UNIV 0001: UoPEOPLE PREVIEW NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION

General

UNIV 0001: UoPEOPLE PREVIEW
NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION

General Information and Forums

Welcome to the University of the People orientation course! Starting this 3 week course means that you are one step closer to beginning your classes with us! To begin the course, check out the syllabus and announcement pages below. After reading through those two tabs, scroll down to Unit 1 and click on 'Learning Guide Unit 1' .

This optional video can be useful too:

A note to MBA students: In a typical UoPeople MBA course, you will not have quizzes and learning journals at the end of each unit. You will have to complete a weekly portfolio assignment, and at the end of the course to write a final paper, or submit a group project. However, please still take the time to complete the quizzes and learning journals in this orientation course, as they will help you to be successful in your future courses!

Good luck and congratulations on taking the first step towards receiving a higher education! Now you can explore the syllabus and announcements with the links below.

Syllabus

UNIV 0001: UoPeople Preview (New Student Orientation)

Syllabus

This is your very first course syllabus at UoPeople. Each course you take will come with a syllabus which is an outline of the course and what is to be expected throughout the course in terms of readings, topics, assignments, and exams. Continue reading to explore what this orientation course has to offer.

Prerequisites: None.

Orientation Description: UoPeople Preview is your first opportunity to experience life at UoPeople as a student! UoPeople Preview will help you feel at home in the online learning environment, become familiar with the academic setting, and understand how to access resources and support services.

Required Textbook and Materials: This orientation does not contain a main textbook; all required reading and resources will be provided in the Learning Guide for each week. Furthermore, all regular UoPeople courses use open educational resources (OER) and other materials specifically donated to the University with free permissions for educational use. Therefore, students are not required to purchase any textbooks or sign up for any websites that have a cost associated with them during their studies at UoPeople.

Software Requirements/Installation: No special requirements.

Learning Objectives and Outcomes:

By the end of Orientation, students will be able to:

Identify the key components of the online learning environment (Moodle).

Explain what academic integrity means, including how to avoid plagiarism.

Be familiar with important strategies and characteristics necessary to become a successful online student.

Explain what is meant by Netiquette.

Identify resources at the UoPeople including where to get assistance.

Examine the benefits of and methods for conducting peer assessments.

Orientation Schedule and Topics: This orientation will cover the following topics in 3 learning sessions, with one Unit per week.

Week 1: Unit 1 - Welcome! Getting Comfortable with your Online Classroom and Introduction to Being a Student at UoPeople

Week 2: Unit 2 - Being an Online Student: Strategies for Success

Week 3: Unit 3 -Wrapping things up; Degree Requirements and LOA

Learning Guide: The following is an outline of your orientation to UoPeople.

Unit 1: Welcome! Getting Comfortable with your Online Classroom and Introduction to Being a Student at UoPeople

Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments

Read the Discussion Assignment

Complete the Unit 1 Assignment

Complete the Learning Journal

Take the Self-Quiz

Unit 2: Being an Online Student: Strategies for Success

Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments

Read the Discussion Assignment

Complete the Unit 2 Assignment

Complete the Learning Journal

Take the Self-Quiz

Unit 3: Wrapping things up; Degree Requirements and LOA

Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments

Read the Discussion Assignment

Complete the Unit 3 Assignment

Complete the Learning Journal

Take the Graded Quiz

Orientation Requirements:

Unit Assignments & Assessment FormsThere will be a Unit Assignment to complete for each of the study Units during Orientation, and we highly recommend that you complete them for good practice and to get a head start in your future studies at UoPeople. You will also learn about Peer Assessment at UoPeople.

Discussion Assignments & Response Posts/Ratings
During Orientation, we will review how Discussion Assignments and Discussion Response Posts/Ratings function at UoPeople in regular courses, but you will not be required to answer a Discussion Assignment question. We still encourage you to read the Discussion Assignment chapters in the Learning Guides each week, as the background information there will be very useful for you as you begin studying next term.

Learning Journals
The Learning Journal is a tool for self-reflection on the learning process and we encourage you to complete all 3 of the Learning Journals during Orientation for good practice on your own. Since they will not be submitted, the Learning Journals will not be reviewed, read, or assessed by an instructor, as they normally would be in all of your UoPeople courses.

Quizzes
This orientation will contain two types of quizzes – the Self-Quizzes (Units 1-2) and the Graded Quiz (Unit 3). During Units 1-2, you will have unlimited time and multiple attempts to take each of the Self-Quizzes and improve your results; we recommended that you complete them to ensure that you have adequately understood the materials covered in Orientation. During Unit 3, the Graded Quiz will have a 30 minute time limit and a 1 attempt restriction, as this is standard practice in regular Uopeople courses. For the purposes of Orientation only, this Graded Quiz (Unit 3) will not affect any sort of grade in your studies. It is highly recommended that you take and submit all 3 of the quizzes during Orientation, so that you understand how these quizzes normally function during regular UoPeople courses.

Course Policies:

Grading Components and WeightsNew Student Orientation (UoPeople Preview) is an ungraded course, so please do not worry about the content or submission status of any of its assignments/quizzes here. However, we still highly recommend you follow along closely each week and complete assignments as instructed in order to become familiar and comfortable with the online learning environment, and get a good head start in your future studies.

Academic Honesty and Integrity
As you will learn during New Student Orientation, it is essential to reference all source material. When you submit any work that requires research and writing, it is essential to cite and reference all source material. Failure to properly acknowledge your sources is known as “plagiarism” – which is effectively passing off an individual’s words or ideas as your own. University of the People adheres to a strict policy of academic honesty and integrity. Failure to comply with these guidelines may result in sanctions by the University, including dismissal from the University or course failure. For more information on this topic, please review the Academic Integrity Policy in the University Catalog.

Unless otherwise stated, any materials cited in this course should be referenced using the style guidelines established by the American Psychological Association (APA). The APA format is widely used in colleges and universities across the world and is one of several style and citation formats required for publication in professional and academic journals. Purdue University’s Online Writing LAB (OWL) is a free website that provides excellent information and resources for understanding and using the APA format and style. The OWL website can be accessed here: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/purdue_owl.html

Code of Conduct
University of the People expects that students conduct themselves in a respectful, collaborative, and honest manner at all times. Harassment, threatening behavior, or deliberate embarrassment of others will not be permitted. Any conduct that interferes with the quality of the educational experience is not allowed and may result in disciplinary action, such as course failure, probation, suspension, or dismissal. For more information on this topic, please review the General Code of Conduct Policy in the University Catalog.

Announcements

For the purposes of Orientation only, this forum will be used as a space for your Orientation Advisors to post announcements to all new UoPeople students participating in New Student Orientation (UoPeople Preview). It should not be used as an announcement space by any other users so please do not post or reply in this forum.

Note that in regular UoPeople courses, this area will be used by your Course Instructors to post announcements, clarify course issues, and motivate students; only Course Instructors can initiate announcements here.

Separate groups: All participants

(There are no discussion topics yet in this forum)

16 August - 22 August

UNIT 1: Welcome! Getting Comfortable with your Online Classroom and Introduction to Being a Student at UoPeople

You will begin each unit by first going to the learning guide and completing the selection of readings. Then, once you are done with the readings, you can complete the discussion, assignment, learning journal, and self-quiz that go along with each separate unit.

Learning Guide Unit 1

Introduction and Welcome to New Student Orientation

Welcome to the first module of University of the People's orientation course! We are so excited to have you.

This week’s course is focused on getting to know Moodle and Yammer and the other key components of UoPeople. It’s important for you to get to know Moodle, as you will be spending a lot of time there! In addition, you will learn about the different university offices at UoPeople, how to seek out help, how to register for courses, along with the other basics of the university.

We recommend that you read through everything very carefully, and perhaps even more than once this week. As you'll see, there is a lot of material to get through and many exercises as well!

Finally, we want to reiterate that New Student Orientation (UoPeople Preview) is a read-only space and intended for you to move through at your own pace during each of the three learning weeks. We understood quickly that it would be very important to invite students to have these few weeks to move around Moodle and become familiar with the landscape of the university.

Note, that we do not ask you to submit any of the work during orientation because the orientation is not formally a course, it is completely optional, and unlike all other courses at UoPeople, there is no assigned Course Instructor for the orientation. However, there are advisors who are available to answer your questions if you email advising@uopeople.edu. Please keep that address handy!

Though the orientation is not graded, we highly encourage you to do all of the work! What you put into the next three weeks can have a great impact on your transition to online learning when you start your studies at UoPeople. Our hope is that you'll put as much time as you can into the orientation course, as we think it's highly worthwhile.

Overview

Unit 1: Welcome! Getting Comfortable with your Online Classroom and Introduction to Being a Student at UoPeople

This is the 'Overview' page that will appear at the beginning of all 3 modules. Here you can see a table of contents telling you what you can expect to read and learn from each module.

Module 1 is a complete introduction to UoPeople and how we operate. This module contains essential information that you will carry with you throughout your studies here. Good luck!

Topics:

Intro and Welcome to UoPeople
FAQ
UoPeople Clock
Online Classroom Navigation
Moodle/Yammer and Support
Library Access
The American Academic System
American e-learning Technology
How to get Help from the University
Disability Services
Role of the Instructor/Faculty
Language Barriers and Culture Shock
Course Registration

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this Unit, you will be able to:

Understand the key components of UoPeople
Navigate Moodle and Yammer
Access the online library
Understand the American academic system
Understand the function of the different UoPeople offices and how to get help
Prepare for possible culture shock and language barriers
Register for courses

Tasks:

Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
Visit the Course Forum to ask questions and meet other students and academic advisors (optional)
Read the Discussion Assignment
Complete the Unit 1 Assignment
Make entries to and submit the Learning Journal
Take the Self-Quiz

Are you ready to start learning about Moodle and the other basics of being a student at UoPeople? Throughout each module, there will be a set of readings recommended for you to go through, as they will be instrumental in ensuring your success at UoPeople throughout your time with us.

Reading Assignment

Frequently Asked Questions

This reading contains a few Frequently Asked Questions etc.

Question: When will I receive my UoPeople Student ID (identification) number?

Answer: You should already have your Student ID # and your Password. It was sent to you by the Office of Student Services in the email that was sent to you announcing the information about New Student Orientation. You will need your Student ID # and password for logging into both the Student Portal and Moodle.

Question: What is UoPeople Time?

