Story

Video 3.4
Source: eCampus Ontario
Length: 0:43

---

In the post-secondary context, digital tools and technology will play a central role in how you learn and study. It will be important to develop the specific digital skills you need as a learner and also maintain a healthy use of technology. Many of the learner specific digital skills you need as a post-secondary learner will transfer to the workplace as you continue to engage in professional learning and strive for a balanced use of technology in your life.

The following sections will help you and Lise develop the Learner Specific Digital skills you need to be successful in post-secondary and professional contexts. You will learn about:

• navigating online courses,
• study skills, and
• maintaining a healthy use of technology.

Navigating Online Courses

Online, hybrid, and HyFlex course delivery models are increasingly common in post-secondary education. Online courses and the online elements of hybrid and HyFlex courses are typically delivered through a Learning Management System (L.M.S.) platform. An L.M.S. is like a website version of your courses. It is where you will view course content, participate in group discussions, retrieve and submit assignments, take quizzes and tests, and receive other information from your instructors and peers (The Learning Portal, n.d.). An L.M.S. also integrates various assistive technologies to ensure course content and activities are accessible to all learners, including learners with disabilities and diverse needs.

Four commonly used L.M.S. platforms are Blackboard, Brightspace (also known as Desire2Learn or D2L), Moodle, and Canvas.

Take a moment to get familiar with the L.M.S. used in your post-secondary context. Save the relevant L.M.S. link for future reference as well!

---

Along with your L.M.S., you may need additional hardware or software to participate in online courses, for example (The Learning Portal, n.d.):

Image 3.15
Source: eCampus Ontario
Description: A text-based infographic with two lists, one for hardware and one for software. The hardware list includes: Access to a computer or laptop (P.C. or Mac) that runs on the latest operating system and has updated virus protection software; The latest web browser for your computer or laptop; Reliable high-speed internet access; Headphones or speakers and a microphone for classes with synchronous activities; and A webcam. The software list includes: Microsoft Office or Adobe products (often available through your institution); Course-specific software; Institution-specific teaching tools; and A Virtual Private Network (V.P.N.).

---

Participating in Discussion Forums

A central activity in online courses is participating in discussion forums. A discussion forum is an L.M.S. tool that allows learners to post their thinking about various course topics and respond to their peers’ posts. 

A discussion forum is like a folder that contains one or more discussion topics. As a learner, you can post your thinking about a specific discussion topic by creating a new thread. You can also reply to your peers’ posts about discussion topics by replying to their threads. Discussion posts and peer responses can be ungraded (formative) or graded (summative), depending on how your online course has been designed.

Discussion forums support online learning in several ways, including:

• facilitating online collaboration and communication
• improving learner engagement and motivation
• encouraging active learning, critical thinking, and discourse
• providing practice with written communication
• promoting peer feedback and support
• fostering a virtual learning community

The following links illustrate how to participate in discussions using your post-secondary institution’s L.M.S. 

---

---

Assignments and Quizzes/Tests

Along with participating in discussion forums, your online courses will typically require you to upload assignments and complete quizzes or tests. Assignments and quizzes/tests are usually graded, sometimes using a rubric. Often, assignments are checked for originality using similarity detection software (e.g., SafeAssign in Blackboard or Turnitin in Brightspace, Moodle, and Canvas).

Check out these links to familiarize yourself with how assignments, quizzes/tests, rubrics, grades, and similarity detection software work in your post-secondary institution’s L.M.S.

---

Digital Accessibility

Your L.M.S. will also have accessibility features built in to support you as a learner. Visit the relevant link to learn more about accessibility features that will help you succeed in online learning.

---

Activity

Let’s help Lise review some key terms she’ll need to engage in online learning through an L.M.S. platform. Match each term with its correct definition.

---

---

---