Start Here - Welcome Page

College of Social Work Logo
Welcome to SW ###-###
Insert Course Name Here

SW600-###: INSERT COURSE NAME HERE

Face to Face Meeting Time:  FILL IN MEETING TIME HERE

Location: FILL IN LOCATION HERE

announcement icon.png Welcome!

replace-with-instructor-photo-200x250.png

Dr. Instructor, MSW, CSW

Associate Professor
Phone: 859-###-####
Email: dr.instructor@uky.edu
or via Canvas Inbox

FILL IN PERSONAL TEXT OR VIDEO GREETING HERE - I am so glad you are here in my course and am really looking forward to all that we are going to learn this semester. Above all, the most important part of this class is that you ----insert really big, important, measurable, 20-years-down-the-road, objective here--- .

module overview icon.png Course Overview

This course studies the importance of "a very important topic" and how to apply "a great framework" to this topic in the modern world. My hope as a teacher is that at the end of this course you will not only understand "the big thing" but you will also be able to practice it in your professional lives.    

learning objectives icon.png Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

  • Demonstrate "objective #1"
  • Articulate "objective #2" through "activity"
  • Identify the main ideas supporting "objective #3" and "objective #1"

navigation icon.png Navigating this Course

“Without dialogue there is no communication, and without communication there can be no true education.
~ Paulo Freire,
Pedagogy of the Oppressed

The materials you need for each week are found under the "Modules" tab and are organized accordingly. All readings, video slides, and handouts are flushed to the far left. The weekly practice activities, discussion postings, assignments and online quizzes are indented to the right.

The first step in completing this course is to begin. Here is how to proceed:

  1. Please review the entire Welcome module (the very first module from the Modules view) including reading through the syllabus. Note the technical and personal supports if needed. (You may also click the next button at the bottom right corner of this page to proceed forward)
  2. Make sure you complete the "Tell Us Something About Yourself" discussion so we can learn a little bit about one another as we begin.
  3. The course then will proceed sequentially downward through the modules and content within the modules. Please complete everything in the welcome module before proceeding into Week 1.

You are encouraged to upload a picture and brief bio of yourself so that your instructor and your classmates can get to know you. You do this by going to "Account", "Profile" and "Edit Profile" within Canvas.

I am looking forward to learning with you this semester!

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University of Kentucky Links to an external site. | College of Social Work Links to an external site. | 619 Patterson Office Tower | Lexington, KY 40506-0027 | Main Office (859) 257-6650 

 

warning icon.pngInstructors! Remember to Remove this box (edit, click the box and hit delete) before you publish this page or course! Lookout for these instruction boxes on most template pages that you can modify.

Make sure to include here any ways that might help the students navigate the course more effectively. 

Further Reading:

From OLC OSCQR Rubric 3.0 Annotation #2

https://bbsupport.sln.suny.edu/bbcswebdav/institution/OSCQR/OSCQR-3.0-Explanations-And-Examples.html Links to an external site. 

An orientation or overview is provided for the course overall, as well as in each module. Students know how to navigate and what tasks are due.

Review These Explanations quoted from OSCQR:

Adult learners benefit from knowing what they are about to learn, as well as the scope of work and time commitment expected from them. Providing an overview of the online course will prepare students for what, when, where and why they will be learning, and an overview of each course module will provide information on, in advance, what content, interaction, and assessment will take place within a specific period of time.

These "advance organizers" will help students plan around conflicting priorities (school, family, children, work) and better manage their time.

The overall course orientation and/or overview should relay the same type of information that would be provided in a face-to-face class, including information from the syllabus, such as:

  • Course objectives
  • Required readings
  • Interaction Guidelines
  • Expectations
  • Due dates

Taylor, Dunn, and Winn (2015) write that ensuring that students feel comfortable within the online course setting – knowing how to navigate, and what is expected – will set students up for success. Providing course and module overviews provide students with a means to navigate the course so that they can stay on track and succeed in their learning.

References:

Taylor, J. M., Dunn, M., & Winn, S. K. (2015). Innovative Orientation Leads to Improved Success in Online Courses. Online Learning, 19(4).

Refresh Your Course with These Ideas

Course Overviews

  • Provide a detailed written description of the types of learning activities learners will engage in, including all content, interaction, and assessment types included in the course.
  • Be sure to include the expected time required to participate and engage fully in the course each week throughout the term (e.g. "Please expect nine hours per week...").
  • Create a short video introductory overview tour of your course within the LMS using a screencasting tool (i.e. Jing, SnagIt, Captivate, Mix). This can help students better navigate the course space, by letting them see the structure of learning modules and how to locate and access all course materials.
  • Create a course map or calendar to visualize the sequence of course modules, types of learning activities, anticipated duration of each activity, and indications of when assignments are due.
  • Bring attention to the most important elements of the online class, such as learning objectives, communication channels, required outside resources, and due dates.
  • Consider the questions students might ask about the course (access, navigation, learning materials, due dates) and try to answer them within the orientation/overview.

Explore More Refreshing Ideas from the Teaching Online Pedagogical Repository (TOPR) at the University of Central Florida (UCF)

These Pedagogical Practices from TOPR explore the purpose and benefits of creating a course orientation module and advance organizers for your online course, including links to example artifacts and scholarly references:

Explore Related Resources

Candy, P. C. (1991). Self-direction for lifelong learning. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.