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Glossary of TermsBrowser: The application, or program,used to view HTML documents.Examples include Microsoft InternetExplorer, Netscape Communicator,Mozilla, FireFox, and Opera.Downloading: The act of retrieving afile from the Internet and transferring itto your local computer.Flash: A plug-in, or extension, forbrowsers that allows users to view animations and interactive components. In order toview Flash animations, users must download and install the free Flash Player fromhttp://www.macromedia.com.FTP (File Transfer Protocol): A method of transferring files via the Internet.Applications that use this method are called FTP clients.GIF: An image format that only uses 256 colors. It is primarily used to display images oflow complexity.Highlighting: The act of selecting a section of text. This action can be accomplished byfollowing these steps: 1) Click to one side of the area that shall be highlighted; 2) Pushand hold the left mouse button down without releasing; 3) Move the pointer/cursor overthe area to select it. Typically at this point, the area that you are selecting will behighlighted by a different color, usually black, purple, or blue.Online Course BasicsTypically, material in an online class will be reading text on the class Web pages.Supplementing that may be assigned reading from the class textbook, articles fromlibrary subscription databases, links to other Web sites, images, animations, simulations,interactive modules, PowerPoint presentations, audio, or streamed voice-over images orvideos. Assignments may be in the form of filling in forms, readings, email messages orattachments, discussions, quizzes, exams, materials uploaded to the Web site, or othersas determined by the instructor.It is important to remember that online courses are very time intensive. Plan on spendingas much time in your online course as you would spend sitting in a classroom listening toa lecture and doing your homework outside of the classroom. The time you spend in anonline class is typically the same as a traditional class, you just spend your timedifferently. You no longer spend time sitting in a classroom listening to a lecture: instead,you are reading and researching on your own. On average, plan on spending about ninehours per week for each of your online classes. If you are taking a class in a summersession, keep in mind that you will cover the same amount of material as you would in asixteen- week course, but the timeframe is more condensed. In essence, one day in afour-week summer course will cover the same material covered in one week of a sixteenweek course.Home Page: The starting page of a Web site, sometimes called the splash page or mainpage.Hyperlink: The area or text on a Web page that, once clicked, takes a person to adifferent Web page or location on the same Web page. Usually in blue underlined text(but also present as images).HTML: Hypertext Markup Language is the authoring language used to create documentson the Web.5263

Online Course BasicsA Student’s Role in an Online CourseYour role as a student is different. In a face-to-face(F2F) course, you go to class at a specific time.The instructor facilitates your learning by lecturing,leading discussions, using a PowerPoint, etc. Theinstructor is in charge of the pace and timing. In anonline course you as a student take on a moreactive role in your learning.Student-CenteredAn online course is much more student-centered; the instructor is more of a facilitator oflearning than directly in charge as he/she is in the F2F classroom. This has its pros andcons. Since the material is in written form and on the Web site, you can go through it atyour own pace, and can go back over it. An online course favors different learning stylesthan a F2F course. Obviously visual learning is supported very well by an online course.Oral learners may find online courses a bit more challenging than F2F courses.Self-Motivated and DisciplinedImportantly, since an online course does allow you to work on your course at times mostconvenient for you, as an online student, you will need to be self-motivated anddisciplined. Set a schedule for yourself to log-on to your course and complete work bythe deadlines.It is very easy to let the class get ahead of you. If you keep up with all assignments anddeadlines, a Southeast Online course can be a great experience.elpful Websites, Phone Numbers & E-mailsDepartmentWebsiteTechnical SupportCSTL – technical solutions incompleting your courseIT Help Desk – SE Key, hardwareproblemsLibrary Reference Desk –Subscription Database AccessTesting ServicesWriting mo.edufor the most up-to-dateinformation aboutonline programs atSoutheast!Visit http://online.semo.edu for themost up-to-date information aboutonline programs at Southeast!6425

