STUDENT ORIENTATION TO
D2L USE FOR THIS CLASS
(you may want to print this page!)

Task 1: Make Sure You are enrolled in the correct PSY1101 Section of Desire2Learn @ Mansfield University 

(NOTE: Task 1 is usually automatically done with the enrollment process)

Make sure you are enrolled in:

Introduction to General Psychology
(Dr. Craig)
PSY-1101-190
(the specific D2L title)

The "Login Name" should be your MU email address (sometimes there are a few number at the end if you have a common last name)
For example, if my email address is "smithj11@mansfield.edu".

The Password is your email login. 

Once you have enrolled, proceed with the rest of the tasks detailed below.

Task 2: Try out an online discussion board

The online discussion boards are easy to use and will be a very important part of this course. You will use online discussion boards to post many of your assignments and communicate with your classmates. You will also use this board to get help with your work.

Whenever you have a question about the course, about an assignment, or about how to use one of the course tools, you should post that question in the "Helping Each Other" discussion board (HEO-DB). Hopefully your classmates will see your questions and offer some assistance. While this board is to facilitate peer communications, the instructor may periodically reply to questions that are posed.

PLEASE DO NOT USE THE HEO-DB TO ASK
FOR ANSWERS ON QUIZZES OR TESTS

I believe that this course should work just like a classroom where everyone has the opportunity to hear the answer to every important question. That is why I will not respond to general course questions or questions about assignments that are sent to me by e-mail. Everyone deserves the same level of assistance and the "Helping Each Other" discussion board will be a public place where this type of sharing can occur.  Soooo..... if you see a question on the HEO-DB and know the answer, please feel free to help your classmate – that is why this conference board is called "Helping Each Other."

Your FIRST JOB is to post at least 2 test messages in the "Practice Conference". You can find the online discussion boards by clicking the "Discussions" link on the dark gray bar that runs under the Mansfield University Logo near the top left of the page..

1. Click on the first forum title (called, Click this to bring up "Discussions List" menu in side panel ).

• You will see the "Discussion List" show up on the left side of your screen.  These are all the discussion boards forums (DBs) we will use for class.

• IF NO DISCUSSION LIST SHOWS UP....
  Look for a "settings" icon on your current D2L page(icon looks like this ). 
  Click the icon, then find a box that says "Always show the discussions list pane"" or "allow side bar" or "allow discussions list" . Then try again

2. Click on the "Orientation to D2L Forum". 

It will expand to show 2 topics (discussion areas).

3. Click on the "PSY1101 Practice Conference Area". Now you are ready to work.

• Part A: Post at least one message as a "new thread"(click the "Start a new thread" button and a window will pop up; THEN (1) enter a subject title; (2) write a sample post in the white box; (3) click the small "Post" button at the bottom left when your message is ready to post).
   
• Part B: Post at least one message as a "reply" to an existing message by clicking on the "thread title" of someone post. Notice how the board treats these two different posting options. Don't worry about getting something embarrassing out there - you can always "remove" or ''edit" any message that you have posted.

Task 3: Post your "Hello" Message to your classmates!

Your NEXT JOB on is to post a message introducing yourself in the "Hello Message" discussion board area.

You MUST Include the following information to complete this task:

• Name
• What university are you enrolled in during the regular school year.
• Where are you from
• List one interesting/unique/special thing about yourself.
• Feel free to share ANYTHING ELSE (BUT KEEP IT CIVIL)

Task 4:  Take the sample online quiz

Task 5: Create your D2L Profile

Creating your complete profile allows you to communicate to your instructor and to other students more personably.... Communicating this humanness can be really important in online classes as you become more "real".  This is good for communication in the online class environment. You are expected to do a COMPLETE job with this!

A list of all students (and the instructor) will appear. Find your name and click on the profile icon ( ).

Your profile MUST include:

1. A Picture of Yourself and your list your hometown
   (birthdate and and homepage locations are optional)
2. Complete info under "Contact Information" (its okay if you don't have a fax number, but hometown/state, email, and mobile number would be great!)-- if you have an issue with privacy please contact me for "work arounds"
3. Complete info under "Education & Work"
4. Complete all info under "Personal Info" (don't forget to include links for your favorite web sites).

D2L is a closed and password protected webservice.   Your info is not shared or available beyond other students. It is used simply so we can know eachother better :-). If you have an issue with privacy please contact me for "work arounds"

Once you have completed your profile, it will be complete for all your D2L classes.  You can modify your information anytime.

Task 6: Read Advice from Past Students!

Students want to hear about their class from other students more than they do from the instructor.  As part of this class, students who successfully complete this class leave advice for you to read and consider. Do it! It will help you.

This activity should take you 5 minutes or so to read though least student comments left for your benefit.

2. Click the "Discussion List" forum to bring up the "Discussions List" side menu (again).

3. Go to the forum (Advice for Future Students), Click on it.

4. Read student advice from at least 15 entries from past classes.

• From the student advice, identify at least 3-4 tips on succeeding in this class and write them in an email that you will send to me in Task 7 (see next task for details). 

Task 7: Email the instructor

In your email, you must tell me:

• (1) That you have finished all the tasks, .... AND
  
  (2) What you 3 things you learned after reading the student advice (task #6) and going through the orientation exercise !

When I receive this message will I know that you have finished your work.

I will review your work, and should reply to your message within 48 hours (not including weekends). You will then know that your computer is compatible with the course management system and that all of your work has been received.

Task 8:  Take the "Syllabus Exam" on "D2L"

It will be made available on Thursday or Friday of Week 1
from 10am to 11pm. See the syllabus for day.

FYI:
Any password protection will be removed
during the testing period

Students may retake this quiz as many times as they like during this time period in order to achieve the desired score.

The exam will consist of various questions mostly relating to the guidelines, deadlines, and other information this is critical to be aware of if one wishes to succeed in this course. The majority of answers to questions on this quiz will be found in the PSY1101 online syllabus (<go to syllabus>). However, a few questions may come from other class web pages (e.g., from the student resource/assignment page).

PRINT OUT YOUR SYLLABUS (ETC.) . 

• This quiz is an "open book" quiz that you may retake as many times as possible (within the given time window). 

WARNING: While it is not mandatory to get a high score on this quiz (95% or better), students who score poorly will immediately distinguish themselves as having a lack of commitment to the class.  Low scorers on the syllabus quiz will be noticed by the instructor and will be seen in an unfavorable light.

ONLINE STUDENTS: You can find the syllabus anytime "inside "D2L" by pressing the "syllabus" link toward the top-left-side of the D2L homepage OR by following this <link>.