University Orientation and Digital Success Seminar Notes on Digital Infrastructure

Overview of OU 101: Orientation to University Life

• Course Nature and Objectives

  • OU 101 is not a traditional academic course focused on midterms and finals. Instead, it serves as an orientation to college life.

  • The primary goal is to provide students with a space to absorb information that boosts their path toward their intended success.

  • Academic performance in this course is strictly tied to attendance and participation: showing up and checking the necessary boxes results in an A grade.

• Philosophy of Success

  • The historical legacy of the institution includes graduates who have become doctors, lawyers, teachers, and business owners.

  • Individual determination is the primary driver of success during the first week, the first semester, and through to graduation.

  • The only barrier to success is the individual student themselves.

Peer Support and Social Dynamics

• Building a Support System

  • Students are encouraged to identify peers who will act as a support system rather than just seeking popularity or a large number of friends.

  • A high volume of friends is unnecessary; success requires only a few high-quality connections who provide encouragement and redirection toward God’s intended path.

  • Support should be sought not only within the classroom but also in dormitories, the community, and through interactions with deans, RAs, and instructors.

• Identifying Red Flags in Relationships

  • Students must recognize behaviors in others that serve as "red flags" or warnings of negative influence.

  • Examples of red flags include:

    • Peers who dismiss or belittle academic goals (e.g., saying, "Boy, that’s stupid").

    • Peers who encourage academic negligence (e.g., saying, "Don’t worry about that quiz; we can make it up another time. Let’s go").

  • The university journey is individual; students must remain focused on their own path regardless of the choices made by those around them.

  • A specific warning is given against rooming with close friends, as it may limit the student's ability to find support if the friendship becomes strained.

Geographic Representation of the Student Body

• Domestic Locations (United States)

  • West: Includes students from Nevada (Shaylene).

  • East Coast: Includes students from Maryland (Divinny Loren, Kianci from Baltimore, Kira), Mississippi (Danielle from Galaxia), Florida (Dana from Sanford), and New York (Lexi and Gail).

  • South: Includes students from Alabama (Savon from Huntsville; Kaden and Izzy from Birmingham).

  • North: Includes students from Indiana (Jen Lee).

  • Other: Representation from Tennessee (Am Gaston) and students like Kornidra.

• International Locations

  • Bahamas: Christopher.

  • Guyana: Eureita from the Bay Area.

  • Bermuda: Ascene and Savannah.

  • Canada: Kamani.

Academic Departments and Career Specializations

• Business Department

  • Programs represented include Accounting, Management, Marketing, and Management Information Systems (MILs).

  • Specific interest includes Business and Healthcare Administration.

• Health and Sciences

  • Nursing: Students are pursuing various paths, including Pediatric Nursing and steps toward becoming a Surgeon.

  • Radiology: Focused on diagnostic imaging.

  • Pre-Medicine/Biology: A dedicated path for future doctors; characterized as a difficult but necessary journey due to the level of responsibility involved.

• Communication and Fine Arts

  • Film and Television Production: Students in this field are expected to manage media-related tasks, such as video production.

  • Also includes interests in Journalism.

• Other Specialized Programs

  • Pre-Law: Three students currently identifying as future lawyers.

  • Engineering: The institution offers a $3-2$ program, where students complete $3$ years of study at current institution and $2$ years at the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), resulting in two degrees.

  • Education: A high-responsibility career choice influenced by those who have impacted the students' lives.

Digital Infrastructure: My Oakwood and D2L

• My Oakwood Portal

  • The central hub for accessing university services.

  • Contains quick-access icons for D2L, the Eva B. Dykes Library, and Outlook email.

  • Houses the Registrar’s Virtual Office, which provides digital forms for adding/dropping classes, changing majors, and graduation applications.

• D2L (Desire2Learn) Navigation

  • Class Selection: Accessed via a "box of four dots" (waffle icon) that displays all registered courses.

  • Content Tab: Organized by weeks (e.g., Week $1$, Week $2$). This section houses:

    • Lesson Materials: Where instructors provide PowerPoints, lecture notes, and publisher-provided resources.

    • Assignments/Activities: Links to quizzes, discussion threads, or assessment instructions.

    • Course Materials: Often located at the top of the content list; contains the syllabus, instructor introduction, and course calendar.

  • Communication Tab:

    • Discussions: Critical for online classes as participation often counts toward the final grade.

    • Class List: Allows students to view peers and find contact information for group projects.

  • Assessments Tab:

    • Assignments: The portal for uploading files. Students must click "add a file," then "submit." The status will change from "not submitted" to "submitted."

    • Grades: Displays a list of all activities and the corresponding scores earned.

    • Quizzes: Direct links to take digital assessments.

• Communications and Notifications

  • The Envelope Icon: A red dot on the envelope at the top of the screen signifies unread messages from instructors or classmates.

  • Notification Customization: By clicking on the profile name, students can set up notifications to ping an alternate email (e.g., Yahoo). This ensures last-minute updates (such as class cancellations due to weather) are seen promptly.

  • Official Communication: Outlook is the primary and official channel for university information. D2L messaging and applications like GroupMe (starting in the second week) serve as secondary support for immediate coordination.

Questions & Discussion

• Inquiry regarding class content in D2L: A student noted they were not seeing the specific words/sections described by the facilitator.

  • Response: The OU 101 course is developed by the Center for Student Success (CSS) and then shared with instructors. If it is not yet visible, students should practice navigating another registered class to familiarize themselves with the layout of "Lesson Materials" and "Assignments."

• Inquiry regarding the Registrar's portal: Students were directed to locate the virtual office on the My Oakwood tab.

  • Response: The portal is used for essential administrative tasks, including uploading forms that go directly to the registrar for processing.

• Inquiry regarding names and origins: The facilitator engaged in an interactive roll call to correctly pronounce names and identify geographic diversity.

  • Response: Proper identification is emphasized to ensure students feel welcome and recognized in the university community.

• OU 101 serves as an orientation to college life, not a traditional course focused on exams.

• Academic performance is tied to attendance and participation.

• Success is driven by individual determination; the only barrier to success is the student themselves.

• Students should build a quality support system and be mindful of "red flags" in relationships that could hinder academic goals.

• The student body is geographically diverse, including domestic and international students.

• Various academic departments and specializations are represented, including Business, Health and Sciences, Communication, Fine Arts, Pre-Law, Engineering, and Education.

• The My Oakwood portal and D2L are essential for accessing university services and managing course materials.

• Queries about class content and administration processes are addressed to help students navigate university resources.