Orientation

Overview

Outline of a "Typical" GEOG 862 Week

In order to work through all of the course materials and activities together and in an "orderly fashion," we follow a set schedule each week. Yes, you will have the flexibility to work on the course on your own time, but you will be responsible for meeting set date/time requirements within the confines of a given week.

For most weeks, a similar format will be followed:

You will read a selection of book chapters and/or papers. All of the papers will be available via the checklist page (page 2) in a lesson.
Next, you will be expected to post comments and/or questions about the assigned readings and lectures in a structured threaded discussion. You are welcome to respond to someone else's posting, or to start a new "thread" yourself.
Throughout the course, with guidance from your instructor, you will also be expected to work on a total of two papers and three quizzes. Notification of these papers and quizzes will take place in the lesson and the calendar.

About the Orientation

In addition to introducing some core concepts for this course, the orientation also serves as your guide to the structure of the course and to our online learning environment.

Objectives

At the successful completion of the Course Orientation, students should be able to:

navigate between this course text and the Canvas course management system;
articulate your expectations about how and what you will learn in your online course;
understand how and what instructors expect you to learn in your online course;
locate key information about the course, including assignments, due dates, technical information, places to get help, and course policies;
understand course policies, including academic integrity; and
communicate with instructors and fellow students.

The next page in this lesson outlines the steps you need to perform to successfully complete this orientation.

Questions?

If you have any questions now or at any point during this week, please feel free to post them to the Orientation Questions forum. (To access the forum, return to Canvas and look inside the Lesson 0: Orientation and Resources module.) While you are there, feel free to post your own responses if you, too, are able to help out a classmate.

Checklist

Each lesson in the course will have a list of "Steps to Complete." This checklist will always appear on the second page of each lesson.

To get started with the course, please follow the required steps below. The Course Orientation is one week in length. Please refer to the Calendar in Canvas for specific time frames and due dates. You may find it useful to print this page out first so that you can follow along with the directions.

What is due for the Orientation?

Optimally, you should complete the Orientation before the first week of class so you are prepared.

The following is an overview of the activities for the Orientation. Detailed directions and submission instructions are located on the page containing the assignment within this orientation.

Steps to Completing the Course Orientation
Step	Activity	Access/Directions
1	Read through Course Orientation.	You are in the Course Orientation online content now. Click on the "Next Page" link to continue reading.
2	Personalize your Canvas space.	Click on the "Setting Communication Preferences" link in the orientation menu for instructions.
3	Set your Canvas Notifications.	Click on the "Setting Communication Preferences" link in the orientation menu for instructions.
4	Introduce yourself and meet the rest of the class.	Click on the "Getting to Know You" link in the orientation menu for instructions.
5	If you haven't already done so, carefully review the course syllabus to learn about the course and its requirements.	The Syllabus link is located in the menu.
6	Complete the "Initial Course Survey"	Described on the Summary and Final Tasks page.
7	Begin the course!	Click on the Lesson 1 link to begin the course.

Have you looked at the syllabus yet?

This Orientation complements and expands on the information provided on the syllabus. If you haven't read it, be sure to review that document carefully!

Questions?

If you have any questions, please send me an email through Canvas. We will check daily to respond. If your question is one that is relevant to the entire class, we may respond to the entire class rather than individually.

What is next

Once you are ready, click the next link in the orientation menu and work all the way to the end of the list.

The Learning Environment

This course will be conducted entirely online. There are no set class meeting times, but you will be required to complete weekly assignments.

This site

The instructional materials on this site include this orientation and lessons. Each lesson contains an introduction, reading assignments, links, assessments, etc. You can also consult course calendars; communicate with instructors, teaching assistants, and fellow students; submit assignments; receive feedback from the instructor and teaching assistant; take online quizzes and surveys; and check assignment scores and course grades.

Course Website

About Canvas

About Canvas, General Orientation

Following is information about Canvas, Penn State's Learning Management System (LMS). In Canvas, registered students may consult course calendars; communicate with instructors, teaching assistants, and fellow students; submit assignments; receive feedback from the instructor and teaching assistant; take online quizzes and surveys; and check assignment scores and course grades.

