when it is time to complete an assignment are often included in the units but this page provides a useful summary. Practice quizzes, quizzes and exams are included in this section. |
|
References |
The "References" section provides a list of all assigned reading, links to the online readings and a link to the AU Library page. |
|
Help |
The "Help" section contains this page and others that can provide help in using online courses and in Moodle. |
| Administration |
The "Administration" section in the top left column contains the "Grades" tool and the "Edit Profile" tool. You will find more detail on these tools below. |
The Conference tool allows students to work together, to engage in group discussions and to work on group projects (if applicable). Discussions that take place using the Conference tool are asynchronous (i.e., not in real time). Not all courses include a Conference component. In courses that do, the conference area is organized into a number of topic-related forums. The units will prompt you when it is time to engage in a Conference Forum discussion.
To access the Conference area (if applicable), click on the appropriate link on the Course Home Page or click on a Conference Forum link in the menu at the top of a study guide page.
The Course Mail tool allows you to send private messages to your tutor or to your fellow students. Unlike conference messages, which are readable by everyone, mail is only visible to the originator and recipient(s) of the message. The layout and functionality of Course Mail is very similar to the Conference tool. Please note that the Course Mail will only allow you to send mail within the Moodle platform — you cannot use it to send or receive Internet-based e-mail.
E-mail Activity: Go to the Course Mail tool. You can find a link on the Course Home Page or in the menu bar at the top of a unit page. Use the tool to send a test e-mail to your tutor, complete with a Microsoft Word file attachment. In the Course Mail message to your tutor please include a brief introduction that includes your profession, what program you are enrolled in and where, your previous diplomas and/or degrees, your employment focus, and why you are taking this course. This information with help your tutor better understand your learning situation.
Your tutor will reply to your Course Mail to indicate the tool is working properly. Monitor your Course Mail until you receive the reply from your tutor.
The "Grades" tool allows you to track your unofficial grades as you progress through the course. You can open this tool at any time during the course by clicking on the appropriate link on the course home page. Official grades are available from a link on your MyAU page (where you logged in).
The "Edit Profile" tool allows you to optionally provide some personal information about yourself that can be seen by other students in your course and by your tutor. You can even include a picture, if you wish.
Whether or not your course includes a conference component, you must be able to communicate effectively electronically if you are to be successful in online courses. By the end of this section of the orientation module you will be able to do the following:
In the first orientation topic you learned how to use the different communication tools available in Moodle. It should be clear that computer mediated communication is very different than the face-to-face communication used in most traditional learning environments. Many of the cues and skills you use to communicate effectively in a face-to-face situation simply are not available — or will not work — online. Orientation Reading 1 gives a good overview of online communication and provides some useful online communication tips. Please read this selection now.
Orientation Reading 1: Tips for Successful Online Communication
A learning conversation takes place when several
people get together to explore ideas, concepts, and skills genuinely
and openly. Some courses have been designed to encourage these kinds of
conversations. There are a number of structured discussion questions
posed throughout this course that provides beginning points for these
discussions.
The value of the learning conversations you will engage in depends on
the critical thinking behind the words you type and your engagement
with your fellow students. It is not enough to post your reply to a
question and move on—you must read and analyze the responses your
colleagues post, issue challenges when warranted, extend the arguments
of others, and link the conversations to the course material.
To help promote an effective learning conversation you need to do the following things:
By the end of this section of the orientation module you will be able to do the following:
When working on a unit, you are expected to read the materials presented and to engage in the assigned work, which may or may not include conference discussions. The Schedule indicates approximately how much time you should spend on each unit.
Each course has a number of required activities. Your tutor will
monitor and evaluate your participation in each of these. You will
receive written feedback on each assignment from your
tutor. If the course includes a required Conference Forum, you will
receive a grade for your performance from your tutor at the end of the
course.
For a detailed breakdown of how you will be evaluated in this course,
go to the Assessment section of the Study Guide for your course.
Many of the activities and assignment are designed to stimulate critical thinking. If you would like to learn more about what critical thinking is and how it applies to this course you are encourage to review some of the following web resources.
Critical Thinking is:
This course features the active guidance of tutor who possesses expertise related to the course content. He or she will provide informal feedback on your progress throughout the course. Feel free to contact your tutor using your Course Mail with any questions or concerns.
There are several important activities you should complete each time you log on to the course.
Congratulations on having completed the Orientation to Online Learning Module. Please proceed to Unit 1 of your course.
Last updated: May 28, 2013
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