Helpful WebsitesDepartmentAdvising CentersAdmissionsAlternative Certification OfficeCenter for Health andCounselingCollege of EducationCollege of Health & HumanServicesCollege of Liberal ArtsCollege of Science &MathematicsCenter for Scholarship inTeaching and Learning (CSTL)Dean of StudentsFinancial AidFirst Year ExperienceGraduate OfficeHarrison College of BusinessJudicial AffairsLearning Enrichment CenterLibraryMBA OfficeMinority Student ProgramsNew Student ProgramsRegistrar’s OfficeSchool of Polytechnic StudiesSchool of University StudiesSoutheast k ServicesSoutheast OnlineStudent Support o.edu/cosm/Convenience and FlexibilityOnline courses provide a great alternative to face-to-face education at SoutheastMissouri State. An online class allows you to take the same quality course taught on campus from a distance;attend a course without setting foot on the Cape Girardeau campus;take a class at a convenient time.With an online class, you now have the opportunity to take a class not otherwise possiblebecause of scheduling conflicts. A Southeast Online course shows in transcripts thesame as a F2F course. In fact, nothing in your records distinguishes an online coursefrom a F2F e.semo.edu/content/textbooks.aspA Student’s Role Your role is different than in face-to-face courses You take a more active role in your learning The course is more student-centered You must be self-motivated and disciplined Keeping up with assignments and deadlines is essential Enjoy the convenience and flexibility of online learning7245

Getting Started ChecklistAt Least 2 Weeks Before Classes Start Getting StartedOnce you have enrolled in your online course, the next step is to make sure you haveeverything you need to access the course website the first day of class. The followingsection will guide you through the steps you’ll need to take to make sure your onlineclass will be a success.Please note: Some course websites will not be “active” until a day or so prior to the firstday of classes. If you can’t access your instructor’s online course website before the firstday, don’t be alarmed. If your Southeast Key is active, you will have access to thecourse. If your Southeast Key is activated and you still have problems on the first day,don’t hesitate to contact support@cstl.semo.edu and they will be happy to assist you.Your SoutheastKeyAll Southeast students areassigned a Southeast Key(SE Key) that will allowyou access to email,student web-publishing,printing in open computerlabs, residential networkaccess, and mostimportantly for onlinestudents, access to theportal and your online course.Although the SE Key is pre-assigned, you’ll need to activate it prior to use. You mayactivate your SE Key 24 hours after you have officially been admitted to Southeast. Toactivate your SE Key, go to https://www.semo.edu/sekey/SignIn.asp. You will need yourSoutheast ID number along with your day and year of birth to complete the activationprocess.Your SE Key will remain active as long as you are enrolled in courses at SoutheastMissouri State University. Your email account will deactivate the week after finals if youare not enrolled for the next semester, but will reactivate once you re-enroll.μμμμμμμμμμμEnrolled in online courses (Because our classes fill so quicklyyou are encouraged to enroll the minute you are eligible throughpriority registration).Activated my Southeast Key.Accessed My Southeast Portal to see my schedule and classlistings.Have bookmarked http://online.semo.edu to get the most up-todate information about Southeast Online Programs, courselistings, and much more.Have completed the demonstration course athttp://online.semo.edu and am familiar with the online courseformat (Gradebook, Utest, Forum, etc.).Know where to find and how to access my courses.Know how to contact my instructors.Have met the technical requirements for Southeast Online andspecific requirements for my individual online classes.Have contacted the Learning Assistance Programs to completethe registration process if I am a student with a disability seekingacademic accommodations (http://www6.semo.edu/lapdss).Have ordered or requested my rental textbooks to be shipped.Have determined the best time to work on my classes each day.86

