Frequently Asked Questions
Why should you take courses online?
What do you need to know technically and in terms of your own abilities and motivation?
How do faculty members conduct online courses?
What is the current tuition rate for online courses?
What kinds of services are available online?
How do I access my courses?
I have clicked the courses tab and I still do not see my courses. Where are my courses?
WHY SHOULD YOU TAKE COURSES ONLINE?
- Convenience – You will have more flexibility over when and where work is done. You will learn technology by using technology. You will be able to pursue ideas in an independent manner.
- Collaboration – You will interact with other students and create a community of learners. You will participate in provocative online discussions held in a group format. Since there are no location constraints, you will be able to work with colleagues from many locations.
- Self-Pacing – You will be able to guide your own learning, since online courses offer a student-centered structure with the faculty member acting as a facilitator.
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO KNOW TECHNICALLY AND IN TERMS OF YOUR OWN ABILITIES AND MOTIVATION?
To participate in online courses, you will need to maintain access to the Internet, with e-mail capability, and have Microsoft Word or compatible word-processing software. When you are working on e-mail, you should know how to attach files to an e-mail message.
HOW DO FACULTY MEMBERS CONDUCT ONLINE COURSES?
Online Learning uses software provided by Blackboard. This software provides a user-friendly interface, with simple point and click access to course content, collaborative workspaces, and online resource centers. Some of the features of this software are:
1. Quizzes, Tests, and Assessments – These are accessed and completed online. You can review assignments, as well as comments from your instructor. This enables you to determine how well you are doing in the course.
2. The Discussion Board – This is an asynchronous communication feature that makes it easy for you, your fellow students, and the instructor to communicate online. You can create and read messages when it is convenient, thereby interactively discussing relevant course topics.
3. Virtual Classroom Chat Sessions – This is a synchronous communication feature through which you, the other students, and the instructor meet to have real-time, live discussion. This is accomplished by typing text messages to each other. Chat can also be used by students to collaborate on group projects.
4. Course Announcements – Here you will see special announcements from the instructor when you login to your course.
5. The Digital Drop Box – This is a storage space which facilitates the sharing of electronic files so that you can collaborate with other students in order to complete group assignments.
6. Links – There are links to particular University Web sites, such as the Library, the Registrar's Office, and the Career Development Office. There are also links to a variety of Internet Web sites and online resources.
WHAT IS THE CURRENT TUITION RATE FOR ONLINE COURSES?
Visit the Student Accounts website for information regarding tuition and fees
WHAT KINDS OF SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE?
The Registrar, the Library, the Bookstore, Financial Assistance, and Career Development are some of the University services available online.
Start on SHU's homepage. Select 'MySHU' from the top right corner of the page. Then select 'Login to MySHU -Blackboard' and log in with your username and password. Once you have successfully logged into Blackboard, you will notice a series of tabs toward the top part of the page. Click on the 'Courses' tab to view the courses you are currently enrolled in.
I HAVE CLICKED THE COURSES TAB AND I STILL DO NOT SEE MY COURSES. WHERE ARE MY COURSES?
Courses become available to students the first day of class. If you are logging into your Blackboard account before the start date of your class you will not see the classes you are registered for. If you log into your account after the start date of your class and you still can not view your courses, contact the The Office of Instructional Technology to confirm you are enrolled in the course.
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