Finding Your Way
How to Navigate this Course Each Week

Help! I'm lost!

If you can read, understand, and follow the directions in this orientation, then you can be confident that know how to complete this course.

Don't Panic

This course involves a significant amount of material to cover in a just a few short weeks. In a typical face-to-face course, the contents of the course are naturally distributed across regularly scheduled class meetings. When you walk into the classroom on day one, you can't access (and therefore don't worry as much about) day 27. In an online course, however, it can feel like receiving the entire course all at once. Accessing the course may also involve learning new technology skills.

It's easy and understandable to feel overwhelmed by so much new information and the new interface for accessing that information. The purpose of this brief tutorial is to show you the basic steps for working through this class each week. It's for anyone who is a little disoriented at first.

How do I find my way around?

The the menu to the left of this screen is the basic means of navigating this course.

Getting Started: Course Home

If you're reading this, then you're already off to a good start by finding the "Course Home" area. The links under Course Home are designed to orient you to the structure and content of the course as well as the technologies we'll be using. So to get started, click on each of the Course Home links and review the material. If you have any questions, please post them in the "Ask the Prof" discussion thread in Week 1. Below is a brief summary of what you'll find when you click on each link.

1. Read Me First: The tutorial you're reading now.
2. Course Syllabus: The syllabus is the governing document for the policies, procedures, and outline of this course. If you want to know how the academics of this course work, this document is your best resource.
3. Using eCollege: This guide explains how to use the basic features of eCollege, and offers some helpful suggestions for good etiquette in an online setting.
4. Meet the Prof: This link contains a short introduction from your instructor.
5. Meet the Class: This link contains a thread where you can get to know your fellow classmates.
6. ClassLive: This link orients students to ClassLive, a real-time, online collaboration tool that we'll be using to meet as a class.
7. Speech Schedule: This link contains essential information regarding the delivery of speeches online.

What am I supposed to do each week?

A Weekly Habit

The most successful approach to this online course is to work through each week's assignments in a steady, methodical manner. If you can follow the three steps below regularly each week, then you can be certain that you know what's necessary to complete the course. 

1. Every time you log in, check for new announcements on eCollege
2. At the beginning of each week, click on the "Assignments" link at the top of the Week and make a plan to complete the checklist for the week's assignments.
3. Ask the professor about any questions regarding the week's assignments.

That's it. If you're up to date on class announcements, and you know the assignment checklist, then you know what to do for the week. Questions can be addressed in the "Ask the Prof" area. For details about each step, click on "next page" below.

Check for Announcements

You will receive regular communications from your instructor through email and announcements. The first thing to do each time you access this course is check the announcements for any changes since your last visit.  Checking the announcements will ensure you are up to date with the latest information. The announcements are located at the top of the main course page (see below). Any changes, updates, or special information related to the course will be posted as an announcement. In addition to special announcements, a regular "Weekly Wire" will be posted in the announcement area each Monday morning.

Check the Assignments Link

It is imperative that you check the "Assignments" link at the start of each week. Each Assignment link includes both a checklist and detailed instructions for all the activities scheduled for that week. To see detailed instructions for each assignment, use the navigation menu at the top of the main window.

When you've successfully completed each item described in the Assignments link, then you know you've covered all the bases for the week.

Ask Your Professor

If you have a question or are unclear about any component of the course, use "Ask the Prof." Odds are good some of your fellow classmates are in the same situation. By posting in the "Ask the Prof" thread, you can not only find answers, but you can also contribute to the class as a whole. Not only can you ask questions in these threads, you can answer them too! If you know the answer to a question, feel free to assist a classmate.

In any case, please do not keep a question to yourself and let it go unanswered. I'm here to help, and want your learning experience to be as accessible as possible.

The "Ask the Prof" area functions as a discussion thread. To learn how to use a discussion thread, see the Using eCollege guide.

Summary

Let's Get Started

Congratulations! Your first step in the class is complete. Ready to get started? Click on "Assignments" under Week 1.