Answer: UoPeople Time is (GMT-5 time zone). If you want to see the current time at UoPeople, go to the main/front page of your course and you'll see the UoPeople Clock is in the upper left hand corner of the screen just above where it says "Navigation".

Question: Where should I go now if I still have questions?

Answer: You are always welcome to email advising@uopeople.edu to request advice from a Program Advisor! Your Program Advisor will be assigned to you during the orientation and will be there for you as a resource for you throughout your time at the University.

UoPeople Clock and Time

Notice that there is a clock in the upper left area of the course that never changes.

The UoPeople Clock is always at UoPeople Time which is GMT -5. The clock, functioning as a place that always reflects UoPeople Time for students all around the world who are studying at UoPeople, is not adjustable.

However, students who wish to do so, can edit their profile in the “Edit Profile” area and set their own time zone there. Note that this will still not change the UoPeople clock – but it will change their Moodle module/assignment times to reflect the time in their own time zone accordingly. So, for example, students located in the Pacific time zone who edit their profile as such, will see their assignment modules say that something is “due 8:55pm” instead of “11:55pm.”

So here's our recommendation: if you want to setup your profile’s time zone to your own time zone, you can follow the time deadlines written on/inside your modules only – not the UoPeople Clock-- since again, the UoPeople Clock is set to always display UoPeople Time (GMT -5) and is not set to display a student's time zone.

After you have set your Moodle profile to your own time zone (if you so choose), please do not cross check or cross reference the UoPeople clock with your own modules – as these two areas differ and are not interchangeable. Follow your module dates/times only to ensure that you meet assignment/quiz deadlines. Also, mistaking deadlines due to altering the profile time zone is not a technical error and not a reason for a quiz or other reset.

If you have questions about the UoPeople Clock, plan to check-in with your Program Advisor for additional assistance.

Online Classroom Navigation

It may take a while to get a hang of studying online versus in a classroom, but with practice, it will become easier.

Important Tips

The Learning Week at UoPeople goes from Thursday to Wednesday.

So, what does that mean exactly? We'll explain! On Thursday morning, you will see all the requirements for the new week including your course readings, the discussion forum, learning journal, any assignments, quizzes (both optional and required) etc.

Suggestion: We recommend that you look at everything required on Thursday so you can plan out the week and know what's ahead. You will not want to do this any later than Thursday! Why? Because at UoPeople, Wednesday is the end of the Learning Week. And so everything has to be submitted or “turned-in" by Wednesday at 11:55pm UoPeople Time (GMT-5 time zone) except the Learning Journals which are due at 11:55pm UoPeople Time (GMT-5 time zone) on Thursday the following week they are assigned.

Tip: Map out your week, and begin to build in time for your studies. How many hours do you plan to set aside on Thursday, on Friday, over the weekend, and the following week? Our experience tells us that you will need to set aside a minimum of 15 hours per course.

Here are a few ways to make sure you build in the 15 hours a week to your schedule. Obviously, you'll have to figure out what works best for you.

Option A) 3 hours a day for 5 days
Option B) 6 hours a day on Saturday and Sunday, along with one hour during 3 other days
Option C) 4 hours on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, along with one hour during 3 other days
Option D) Any other combination of 15 hours that works for you mapped out Thursday-Wednesday

If you do not have 15 hours a week to spend on a course, you should pause carefully to figure out if you can set aside enough hours to make this work. Maybe speak with a trusted friend or family member to honestly discuss whether you have time to take courses even at all. Or you may wish to talk about it with one of our UoPeople Program Advisors by emailing advising@uopeople.edu. And just a reminder, if you have not yet been connected with your Program Advisor, no worries--you will get an email shortly! Many thanks in advance for your patience.

Tip: Finish your coursework work early. By completing all of your requirements in the first half of the week (Thursday to Sunday), you will:

Avoid rushing and trying to do everything at the last minute.
Have a chance to fix any internet or computer connectivity issues that you may be facing.
Allow your peers to respond and rate your discussion forum posts with the proper amount of time needed.
Allow yourself time to rate and assess your peers’ submissions.
The Abbreviation for University of the People is UoPeople, not UoP.
A lot of students might refer to University of the People as UoP, but please note that UoP is the abbreviation for University of Phoenix. Please help us spread the word when you see students abbreviating UoPeople incorrectly.

This is Moodle, which is the learning platform we are using at UoPeople.

At the top of the main page of this orientation course, you have all the links organized by different topics, such as the syllabus, the textbook and announcements by the instructor. The class forum is a place to interact with your fellow students and instructor. Here you can ask questions, introduce yourself and be updated through up the term.

Each week you’ll see one unit. We can see the first week’s unit and next week, you will have unit two, on the third week you will have unit three.

The UoPeople learning model is very flexible. You are not required to be online at a specific time a day, as long as you can submit your assignment by the deadline by each week you are able to complete your work at your own pace, we call this an asynchronous learning environment.

At the beginning of the week, you read the learning guide which has a structure similar to an e-book. You can go through the pages and read the introduction and the introductory post. You can also see the reading assignments: In this case, you have to read chapters one and three of the textbook, which you can download. In some cases, there are also recommended videos to watch, but they are never mandatory. All of our reading materials are free of charge and are part of the OER movement.

Afterwards, you need to participate in the discussion forum. You will also have to rate three of your peers and your grade will be based on the grade that your peers gave you. Then, you have the written assignment which is also graded by your peers, and the learning journal which is graded by your instructor.

On some weeks, you will have a review, and in some, a quiz. At the end of the course in the undergraduate program, you will have a final exam which is a part of your final course grade.

In case you’ve encountered any difficulties, e-mail or message the instructors through the messaging system in Moodle. If you have any technical or broader questions, you should contact you program advisor. You can also ask your peers in our social network called Yammer.

Keep in mind that Moodle allows access only while you are enrolled in a course. You will lose all access when that course is finished. To save the materials, download them to your computer. Next term, you will have access to courses that you are enrolled in for that specific term.

To keep track of your courses, go to the student portal. You’ll see your previous courses, future courses, grades and where you can enroll for your next course.

Important Skills for Online Learners

Online learning takes a lot of independence and self discipline, more so than in a typical classroom environment. There is less structure and less direction from a teacher or instructor on when to read or review something from class, and students need to take their education into their own hands.

Time management is crucial for an online student. You must carve out a consistent time in your schedule to dedicate to school work so you make enough time for that on top of family or employment commitments. It is easy to lose track of time.

It is also important to develop responsibility for your own learning. Your professor will give you the information you need to take part in the class, and it is crucial that you use it. Read the syllabus, use the online library, read your textbook, complete assignments and deadlines ahead of time, and organize a space to save all of your school work.

Good study skills are so important! Read up on how to take quality notes and how to read higher level textbooks effectively. Learn how to research online for an assignment and how to tell apart a good source from a bad source. Learn how to write a proper research paper. All of these skills will be vital to your success.

Communication skills are so important for an online student. A lot of your work will be very independent since you won’t be studying in a physical classroom, so if you have a question or are having some confusion, it is important that you take the necessary steps to get help. Engage in your learning community and discussion boards. Email back and forth with your professor. Having great computer skills is crucial to be a successful online student. You should learn the basics of using a word processing software, how to save your work, and how to successfully use a keyboard. You can get ahead and become an expert on these skills before your class starts!

Preparation is key!

Moodle/Yammer and Support

Learning Your Way Around Moodle: It's your Campus at UoPeople!

What is Moodle, you may be asking; it's a fair enough question! So ask away, and we'll answer you here.

Moodle is UoPeople's Learning Management System (LMS). Right now, you are in Moodle.

Here's another way to think about it: Moodle is UoPeople's Online Campus.

Although Moodle and Class Forums are not open to public access, students should note that these online spaces are neither private nor confidential. Neither students nor instructional personnel should assume privacy when communicating in UoPeople's LMS.Note that the University may access and observe communications conducted on the LMS for regulatory, accreditation, research, and other administrative purposes such as enforcing the General Code of Conduct, including investigating allegations of misconduct, suspected misconduct or other complaints.

Suggestion: You're in Moodle right this minute if you're reading this article. We suggest that you click around for 15 minutes and see where your clicks lead you. We want you to feel very comfortable with Moodle so best to explore now before classes begin so you feel nice and comfortable with your LMS at UoPeople.

Think of it like this: if you were in a new place you would walk around a bit to learn more about your new surroundings! So here too, take a walk around Moodle and see what you can see. It's your new campus at UoPeople! Welcome again!

Moodle Support

Moodle Support is available to registered students through email at support@uopeople.edu. In order to troubleshoot the problem, students are asked to include the following information in the e-mail:

1. Student ID number and the student’s first and last names

2. The course number and the course name (example: BUS 1103 Microeconomics).

3. Provide a brief description about what happened when the error occurred.

4. Include any error messages received. Another option is for students to press the ‘print screen’ button (located on the upper right corner of most keyboards) and copy and paste the image into the body of the email.

5. Record the exact time (University of the People time) that the error occurred.

Also, reaching out to your program advisor is also a great way to get your questions answered.

Yammer

In the spring of 2015 UoPeople introduced Yammer, a secure social network to allow students and the wider UoPeople community to collaborate and communicate.

This virtual space, Yammer, can be thought of as the University's "lawn" - a collaborative and social area where students, alumni, staff, instructors, supporters and volunteers can meet and hang out. Yammer groups are more than Facebook groups; the groups are designed to help facilitate connections in the UoPeople community. What kind of connections you may ask? Yammer is designed to help facilitate connections between people, teams, information and ideas all within the University. It's actually quite cool!

Here's a bit more about Yammer. You can use the UoPeople Yammer network to:

1) Meet and communicate with others in the larger UoPeople community.

2) Join online groups, interest groups, UoPeople groups (there are many to choose from) to keep all conversations, updates, and files for a project in one place.

3) Create your own groups.

4) Ask questions, share status updates, ideas, news and get to feel like you are on a campus!

Do I have to join Yammer?

No, participation in Yammer is optional.

Yammer Support

All questions about Yammer should be directed to outreach@uopeople.edu

Also, reaching out to your program advisor is also a great way to get your questions answered.