Quick Guide for Students

If you are new to Canvas, it is strongly recommended that you complete the PSU: Canvas Student Orientation [1].

You may also want to review the Canvas Student Guide [2] to acclimate yourself further, and watch the following video:

Video: Canvas Overview (3:30)

Credit: Canvas Overview for Students [3] from Canvas LMS [4].

Click for Transcript of Canvas Overview

In this video, you will learn how to navigate your Dashboard, courses, and Global Navigation Menu in Canvas.

When you log in to Canvas, the first thing you see is the Dashboard, which provides a high-level overview of your current courses. The Dashboard can be displayed in three different viewing options.

Card View displays a course card for each of your favorite courses. Each card can include clickable icons for Assignments, Announcements, Discussions, and Files. List View displays an agenda view of graded items from your courses, as well as any non-graded items your instructors designate for a course To Do list. You can also add your own items to the agenda.

Recent Activity View displays a stream of recent notifications from all your courses, including announcements, conversations, assignments, discussions, and peer reviews.

You can also access the course grades page from the Course Card and Recent Activity Views by clicking the View Grades button. The Grades page displays grades for all of your courses. To view grade details for a specific course, click the name of the course.

To view a course, click the Courses link in Global Navigation and click the name of the course you want to view. The course opens to the home page set by your instructor.

You can use the Course Navigation links, breadcrumb navigation, or the sidebar to navigate to different areas of the course.

The sidebar includes a To Do list that displays links to announcements and other items that require action in your courses, such as assignments, quizzes, discussions, and pages.

If your course includes student groups, you can view a list of your groups in Course Groups. Click the group name to view the group homepage. View recent assignment feedback in Recent Feedback. Click the assignment name to view feedback in the Submission Details page.

Canvas displays a Global Navigation Menu that gives you direct access to your courses and other areas of Canvas.

Click the Account link to log out of Canvas, specify your notification preferences, upload and view personal files, modify your user settings, manage ePortfolios, obtain a QR code to log in to the Student app, view global announcements, and enable a high-contrast user interface.

Click the Dashboard link to return to the Canvas Dashboard. Click the Courses link to quickly access your favorite courses and view a list of all your courses. Click the Groups link to access groups in which you are enrolled or view a list of all your groups.

Click the Calendar link to view your personal calendar and course calendars. Click the Inbox link to view and send messages to your instructors and peers within Canvas. Click the History link to view a list of course content and content areas you have viewed within the last three weeks.

Click the Help link to access help resources for your institution.

Thanks for watching this Canvas overview video. To learn more about Canvas, ask questions, or engage with other Canvas users, please visit community.canvaslms.com.

Supported Browsers and Computer Configuration

The Canvas Help Center provides extensive, up-to-date documentation [5] on making sure your computer is configured properly for Canvas. Failure to follow these recommendations may result in significant issues while viewing materials, taking assessments, and using drop boxes. Use of unsupported browsers is at your own risk.

Assignments

Registered students earn academic credit at Penn State by completing the following assignments. Opportunities to demonstrate learning include the following, and grades will be based on percentages assigned to each of several components of the course as follows:

Class participation: Individual participation via online discussion (30%)
Quizzes: Three quizzes will be held to test the students' comprehension of class materials and other reading as required (33%)
Papers: Two writing assignments will assess the students understanding of two separate topics from the course (37%)

Communication

Meaningful interactions among students and instructors are the hallmark of a successful online class. Canvas supports several types of communication, as described below.

In addition, registered students have Penn State e-mail accounts (<Access Account ID>@psu.edu) that they need to monitor for any official communications that come from the University or from the Penn State World Campus.

Below is a list of communication tools available in Canvas. This course may or may not utilize all of the options listed.

Announcements [6]

These are messages from your instructor that contain important information. Current announcements can be accessed through the Announcements link in Canvas. Announcements may highlight assignment due dates (also published in the course Calendar), lesson recaps, a preview of an upcoming lesson and other essential course information.

Inbox [7]

The Inbox is the equivalent of e-mail in Canvas. It's great for a quick e-mail to another student, instructor, or a whole team. Keep in mind that the text editor is very minimal and does not have much formatting capability. Please use the Canvas Inbox only for private messages to instructors or fellow students.

