Carolina Courses Online

Transcription

1 Carolina Courses Online THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL Student Handbook This handbook provides you with suggestions to help make your Carolina Courses Online experience the best it can be. We encourage you to read it in its entirety before you begin, and use it as a reference as you progress through your course. Carolina Courses Online Credit Programs for Part-time Students fridaycenter.unc.edu/cp/cco

2 Carolina Courses Online Handbook Welcome to Carolina Courses Online! Taking a course online is not the same as attending classes on campus, but we think you ll find that being a member of an online learning community has its advantages. You can develop skills such as self-discipline, reading for comprehension, and clarity in writing that will help you in other learning experiences. You ll also enjoy the flexibility of working at a time of your choosing and in comfortable surroundings. And you ll be able to take advantage of the unique benefits of online class discussion. This handbook provides you with suggestions to help make your Carolina Courses Online (CCO) experience the best it can be. We encourage you to read it in its entirety before you begin, and use it as a reference as you progress through your course. About the William and Ida Friday Center for Continuing Education The Friday Center is UNC-Chapel Hill s center for continuing education, serving the varied needs of adult learners through credit and noncredit courses and the operation of a continuing education conference facility. About Credit Programs for Part-time Students Carolina Courses Online is a semester-based distance education program offered by Credit Programs for Part-time Students, a unit of the William and Ida Friday Center for Continuing Education. Other programs include Self-paced Courses (both online and correspondence) and Part-time Classroom Studies (on-campus courses). The offices for Credit Programs for Part-time Students are housed in the Friday Center, which is a short distance from the UNC-Chapel Hill campus. Office hours are Monday Friday, 8 am 5 pm (except on Tuesdays, when hours are 9 am 5 pm). Website: fridaycenter.unc.edu/cp Contact Information Call: (800) or (919) Fax: (919) advisors: [email protected] student services: [email protected]

3 For more information, visit fridaycenter.unc.edu/cp/cco Contents Before the Semester Begins...1 Pay Tuition Review Confirmation Letter Purchase Materials Set up Onyen and On the First Day of the Semester...2 Accessing Your Course Begin Working Throughout the Semester...3 Communicating with Your Instructor Submitting Assignments Using Getting Help What Else Do I Need to Know?...5 The Honor Code Getting Help for Special Needs Library Services Final Exams Your Official Record: Grades and Transcripts Repurchase of Textbooks How to Drop, Withdraw, or Cancel Textbook Refund Policy...9 More Information...9 If You Get a Late Start If you enrolled during the late registration period, you can minimize delays in joining your class by immediately following the instructions in the Before the Semester Begins section, especially Set Up Onyen and . Students with Onyens are added to Sakai daily. Carolina Courses Online instructors welcome late enrollees, but it is your responsibility to get caught up with course assignments as soon as possible.

4 Carolina Courses Online Handbook Before the Semester Begins Pay Tuition After you have enrolled in a course through Carolina Courses Online, you will be billed via for tuition and fees by the UNC-Chapel Hill Student Account Services office. If you have questions about the ConnectCarolina billing process, or about fees, fines, holds, or other aspects of your bill, visit finance.unc.edu and click on Student Account Services. Information on third-party payment options can be found at Student Account Services under Our Services. UNC employees may use the tuition waiver program. Students who register after the billing period must pay estimated tuition and fees or give notice of anticipated aid to the University Cashier before they can be officially enrolled. Your enrollment is subject to cancellation if tuition is not paid by the due date on the bill. However, do not assume that your registration will be cancelled if you don t pay tuition. Tuition and other charges are subject to change, based on legislative mandates. It is possible for tuition to change for a particular semester after students have enrolled. If this happens, you will be billed for any increases, and any overpayments will be refunded. Review Confirmation Letter You will receive a confirmation letter that contains your PID, access information for your course, and contact information. Please keep this letter for reference throughout your course. You will also receive a drop/withdrawal form with drop and withdrawal deadlines. Purchase Materials The required textbooks for each course are listed with the course description. Friday Center Books & Gifts, operated by UNC Student Stores, is located at the Friday Center and carries the correct editions of the required textbooks. You can order online at fridaycenterstore.unc.edu. If you buy textbooks from outside sources, you are responsible for purchasing the correct editions. You should buy your textbooks after the dates below but as soon as possible after you enroll. For spring semester courses, purchase books after December 1. For summer semester courses, purchase books after April 15. For fall semester courses, purchase books after July 15. 1

