Virtual Campus Student OrientationWelcome to Virtual Campus

Spring 2015

The Online Student Experience

No Formal Class MeetingsYou schedule class time

Self Directed Learning ExperienceNo Instructor in the room

Virtual Office HoursAsk the InstructorEmail and Course Messages

No students in the roomDiscussion ForumsCollaborate Sessions

The Online Student Experience

Online courses are equivalent to their face to face versions

Student Success Rates are lowest at 73% compared to 78% face to face

SB 1720 (opted out of Dev. Ed.)

Tips for Success

• Familiarize yourself with your learning styles – BE Assessment

• Allocate enough time – average 3 hours per credit hour (8 to 10 hours per week)

• Complete Smarter Measure Assessment• Virtual Campus Administrator:

Kendall St Hilaireksthilai@irsc.edu

Tips for Success

• Participate in orientation• Have a PC backup plan• Have more than one

internet browser • Know how to clear cache

and cookies• Save your work in multiple

locations• Ask for help when needed

@ Blackboard Student Help Desk

• Familiarize yourself with the learning environment

• Keep a calendar that includes important dates and scheduled study time

• Avoid doing anything at the last minute – work ahead whenever possible

• Create a dedicated study space with no distractions

• Build a support system

Blackboard Login Page

• All online courses (fully online, hybrid, and web-assisted) are taught using Blackboard, IRSC’s learning management system.

https://blackboard.irsc.edu

Login Username & Password

• Username: IRSC Student ID Number• Password: Same as MyIRSC PIN• Default: MMYY of birth• Example: May 1, 1986 = 0586

Password Resets

• Online: Security question/answer must be setup in MyIRSC (Profile menu)• https://esweb.irsc.edu/Mariner/security/repin1.jsp

• Automatic sync with Blackboard within 30 minutes

• On Campus: Visit any IRSC campus• By Phone: Call Center (772) 462-IRSC

Password Resets

Blackboard Student Help Desk

• 24/7 Support• Knowledge Base• Frequently Asked Questions• Live Chat• Trouble Ticket Request• Phone Support

Blackboard Student Help Desk

• 24/7 Support

Course Access

• When will you have access?• Online Courses: First day of the semester

Wednesday, January 7th at 12:00 a.m.• F2F Courses: First day of class• Example: M/W class is unavailable until

Wednesday of that week.

Course Access

• You must log into the course early:• Read syllabus for understanding• Make note of due dates, test dates, etc.

• Complete attendance requirement• If not, your financial aid may be reduced• May be different for each course

(email, discussion post, etc.)

• Daily course login is recommended

Blackboard Help Site

The Official Blackboard Help Sitehttps://help.blackboard.com/

Blackboard Control Panel

Blackboard Discussion Boards

How to Use Blackboard Discussions

Messages vs. Email Tools

• Your instructor will determine if, how, and where these communication tools will be used in your course.

• How to Use Message Tool

• How to Use Email Tool

Blackboard On-Demand Videos

Blackboard Collaborate

• Online collaboration and web conferencing platform

• Instructors may use this tool for:• virtual office hours• interactive class sessions• tutoring

• Accessed through links in Blackboard or a link provided by instructor

Supported Internet Browsers

• Internet Explorer • Google Chrome• Safari• Firefox

Browser Essentials

• Clearing cache and cookies• Slightly different in each browser• Resolves many issues in Blackboard• Google or contact Blackboard Student

Help Desk for assistance

Browser Security Issues

Browser Security Issues

SmarterMeasure

• Online learning readiness assessment• Learn more about your strengths and

weaknesses• Considerations:• How well can you use a computer?• How motivated, organized, and self-directed

are you?• How do you prefer to learn new

information?

http://irsc.smartermeasure.com/

SmarterMeasure

• Username: “associates” or “bachelor”• Password: “online”

Questions or Comments?