Tips and Techniques for a Successful OnlineExperienceGetting StartedMy Southeast PortalAbide by the Code of Student ConductAll online students are required to abide by the Southeast Missouri State UniversityStudent Code of Conduct. You can find the complete code athttp://www6.semo.edu/judaffairs/code.html. Here you’ll find information on plagiarism,academic honesty, civil policies, and the student judicial affairs process.According to Stephen Wilhoit, author of "Helping Student Avoid Plagiarism," each of thefollowing activities constitutes an instance of plagiarism: Submitting a paper purchased from a research service or term papermill. Submitting another student's work with or without that student'sknowledge. Submitting a paper written by a peer. Copying a paper from a source text without proper acknowledgment. Copying materials from a source text, supplying properdocumentation, but leaving out quotation marks. Paraphrasing or summarizing materials from a source withoutappropriate documentation. Turning in one paper for two or more different classes without theexpress permission of all the instructors involved. Turning in a paper from a "free term paper" website.11 College Teaching 42 (Fall 1994): 161-164.Kent Library also provides useful resources including a Style Guide for Citing YourSources at http://library.semo.edu/learn/citing.shtml and an Online Tutorial for CitingYour Sources at .After you have activated your SE Key, you can now log-on to My Southeast Portal athttp://portal.semo.edu. The portal is your gateway to all student resources availableonline. The “My Courses” tab at the top of the page will provide a listing of all coursesyou are enrolled in during a current semester. From here you can access your onlinecourse website.Online.semo.eduThe Southeast Online website,http://online.semo.edu, provides acourse listing of all online coursesoffered in a given semester. You canalso access your course website fromthis location. You will need anactivated SE Key to gain access toyour course.Online.semo.edu also provides a widevariety of resources for an onlinestudent. Frequently asked questions,how to contact us, technical support, links to library resources, and much more can foundhere. For the most up-to-date information about Southeast Online, bookmarkhttp://online.semo.edu.9227

Tips and Techniques for a Successful OnlineExperienceGetting StartedHow to Contact Your InstructorIt is important to know how to contact your instructor before the first day of class.Instructor e-mails can be found under the “My Courses” tab in the portal athttp://portal.semo.edu, under the course list at http://online.semo.edu, or through the“People Search” found at http://www.semo.edu. E-mail is your connection to yourinstructor. It is important to maintain open communication and to check your Southeaste-mail frequently. When contacting your instructor, always use your Southeast e-mail.An instructor’s e-mail program may not recognize outside addresses and you risk thechance of your e-mail being deleted as “spam.”Textbook InformationIf your class requires a textbook, it will be noted in the instructor’s course website. If youcannot determine whether or not a textbook is required, please contact your instructor.You can order online and rental textbooks can be mailed to you by contacting TextbookServices at http://www2.semo.edu/bookstore/rentalwebitv.html or calling 573-651-2236.Undergraduate workbooks, supplemental materials and all graduate textbooks can bepurchased at http://www2.semo.edu/bookstore or by calling 573-651-2526.All rental textbooks must be returned by 4:00 p.m. theMonday after finals, or you will be billed for the purchaseprice of the books. Ship your textbooks back to SoutheastBookstore – Textbook Rental, 610 Washington Ave, NorthDock, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701. The postmark must beno later than the Monday after finals.You may purchase the rental textbook at anytime during the semester through the lastday to return textbooks and your rental fee will be credited to your account. To purchasetextbooks for the current semester, go to www.semo.edu, choose “My Southeast,”“Current Student” and “Login.” Click on “Textbooks.” If you wish to purchase a textbook,click the “Buy” button. Please note that all sales are final. If you have questions, call573-651-2538Studying TipsRead the entire course syllabus. The syllabus contains thecourse description, objectives, requirements for completing thecourse, assignments, and instructor contact information. Be sureto read it carefully and make sure you understand what is requiredfrom you.Keep up with your course. Online courses are time consuming, and it is up to you tokeep up with the assignments, readings, quizzes, and tests. Be sure to read theannouncement pages every time you log-on and to read all correspondence from yourinstructor. Letting your coursework pile up can leave you with an overwhelming task andadded stress.Keep in touch with your instructor. If you do not understand an assignment, haveproblems downloading information, or have problems taking a quiz or test, contact yourinstructor immediately. As an online student, you are responsible for your learning.Keeping in touch with your instructor will help you succeed in the course.Schedule regular study periods. If you don’t set aside a specific time each day to workon your online course, you are more likely to fall behind. It’s better to study more oftenfor shorter periods of time, than to try and cram a lot of information during long studysessions. Decide what your best time of day is (morning, afternoon, late night) and try toschedule your study time accordingly. You’ll accomplish a lot more if you are awake andalert.Learn about library resources. As a Southeast student, you have access to a wealthof electronic resources offered by Kent Library. Make yourself familiar with the librarysubscription databases and electronic books available to online students. See Help andInformation for Distance Students from Kent Library (http://library.semo.edu/get/distance)for details. Take advantage of the Library’s online tutorial Searchpath(http://library.semo.edu/searchpath) to build your information skills. Remember, goodsearching techniques equal better sources in half the time.10821