Access to the Library - LIRN and JSTOR

UoPeople is a member of the Library and Information Resource Network (LIRN). Founded in 1996, LIRN is a consortium of educational institutions which have joined together to share access to information resources. As a student at UoPeople, you have access to this online library with over 60 million journal articles, books, encyclopedias, newspapers, magazines, and audio and video clips. UoPeople also subscribes to JSTOR giving students online access to a wide array of journals to support research, writing and learning activities. JSTOR too can be accessed directly within Moodle and includes access to more than 2,300 academic journals and more than 50 million digitized pages. You will be able to access LIRN from the main page of Moodle by clicking on "Access to Library and Information Resource Network”. (See second link below) Note that you do not need a special access code for accessing LIRN if you are logged in from Moodle; the access is automatic. LIRN will give you access as a UoPeople student only if you enter through Moodle. This means that you should not bookmark in your browser the link to LIRN because that will mean a direct access and you won't be recognized as a student of UoPeople.

We also suggest that you take some time now to access a few of the LIRN tutorials on YouTube. Go to http://www.lirn.net/training/ and click on Online click on LIRN You Tube Page (Instructional Videos).

We want to leave you with this thought: there's always something cool and valuable at the library, so don't miss out on using LIRN during your time at UoPeople.

The American Academic System

If you’re planning to get your degree from an American college or university, learning about how the American education system works is a great way to start preparing. There are thousands of colleges and universities in the U.S., and none of them are the same. It may seem confusing, but there are commonalities shared by most U.S. educational institutions. Learning how American higher education operates, as well as learning some of the most common concepts and terms, is helpful for all students entering an American college or university, whether you’re coming from abroad or whether you’re an American student just looking to get some clarity!

How Are American Universities Organized?

American universities operate within a hierarchical organizational structure that starts at the top with the president (sometimes referred to as Chancellor) of the university. In many cases, the president is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the university itself.

The president is the public face of the university. His or her responsibilities are broad and include overseeing the academic quality of all university departments, overseeing the university’s finances and fundraising efforts, implementing new university policies and overseeing the personnel of the university.

The second most senior role within the university is that of the vice president. Usually there is more than one. While the president liaises between the university and the outside world, the role of the vice president is generally to deal more with internal matters, helping to define and implement the academic vision and mission of the university.

One of the vice presidents (and usually the most senior) is responsible for the academics, and is also called the provost. The provost oversees all the university’s academic affairs from curriculum to research, and who also oversees the recruitment of new faculty members. Under the provost, there is the vice provost. A university may have one or more vice provosts to specifically oversee a certain area of focus – such as alumni relations, research or community outreach.

The leaders of all academic departments in the university report to the provost. These department leaders are called deans. Each academic department within the university or college will have a dean, such as Dean of Arts and Sciences, or Dean of Business Administration. The deans are the link between each specific department and the broader academic structure of the university, and are responsible for hiring decisions in their departments, departmental policies and overseeing the department’s quality.

Within each department are instructors. Instructors – sometimes called professors or teachers – teach courses, mentor students, and lead any research efforts within the university.

University Support Structures

Each university has a network of support systems to help students successfully navigate their academic journey. The first place a student can turn to for academic support is their instructors. Instructors can point students in the right direction for academic support, and can also answer questions about their specific courses. The relationship between instructors and students is very much a professional one, and students should turn to their instructors mainly with academic concerns.

If students have questions about a course, they are encouraged to ask. Instructors are happy to help by either recommending tutoring, directing students to additional resources, or simply discussing the material.

Students are also encouraged to engage actively with their instructors during class time. Class participation is highly valued and may even be a factor in a student’s grade. Participating in discussions and asking questions are highly encouraged and are appropriate forms of classroom behavior.

Students can also turn to their program advisors for help. While professors are there to help students succeed in their specific course, a program advisor has a broader and more personal role. Students are assigned a program advisor to help them with the bigger picture of their academic experience. Students can turn to program advisors for mentorship and advice about which courses to take, how to develop more effective study habits, and how to deal with the challenges of being a university student.

A university may have an entire department of student services headed by a Dean of Students Affairs. This department will offer support resources for students related both to academic and non-academic concerns, such as personal development, mental and physical health, stress management, social development and more.

The Program Advising Office will be staffed with advisors who can offer confidential, helpful advice and resources to students in need.

Academic Culture and Standards

Students in a University are expected to meet high academic standards that may be very different than those previously encountered in earlier schooling. Students are expected to take an active role in their courses. There is often a great deal of reading and writing to be done outside of the classroom. With writing assignments, students are expected to do research and put forth original ideas.

Universities will explain their individual policies of academic ethics to all new students, but one policy that all universities share is an absolute ban on students plagiarizing other people’s work. Plagiarism is when a student uses, copies, or closely imitates someone else’s work and presents it as their own. Plagiarism can refer to copying and pasting words from an online article or using another student’s work as part of their own. Even if a student changes the words, it is still plagiarism to copy someone else’s ideas.

While students are encouraged to incorporate words and ideas of others into their own work, these ideas and quotations must be accompanied by proper citation. This means that after using someone else’s words, data or concepts, students must include a note within the paper saying exactly where this material came from. Citations are an important part of academic work, and students’ grades will be affected if they do not include them, or even if they are not presented properly.

Learning how to properly cite research will be one of your first tasks as a university student. The university may have a general policy on how to write citations, or each instructor may issue their own instructions.

Other academic policies will be explained by instructors or by the university itself, but here is a list of some basic ‘Dos and Don’ts’ for a university classroom that apply to almost all universities in the U.S.

Do’s and Don’t’s for a University Classroom

DON'T plagiarize.

DO use citations.

DON'T miss class. Each class covers a great deal of material and attendance may affect your grade as well.

DO ask questions in class.

DO take notes. Your notes are as important as your textbooks. Also, note taking helps commit new information to memory.

DON'T use inappropriate language.

DO be respectful to your instructors and peers.

DON'T treat your peers as your competitors. Help them and be a team player.

DO your homework. University courses cover a great deal of material, and have reading assignments that students are expected to do in their own time. Coming to class without having done these assignments is like missing a class

DON'T ignore the deadlines. Manage your time properly to meet your deadlines.

DO be sensitive to different cultures.

When necessary, DO give constructive criticism.

Other Important Information About American Universities

Academic Year
American colleges and universities operate on an academic year that runs from Autumn to Spring.

Grading
When applying to an American college or university, you will be required to submit transcripts – official records of your grades from previous academic experiences.

For U.S. students, this involves the submission of a Grade Point Average (GPA). A GPA is the calculated average of all a student’s grades, and is presented in the form of a number from 0.0 (lowest) to 4.0 (highest). Many colleges and universities have a minimum GPA for acceptance. Every university has an Office of Admissions, where prospective students can turn with questions about applications and admission requirements.

International students applying to American colleges and universities from abroad are advised to reach out to Offices of Admissions to check whether their academic experience qualifies them for higher education at specific institutions. It is possible that some students will have to complete an extra year of schooling to prepare for American higher education.

Levels of Study
Before starting college or university, American students will typically have completed 12 years of study at elementary and secondary school. Starting at around the age of five, children begin elementary school education, which lasts for five to six years depending on the local system. Then they will move onto a secondary school, which includes both middle school (sometimes called junior high school) and high school.

After the successful completion of high school, students are awarded a high school diploma or certificate, qualifying them in many cases to continue studying at college or university, referred to in the U.S. as “higher education.” There are several levels of study within higher education:

Undergraduate Degrees:

Students just entering the college/university system will start out in an undergraduate program. This may be either an associate degree program, which typically lasts two years, or a bachelor’s degree program, which lasts four years. To complete either an associate degree program or a bachelor’s degree program, students must earn a set number of credits. Each course taken within the degree program will earn the student a certain number of credits.

Students who graduate with an associate degree are qualified to continue studying towards a bachelor’s degree if they choose. In many cases, the credits students earned in their associate degree program can be transferred towards a bachelor’s degree program, allowing them to complete the bachelor’s degree in just an additional two years. Students with high school diplomas can also go straight into a four-year bachelor’s degree program.

A bachelor’s degree will provide a broad, comprehensive education. While working towards their bachelor degree, students will choose a major – an academic area of focus in addition to the general education requirements of the program. A student’s major is often listed on their bachelor degree. For example, a student majoring in Biology would earn a “Bachelor of Arts in Biology.” A bachelor’s degree is necessary for studying at the graduate level.

Graduate Degrees:

Master’s Degree: Students who have earned a bachelor’s degree are qualified to continue studying at the graduate level. A common first level of graduate study is the attainment of a master’s degree. Most master’s degree programs require students to take the GRE (Graduate Record Examination), which tests academic suitability for graduate level education, such as skills in critical thinking or verbal reasoning. Many fields of study also have a specific test required for master’s degree programs, such as the LSAT for law school, the MCAT for medical school, and the GMAT for business school.

A master’s degree is a more focused, specialized degree than a bachelor’s. Many master’s degree programs are specifically geared towards preparing students for high-level careers in a certain field. Students may find that many professions (teaching, for example) require, or give preference to, candidates or employees with master’s degrees.

Master’s degree programs vary in length. While some can be completed in one year, others may take up to three years depending on the area of study. Many master’s degree programs culminate in the completion of a thesis – an intensive, written research project on an issue of relevance to the student’s studies. To complete the degree, students must earn a set number of credits. Each course completed within this program will earn students a certain number of credits towards their degrees.

A master’s degree can be an excellent first step in continuing one’s education on to a Ph.D. (doctorate). Many master’s degree students, however, choose to enter the workforce, finding themselves prepared and well qualified for high-level positions in their chosen field.

Ph.D. (Doctorate):

Graduates of bachelor’s degree programs can begin studying towards their Ph.D. directly without first getting a master’s degree, but many choose to get their master’s first and then continue to the Ph.D. level. A Ph.D. (which stands for Doctor of Philosophy) degree is completed in three to six years, depending on the area of focus and the nature of the work involved. A Ph.D. can be awarded in any field, and is awarded to students who present an original thesis, research or dissertation based on their original work in their field of study. While Ph.D. students may attend seminars and lectures, this degree is based more on independent and original research than classroom learning.

Many Ph.D. programs have high standards for admission, such as requiring students to be fluent in at least two languages. Students may also be required to complete a residency during their time of the study.

America University Dictionary – Important Terms and Concepts

Academic Advisor – an individual whose job it is to help students navigate the challenges of college/university and make plans for their academic and professional careers (also called Program Advisor).

Associate Degree – a type of undergraduate degree. Typically completed in two years, this degree prepares students to continue studying at the bachelor’s degree level.

Bachelor’s Degree – a type of undergraduate degree. Typically completed in four years, this degree educates students in a broad range of general academic areas as well as in a chosen major.