Need more help using course mail? Review the Canvas Student Guide section on the Inbox [8].

Discussions [9]

Discussions allow students to interact with the instructor and other classmates. Threaded discussions allow multiple posts and replies. New posts appear in the Course Activity Stream page, so you will know when something has been posted.

In general, questions and comments about project assignments and course content should be shared with the entire class via the discussion forums. That way, everyone can benefit from the discussion.
Need more help using discussion forums? Review the Canvas Student Guide section on Discussions [9].

Note:

Whenever you post a message in a forum or send course mail, please use a descriptive subject line. Subject lines that include the gist of a question or comment increase the chances that students and instructors can retrieve the messages we're looking for. Poor subject lines, such as "Question" or "Lesson 1," are not very useful as search keywords. When replying to a prior message, consider whether or not the subject line should be altered to indicate the content of your reply!

Setting Communication Preferences

Your Canvas Profile and Notification Preferences

Your Canvas Profile and User Settings let you control your personal information in Canvas. Take a few minutes to personalize your Canvas profile and set your Notification Preferences, by following the instructions below.

Setting Up Communications
Task	Instructions
Personalize your Canvas Profile	Go to Canvas. Click on the 'Account' link. Click on the 'Profile' link. Follow the instructions on the Canvas Profile and User Settings page [10] to customize important aspects of your profile including, but not limited to your preferred e-mail address(es) and text (SMS) contact method for course notifications, your time zone, and your profile picture.
If you use PSU OneID	Students who are enrolled with OneID will not receive emails automatically from Canvas due to not having PSU email access. We advise that students set up a personal email address for notifications. Log into Canvas Click on the "Account" link Click on the "Settings" link. In account settings, add a personal email address on the right-hand side. Go to Account>Notifications to set specific notification settings, as described in the next section.
Set your notification preferences	You have the option to select how, when, and for what information you would like to receive notifications. This can be very helpful when keeping track of items such as discussion posts, assignment due dates, and exams. Visit Canvas Notification Preference Support [11] and follow the instructions for setting up your notification preferences. The video below this table provides additional information.
Set your timezone	Go to Canvas. Click on Settings in the Course navigation menu. The Course Details page will open. In the Time Zone drop-down menu, select a time zone for your course. Scroll down and click Update Course Details.
Download the Canvas App	For information on using the app by device, please see the following: Android Device [12] iOS Device [13]

Video Tutorial: Canvas Notification Preferences (2:56)

Click for Transcript of Notification Preferences in Canvas

In this video, you will learn about managing your notification settings for all courses and for an individual course.

To get started, click the Account link in the Global Navigation menu.

Then click the Settings link.

To add an email, click the Add Email Address link.

Enter your email address in the field and click the Register Email button.

After your email has been registered, you will receive a confirmation email. To complete registration, click the link provided in the email.

To manage notifications for all your courses, click the Notifications link in the User Navigation menu.

You can also access your notifications from anywhere in Canvas by clicking the Account link and clicking the Notifications link.

Notification settings are divided into sections including: Course Activities, Discussions, Conversations, Scheduling, Groups, Conferences, and Alerts.

Each section includes notification categories. You can view what triggers each notification by hovering your cursor over the category.

Contact methods linked to your account and push notifications for the Canvas apps are listed in individual columns.

To change how often you receive notifications for a specific category and contact method, click the corresponding notification icon.

You can receive notifications immediately, receive a daily or weekly summary, or turn notifications off completely.

Instructors, students, and observers can also manage notification settings at the course level. To open a course, click the Courses link in Global Navigation and click the name of the course.

In the Course Home Page, click the View Course Notifications button.

You can choose to enable or disable notifications for your course using the Enable Notifications toggle button.

If notifications have been enabled for your course, you can specify how often notifications are sent to a contact method for a specific category. Course notification sections and categories may differ from those available at the account level. However, course level settings will override notification settings at the account level for that course.

To manage how often you receive notifications for a specific category and contact method, click the corresponding notification icon. Then click how often you'd like to receive the notification.

