Understand the Online Course Environment

Please review this course tour video. Each of the twelve short sections (use the scroll bar on the right of the video player) will help you understand how to navigate within your online course, use course tools, and personalize your WorldClassRoom account to optimize your online experience. Spending less than twenty minutes today reviewing this video will allow you to focus on your coursework, as you will be confident and comfortable utilizing the course environment.

A full webpage version of the Course Environment information and videos can be found here. https://olc.webster.edu/branding/get-started.html.
A PDF transcript of the videos are available here.

Expectations in the Online Environment

This information can also be found, along with additional details, in your Student Success Orientation course. Please check the Online Students and Live Virtual Students pages in the Readiness & Success Module.

Expectations for Online Students

Test your computer to troubleshoot any technical issues and be sure to use a laptop or desktop for the majority of your coursework.
Login to your WCR course page regularly (multiple times a week) to review any new assignments, discussions or updated materials from your instructor.
Participate frequently and respond to classmates in the course discussions.
Review the course syllabus carefully for specific requirements regarding discussions.
Be an advocate for yourself and share concerns as they arise with the instructor and/or OLC staff members.
Complete all assignments according to the syllabus by the deadline; if this expectation cannot be met, the student should communicate this to instructor.
Know and understand course and university policies and deadlines per the syllabus and university academic calendar.

Expectations for Online Faculty

Complete New Online Instructor orientation prior to teaching the course.
Review and Update all course material to WCR shell so students can easily complete readings and assignments.
Establish guidelines for students regarding communication in the Online environment and model expected behaviors.
Engage students across geographic locations over entire course.
Practice a 24-hour maximum response time to communications from students, in discussions, emails, messages, and assignment comments. If additional time is needed, acknowledge the question and provide an expected response time.
For assignments, provide prompt, individualized feedback within one week of submission deadline.
Be knowledgeable of course and university policies and deadlines and be able to explain course via syllabus, referring students to university resources when appropriate.

Tips for Success

In addition to understanding WorldClassRoom navigation, personalizing your account, and knowing the expectations for online students, there are a few other things you can do in order to achieve success in your online course.

Read over the course syllabus and other information carefully to understand the instructor's expectations for the course and key details.
Make note of deadlines and due dates.
Dedicate the necessary amount of time to your coursework. This will require you to login multiple times per week.
- Set a schedule for each week for when you will login, complete certain activities and submit assignments.
- Doing a smaller portion of the week's work each day will help you stay on top of the workload.
Regularly participate in course discussions with your classmates and the instructor.
Contact your instructor when you have course-related questions or need clarification.
Practice netiquette: give the same amount of respect to your classmates and instructor as you would in a face-to-face classroom.

Academic Honesty

As stated in the Webster University Academic Honesty Policy, "The University is committed to high standards of academic conduct and integrity. Students will be held responsible for violations of academic honesty." Students enrolled in online courses should be aware that this policy applies to all types of course activities and interactions, including but not limited to discussion postings, papers, projects, quizzes, exams, tests and group work. We invite you learn more about academic honesty and plagiarism, and understand how to avoid it.

Technical Assistance and Support

For more information about using the tools within your online course, visit the WorldClassRoom FAQ at http://olc.webster.edu/faq/. Inside of WorldClassRoom, the FAQ is linked under the Resources dropdown in the Global Navigation menu. The FAQ contains step-by-step tutorials and helpful information about online learning.
After visiting the FAQ, if you find you need more help or have questions which were not answered, feel free to contact the Online Learning Center. | email: studyonline@webster.edu | (866) 622-0888 | (314) 246-8746
If you encounter technical problems, please find general technology information on the Webster University IT webpage, or browse help articles or submit a ticket through the Webster University Support System. Additional ways to reach the IT Support Center: email: support@webster.edu | (866) 435-7270 | (314) 968-5995

Academic Accommodations Notice

Students with documented disabilities who have registered through the Reeg Academic Resource Center (Reeg ARC) may be entitled to classroom or testing accommodations. If you have a disability and need academic accommodations, please contact the Reeg ARC at (314) 246-7620 or email disability@webster.edu. Contacting the Reeg ARC to complete ADA documentation is the only way to ensure you may receive reasonable accommodations. Once documented, you will need to verify with your instructor at the beginning of each class that the instructor has received your accommodations letter from the Reeg ARC.