College versus University – both colleges and universities are institutions of higher education. While a college will only offer a bachelor’s degree, a university will include both undergraduate and graduate programs.

Credits – all undergraduate degree programs, as well as master’s degree programs, will require students to complete a certain amount of credits. Each course will give students a certain number of credits towards their degree.

Dean- the head of a college or university department. For example, “Dean of Admissions.”

Diploma - a certificate showing that a student has graduated from a course of study with a certain qualification. There are high school diplomas as well as undergraduate and graduate degree diplomas.

Dissertation – a work of original research and scholarship to be presented by Ph.D. students.

Freshman – an individual in their first year of a bachelor’s degree program.

GPA – Grade Point Average. The calculated average of a student’s grades from high school or college/university. From 0.0 to 4.0.

CGPA – Cumulative Grade Point Average. The average of Grade Points obtained in all the subjects excluding additional sixth subject as per Scheme of Studies.

Higher Education – This term refers to education at the college/university level.

Junior – an individual in their third year of a bachelor’s degree program.

Major – a student’s chosen area of study during undergraduate studies.

Master’s Degree – a type of graduate degree. Completed in one to three years, a master’s degree offers a specialized education in a specific area of study.

Ph.D. – a type of graduate degree. This intensive course of study involves the completion of an original dissertation.

Elementary School – The earliest level of formal schooling in the American system, starting at age 5 and lasting six years.

Secondary School – The second level of schooling in the American system, including middle school and high school. Upon completion of high school, students receive a diploma and are qualified to continue to higher education.

Senior– an individual in their fourth year of a bachelor’s degree program.

Sophomore– an individual in their second year of a bachelor’s degree program.

Syllabus– an outline of topics covered in a college or university course, including units of study, texts, and assignments.

Teacher/Professor/Instructor - instructors in high school are typically referred to as teachers, while college and university instructors are typically known as instructors or professors.

Thesis – an intensive research paper, often required by master’s degree programs.

Transcript – an official record of one’s past academic experience and grades.

Transfer - to transfer is to switch from one college or university to another. Students who enter a college or university as a transfer student may find that many of their credits transfer with them.

Tuition – the cost of college or university. Tuition refers to the cost of education itself, but does not include other costs such as housing, learning materials, application fees, examination fees, etc.

Tutor– an individual who helps students prepare for courses and develop their grasp of course material. Tutors may be professionals or assigned through peer-tutoring systems.

Withdrawal - withdrawal from a college or university program refers to temporarily or permanently leaving the program before completing it.

Understand the Basics of American e-learning Technology

Here are a few tips that may help you better understand the basics of American e-learning technology:

Courses at UoPeople are very low-tech. We don’t want to create another barrier for our students who want a higher education but may not have access to all the resources required at other universities. If you have WiFi, you have everything you need because of our open source classroom material. Everything is open source and free. There are no textbooks to be bought, everything is found inside of the courses and is available from day one.

Practice with US keyboard before your classes start.

All you need is a device, internet browser, a connection, and some sort of document reader (Adobe, Microsoft, etc.)

Moodle can be accessed anywhere.

There is no need to print anything. Classes are 100% digital.

Typically, University of the People learning materials are provided to students in either Adobe PDF or Microsoft Office compatible formats. Therefore, students need to be able to open and save documents in these formats as well.

The Adobe PDF Reader software is available for free here.
Download and install LibreOffice, a free and open source office suite that is mostly MS Office compatible.
When saving, please be sure to save your documents in MS Office format or PDF format, not the default Libre Office format. This is the preferred free option.

The latest version of IE, Safari, Opera, Firefox and Chrome can be used to access the UoPeople Online Learning Platform.

Please note that students using mobile phones, especially older models, may have difficulty accessing and using the site.

Microsoft Office is commercial software which is not available for free. If you do not already have or are unable to obtain a copy of Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, and Excel) please use one of the following free options:

Use an online office suite such as Office Online from Microsoft or Google Apps from Google to view and edit basic Word, PowerPoint, and Excel files in a web browser. To create an Office Online account, please go to Outlook or Hotmail and create your account.
To create a Google Apps account, please go to www.gmail.com and create your account. Note that whatever system students choose to use, all files shared with Course Instructors and classmates must be saved in either Microsoft-compatible formats or PDF format.
Other Software: Note that certain courses, for example computer science courses, may require the installation and use of other specialized software. This information will be listed in the relevant course syllabus.

Role of the Online Instructor and Faculty

What exactly is the role of your online instructors and faculty?

To be present and to be engaged. Instructors are encouraged to come online to check on their students at least once every 2 days.

To be responsive to students through email or Moodle.

To be a mentor, especially for new students.

To be effective written communicators. Constructive feedback is important at UoPeople.

To bring their own experience and own knowledge to the course.

Post updates, announcements and reminders.

Kick off the weekly discussion.

Because it is asynchronous, there is no live interaction. However, instructors should be active.

Grading.

Help out with grading and problems during Peer Assessment.

To be responsive to the school.

University Offices and Helpful Resources

The University of the People encourages all admitted and prospective students to contact the relevant University office for any assistance and clarification of policies and procedures.

If you ever have a question or need help with something, you can always reach out to your program advisor or course instructor.

Program Advising Office

The Program Advising Office is designed to be a partnership between Program Advisors and students whereby every incoming student is assigned a personal Program Advisor who remains their single point of contact for academic and administrative support throughout their studies at UoPeople. Program Advisors work with students at University of the People to answer questions and respond to concerns about academic progress, goals in attaining their degrees from the University, and challenges and decisions that need to be made throughout their academic studies.

Students may reach out to their personal Program Advisor as often as needed, but are advised to be in touch at least once a year to monitor degree progress; Program Advisors can be reached at their personal email address or at advising@uopeople.edu.

Financial Aid Office

The Financial Aid Office reviews and processes requests from applicants seeking grants to help with the Application Processing Fee and from applicants and enrollees seeking scholarship support to assist with the Course Assessment Fees. The Financial Aid Office can be reached at financial.aid@uopeople.edu.

Office of Academic Affairs

The Office of Academic Affairs oversees all aspects of the curriculum with a primary commitment to creating a dynamic atmosphere for student learning and success. In assisting students with advice pertaining to their academic studies and information regarding academic policies and procedures, Academic Affairs provides guidance and leadership to assist students in solving academic-related problems within their courses, including such things as peer assessment issues, communication with Course Instructors, and other general course-related issues.

UoPeople Course Instructors are available to students via email throughout the academic year and students who have academic-related questions should contact their Course Instructor first. Instructors respond to students within 72 hours and usually sooner, but there may be technical difficulties. Students who have not heard back from their Course Instructor within 48 hours should contact their personal Program Advisor for additional support.

Peer Assessment Office

The Peer Assessment Office (PAO) is a resource center for students at the University in Moodle devoted to supporting students as they navigate the peer-to-peer learning and assessment processes. Peer Assessment Advisors and Peer Assessment Student Advisors are available to help students to become more proficient in the processes at UoPeople.

The PAO is accessed via the Moodle homepage and is listed as a course; participation, however, is optional at all times. Students who do not wish to have access to the PAO may send this request to the Office of Academic Affairs at academic.affairs@uopeople.edu.

Degree Seeking Students are invited to participate in the PAO, and participants are required to follow all the rules and regulations outlined in the Catalog and posted in the PAO. Inappropriate postings violating the General Code of Conduct and/or the Code of Academic Integrity will be removed from the PAO, and students with repeated violations will no longer be given access to the center. All violations are grounds for disciplinary action.

Office of Student Affairs

The Dean’s Office in the Office of Student Affairs (student.affairs@uopeople.edu) oversees the review of Satisfactory Academic Progress, the naming of students to the President’s, Dean’s and Honor’s List, UoPeople Partnership nominations, and supports students who may be encountering or anticipating academic difficulties, or may require special assistance in completing their requirements for graduation.

Office of Student Services

The Office of Student Services forms part of a comprehensive network of services at the University designed to support and help students throughout their studies. Student Services maintains all student records and supports students with both administrative and academic services in consultation with other offices in the University, responsibly implementing university policies and procedures, degree audits, and the conferment of university degrees.

Office of Admissions

The Office of Admissions oversees the admissions process for prospective and current applicants to the University, including the processing of all applications for admission to UoPeople's degree programs. Providing assistance and guidance regarding all admissions requirements, the Office of Admissions answers questions regarding prospective students’ applications and provides updates on their applicant status. More information about the admissions process can be found in Chapter 3; interested parties can reach the Office of Admissions at admissions@uopeople.edu.

Outreach Office

The Outreach Department works hard to ensure that applicants around the world are able to access the opportunities UoPeople offers to study online, accredited and tuition-free. The Outreach Office can be reached at outreach@uopeople.edu.

Payments Office

The Payment Office oversees the processing of payments for both Application and Course Assessment Fees at UoPeople. Also working in conjunction with the Financial Aid Office, the Payments Office processes and reconciles scholarship payments for students unable to pay Course Assessment Fees.

For questions regarding payments including payment methods, amounts payable, and payment deadlines, applicants and students may contact the Payments Office at payments@uopeople.edu.

Career Service Center

University of the People’s Career Service Center offers career guidance and advising for professional discovery and success both during and following the completion of a UoPeople degree. The University of the People Career Service Center offers students’ comprehensive, expert guidance as well as tools to improve vital professional skills pertinent to the business world, including:

Resume building and cover letter writing
Job searching skills
Interviewing techniques
Professional networking skills
Career planning in the area of one’s major

The Career Service Center is accessible to students throughout the course of their studies, as well as after they graduate. Whether students are thinking about their first professional job in the workplace, wish to enhance their skills in their current field, or are considering a career change, the Career Service Center offers vital tools to help them succeed. Students enrolled at UoPeople may access UoPeople’s career development services at http://www.uopeople.edu/student-experience/quality/career- development/.

Note that select Career Service Center initiatives are still being designed and are not yet available.

Internship Opportunities

University of the People provides access to a number of different internship opportunities offered by internationally recognized corporations and organizations. Participating in online internships in a variety of sectors, students gain invaluable work experience and networking opportunities.

All internship opportunities consist of defined projects within the host’s organization, creating valuable learning opportunities for the student. Internships opportunities are available to all current UoPeople students and are announced by email over the course of their studies.

