By: Jennifer Blankenship, student at MSU
How do I know what to do?
Many online students feel a bit lost at first. Don't be afraid to explore.
Read, read, and read some more! In addition to the course lessons, your instructor will provide you with a syllabus, instructions, expectations, announcements, and reminders. It's important to read everything and keep your eyes open for directives from your instructor.
The structure and look of courses vary.
Some schools require courses to have a consistent look and organization. Some do not. Expect that courses will vary in how they are structured because each instructor teaches differently. Courses commonly include a combination of the following elements:
Syllabus | Announcements | Calendar | Communication Tools | Grades | Course Lessons | Lectures | Tests | Assignments | Multimedia
Where are the tools?
Instructors can place links to tools in convenient locations. An instructor might provide a link to a discussion within a folder, right next to a reading assignment for that discussion. Alternatively, an instructor might place a link to the entire discussion tool in the course menu.
This flexibility enables instructors to design courses that are easy to for you to navigate, but might require a bit of a learning curve as you get used to each course. Don't hesitate to ask your instructor if you can't locate a tool.
Account Settings
Assignment Instructions
Calendar
Classlist
Discussions
Email Introduction
ePortfolio Learner Guide
Gradebook Introduction
Lenova Camera Guide
Locate Courses
Login and Password
Navigating Content
Navigating D2L
News Items
Notifications
Progress
Quiz Instructions
Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor
Setting Up Your Profile
Tips For Successful Online Learning
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Zoom Instructions