STUDENT ORIENTATION TO Desire2Learn
(you may want to print this page!)

Task 1: Make Sure You are Enrolled in the correct PSY3319 Section of Desire2Learn @ Mansfield University

You should be enrolled in:

Positive Psychology
(Dr. Craig)
PSY-3319-190
(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 an 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.

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 immediately 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 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, 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 D2L page you are looking at (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 "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's 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!

When you are comfortable with the discussion board posting, your NEXT JOB is to post a message introducing yourself in the "Hello Message" discussion board area.

To receive credit, you MUST Include the following information :

• Name
• What university are you enrolled in during the regular school year and your major.
• Where are you from
• List one interesting/unique/special thing about yourself
• ANYTHING ELSE YOU MAY WANT TO SHARE (BUT KEEP IT CIVIL)

Task 4:  Create your D2L Profile

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

To receive credit, your profile MUST include:

1. A picture of yourself and your list your hometown
   (birth date and and home page 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!)
3. Complete info under "Education & Work"
4. Complete all info under "Personal Info" (don't forget to include links for your favorite web sites)

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

Task 5: Use Dropbox to send me a "MS-Word" copy of your "Hello Message"

Task: Copy the "Hello Message" you posted on the D2L Discussion Board to your word processing software (for example, copy it to MS-Word) and submit it to me by drop box.

How to do it:

1. On the course banner (top part of D2L) page, there is a "Dropbox" button beside the "Discussions" link.  Click on it.
2. Click on the folder titled "Hello Message by Drop Box".
3. Find the "Add a File" button and click it.
4. A window will pop up.  Click the "Upload" button and find the "hello message" file on your computer.
5. Select the "Hello Message" File by double-clicking it.
6. Click the "Add" button at the bottom of the screen.

Task 6: Email the instructor and share what you have learned.

You can also click the message icon in the top black banner and click on "go to email" (see picture below)

In your email,  let me know:
(1) That you have finished all the tasks

AND
(2) What you have learned from going through the orientation exercise!

AND
(3) What you have learned from reading student advice (find the document on the D2L class page in the "Class Links" section)

When I receive this message it will let us know that you have finished your work. (TO ONLINE STUDENTS ONLY: I will review your work and 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.

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Task 7:  Complete your first Fill-in-the-Blank (FIB) quiz

For this task you must:

a) Read "Introduction to Positive Psychology" Chapter (external PDF file);
(b)Take the sample online "Fill in the Blank Orientation Quiz" (FIB) quiz

(This task will take a little time 1-2 hours.... do not procrastinate!)

The Deadline is Thursday, Aug 20th 11:59pm.

FIB quizzes require you to:

• (1) Read text material to locate missing words (blanks) on a power point presentation that has been adapted to the text chapter you are reading.

----You will need both the text material (your reading) and the Powerpoint file available to complete this assignment.

Introduction to Positive Psychology-Orientation Assignment Reading

Introduction to Positive Psychology Powerpoint FIB

 

• (2) Record the answers to the "Blanks" and enter them in a quiz on D2L.

----To help with this. there is an blank answer sheet available on D2L that you can use to record you answers.  Using this answer sheet is not mandatory, but it may be helpful.

Answer sheet

A sample FIB quiz has been prepared for you. You can find it by pressing the "Quizzes" link on the D2L page (on the left-side gray banner on our course page), then find the "FIB Orientation Quiz".  It will demonstrate some of the format of quiz item that you will see when taking FIB quizzes on "D2L".

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

The syllabus exam is Mandatory for this course.

It will made available on Friday, August 21st
from 10am to 11pm.

FYI:
Password protection will be removed
during the testing period

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

The quiz will consist of questions relating to the guidelines, deadlines, and other information that is critical to be aware of if one wishes to succeed in this course. The majority of answers to questions on this quiz are found on the PSY3319 online syllabus (<go to syllabus>). However, a few questions will 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. 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 students with 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.

STUDENTS: You can find the syllabus anytime "inside "D2L" by pressing the "syllabus" link toward the left-side on the gray banner of the D2L screen OR by following this <link>.