Mentorships

The University of the People Mentorship Program brings students and professionals together for mentoring. Students are provided with individualized, one-on-one professional guidance from industry leaders working at some of the top companies worldwide. The mentorship program is designed to enrich students’ studies, offering them an opportunity to apply concepts learnt to real-life settings. The mentorship program allows students to gain insight into specific job and career paths, as well as develop their personal and professional skills, and build career goals.

Global Employment Network

Networking is vital in the quest to build a successful career, no matter what the field. At UoPeople our international community of faculty and students provides a global networking community. With faculty hailing from some of the top universities, corporations and foundations worldwide, and students hailing from over 180 countries, the networking potential at UoPeople is immense! Our global employment network aids in broadening the career opportunities as well as strengthening the career options for our students, providing each student with a classroom of international learners and peers to create an extensive professional network. Outside the classroom, UoPeople partners with world renowned corporations offering excellent networking opportunities for our students, which in turn, broadens their employment opportunities. UoPeople develops students’ networking abilities as participants in a thriving global community. Combined with internship and mentorship programs, students gain the skills to utilize these connections, in real life work experience.

Library Resources and Services

UoPeople belongs to the Library and Information Resource Network (LIRN), a consortium of institutions that makes available to its members a rich and powerful collection of resources including over 60 million journal articles, books, encyclopedias, newspapers, magazines, and audio and video clips. Students gain access to the ProQuest online data bases and GALE databases through LIRN.

UoPeople also subscribes to JSTOR giving students online access to a wide array of journals to support research, writing and learning activities. JSTOR too can be accessed directly within Moodle and includes access to more than 2,300 academic journals and more than 50 million digitized pages.

All University of the People instructional personnel and enrolled students may use these resources free of charge. Additionally, students are provided at no charge with other open education resources including textbooks and course materials.

For questions or suggestions regarding the University of the People Library and Resource Center, including LIRN or open educational resources, students may contact UoPeople’s Director of Library Services at library@uopeople.edu.

Online Student Writing Center (OSWC)

The UoPeople Online Student Writing Center (OSWC) is a resource center for students who wish to improve their general and academic writing skills through peer sharing and the development of strategies and knowledge to cultivate success as writers. In accessing resources in the form of guides on the writing process, research methods, ESL, APA format, and best practices to avoid plagiarism, the OSWC helps students develop and further polish their writing and editing skills.

The OSWC is an optional resource for students at UoPeople.

Computing and Networking Services and Requirements

Although Moodle and Class Forums are not open to public access, students should note that these online spaces are neither private nor confidential. Neither students nor instructional personnel should assume privacy when communicating in the Virtual Learning Environment. The University may access and observe communications conducted in the Virtual Learning Environment for regulatory, accreditation, research, and other administrative purposes such as enforcing the General Code of Conduct, including investigating allegations of misconduct, suspected misconduct or other complaints. Additionally, the University of the People may provide limited access to learning resources to individuals other than students, alumni, instructional personnel, and staff.

Contact Information for Students

The primary form of official communication from University of the People is through e-mail. Students are required to main active e-mail addresses and are responsible for keeping their contact information accurate and current. Students should note that the email address they used to apply to the University of the People is the one maintained by the Office of Student Services unless they have subsequently submitted a request to change their email address. Students wishing to update any of their contact information should contact their personal Program Advisor with the following information: the student’s full name including both the first and last name, the student’s ID number, and any details to be updated.

Students should note that any change of contact information on Moodle at http://my.uopeople.edu is not considered a formal change of contact information. Finally, to ensure receipt of important announcements from the University, students should check that spam filters are set to receive email from University of the People.

Student Login Username and Password

Each student is assigned a designated username and password to log into the University of the People Online Learning Platform (Moodle) and courses. UoPeople students with technical issues related to Moodle Support should contact support@uopeople.edu for assistance with login problems.

Students’ usernames and passwords are vital for the security of a student’s work. The responsibility for all activities carried out under a student’s username rests solely with that student. Please ensure you keep your password secret and do not give it to anyone else.

Other

UoPeople does not currently offer the following services: Student ID cards, a graduation ceremony, or counseling services.

Disability Policy

University of the People recognizes and accepts its obligations under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (as amended), and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (as amended), requiring the University to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified disabled students in its educational programs.

Applicants with questions about disability accommodations should confer with their Admissions Advisor.

Students admitted to the University with a disability requiring reasonable academic accommodations may submit a Disability Accommodation application to the Office of Student Services at student.services@uopeople.edu and it will be directed to the Disability Services Committee. Students will receive written notification by the Office of Student Services of accommodations offered and/or denied within six weeks.

UoPeople is committed to maintaining the confidentiality of all student records related to requests for disability accommodations.

Language Barriers and Culture Shock

If this is your first experience with an American university, you might experience a language barrier or culture shock at the beginning of your studies. Don't be discouraged! Here are some tips to help you out:

Overcoming Language Barriers

Utilize our writing center (Online Student Writing Center)! There you will find writing assistants who are also instructors and offer resources.

Links in Online Education Strategies course to Purdue OWL website

Check out this article on Language Barriers and Culture Shock in eLearning!

Overcoming Culture Shock

cul·ture shock

noun

the feeling of disorientation experienced by someone who is suddenly subjected to an unfamiliar culture, way of life, or set of attitudes.

Be prepared that UoPeople is a diverse university with students from all over the world with all different perspectives. Understanding is key.
What is Culture Shock, and What Can I do to Avoid it?

The ABC's of Course Registration

University of the People opens course registration for students over a 3-week period every term, and students are notified by the Office of Student Services when the registration portal will be opened for their group based on their class standing which is determined by the total number of credits they have completed at the University (e.g., seniors 90 credits or more, juniors 60 credits or more etc.) Course registration takes place in the Student portal at https://students.uopeople.edu/login.aspx and seats are filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

With the exception of a student's first term at UoPeople, students themselves register for their courses using the online course registration system, and
registration must be completed by the dates listed in the Academic Calendar.

Where does Course Registration take place?

Course Registration at UoPeople takes place in the Student portal here.

How many courses can students take each term at UoPeople?

The registration guidelines change for students depending on whether you are (1) enrolled in ENGL 0101 English Composition 1 to demonstrate English proficiency (2) studying in UoPeople Foundations as you are applying to be a Degree Seeking Student (3) a Degree Seeking Student, or (4) a graduate student. (Graduate Student registration restrictions will not be discussed here).

Registration Guidelines – Students Demonstrating English Language Proficiency

Students who need to demonstrate English language proficiency may elect ENGL 0101 English Composition 1 during their first term of study.

Registration Guidelines – UoPeople Foundations

Students studying in UoPeople Foundations who are applying for admission to be a Degree Seeking Student may enroll in up to 2 courses per term. The following registration restrictions apply:

Students studying in UoPeople Foundations who maintain a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of ≥ 2.0 may register and/or be enrolled in up to two (2) courses per term.
Student studying in UoPeople Foundations who are on Academic Warning, Academic Probation, and/or have a CGPA below 2.0 may only register and/or be enrolled in one (1) course per term.

Registration Guidelines – UoPeople MBA Foundations

Students studying in UoPeople MBA Foundations who are applying for admission to be a Degree Seeking Student may enroll in up to 2 courses per term. The following registration restrictions apply:

Students studying in UoPeople MBA Foundations who maintain a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of ≥ 2.67 may register and/or be enrolled in up to two (2) courses per term.

Registration Guidelines – Degree Seeking Students

Full-time Degree Seeking students may enroll in up to 2-3 courses per term, and part-time students may enroll in 1 course per term. The following registration restrictions apply:

Degree Seeking Students who maintain a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of ≥ 3.00 may register and/or be enrolled in up to three (3) courses per term.
Degree Seeking Students on Academic Warning, Academic Probation, and Probation Continued and/or are not in good academic standing may only register and/or be enrolled in one (1) course per term.

Notes on the Registration Process

1. Students whose CGPA falls at the end of a given term to below the minimum CGPA required to be enrolled in the allowed number of courses for the following term, will be required to cancel courses by the first day of the term. Those who fail to meet this requirement to reduce their course load according to the stated policy will be automatically removed from any excess courses by the Office of Student Services.

2. Students whose CGPA improves at the end of a given term, which would otherwise allow them to register for additional courses for the next term, will not be able to add additional courses during late registration. They will be required to wait until registration opens during the 5^th week of the following term to register for the additional number of allowed courses.

3. University of the People endeavors to fulfill all registration requests. In considering how many courses to take each term, students are reminded that they should carefully consider their other time commitments outside of the University when building their schedules, as each course requires a minimum of 15 hours of study per week; budgeting up to 17 hours a week per course is highly advisable.

Registration and the option to take one course your first term

 The registration process differs for students depending on which program they are entering at UoPeople. For questions about your first term registration, please contact our UoPeople Program Advisors at advising@uopeople.edu. But what we want to emphasize is that you may absolutely choose to take one course your first term at UoPeople. We know that you are the best one to decide about how much time you have!

Suggestion: We recommend that you think carefully about this commitment. If you'd like the opportunity to discuss any concerns about how many classes to take your first term at UoPeople, please email our UoPeople Program Advisors.

All of the requirements in your course are just that – required!

Do not skip or opt out of anything in the Learning Guide for your course. Think of it like this: each week there are different tasks you'll need to complete and you should plan to do them all.

Suggestion: Most students like to start with the reading assignment and then move to the Learning Journal, Discussion Forum, Assignment, and then assess their peers in both the Discussion Forum and Assignment area. Finally, there are the quizzes—some are optional and some are required.

 Tip: Plan to complete everything each week of the term, in every course you take. Again, there should never be a reason to skip anything. This may seem obvious to you, but worth emphasizing all the same. When you skip something, there will be a zero entered in the grade book for that requirement. And perhaps just as importantly, you lose out on learning the material, and you miss contributing to the classroom learning that is so important to the academic learning community in each course.

If you are unsure whether to drop or withdraw from a course, best to check our UoPeople Program Advisors.

 It happens: you start a course and a few weeks later say to yourself, "What was I thinking? There is no way I can take this course (or these courses) this term!" Things certainly come up. Situations can change with your work and/or family.

Perhaps you got in "over your head" and were taking too many courses for one term, or you may simply wish to drop or withdraw from a course that you really are just not enjoying so much.

At UoPeople you have a few options:

* A) The first week, you can drop a course which means that the course is removed from your transcript.

* B) Between the first day of the 2nd week and the last day of the 4th week, you can withdraw from a course. In this instance, a "W" (meaning withdraw) appears on your transcript but is not calculated into your grade point average.

