The Web Resources Available to You
Canisius College Information Technology Services makes available to students a range of web-based technologies for learning and other student work. Training materials (including this guide), documentation, and support are provided by the Center for Online Learning & Innovation.
To use email, and participate in your online courses, you will need a Canisius username and password. These are mailed to you once you are registered for a program or course, although you should change the password to personalize it, and make it more secure. If you have not received your username and password or you have any questions about them, please contact the Help Desk at helpdesk@canisius.edu.
Before beginning your coursework, scan the Quick Guide to Technology Services for Students to get a sense of what information technologies and support are available to you at Canisius College.
The things you should be immediately familiar with are:
Your Canisius email. We call it "Gmail," since that's the technology running it. You can find Google Apps tutorials, including tips for Gmail, linked in the Quick Guide, and here.
D2L, our learning management system. You'll find self-paced training tutorials linked in the Quick Guide, within D2L itself, and here.
Google Drive is required in only some courses, but very helpful for storage, collaborating with other students, and other things. You can find Google Apps tutorials, including tips for Google Apps, linked in the Quick Guide, and here.
Web Conferencing Through Zoom
Increasingly online courses use Zoom for web conferencing. If your course uses Zoom, your professor will send you or post a link to the meetings in D2L. You need not pay for a Zoom license, or start a Zoom account, unless your professor specifically instructs you to do so.
The Resources You Should Bring
To be a student at Canisius College, you'll need to obtain some IT hardware, and possibly software. These are just as important as textbooks but are typical of what professionals in many fields must have as well. Before embarking on online or hybrid coursework, you should have:
- A laptop or desktop computer. Obviously laptops provide more flexibility. Mobile devices like phones or tablets can be helpful, but may not be sufficient to complete coursework.
- A reliable high-speed internet connection.
- Download one (or several) of these free Browsers:
- A webcam. Laptops typically include one, but you'll need to purchase one if you are using a desktop PC. We recommend one like this.
- A USB headset. Here's a good example. This combines both speakers and a microphone in a package that blocks out a lot of surrounding noise. But you can use any combination of speakers and microphone you'd like. Be aware that laptop speakers and microphones can be good, but do not provide privacy, and pick up a lot of background noise.
Textbook Requirements
Online and Hybrid courses, like F2F classes, regularly require you to purchase textbooks and other learning materials. At the Canisius College Bookstore Website, you can search for and order new, used, rental, and digital textbooks, along with other merchandise.
Next Step: Practices for Learning Online
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