Online Courses at Tyndale
What's Different?
Online courses vary in how they are offered. Some courses have livestreamed or prerecorded. Many courses, however, are a hybrid of lectures, forums, and videos. Check your syllabus for more information about how your course is structured.
Moodle (classes.tyndale.ca)
Moodle is the module Tyndale uses to host courses. You can access your courses, syllabi, assignment instructions, readings, quizzes, videos, presentations slides, and other class resources here. Your professors may also elect to allow you to submit assignments, watch videos, complete quizzes, or participate in forum discussions on their course page.
Online Forums
A forum is a place where people can create discussion threads for others to respond.
On Moodle, each forum link leads to its own individual forum. Courses sometimes involve weekly forums, so make sure you are posting in the correct forum.
Instructions
- To create a new discussion thread, open the forum, and click “Add a new discussion topic.” You must add a unique title to the thread.
- To participate in a discussion, click on the title of the thread. Every post will have a “Reply” button. Click on the one you wish to reply to.
- While creating a new thread or replying to a post, click on the arrow at the top of the text box to show/hide the field’s options. This will let you bold, underline, italicize, create bulleted lists, create hyperlinks, etc.
Note: Generally, you should treat forums in an academic manner. Avoid casual language, write clearly and concisely, integrate materials, provide thoughtful reflections, and make sure your contribution is relevant to the topic being discussed.
Submitting Assignments Online
How you are to submit assignments is up to your professors’ discretion. View their syllabi, emails, announcements on Moodle, forum posts, and inquire when you’re unsure.
Submitting via Email
If you are submitting via email, find your professor’s email in their syllabus, then email your assignment using your @mytyndale.ca email address. It is important to use your myTyndale email so that submissions can be tracked should you encounter a problem while sending it. Having this email record can protect you from incurring unwarranted late penalties.
Submitting via Moodle
If you are submitting via Moodle, find the week the assignment is due, click the submission link, and follow the form’s instructions. Often there will be a timer that tracks when you submit your assignment. If you professors elect to, late submissions can be locked out if time is up.
Zoom Video
Your professor may use Zoom to host lectures and group calls. It can be downloaded onto most devices, and it can also be used on web browsers. Download: https://zoom.us/support/download
How to Join a Call
Click on the link your professor has emailed or provided on their course page, then follow its instructions. If Zoom is downloaded, it will try to open in the app.
Call Options
Make sure your microphone is muted and video is turned off before starting a Zoom call. You can also click the arrow beside the Microphone and Webcam settings to reveal more options for them.
Microsoft Teams
Your professor may use Teams to host lectures and group calls (NOTE: Our Learning Services also hosts its consultations through Teams). Teams can be downloaded onto most devices, and it can also be used on web browsers. Download: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/microsoft-teams/download-app
How to Join a Call
Click on the link your professor has emailed or provided on their course page, then follow its instructions. If Teams is downloaded, it will try to open in the app.
Call Options
See reference image below, which appears during a call.
Online Etiquette
When replying to a forum post, it is a good idea to mention who you are responding to so that other participants can understand how your contribution fits into the conversation.
Make sure to test your microphone and/or webcam before you begin a web call. You can join the call 10 minutes before it starts to do this. Alternatively, check the software's Settings. It often includes a Test Call feature that lets you start a call by yourself.
Be aware of what your surroundings look like if you are using a webcam. Remove anything you do not want your peers or professor to see!
Mute your mic when you are not talking. It can be distracting to others if you don't. Consider blanking your webcam if several others have, especially if requested by your professor.
Remember to mute your mic whenever you go away from your device. You never know what your microphone will pick up!
Unless you are on a break, do not be away from your device while logged into a lecture or use other apps. Professors can often tell when you are only pretending to be present in their class, even if you blank your webcam.