Suggestion: When you start the term, if you find that you have not been completing the coursework and/or just not been doing well in the course, those would be good reasons to drop or withdraw from the course. It is always preferable to receive a "W" on your transcript rather than a failing or weak grade. And yes, if you want to repeat a course that you've dropped or withdrawn from, you can do so during a subsequent term.

Late Registration

A few days before each academic term begins, UoPeople opens a late registration period for three days only. Please keep in mind is that a limited number of courses are offered during late registration; therefore, you are discouraged from relying on the late registration period to register for courses for an upcoming term.

Mark your calendars now!

Late Course Registration dates are listed on the University of the People Academic Calendar and we recommend that you put the dates on your calendar.

Where does late registration take place?

Late registration, like regular registration, takes place in the Student Portal with the same guidelines and procedures as during the regular registration period.

Discussion Assignment

Congratulations! You have officially completed all of the readings in Module 1. Now it is time to move onto the assignments that go along with the readings that will help solidify all of this new information. Below is a brief explanation of what the discussion assignment is.

What is the Discussion Assignment, and what is a Discussion Forum?

Here's the answer:

In each UoPeople course your Course Instructors will ask you a specific question that is connected to the reading and learning that is happening that week in your course.

So first you will sit down and answer the question (Discussion Assignment) and then post it in an area of the course called the Discussion Forum.

After you post your answer to the Discussion Assignment inside the Discussion Forum, you will then need to respond to at least three (3) of your classmates' posts by reading them and commenting on them. This is the assessment part. Obviously you will only be able to respond to the students who like you have already previously posted their Discussion Forum answers already. That is why it's important that you don't complete this at the last minute--because it won't allow others to read and comment on your work.

When assessing your peers in the Discussion Forum, you will need to review their answer and then assess/grade it with comments.

Next week, we'll share with you the rationale for the Discussion Assignment and assessing your peers' Discussion Forum posts. During the third week of Orientation we'll show you an example of a Discussion Forum so you'll get a feel of what it looks like and how it works. This way you'll be able to begin to understand more about what this part of the course looks and feels like.

You can also watch this tutorial video to understand how to complete the requisites of the Discussion Assignment.

Unit 1 Assignment

In each module, you will have a unit assignment after the discussion assignment. Below are the directions for Module 1's assignment.

Your Personal Profile at UoPeople tells others about you, and your first assignment is to set it up. Here are some instructions for you to follow:

In Moodle:

Step 1: Click on your name on the top right side of the Moodle page - This will take you to your personal profile where you can make edits.

Step 2: Click on button: EDIT PROFILE

Step 3: Here you'll see the General Category and you'll want to check your contact information to be sure that everything looks right. If not, make the necessary changes.

Step 4: Go to the DESCRIPTION box, and write a brief description of who you are and what you want to share with your fellow students at UoPeople.

Step 5: Go to USER PICTURE and upload a picture of yourself.

The picture should not be more than 5 Megabytes.

Step 6: Click UPDATE PROFILE to save all of the information

Step 7: Go back a day or two later to review and be sure that this all says what you'd like it say.

Tip: You may read other students' descriptions later on and think of other things you might like to include about yourself. For now, just get your personal profile set up in Moodle and know that you can always edit it later on!

This week we want you to go to the UoPeople Academic Calendar and figure out the best way to mark the important dates on your own personal calendar. We don't know if you use a paper calendar or an online calendar, or perhaps no calendar at all.

But now is the time to get organized.

Go to the UoPeople website.

Look at the term you are starting and mark down for the coming term:

1) The first day of the term.

2) The Course Drop deadline.

3) The Course Withdrawal deadline.

4) The beginning and end dates for registration.

5) When final exams begin.

6) When final exams end.

If you do not have a system to organize yourself, you will definitely want to think carefully about this now so that you are on top off these dates for each and every single term before each new term begins.

And then we will know that you won't be emailing us to say that you missed registration, or missed the Term Withdrawal deadline, or forgot that the new term began!

Learning Journal

Now that you have finished the Module 1 assignment, you can move onto your Module 1 Learning Journal. Below is a brief introduction to what a Learning Journal is and then you can begin!

First, what is a Learning Journal?

In each UoPeople course your Course Instructors may choose to assign specific topics and/or relevant questions as a weekly Learning Journal entry for students to complete. The Learning Journal is seen only by your Course Instructor. Some instructors might use this space to ask you a purely reflective question about the material, to write questions that you may have encountered, and/or share what you thought was exciting in your weekly learning. Other instructors might use this area to give specific questions that will expand your knowledge of the learning through practice or research based exercises. Regardless of the question or exercise, please remember to always use proper citations and references when using someone else’s words or thoughts (for example, a quote or an idea you read during your research).

Learning Journal Question:

Do you feel that you understand how the American academic system runs? Are you worried or do you feel confident about understanding the material covered on the topic of the American academic system?

Self-Quiz

A crucial part of each unit is the Self Quiz. Below are the instructions on how to begin.

During regular UoPeople courses, all quizzes open at the start of each Unit and also close at the end of each week/Unit of study. Normally, you will see the following message as part of the Self-Quiz chapter of the Learning Guide each week:

The Self-Quiz gives you an opportunity to self-assess your knowledge of what you have learned so far.

The results of the Self-Quiz do not count towards your final grade, but the quiz is an important part of the University’s learning process and it is expected that you will take it to ensure understanding of the materials presented. Reviewing and analyzing your results will help you perform better on future Graded Quizzes and the Final Exam.

Please note, the Self-Quiz will remain open throughout all of Orientation. Go ahead and take the Self-Quiz once you have reviewed all of Unit 1's readings and resources. Be sure to complete the readings first; we promise you it'll help ensure you answer the quiz questions correctly!

Checklist

Before you move on to Module 2, read through this checklist to make sure that you have completed all of the necessary steps in Module 1.

Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments

Read the Discussion Assignment

Complete the Unit 1 Assignment

Think about the Learning Journal Question on the American Academic System.

Take the Self-Quiz

23 August - 29 August

UNIT 2: Being an Online Student: Strategies for Success

Learning Guide Unit 2

Introduction

This week we will be talking to you about peer assessment, writing strategies and plagiarism. Here's why:

UoPeople designed an online university with a goal of creating learning communities as part of a new model for online learning. Specifically, it designed the peer learning process with the knowledge that deeper learning occurs when it is not one directional. When learning and teaching happen as multi-directional, we have the opportunity to create an expansive framework for conversations, dialogue, questions, and discussion in the classroom. This allows for deeper learning by helping you develop your own analytical thinking style, evaluation skills, and communication style in a classroom and gives you the benefit of learning from all people in your classroom community.

It's a win-win situation because you are both a student and teacher simultaneously, collaborating with your peers in the classroom and supported by the guidance and direction of your course instructor who is always there to help facilitate the conversation.

You will begin to think a bit more about your identity as an online student, and the importance of writing at the University. It'll be important for you to remember to choose your words carefully and deliberately in your conversations with students. If you're ever in doubt about whether to post something, our suggestion is to wait a bit and come back rather than posting. If you're thinking about it twice, you might want to change/adjust your words a bit more.

Once you get to the end of each reading, you can move on by either clicking the link provided or clicking on the next button in the top right-hand corner of your screen. The next reading is an Overview of 'Unit 2: Being an Online Student: Strategies for Success'.

Overview

Unit 2: Being an Online Student: Strategies for Success

Topics:

Obtain Information Using Our Systems

Becoming a Better Writer

Classroom Discussions

Peer Assessments

Plagiarism

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this Unit, you will be able to:

Understand how to obtain information using UoPeople's systems

Develop the tools needed to become a better writer

Understand the important of classroom discussion participation

Comprehend peer assessments

Explain plagiarism and how to avoid it

Tasks:

Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments

Read the Discussion Assignment

Complete the Unit 2 Assignment

Complete the Learning Journal

Take the Self-Quiz

Reading Assignment

Welcome to the reading assignments for Week 2 of the Orientation Course!

Becoming the Confident Writer You Want to Be

As you begin your college career at UoPeople, you will want to pause to think about ways to strengthen your academic writing. There are certainly lots of ways to do this, and each of you will have a different relationship to writing. Some of you will feel that this is a strength of yours to be further strengthened, and some of you will feel it's a weakness that you know you need to work on.

Whatever your experience, there is no doubt that you will need to take writing at the college level seriously, simply because every course will require you to write a great deal. As soon as you start your first class at UoPeople, you will be required to start writing immediately in your Learning Journal, Discussion Forum, Assignments, and Peer Assessments.

So let's begin to think about academic writing systematically.  Here are 8 questions to review every time you sit down to write.  They are guiding principles for you as you begin your studies at UoPeople, and our hope is that you will use them so often that you end up knowing them intrinsically and instinctually; until then treat this like as a check list to review before you start writing.

Do I understand the assignment?

It may seem obvious, but always review the instructions for your writing assignment once, twice, or even three times to be sure you understand what you're supposed to do.

Have you completed all the readings for the week first?
Reading always comes before writing. It's the 'official' unofficial rule. If you're trying to do it in the reverse order, think again, especially if you are supposed to comment on an article or reading and have not yet done the reading.

Is there anything about the reading or assignment that I just really do not get/understand?

It's hard to write when you are not sure you understand the reading and/or the assignment instructions; if that's the case, you should ask a classmate or your Course Instructor for assistance. The best place to ask a question to all your classmates is in the Course Forum.

Do I know what I want to say?

If you sit down to write and don't know what you want to say, you usually end up sitting for some time and write without any direction at all, or writing in circles.

Better to stop and pause to think before you start writing. Many people like to think aloud as if they are having a conversation with themselves. You may ask yourself, "Okay, what is the assignment again, and what are my own ideas about the topic? What other ideas have been introduced to us this week in the reading or in previous weeks?”

Talk it out; think before you start writing to try to pull together your thoughts into some kind of coherent way; it doesn't have to be super coherent, but you should know what you're trying to say, more or less.

Do I have enough time to let whatever I have just written 'sit' for a bit? That is, have you left enough time to edit what you wrote?

Usually when we write, the writing is rough and needs some fine tuning and polishing. Or perhaps your thoughts are just not fully formed and you just need some further time to rework your ideas.

Time away from your writing is always best. If you write a draft and even just walk away for an hour and come back, usually you can see some obvious ways to edit and clarify what you have earlier written.