5 For more information, visit fridaycenter.unc.edu/cp/cco Set Up Onyen and Create Your Onyen You will access your course with a unique identifier known as your UNC Onyen (Only Name You ll Ever Need) and your Onyen password. If you do not have an Onyen, it is important that you create one before your course starts. Please allow hours after registering before trying to create your Onyen. Then go to onyen.unc.edu and follow the directions. You will need your UNC PID number, which you received in your confirmation letter. You will need your Onyen and password each time you access your course. Subscribe to Services You also need a UNC-Chapel Hill account to receive communication from your instructor and billing information from UNC-Chapel Hill Student Accounts. Go to selfservice.unc.edu and follow the instructions. Access your at heelmail.unc.edu. On the First Day of the Semester Accessing Your Course Your course is hosted on a learning management system called Sakai. The Sakai course site will serve as your virtual classroom as you progress through the course. First, navigate to Sakai at sakai.unc.edu. Click Onyen Log In in the upper right corner and enter your Onyen and password. Find the name of your course listed on the top navigation bar, and click on it. Every CCO course is different, but all have similar formats. The course syllabus, the first page you will see after you click on the name of your course, will look similar to the one pictured below. 2

6 Carolina Courses Online Handbook The course syllabus contains all the information you need to get started, and will probably include the following: course overview and objectives required textbook(s) and other materials grading and course policies course requirements/assignments Academic Policies/Honor Code contact information. The left-hand navigation bar includes links to the course schedule, all your lessons, and the resources you will need to take an online course, such as forums, assignments, and quizzes. Click the navigation link for the Schedule, making a note of all due dates and exam dates in your personal calendar. CCO courses usually become available to students in Sakai a few days before the semester begins. Begin Working Return to the course syllabus and read each section carefully. Then click on the first lesson link. Follow the instructions and begin your work on the first lesson. You will probably have a reading assignment, and may have a writing assignment. In most courses, you will also have a discussion forum assignment. For the first lesson, it may be as simple as introducing yourself to your classmates. To communicate with the class, click the Forums link in the navigation bar. Because there are no classes to attend, it s up to you to establish a weekly routine that includes reading and studying, participating in class discussion, and submitting your assignments on time. Throughout the Semester Communicating with Your Instructor In addition to the forums, you can contact your instructor via . Your instructor s address is listed in the Contacts section of your Sakai site. Add it to your address book. We recommend that you your instructor using Sakai, since Sakai saves all sent and received messages. 3

7 For more information, visit fridaycenter.unc.edu/cp/cco Submitting Assignments Follow the instructions for submitting your assignments, which are generally found at the end of each lesson. Some courses use the Assignments tool in Sakai for submission of assignments. In those courses, you ll find an assignments link in the navigation bar. Using We recommend that you use the feature of Sakai for this course. When you log in to your course, you will see an link in the left navigation bar. Select Compose Message, select your recipient(s), click the CC box to send a copy of the message to recipients addresses (otherwise the message will be internal to the Sakai site), put the course name in the Subject line, and compose your message. Then click Send. By using Sakai s , a copy of any messages you send will be automatically saved in the Sakai site. All messages regarding the course will go to your UNC Onyen or HeelMail address. Off-campus users can access their UNC inbox using HeelMail. You can have your UNC forwarded to a different address by following the instructions in HeelMail (see edu/heelmail). If you use a filter on your account, you are responsible for ensuring that it does not prevent you from receiving messages from your instructor, the course listserv, or Friday Center staff. We strongly recommend that you use your UNC Onyen or Heelmail account for this course. Getting Help The Contacts link includes a list of names and addresses you may need for help with various situations. Contact your instructor if you have questions regarding the content of the course and your progress. Contact the instructional designer at the Friday Center about problems with your course site, including bad links or navigation problems. Contact the Student Services staff at the Friday Center if you have questions about enrollment, Onyen, credits, withdrawal, and so on. Contact the UNC Help desk for any problem you have with Sakai, 4

8 Carolina Courses Online Handbook your Internet connection, your browser, downloads, and so on. Help is available twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year. You can call HELP, or visit help.unc.edu to learn about other options including , live chat, and walk-in support. What Else Do I Need to Know? The Honor Code As a Carolina Courses Online student, you are responsible for obeying and supporting an honor system that prohibits lying, cheating, or stealing in relation to the academic practices of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The honor system also requires you to refrain from conduct that significantly impairs the welfare or the educational opportunities of others in the University community. An especially serious Honor Code violation is plagiarism. The UNC-Chapel Hill Honor System has found that 90 percent of the cases brought to its attention involve plagiarism. To make sure you understand how to avoid plagiarism, read the resources listed below: UNC Libraries Plagiarism Tutorial ( Plagiarism handout from UNC-Chapel Hill Writing Center (www. unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/plagiarism.html) 5

