Online Learning Orientation
~ FAQs for Online Students ~
How do I know if my course is SLN or Angel?
How do I find my class? Add my class?
What if I log into the wrong course?
How do I communicate with my instructor?
How do you respond to a discussion posting?
How come I can’t see anyone else’s homework?
Handy Links
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How do I know if my course is SLN or Angel?
Most fully online courses are in SLN. If a fully online course is part of the Angel pilot, you will be redirected to log into Angel in the Welcome screen in your fully online course. A fully online class never meets in the classroom, but there are due dates for discussions and assignments you must meet. There may also be a proctored exam or exams. You must come to campus for these or arrange for a proctor at an approved site near you.
- Your fully online course will have an “S” as part of its section number: ENG 101 S28.
- SLN courses can be found at: http://sln.suny.edu/student_studentlogin.htm
- USERNAME/PASSWORD: You register for your username/password at the SLN log-in page.
- If your course is part of the Angel pilot, you will be redirected from the SLN course shell to Angel and given directions for logging in.
If your course is blended, it is an Angel course. A blended class meets part-time in the classroom and part-time online, usually about 50/50.
- Your blended course will have a “B” as part of its section number: BUS 161 02B.
- Angel courses can be found at: https://sunyulster.sln.suny.edu
- USERNAME/PASSWORD: You will receive a username/password from your instructor. It will be your Ulster student ID number hyphen uls. For example, U000123456-uls.
Some courses have an online component to enhance their course. These enhanced courses will be found on Angel.
- Your web enhanced course will not have a special code. Your instructor will tell you if you are using Angel during class.
- Angel courses can be found at: https://sunyulster.sln.suny.edu
- USER/PASSWORD: You will receive a username/password from your instructor. It will be your Ulster student ID number hyphen uls. For example, U000123456-uls.
How do I find my class? Add my class?
To access your SLN online course:
- Go to http://sln.suny.edu/sln_studentlogin.htm.
- You must add the course you registered for yourself from the current semester selection. Please carefully check your course name, section #, and instructor.
To access your blended/enhanced Angel course:
- You will receive a username/password from your instructor. It will be your Ulster student ID number hyphen uls. For example, U000123456-uls.
- Once you have logged in, you will see your Angel Home Page course should be listed “My Courses.” If a course is not listed, alert your instructor and email: chisamos@sunyulster.edu.
What if I log into the wrong course?
If you realize that you have logged into the wrong section, go back, select the correct course and section. You will automatically be removed from the other (wrong) class in a day or two.
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How do I logon to my course?
Go to the main SLN website located at http://sln.suny.edu and select the link for Students. This takes you to the SUNY LEARNING NETWORK login page.
If you have a SUNY learning network account: login using your user name and password from the last semester you took a fully online class. If you have forgotten your password, there is a link: "Forgot Your Password?" which you can click.
- Select the campus where you will be registering for the course.
- Select each course. Double check the section number, course name, and instructor. There is often more than one section of a course offered.
- Go to the Commons to access your courses (password required.) It can take 24 hours for your courses to appear.
If you have never accessed an online course through SLN, you will have to click on the link: Create SLN account
- When you click Create SLN account, SLN will automatically test your computer system to make sure it can handle the online course.
- You will then continue to create an account by clicking on the green button: Yes, Create Account.
- Indicate that your course is an SLN course (SUNY Ulster is not currently using Course Space) and then select the campus(es) where you will be registering for the course(s).
- The final page of the form has a REQUIRED top section that MUST be completed before you can continue. Once you have completed this section, you will be asked what course(s) you are registered for and there will be a check-off box that will allow you to select each course. Double check the section number, course name, and instructor. There is often more than one section of a course offered.
- You will then be asked to provide personal information such as SSI number, name, phone, email address, and address. You will also be required to choose a password. Upon completion of this information, click on the submit button.
- Go to the Commons to access your courses (password required.) It can take 24 hours for your courses to appear.
Your courses may be available one week prior to the first day of the semester. Each instructor determines when they will open the course for students to view. Some may open the course prior to the first day of the semester, while others do not open the course for access until the first day of the semester. It is important, however, that you log onto your course the first day and carefully read over the course requirements and instructor expectations for the semester.
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How do I communicate with my instructor?
There are many ways to communicate with instructors in an online course. Read the course documents, including your instructors’ contact instructions. Your instructors will tell you the best way to communicate with them. Some instructors prefer that you use the Ask a Question button or the Talk to the Professor button in the course, some prefer that you use your private folder, and some prefer that you call them directly or send them an email.
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How do you respond to a discussion posting?
To compose your response to the main discussion, click on the Respond link located at the bottom of the page with the topic. In the subject filed area at the top of the form, title your response. Then type your response in the boxed area below. A good title clearly tells your classmates something about what you are saying. "Response to Discussion 1," is not a very useful title if everyone in your course uses it. When you are ready, press Submit. Each of your discussion responses might be graded, so check the course documents for examples or guidelines, and respond with care. Most instructors do not give points for summarizing the responses of others or copying information directly from the lecture, the textbook, or a web site.
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How come I can’t see anyone else’s homework?
When you submit your homework, the button says, Submit for Professor. This means individual assignments, like papers and tests, are private and can only be ready the student and professor.
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Online courses are divided into course modules. Each module is divided into several sections. Each section is a group of readings, assignments, and discussions that are assigned for a specific period of time. Once the timeframe for one module is over, the next one opens up. It is important that all work assigned within the timeframe of each module be completed before the next module opens. This helps the student and the instructor stay on top of the coursework.
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Although many instructors prefer students to put their work directly into the Create Assignment form, many prefer that students attach their homework to the form as a file, typically a word document (.doc) or a rich text document (.rtf). This allows the instructor to open your file and read it through his or her word processing program just as if you handed in a paper that has been printed out. You may already be attaching files in emails to friends or in emails for work. There are directions for attaching a homework file to the submission form at the bottom of the Create Assignment form:
To submit your assignment as a file attachment (Instructions)
- Save your file in a format, or file type, accepted by your instructor (i.e., RTF, DOC).
- Limit the file size to less than 5MB.
~ The 5MB limit applies to the total file attachment size, not to each file individually.
~ Use a simple file name that contains no spaces. The name should include the name of the assignment and your name so your instructor can easily find and reattach your file.
- Click the Browse button to locate the file on your computer.
~ DO NOT type in the file name. You need to find and select the actual file for it to attach.
- Click Open to attach the file once you have found where you have it saved and clicked on the file.
- Select the appropriate save option for the assignment, and click the Submit button.
~ The upload of your file(s) may take a few minutes depending on the file size, number of files attached, and your internet connection speed.
~ DO NOT click the Submit button more then once.
RTF stands for Rich Text Format. A rich text document may be opened by most, if not all, word processing programs, including Microsoft Word, Microsoft Works, and WordPerfect. Unless you know that you and your instructor are using the same program, it is best to save your documents in RTF format.
Saving a document as Rich Text:
- Open your document in your word processing program.
- Chose Select File - Save As
- Select Rich Text Format (RTF) from the Save As Type dropdown menu and click Save.
This will save a new copy of your file in Rich Text Format and the filename will have the RTF extension (for example, mitosis and reproduction.rtf).
~ There are also many great SLN answers to be found by clicking here for the SLN website FAQ page.
~ Are you preparing to take an SUNY Learning Network (SLN) online class?
If so, click here to take the “Right for You?" Challenge.
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