So going away and coming back to your writing is the #1 writing tip we can recommend to you. This is why writing at the last minute is not a great approach; usually your best editing comes after you've stepped away from what you've written for even just a little while.

And you'll always want to edit anything you submit, at least a few times, until it seems ready.

Have I successfully quoted or paraphrased ideas that are not my own, and given credit where credit is due?

If you're not sure whether you may be in violation of the Code of Academic Integrity, go back and check before you submit anything. You should surely be able to know if what you've written doesn't seem like your own writing, and/or you've used other ideas without citing the references.

Golden Rule: if your paper does not sound like you, it means you have been using too much of the writing of others and inserted it into your document. Sometimes we do that because we've got a reading in front of us and the way the other person has written it sounds so great. But stop immediately and go back; delete their words and write them in your voice/words and with your own explanation, and be sure to quote anything you want to directly quote from a text using the standard APA Style.

And then run your paper through an online plagiarism checker.

Have I referenced the articles/websites/books etc in my paper?

UoPeople follows the APA Style. If you're not sure how to cite the source in your paper, refer to the OWL (Online Writing Lab) Citation Chart below from Purdue University: 2014 OWL Citation Chart

Have I proofread the entire document before submitting my assignment?

This is key and please don't skip the proofreading step.

We recommend, if you can, to read your paper aloud to hear if your sentences make sense to you. This process will help you be sure that what you want to submit is really what you want to submit. This may seem obvious, but doing one last 'once-over' of the document should never be skipped and so often is. Some people call this step 'dotting their i's and crossing their t's which is just another way of saying that you should make sure everything looks just right.

So to be sure everything you write is really sharp and proofread; read through everything one last time before submitting your work.

Participating in Classroom Discussions

Golden Rule: Post Early!

If there were a list of golden rules at UoPeople, one of the first would surely be: post early and do not wait until the last minute!

Why?

Doing things at the last minute doesn't always work out and often means (not always!) that it was a rushed job. And if you post or submit late, or take a graded quiz late, and then run into some technological difficulties requiring help from your Program Advisor or Moodle Support, it's best to be able to contact them earlier than later and before the end of the Learning Week.

Remember too that if you run into difficulties, be sure to let your Course Instructor know what's going on.

Finally, a reminder that the Learning Week starts at midnight between Wednesday and Thursday [more precisely, on Thursday at 12:05 am UoPeople Time (GMT-5 time zone)] and ends on the following Wednesday at 11:55pm UoPeople Time (GMT-5 time zone).

Other tips:

Interacting is important. You can gain a lot out of the collaborative experience.

Online discussions allow students to get to know the instructors. Take advantage of that!

Every Thursday, your instructor will post discussion questions. You will do the readings and then start answering the questions by hitting reply.

You will Peer Assess three other students.

Peer Assessment I: What is it and Why?

Why did UoPeople choose the Peer-to-Peer Learning Model?

Peer-to-peer learning is an important part of the University of the People classroom; therefore understanding this model of learning will be important for each of you.

A key aspect of peer-to-peer learning is that you are (1) given the opportunity to learn collaboratively by doing an assignment and then (2) given the chance to review your classmates’ assignments. What we know is that when you review and assess another person’s work after you have completed it yourself, you are able to dig in ‘just a bit deeper’ into the learning process. For example, when you peer assess, you are looking at a problem from a different perspective. You are also applying the knowledge in a reflective way (evaluation) instead of a direct application to solve a problem (application).

Don't worry too much if you are not yet sure how to 'do' peer assessment, and we understand that you might be nervous about it. Here's how it will work: To some extent you will be required to 'jump in' by assessing and scoring the assignments of the students taking courses with you, but it will be something that you will improve at as you go along.

Certainly it will mean that your skills in accepting and providing feedback will get better developed.

Learning peer assessment will allow you to further develop your communication and evaluation skills, and these are great skills to master! Your ability to master peer assessment will get fine-tuned as you progress through your studies. And remember that your course instructors are always available for any questions that you may have. Also, you will be introduced to peer assessment in the first course you take next term.

Peer assessment is monitored and supervised by course instructors who ensure that all students are assessed appropriately, and, if necessary correct unfair grades.

So 'Where' does Peer Assessment happen exactly?

Each course will list your requirements for the week in the Learning Guide. The two areas where you will complete peer assessment are:

(1) on your peers' assignments, and

(2) on at least three of your peers' Discussion Assignment posts in the Discussion Forum.

1 - Peer Assessment with Assignments

Each week you will be required to submit an assignment by the end of a Learning Week which is always on Wednesday. A week later, you will be required to peer-assess three (3)* of your classmates’ assignments (that had been submitted from the previous week) according to the instructions found in the Assessment Form. Moodle will group you randomly after the due date for the assignment so that you can assess each other. It is an anonymous assessment, and you will not know whom you are assessing. You will do your peer assessment in the feedback section of the Assessment Form. There, you will say why you awarded the grade that you did to your peer.

* Very rarely you might see more than three assignments to assess. Please ignore the extra ones. Again, you are only required to peer-assess three.

How does the grading work?

First, let's clarify that you will receive two grades for your weekly Written/Programming Assignment: one for the assignment you submitted the previous week, and the other based on the quality of the peer assessments you made the second week while reviewing your peers' assignments.

The submission assignment grade is based upon the average score your peers gave you for that assignment. This grade is usually based out of 90 points.

The assessment grade is based on how close you were to your peers when you assessed your grouped assignments for the week. This is performed by Moodle’s algorithm. This grade is usually based out of 10 points.

Note: Peer assessment, although important to success, does not make the majority of one’s grade. Individual work effort accounts for a larger portion overall.

But who am I supposed to peer assess?

Each week you will receive anonymous assignments to review for peer assessment. It’s random each time; you don't choose.

2 - Peer Assessment with Discussion Assignments

Each week of the course you will be required to complete a Discussion Assignment in the Discussion Forum. Afterwards, you will also need to rate and comment on at least three (3) of your peers’ postings in the Discussion Forum. Each week you will find specific instructions for peer assessing your classmates’ discussion assignments. The rating is anonymous, but the feedback is not, and it is a central catalyst for open discussion. Please do not state what grade you gave a student, but rather focus on the actual critical review of the student’s post.

Note that Discussion Forums are only active during the Learning Week, so it is not possible to contribute to the Discussion Forum once the Learning Week has ended.

How does the grading work?

You will receive one grade which will include a grade for your overall participation in the Discussion Forum which includes the initial post you wrote and the peer assessing you completed on three of your classmates' discussion assignments.

Who am I supposed to peer assess?

You get to choose!

To summarize: Peer assessments on the discussion posts happen the same week that you are completing the Discussion Assignment, whereas peer assessment on unit Assignments always happens a week later.

Where can I find the criteria for my assessments?

Each Written/Programming assignment has a rubric that you can view during the assessment phase.

The Discussion Forum has its rubric as part of the discussion forum page. In it, you will find what the basic scale (1-10) indicates and how to formulate your rating of a discussion post.

Before moving on to the next page, download and read also this Power Point document.

Peer Assessment II- Is it fair, and is it actually required?

How is Peer Assessment Fair?

Since peer assessment is a component of every course, UoPeople has implemented several safeguards in the grading process to ensure fairness and consistency.

Peer assessors are assigned randomly in each course for assignments.

The questions for peer assessors are as objective as possible, designed to minimize potential inaccuracies and problems that might occur in the grading process.

Course Instructors oversee the entire process to ensure that all students are being assessed appropriately; they can correct any grades that they may consider to be unfair. In instances where Course Instructors believe that students have not been appropriately and accurately assessed, they can make adjustments to the peer assessment grades by overriding inappropriate, incomplete, or inaccurate grades.

If the required number of students do not complete their assessments and/or ratings, your Course Instructor will step in and do an assessment to ensure that every student receives the appropriate feedback. Also, if a student does not complete an assignment he/she will not be permitted to assess the assignments of three peers from the previous week.

Don't students lack the knowledge or experience to carry out the task?

Students might not feel confident or trust the process at first. However, students are supported, and the process is progressive—the more you experience it, the more you will learn. Students learn through effective training and practice as well as following the peer assessment process as described above. Tasks-related confidence grows as a result, and the peer assessment skills keep growing. Don’t we all want it and need it?

What Should I do if I Think I was Peer Assessed Unfairly?

First, you will want to contact your instructor. Your instructor has complete oversight of the grades given in this course--and this includes peer assessed grades. Your instructor will review the assessment and, if appropriate, they will change the grade. This review can happen immediately or at the end of the term. However, it is important to note that just because you think you were assessed unfairly doesn’t mean the assessment score/average is unfair. Sometimes we may think we are being assessed unfairly when our peers are generous to us.

When you email your instructor, be sure to include detailed information such as the course you are taking (as some instructors teach more than one course), the Assignment #, Week #, Discussion Forum #, dates of both threads and responses, and then you will want to briefly share why you believe you’ve been unfairly assessed.

Is Peer Assessment Required?

Peer assessment is a requirement of the course. If you do not assess your peers, you are not performing the entire assignment task, and you risk failure for that assignment and the course.   Further, by not assessing others, you are telling them that their hard work is not worth your time in reviewing. This is counter to the philosophy of education as a human right, a philosophy upon which the university is built.

What if I Need Additional Help and Support with Peer Assessment?

There is a Peer Assessment Office (PAO) at UoPeople to help students fine-tune their peer assessment skills. This office will be open and available after week three, once you begin your studies at UoPeople. You can find this office by looking under your courses tab. It will be listed as an Optional course. If you cannot find this resource, please contact your Program Advisor for assistance.

Academic Integrity and Plagiarism I - An Introduction

Academic Integrity is one of the four core values of UoPeople. As stated in the Code of Academic Integrity (See the UoPeople Catalog):

"University of the People fosters a spirit of honesty and integrity fundamental to a university community. As an academic community whose fundamental purpose is learning and pursuing knowledge, every individual at UoPeople is responsible for following accepted standards of academic integrity, sharing a commitment to uphold these values in all academic pursuits."

One definition of academic integrity is being accountable for your own work. This means that all your academic work should result from your own efforts, and any contribution from others must be consistently and responsibly acknowledged. Please read/review:

1. The Code of Academic Integrity in the Undergraduate Catalog (Link)

2. A video entitled, "3 Ways to Avoid Plagiarism - Summary, Paraphrase and Quote." (Link)

3. Virtual Academic Integrity Laboratory (Link)

4. You Quote it, You Note it. A ten minute interactive tutorial on plagiarism (Link)

Academic Integrity and Plagiarism II - Digging a Little Bit Deeper

Here is what we know: Ensuring that you understand the fundamental rules to avoid plagiarism is absolutely key before you begin your studies at the UoPeople.