9 For more information, visit fridaycenter.unc.edu/cp/cco The UNC-Chapel Hill Honor System s explanation, What is Plagiarism? (honor.unc.edu/students/plagiarism.html). You are expected to do your own work in all aspects of your course. If you have questions about your work, ask your instructor before submitting the assignment. For more information, see UNC-Chapel Hill s Honor System website ( Getting Help for Special Needs Students with documented learning disabilities or attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorder can receive services through the Academic Success Program for Students with LD and ADHD. (Visit learningcenter. unc.edu for more information.) Students with documented disabilities can receive services through the Department of Accessibility Resources & Service. (Visit accessibility.unc.edu for more information.) Students must self-identify through Accessibility Resources in order to receive services or accommodation from either of these offices. Accessibility Resources works closely with programs, offices, and departments throughout the University with the goal of creating an accessible environment. The office is located in Suite 2126 of the Student Academic Services Building (SASB), 450 Ridge Road, and is open from 8 am to 5 pm Monday through Friday. The staff can be contacted by telephone at (V) or 711 (NC-RELAY) or by at [email protected]. For more information, visit accessibility.unc.edu. Library Services Students enrolled in Carolina Courses Online can access online library resources from the UNC Library System by linking to Library Services for Distance Education Students, This website includes information on using library resources such as e-reserves, online databases, online journals, online books, and live help with research and library access. Your Onyen and password will grant you access to many of these resources. If you are unable to access the library s licensed resources, a distance librarian is available online to assist you. Final Exams Most CCO courses administer the final exam online, via or Sakai. If your course requires that a final exam be taken under supervision, you ll be given specific instructions for scheduling and taking your exam at an approved testing site. 6

10 Carolina Courses Online Handbook Your Official Record: Grades and Transcripts Your final grade will be reported to the UNC-Chapel Hill Registrar and credits earned will be equivalent to courses on the UNC-Chapel Hill campus. Use ConnectCarolina to view your official record, including your final grades. Go to connectcarolina.unc.edu and click the Login to Student Center button. Use your Onyen to log in. Your instructor is required to submit grades to the University Registrar s office 72 hours after the final exam. Grades are updated each night except on weekends and during holidays. The University Registrar will not automatically mail your grades. To order a transcript from UNC-Chapel Hill, download and complete the interactive Transcript Order Form at registrar.unc.edu/academicservices/transcripts-certifications/transcript-services/. For more information, visit registrar.unc.edu. Repurchase of Textbooks Friday Center Books & Gifts repurchases course materials that are being used during the upcoming term according to stock levels. Not all textbooks are eligible for buyback. Coursepacks are not acceptable for buybacks. The Carolina Courses Online buyback period is held for one week during final exams during spring and fall semesters only. There is no buyback period for summer classes. 7

11 For more information, visit fridaycenter.unc.edu/cp/cco Drop, Withdraw, Cancel How to Drop or Cancel If you wish to cancel your registration or drop a course from your schedule you must complete a form and return it to the address at the bottom of the form. Go to fridaycenter.unc.edu/cp/cco/forms.htm to find the right form for your semester. The form includes the deadlines and mailing address. Cancellation is dropping all of your courses on your UNC-Chapel Hill schedule for the term (fall, spring, or summer) before classes begin. It is, in effect, the same as not having registered at all. No entry is made on your permanent record, and 100 percent of your prepaid tuition and fees is refunded. Dropping a course assumes that you have other courses on your UNC- Chapel Hill schedule for the current term (semester or summer session). You may drop a course with credit to your financial account up to two weeks into the semester or three days into the summer session. You will receive a full refund if the published deadlines are met (see Calendars for exact deadlines). No refund will be given after the published deadlines. How to Withdraw First, carefully read the withdrawal policy so that you can make an informed decision to withdraw from the University. Once you have decided to withdraw from the University, follow the Registrar s Withdraw Process instructions. Basically, you will go to your Student Center in ConnectCarolina, log in using your Onyen, and submit a Student Withdrawal E-form. Withdrawal is dropping your only course or all of the courses on your UNC-Chapel Hill schedule for the term (fall, spring, or summer) once classes have begun. You may be eligible for a prorated refund, depending on the date of withdrawal; you must complete the e-withdrawal form 8

12 Carolina Courses Online Handbook before the deadline to receive any prorated refund for spring semester. For the fall and spring semesters, the prorated refund is over a period of nine weeks at a rate of one-tenth of the term s bill, after a nonrefundable administrative charge of $25 is deducted. Summer term refunds will be based on the dates in the summer calendar. Transfers to other courses or other students are not permitted. Notifying your instructor, the University Registrar s Office, or the Student Accounts Office does not drop you or withdraw you. You need to follow the procedures outlined above. If you have questions about the e-form, withdrawing, or dropping a course, please contact the Credit Programs office at We ll be glad to help. Textbook Refund Policy Within ten business days of the first day of class, Friday Center Books & Gifts will issue a refund for textbooks if both of the following conditions are met: the student has the original receipt the books are in the same condition as when purchased. After ten business days from the first day of class, books can be returned for a full refund only if the student has dropped the class and meets all of the following conditions: the student has formally withdrawn from the course and has proof of drop, withdrawal, or cancellation from Credit Programs for Part-time Students the student has the original receipt the books are in the same condition as when purchased. If you are shipping your books back for a refund, please remember to include your name and current address. Coursepacks are nonreturnable. More Information All the information in this handbook plus much more is on our website, fridaycenter.unc.edu/cp/cco. 9