This Guide to Online Learning was designed to give you a sample experience of an online course offered in the online learning environment. This online preview includes information on the online environment (i.e. Canvas), online tools, as well as resources and tips for being a better student at Mines regardless of whether you choose to take online courses. This is only a sample, once you start taking online courses, you will notice that every course is a little different. Differences in courses are due to the different instructor expertise and course design. For example, courses in the Computer Science department will look different from those in the Space Resources department.

What am I expected to do?

We strongly encourage you to tour this online environment and explore all it has to offer. Given your interests and needs, you may choose to complete the entire course or only those topics that are of interest to you. However, if you read and ace all the module quizzes, you can earn a badge for your efforts.

This course will give you the opportunity to:

Work with many of the common tools used in the online environment
Explore common areas found in an online classroom
Understand and correct many of the issues new students face when entering the online environment for the first time
Familiarize yourself with the online environment before beginning your online courses
Earn a Helluva Online Student badge

How much time will this require?

This preview will require approximately 3 hours depending on your skill level. Remember that you may take this course at your own pace. This means you get to decide when you are done working on the course and when you want to continue working on it.

Where is the instructor?

This preview is not actively monitored by an instructor, which is a bit different from an actual online learning experience at Mines. When you are taking an online course, you will have an instructor actively participating and engaging students in the online environment.

In this preview, if you have any questions or problems with the preview, please visit the technical assistance page for support. You can also click on the Help & Resources button at the bottom of the Global Navigation bar on the left-hand side of this screen.

What do I get for my efforts?

Currently, this preview is only for your benefit and is not a university requirement for participation in online, hybrid, or course companion courses offered via the online environment. It does, however, offer you the opportunity to identify any potential problems before you begin your coursework, which can help save you time and frustration down the road. Once you begin your actual coursework, you will be more comfortable with the online environment and can shift most of your focus onto the learning aspects of each course.