Please read/review:

1. The Plagiarism Tutorial from Simon Fraser University (Link). Here you will find four units in the tutorial, and we'd like you to complete the first two units this week. Reading through each and every section is highly worthwhile, but only when you have the time to focus and review it carefully:

Unit 1: Introduction (1.1 Welcome; 1.2 Introduction; 1.3 Plagiarism Self-test; 1.4 Consequences)

Unit 2: Citing (2.1 Citing Sources; 2.2 Citation Styles; 2.3 How Citing Works; 2.4 TheBibliography; 2.5 Summary; 2.6 Plagiarism Quiz: Citing)

2. Complete the final two units this week. Reading through each and every section is highly worthwhile, but only when you have the time to focus and review it carefully:

Unit 3: Writing Skills.(3.1 Note Taking; 3.2 Quotations; 3.3 Paraphrasing; 3.4 Patchwriting; 3.5 Collusion; 3.6 Summary; 3.7 Plagiarism Quiz - Writing Skills)

Unit 4: Conclusion (4.1 Conclusion; 4.2 Resources; 4.3 Glossary; 4.4 References)

What is a plagiarism checker? Why might you use one?

If you're concerned that you are plagiarizing, you may very well be plagiarizing.

Or not.

A reminder of the quick and easy definition of plagiarism: the act of either stating or implying that another person’s work or research is your own.  And any action you take which misleads someone into believing that someone else’s work/ideas/research is your own, can also constitute plagiarism.

So if you’re not sure you’re plagiarizing, you’re highly advised to double check using an online tool.

Here’s how: You can test the work you’re about to submit through a plagiarism checker before submitting your work each week. Check out a plagiarism checker called Paper Rater.

And if you have others to recommend, please drop a note to UoPeople Program Advisors at advising@uopeople.edu.

Article of Interest on Separating Fact from Fiction Online

We highly recommend this article which was published on November 30, 2016, "A Shocking Number of Young People can’t Separate Fact from Fiction Online" by Nicole Dobo.

Does being online mean I am anonymous?

No! In fact, being a member of our online community means just the opposite: that you are present, ready to participate, and accountable for your contributions.

1. The Online Disinhibition Effect

Have you noticed that some people have a different online "personality" than in-person? Some people are more bold or daring online thinking there will not be the same repercussions as in a face-to-face situation. This phenomena was first called the online disinhibition effect by Psychologist John Suler (1994), and describes a, “loosening (or complete abandonment) of social restrictions and inhibitions that would otherwise be present in normal face-to-face interaction during interactions with others on the Internet." This effect is caused by many factors, but perhaps most importantly people may tend to think they are anonymous or have no consequences for their behavior while in a chat room, on YouTube, or in a virtual classroom.

2. Cyberbullying

It is no wonder then how this disinhibition can lead to Cyberbullying, or the use of information technology to repeatedly harm or harass other people in a deliberate manner (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2012). Please know that the UoPeople has a strict General Code of Conduct that does not tolerate offensive or harassing behavior. Please read this policy on the University Catalog.

3. Netiquette

Learning and practicing "Netiquette," or network etiquette, is an excellent way to engage in socially responsible behavior at the UoPeople. Please read: Netiquette: Rules of Behavior on the Internet

Citations: Suler, John (2004). "The Online Disinhibition Effect". CyberPsychology & Behavior 7 (3): 321–326 U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (2012). "What is Cyberbullying."

Discussion Assignment

Congratulations! You have officially completed all of the readings in Module 2. Now it is time to move onto the assignments that go along with the readings that will help solidify all of this new information.

Last week we gave a general overview of the Discussion Forum and the purpose of the Discussion Assignment question.

To review briefly, your Course Instructors will ask you a specific question each week in the Discussion Forum that is connected to one of the main topics covered that week in your course.

A goal of the Discussion Assignment is to ask you to think about something and write about it, and then read submissions from your classmates to the same Discussion Forum. Why? The short answer is that this process opens up the conversation, helps you gain other perspectives from those learning with you, and helps you go one level deeper into the learning process.

How exactly?

After you answer the question and post it in the Discussion Forum area, you then are required to not only review the Discussion Forum answers of 3 of your classmates and also post comments on at least 3 of them.

Next week: we'll show you a sample Discussion Forum in action - so you'll have a sense of what to expect and will also allow you to begin imagining how you'll bring your own voice and experience into Discussion Forums at UoPeople.

Please access the submission page for the Unit 2 Discussion Assignment on the main course homepage; it will be listed inside the Unit, or by clicking here.

Unit 2 Assignment

The Assignment requires you to go to the link for the 2017-2018 Academic Calendar for UoPeople and mark down all the important dates for the upcoming term in whatever calendar system you utilize.

Learning Journal

Learning Journal Question:

Do you feel that you understand what it means to paraphrase and quote another source in the way that is required? Are you worried or do you feel confident about understanding the material covered on the topic of avoiding plagiarism in Orientation?

We encourage you to really think about this question; if you are concerned about not understanding all the units on academic integrity, we suggest reviewing them again a second time.

Also, who are the individuals that are in your life that are committed to helping to support you as you begin your studies at UoPeople? Having moral support and the encouragement of those around you at this time is key. Or is this something you're doing alone? It'll be important to identify the kind of support that is or is not available to you, with the reminder that you're entering a university and community where we will all encourage you through your studies.

You are welcome to think about and write the answer to this question on your own but during New Student Orientation (UoPeople Preview), you do not actually submit the Learning Journal in Moodle.

Please access the submission page for the Unit 2 learning journal on the main course homepage; it will be listed inside the Unit, or by clicking here.

During regular UoPeople courses, all quizzes open at the start of each Unit and also close at the end of each week/Unit of study. Normally, you will see the following message as part of the Self-Quiz chapter of the Learning Guide each week:

The Self-Quiz gives you an opportunity to self-assess your knowledge of what you have learned so far.

The results of the Self-Quiz do not count towards your final grade, but the quiz is an important part of the University’s learning process and it is expected that you will take it to ensure understanding of the materials presented. Reviewing and analyzing your results will help you perform better on future Graded Quizzes and the Final Exam.

Please access the Self-Quiz on the main course homepage; it will be listed inside the Unit.

Please note, the Self-Quiz will remain open throughout all of Orientation.  Go ahead and take the Self-Quiz once you have reviewed all of Unit 2's readings and resources. Be sure to complete the readings first; we promise you it'll help ensure you answer the quiz questions correctly!

Please access the Unit 2 self quiz on the main course homepage; it will be listed inside the Unit, or by clicking here.

Checklist

Before you move on to Module 3, read through this checklist to make sure that you have completed all of the necessary steps in Module 2.

Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments

Read the Discussion Assignment

Complete the Unit 2 Assignment

Complete the Learning Journal

Take the Self-Quiz

University of People

UNIV 0001: UoPEOPLE PREVIEW NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION

General

UNIV 0001: UoPEOPLE PREVIEWNEW STUDENT ORIENTATION

General Information and Forums

Syllabus

Announcements

16 August - 22 August

UNIT 1: Welcome! Getting Comfortable with your Online Classroom and Introduction to Being a Student at UoPeople

Learning Guide Unit 1

Introduction and Welcome to New Student Orientation

Overview

Unit 1: Welcome! Getting Comfortable with your Online Classroom and Introduction to Being a Student at UoPeople

Reading Assignment

Frequently Asked Questions

UoPeople Clock and Time

Notice that there is a clock in the upper left area of the course that never changes.

Online Classroom Navigation

It may take a while to get a hang of studying online versus in a classroom, but with practice, it will become easier.

Important Tips

This is Moodle, which is the learning platform we are using at UoPeople.

Important Skills for Online Learners

Moodle/Yammer and Support

Learning Your Way Around Moodle: It's your Campus at UoPeople!

Moodle Support

Yammer

Yammer Support

Access to the Library - LIRN and JSTOR

The American Academic System

How Are American Universities Organized?

University Support Structures

Academic Culture and Standards

Do’s and Don’t’s for a University Classroom

Other Important Information About American Universities

Undergraduate Degrees:

Graduate Degrees:

Ph.D. (Doctorate):

America University Dictionary – Important Terms and Concepts

Understand the Basics of American e-learning Technology

Here are a few tips that may help you better understand the basics of American e-learning technology:

Role of the Online Instructor and Faculty

What exactly is the role of your online instructors and faculty?

University Offices and Helpful Resources

The University of the People encourages all admitted and prospective students to contact the relevant University office for any assistance and clarification of policies and procedures.

If you ever have a question or need help with something, you can always reach out to your program advisor or course instructor.

Language Barriers and Culture Shock

Overcoming Language Barriers

Overcoming Culture Shock

The ABC's of Course Registration

Registration Guidelines – Students Demonstrating English Language Proficiency

Registration Guidelines – UoPeople Foundations

Registration Guidelines – UoPeople MBA Foundations

Registration Guidelines – Degree Seeking Students

Notes on the Registration Process

Registration and the option to take one course your first term

All of the requirements in your course are just that – required!

If you are unsure whether to drop or withdraw from a course, best to check our UoPeople Program Advisors.

At UoPeople you have a few options:

Late Registration

Discussion Assignment

What is the Discussion Assignment, and what is a Discussion Forum?

Unit 1 Assignment

Your Personal Profile at UoPeople tells others about you, and your first assignment is to set it up. Here are some instructions for you to follow:

This week we want you to go to the UoPeople Academic Calendar and figure out the best way to mark the important dates on your own personal calendar. We don't know if you use a paper calendar or an online calendar, or perhaps no calendar at all.

Learning Journal

First, what is a Learning Journal?

Self-Quiz

Checklist

23 August - 29 August

Learning Guide Unit 2

Introduction

Overview

Unit 2: Being an Online Student: Strategies for Success

Reading Assignment

Becoming the Confident Writer You Want to Be

Participating in Classroom Discussions

Golden Rule: Post Early!

Other tips:

Peer Assessment I: What is it and Why?

Peer Assessment II- Is it fair, and is it actually required?

UNIV 0001: UoPEOPLE PREVIEW
NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION