Stellar Online Support

Certified Brainfuse tutors provide live, on-demand tutoring and assignment help in various subjects, like writing, math, and science. To access your Brainfuse account:

1.  Login to Canvas.

2.  Go to one of your courses.

3.  Click the Brainfuse Tutoring button in the left-hand navigation bar of your course.

4.  You can access Brainfuse in your account profile in the upper left-hand corner if you cannot find it in one of your courses.

Please get in touch with Haunani Smith at haunani.taylor@csn.edu to inquire about hours or trouble accessing Brainfuse. You may visit one of the Centers for Academic Success to learn how to use the 24/7 online tutoring service.

CSN Library Help Online

CSN librarians are knowledgeable, friendly, and here to help you succeed in your studies. See all about the CSN Libraries below.

Chat with a CSN Librarian

If you are online and need research assistance, you can chat with your librarians. Read the Library blog post, "Ask a Librarian: Even on a Sunday," which talks about chatting with an online librarian by clicking on the image below.

Embedded Librarian

Some instructors are actually embedding a librarian into their courses. See an example below.

CSN Online Support: 702-651-5619
Toll Free 24/7 Technical Support: 1-800-630-7563
E-mail: Email Tech Support

• Who is my instructor, and how do I contact the instructor?
• Do I need books for an online course?
• Do I need to come to campus for anything?
• How do I check my grade?
• Are there online library services available for distance education students?
• How do I log into my Canvas account?
• I am unable to login using my student number and password.
• Are online tutorial services available?
• I need to contact Tech Support. What information do I need to provide?

Who is my instructor, and how do I contact the instructor?

1. Prior to the start of a semester, you can email the instructor and request information about the course. All CSN instructors can be found in the Online Directory

Do I need books for an online course?

1. Instructors generally require students to use textbooks for their distance education class. Please email the instructor for information about the required textbook.

Do I need to come to campus for anything?

1. This is up to the instructor. You may be required to attend an on campus event (such as attending a musical performance, an in-class presentation, or testing at a testing center).

How do I check my grade?

1. Click the Grades tab
2. Select Grades option under Category
3. The page will reload
4. Click on Run to view your grades

Are there online library services available for distance education students?

1. Yes! Please visit the CSN Online library.

How do I log into my Canvas account?

You log into to your Canvas account using your 10 digit NSHE ID number as your Canvas id, and the password you use for your network accounts as your password.

1. Go to Internal CSN Homepage.
2. Locate the "Canvas" box on the upper-right side of the page.
3. Enter your 10 digit NSHE ID number in the Canvas id box.
4. Use the same password as you do for you CSN Network account. If you do not have one you can activate at this time.
5. Then, click on the "Log in" box.
6. You will be taken to your Canvas dashboard page. To access your courses in Canvas, locate Courses at the top of the page in the blue area.
7. Scroll your mouse over Courses and you will see the list of courses that you are currently enrolled in.
8. Scroll down to the course you want to access and click on it.

I am unable to log in using my student number and password.

1. Make sure to double check that you are entering your Canvas ID (NSHE 10-digit ID Number) and the same password as you do for you CSN Student Network account correctly.
2. If your information is entered correctly, and you are an Internet Explorer (IE) user, try the following:
   • From the IE browser toolbar, select the "Tools" drop-down menu.
   • From the "Tools" drop-down menu, select "Internet Options."
   • From the "Internet Options" box, select the "Privacy" tab.
   • Make sure your cookies are set to "Low." If they are not, drag the slider bar down until you see "Low" displayed.
   • Then, select "Ok."
   • Refresh the browser, then try logging in again.
3. If options 2 and 3 do not allow you to login, contact Tech Support at: 702-651-4357.

Are online tutorial services available?

1. Smarthinking Online Tutoring is available. You access Smarthinking after you log into Canvas.
2. As a CSN student, you have 15 hours of free tutoring available (per year).
3. If you are not an online student, but still wish to access your Smarthinking account, please contact the eLearning office at 651-5619.
4. For Smarthinking tech support, contact 651-5619.

I need to contact Tech Support. What information do I need to provide?

Please call 1-800-630-7563 and provide the following information to Tech Support:

1. Your name
2. Your NSHE 10 digit ID number.
3. A detailed description of the problem you are having (for example, Canvas will not accept your Canvas id and password, you are being directed to an Internet Optimizer page, you cannot view your course videos, etc).
4. A phone number where you can be reached.
5. Browser and version you are using. Make sure you are updated to the latest versions of the browser you are using. Give these details to tech support.
6. Course name and call number.
7. Your e-mail address.