Thanks for watching this Notification Settings overview video. To learn more about Canvas, ask questions, or engage with other Canvas users, please visit community.canvaslms.com.

Credit: Notification Settings [14] from Canvas LMS [4].

How to Succeed in an Online Course

Keep these tips in mind when preparing to be successful in an online course:

Treat online learning as you would a face-to-face class

You should devote at least the same amount of time to your online courses as you would to attending lectures on campus and completing assignments. Other good study habits, such as attending class (logging on) regularly and taking notes, are as important in an online course as in a lecture hall.

Intentionally schedule your time

You should devote 10-12 hours weekly to completing lesson readings and assignments. Your learning will be most effective when you engage with the course daily.

Engage, Engage, Engage

Take every opportunity to interact with the content, the instructor, and your classmates by completing assignments and participating in discussion forums and group activities!

Be organized and keep up

Keep in sync with what is happening in the course and stay on top of deadlines and upcoming assignments. If you fall behind, it can be difficult to catch up.

Ask for help

Ask for guidance when needed. Email the instructor directly through Canvas.

Other Resources

The links below will connect you with other resources to help support your successful online learning experience:

Tips for Being a Successful World Campus Student [15]

This website links to many resources on everything from taking notes online to managing your time effectively. Please note that you must be a World Campus student to receive some of the support services mentioned on this website.
Penn State World Campus Technology Resources [16]

This website provides resources to help you learn to use technology, access Penn State tools, and purchase and download software.
Penn State World Campus Blog [17]

This blog features posts by Penn State staff and students on a variety of topics relevant to online learning. Learn from online students, alumni, and staff members about how you can get the most out of your online course experience.
Penn State iStudy for Success! [18]

The iStudy online learning tutorials are free and available to all Penn State students. They cover a broad range of topics including online learning readiness, time management, stress management, and statistics - among many others. Check out the extensive list of topics for yourself to see what topics may be of most use to you!
LinkedIn Learning at Penn State [19]

This website provides access to an extensive free online training library, with tutorials on everything from creating presentations to using mobile apps for education. There is a wealth of information here - all provided free of charge to Penn State faculty, staff, and currently enrolled students.

Summary and Final Tasks

If you understand what you've read in this orientation, and make every effort to follow these guidelines, than you'll be well on your way to having a successful experience this term. I look forward to interacting with you throughout the term, and hope you'll take every opportunity possible to get the most out of the learning experiences you encounter in this class.

Reminder - Review the Course Orientation Checklist

You have reached the end of the Course Orientation. Double-check the lesson to-do list on the Orientation Checklist page (the second page of this lesson) to make sure you have completed all of the activities listed there.

Deliverable

Complete the "Initial Course Survey"
This survey contains questions about you and your expectations for this course. To access the Initial Course Survey:

Go to the GEOG 862 space in Canvas
Look for the Initial Course Survey link in the Lesson 0: Orientation and Resources module

Ready to begin the course?

Click on the Lesson 1: The GPS Signal link in the course menu to begin.

Orientation

Overview

Outline of a "Typical" GEOG 862 Week

About the Orientation

Objectives

Questions?

Checklist

What is due for the Orientation?

Have you looked at the syllabus yet?

Questions?

What is next

The Learning Environment

This site

Course Website

About Canvas

About Canvas, General Orientation

Quick Guide for Students

Video: Canvas Overview (3:30)

Supported Browsers and Computer Configuration

Assignments

Communication

Announcements [6]

Inbox [7]

Discussions [9]

Note:

Setting Communication Preferences

Your Canvas Profile and Notification Preferences

Setting Up Communications

Video Tutorial: Canvas Notification Preferences (2:56)

How to Succeed in an Online Course

Treat online learning as you would a face-to-face class

Intentionally schedule your time

Engage, Engage, Engage

Be organized and keep up

Ask for help

Other Resources

Tips for Being a Successful World Campus Student [15]

Penn State World Campus Technology Resources [16]

Penn State World Campus Blog [17]

Penn State iStudy for Success! [18]

LinkedIn Learning at Penn State [19]

Summary and Final Tasks

Reminder - Review the Course Orientation Checklist

Deliverable

Ready to begin the course?