Online Learning Tools
(Other than Moodle)
By Kris Pepper
Adelphi University
Aspects of Online Learning
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Purchasing a computer
Homework support
Enrichment \ Summer Advancement \
College Classes Online
Buying Home Access to the Internet
• The internet itself: Reduced price internet access may be
available at Cablevision (FCC initiative)
• Tablets, Netbooks, Desktops, Laptops
• Mac vs PC
• Refurbished OK?
• What brand - Dell, Gateway, HP?
• What processor?
– Intel vs AMD ?
– Older Processors (Pentium4 +)?
– Low end Processors?
• Open Office --- SurgeForce
• Google docs
Homework Support – Teacher Site
• School site
– Contact numbers
– Some teacher sites
• Homework
• Lecture notes
• Email address
– Many professors welcome email (but follow up!)
– Subscriptions to online tools
Homework Support – Knowledge Sites
• Knowledge sites
– Nassau Library
• Tutor.com Live one-to-one help: Every day from 2:00pm to 10:00pm
– Includes writing help
• Online databases for research sources
– Kahn Academy (math, science, history - video, exercises, interactive!)
– Purplemath (good explanations - reference pre-algebra/algebra/trig)
– WolframAlpha Math (good pictoral explanations)
– Justmathtutoring (arithmetic through calculus - videos)
– You Tube
– Just google
Khan Academy – Try It
• www.khanacademy.org
• Search Angles
– See topic, video, exercise
– Click angle types exercise
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Stuck – watch a video
Move the protractor
Get hints
Enter wrong answer
– Topic angles
• Practice - see the map and click angles
Homework Groups
• Skype
– Get homework help from friends
– Join many people to one call
– Some teachers skype
– Share screen (but has issues)
• Joinme.com
– Choose basic –free
– Tell the other person the access number
– Share the mouse
Online Class Questions
• Class time where everyone joins a session at the
same time? - unusual
• What forms of help?
• Qualifications of teachers?
• Class prerequisites
• Syllabus
• Workload and study time needed
• Credits
• Does the college you want to attend accept these
credits as valid?
Free Online College Courses
 Certificates often, but Not for college credit
– Can take a CLEP exam (check college policy)
– Can test to challenge the course - advancement
• Not Accredited
• (There are accredited online schools you can pay
for, but no accredited free schools or classes that I
can find.)
Some Schools
• MITx - Top professors lecture snippets and exams
• Stanford Engineering Everywhere
– Classes designed for the web
– 160,000 students took Artificial Intelligence
Course, with a couple net meetings for "office
hours"
• Coursera
– Founded by Daphne Koller and Andrew Ng, also
Stanford Professors, but on leave
– Website for accessing courses at many colleges
– Some courses created for Coursera
Some Schools Not Associated to
Physical Universities
• Udacity
– Founded by Sebastian Thrun, former Stanford
Professor who helped launch their online program
– Paid by companies that hire top students
– Truly built for web, not just lectures taped
– Udacity certificates
• Many more:
– www.openculture.com/category/online_courses
– Itunes University
Markoff, John. "Online Education Venture Lures Cash Infusion and Deals With 5 Top Universities." New York Times. 18 Apr. 2012.
Web. 22 Apr. 2012. <http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/18/technology/coursera-plans-to-announce-university-partners-foronline-classes.html>.
Physical College's Online Course
• Adelphi Hybrid (Blended) Course
• https://moodle.adelphi.edu/login/index.php?
authCAS=NOCAS
• Discussion Boards
• Assignments
• Optional resources
• Tests - with ability to review answers
• Grades
Tips on Handling Online Courses
• Know when to come to class
• Keep track of online assignments
• How to keep on track:
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Check email regularly.
Review assignment day description
Plan to work BEFORE the online date
When your PC fails, get to the library
• How to organize your work:
– Keep one directory for all your work
– Backup
– Expect memory sticks and hard drives to fail
• Work in groups - either online or physically
DANGER
Skipping an online day is the same as
cutting class.
NOT just homework assignments.
Brush over in class OR new material
SKIPPING  fall behind in class & quizzes
NOT easily done later.
Library PCs and Backup  no excuses
Questions?
Summary
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Bringing internet access to your home
Homework support
Learn more - Advance
How to find and use Free online college