Orientation to Online Learning

The Online Classroom

For many learners and instructors, the online world represents an alien learning environment. Most of you have been learning in the face-to-face classroom for a very long time and, as such, are very familiar with its particular structure. When you walk into the face-to-face classroom, you know to sit in one of the desks facing the board. You wait until the instructor arrives, sometimes chatting to other students. Occasionally, you may participate in group or class discussions by raising your hand; however, the constraints of space and time in addition to the instructor's presence at the front of the course neatly define the learning space.

Now, imagine that you can enter the classroom at any time day or night; however, there is never anyone else in the room and the only communication that occurs happens by writing on the board. When you enter the room, you can read messages that others have left on the board and leave your own messages. The course material exists in a pile for you to pick up and read. This second scenario remains analogous to the online environment and it can be very confusing for learners who have only experienced the face-to-face classroom.

It's our hope that this short, self-paced online course will help to eliminate some of this confusion. This module, in particular, will explore additional features of the online course environment at CSN and will introduce you to some of the skills needed to succeed in that environment.

Student & Instructor Expectations

How much time should I expect to spend per week on my online course?

It is a common misperception that online courses take less time per week than face-to-face courses. In actuality, online courses often require a substantial time commitment. Although the amount of time required for an online course varies, it's a good rule of thumb to allocate about 10 to 12 hours per week per online course. You should expect the following from your online course:

• The amount of homework required in an online course will be roughly the same as that assigned in a face-to-face course.
• Most online courses will ask that you spend time participating in discussions with the instructor and other learners. These discussions will play a central role in your learning experience.
• You may be asked to play an active role in group or team activities. This will involve coordinating and working with several other learners who may be dispersed across different time zones.

Can I take the course at my own pace?

Some online courses are self-paced, meaning that learners can complete the materials on their own schedule as long as they are finished by the conclusion of the semester. However, most online courses will be facilitated by an instructor and require that learners adhere to a course schedule for readings, assignments, and discussions with other learners. It will be important for your success to adhere to this schedule so you can contribute to discussions and group projects in meaningful ways. Your presence in the course will only be apparent if you participate!

Do I need to come to campus for anything?

Whether you need to come to campus is up to the instructor. You may be required to attend an off-campus event (such as attending a musical performance or an in-class presentation or testing at a testing center). Your instructor should give you notice of these events in the syllabus or other course materials. Please go to the library website to learn of online library services available for distance education students.

Do I need books for a distance education course?

Instructors generally require students to use textbooks for their distance education classes. Refer to the instructor's Course Information Cards for information.

How will I communicate with the instructor during the course?

Most instructors can be contacted through email in the course and may answer questions in the discussion forum. In order to better communicate with learners, some instructors may even create a Questions and Answers topic within the discussion forum. Your instructor will advise you about their preferred mode of communication in the course syllabus. Some instructors will give you an outside email address or telephone contact to use in emergencies.

How will I turn in assignments and receive grades? Will my instructor accept late assignments?

Your instructor will let you know how they expect you to turn in assignments and receive grades in the syllabus. Most course management systems have tools for such items.

Your instructor's policy for late work will appear in the syllabus; this should also outline the timeframe for when you can expect work to be graded or receive an email response from your instructor. For instance, your instructor may state that he or she will return email within 48 hours except on weekends and will grade assignments within seven business days.

The Successful Online Learner

Now that you have learned some of what you can expect during an online course, you might be wondering how you can succeed in the online course environment. Much has been written about the characteristics that make some learners successful. The list below represents a compilation of the most common features of successful online learners and some of the best practices that can lead to success (Illinois Online Network, 2002).

The successful online learner should:

Possess self-motivation and self-discipline: Since the online environment lacks much of the structure present in the face-to-face classroom, learners must exercise real commitment when adhering to deadlines.

Be proficient with time management: Frequently, learners decide to take online courses because they do not have the time to attend class in person. To be successful online, learners must carve out time from family and work commitments to spend on their studies. The following links provide additional information on time management:

• What your mother never told you about college - A list of comments and insights from current and former students from Middle Tennessee State University.

Meet technical requirements: Most programs list technical requirements for taking a course; these usually include modem and hardware requirements. Adhering to these requirements will prevent computer difficulties later in the course.

Be able to communicate through writing: Moving from the face-to-face classroom to the online environment involves a corresponding transition from the spoken to the written word. Online learners should be fairly comfortable expressing themselves in writing. Many online courses also require a great deal of reading in the course site. The following links will give you additional information about writing and reading skills.

• Study Guides and Strategies - A large collection of tips on preparing for tests, writing papers, and reading compiled by Joe Landsberger.
• Writing and Grammar - A guide of resources on topics ranging from grammar to constructing papers from the College of Southern Nevada English Department.

Student Evaluation Kit FAQs

Student Interactive Canvas Tutorials

Canvas Student Guides

Student Canvas FAQs

Student Canvas Training Course