Tips and Techniques for a Successful OnlineExperienceGetting StartedTechnical AssistanceGeneral TipsTime commitment. Before signing up for a course, consider your time commitments.Keep in mind that online classes take as much time as traditional face-to-face classes.More concentrated sessions (4 to 8-week courses) will have an even greater demand onyour time. A good rule of thumb: For a sixteen-week course, you’ll spend on average 9hours a week in an online course. If you are taking an eight-week course, that time iscondensed into 18 hours a week. In a four-week course, you can expect to spendapproximately 32 hours a week in your online course.Be an active participant. As a student enrolled in an online course, you are responsiblefor making sure you log-on to your course and are ready to begin the first day of class.Pay special attention to exactly when your course starts and mark your calendar to logon that day. Most of your instructors will not contact you initially. You must e-mail yourinstructor and your classmates if you have any questions or comments.Do not fall behind. Do not procrastinate. It’s easy to do when you are not required toattend a class meeting 2-3 times a week. Schedule a time to log-on to your course everyday and study on a regular schedule. Set a specific time each day that you will spend onyour course.Ask for help. Remember that your instructor cannot see you and won’t know if you havea question unless you speak up. He/she has no way of knowing if you are confused,bored, or frustrated. Don’t be shy. Although you will never meet your instructors,establish a good relationship with them by speaking up and asking questions.Apply what you learn. Everything you can apply to your personal or business life willhelp you remember it more readily. Try to make as many connections between what youare learning and what you do or will do in your job or future classes. Be confident andplan for success!Information Technology Help Desk.The IT Help Desk is a service provided by InformationTechnology. Questions regarding your SE Key,ethernet support, operating system updates, virusremoval, and spyware removal should be directed tothe Help Desk.E-mail: helpdesk@semo.edu, website:http://www6.semo.edu/infotech/help,Phone: 573-651-4357 (HELP)CSTL Technical Support.Student technical support is done primarily via email, though in some cases the supporttechnician may initiate a phone call to obtain more details about the problem. The CSTLhelps instructors to develop and deliver online courses and is extending their expertise tohelp you, the Southeast Online student, minimize technical problems and maximize yourenjoyment and learning in quality online courses at Southeast Missouri State.E-mail: support@cstl.semo.edu, website: http://online.semo.edu/help,Phone: 573-651-2298Research Assistance.All students have access to the library’s subscription products, including articledatabases, encyclopedias, dictionaries, and electronic reference materials. Questionsabout logging on to subscription services, searching in databases and catalogs, finding &printing the full text articles, and using MOBIUS member libraries as a Southeast studentcan be answered by Reference Desk Staff.Email: kentreference@semo.edu, website: http://library.semo.edu/learn/askus.shtmlPhone: 573-651-2230For a list of Technical Requirements, see page 10 & 11.11209

Technical RequirementsTips and Techniques for a Successful OnlineExperiencePC System RequirementsMinimumRecommendedIntel Pentium III or equivalent processorPentium 4 2.6 GHz / Pentium M 1.5GHz / Athlon 1500 or faster processor Make sure that you use a meaningful subject line so that your readers will havea clear idea of what your message contains.Windows 2000, XP, or Vist with the latestservice packs appliedWindows XP or Vista with the latestservice packs applied Messages should be short and to the point (although there are exceptions tothis rule, such as assignments that are submitted by email).Netscape Browser 8, Mozilla Firefo

We are proud of our commitment to offering high-quality, academically rigorous programs that are taught by our excellent faculty. The mission of Southeast Online is to serve the needs of today's student, by providing convenient access to high quality online courses and selected degree programs in a student-centered approach to learning.