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Southern Oregon University

Distance Education

Taking Your Online Course

This page describes what you will need to do to access your course materials, log into Moodle, contact your instructor, and succeed in your course.  

Purchasing Your Textbooks

You should order textbooks and supplies well in advance of the first day of classes to ensure timely delivery. Books can be ordered online at the SOU Bookstore or over the phone at (541) 552-6190. You are not required to purchase books through the SOU Bookstore, but some course materials might be available solely through the Bookstore. The Bookstore website will have the title and ISBN information for all required texts, so you do not have to wait to have access to the course syllabus in order to purchase your texts.

Activating Your Network Account

In order to access your online courses, you will need to activate your network account. Network accounts are created as follows:

  • Non-Admitted Students - Your network account is created one business day after you submit your non-admit application. (If you complete your application after 6:15 p.m., you will have to wait one additional day.)
     
  • New students formally admitted to SOU - Your network account is created after your deposit is received.
     
  • Returning students not enrolled for more than one term - Unless an exception has been granted, your network account is disabled four weeks into a term if you are not currently registered for classes; if you have not been registered for classes for over a year, the account is deleted. Another network account is created one business day after you register for courses. (If you register after 6:15 p.m., you will have to wait one additional day.) Note that your new user name may or may not be the same as your previous user name.

If you have not already activated your network account, see the activation instructions - PDF format or activation instructions - video tutorial. (These same instructions were included in the directions for registering for courses.) Be sure to write down your network user name, SOU email address, Student ID number and password, and keep them in a safe place.

Getting Help

If you have difficulties logging into MySOU, Moodle, or your student e-mail account, contact the SOU Student Help Desk at (541) 552-6969 or helpdesk@sou.edu.

Logging into Moodle

Course materials for each SOU online class are available on a program called Moodle. Moodle will be available to you after your network account has been created and activated (see above).

You will not be able to see your course until the first day of the term (unless your instructor makes the course site available before the terms starts). However, you should access Moodle before then to ensure that you can log in. See either of the following for instructions on logging into Moodle and accessing your courses:

Scheduling a Proctored Exam (if required)

Some courses and programs at SOU require one or more proctored exams during the term. You are responsible for locating a proctor and providing the proctor information to your instructor so that he/she may send testing information to the proctor. We recommend you find and schedule an apppointment with a proctor well in advance of the actual date you need to take the exam. Many testing centers book quickly during peak testing times.

You have three options for locating and scheduling your proctored exam.

  • Locate a Proctor Near You- If you don't live in the Rogue Valley, you can locate a proctor using the National College Testing Center Website. This is not an all-inclusive list. If you cannot find a proctor through NCTA, try contacting a local school, community college, university, or public library. These organization often have individuals who offer proctoring services upon request.
  • Online Proctoring- Need to schedule your exam for an evening, weekend, or at 2 AM? You can do that using ProctorU, a 24/7 online proctoring service available to SOU online students. It's easy-to-use and a convenient alternative to on-site proctoring. You must have a webcam, microphone, and high speed internet connection to use ProctorU's service. The fee is $25 for a 2-hour testing period. You must schedule your appointment three days prior to the date of your exam or pay an additional $5 late scheduling fee. You can watch a video about how online proctoring works, check your computer for the required hardware and software, schedule or take an exam, or get 24/7 technical support for ProctorU at the SOU ProctorU Portal.

ProctorU FAQ for Students

ProctorU Student Handout

Communicating with Your Instructor

Online InstructorWhen you bring up your course in the Class Schedule and Fees page, you can click on your instructor's name to open a web page that will include contact information. You can also find contact information in the Faculty Directory. (A link to the Directory also appears at the top of SOU web pages.) After you have accessed the course, you can find your instructor's contact information on the syllabus. More information will be available by clicking on the "Participants" link under People in the upper left-hand corner of the course home page. Click on your instructor's name to view his or her profile.

Your instructors will use your Southern Oregon University email account for all course-related communication. To check your SOU email account, log into MySOU and click on the Gmail button at the top of the page. (The first time you log in, you will be asked to activate your account.)

Note: Be sure to read your student e-mail frequently. If you wish, you may forward your student email to another account by following these instructions. We recommend saving copies of your messages in your SOU account as a back-up.

Tips for Succeeding in Your Course

Succeeding in an online course takes a great deal of planning and effort. Here are some tips:

  • Schedule regular times to study as if you were attending class. Most courses will require at least 10 hours of study and preparation each week.
  • Set aside a quiet area where you can study without interruptions.
  • Log into the course as often as you can – every day if possible.
  • Read the syllabus and all the course information carefully as soon as you have access to the Moodle course site.
  • Make certain that you understand all expectations for the course. Ask for clarification immediately if you have questions about assignments and course requirements.
  • Note all due dates. Keep up with readings and submit all assignments on time.
  • Use resources such as the Writing Center and Hannon Library website throughout the term.
  • Participate in all discussion forums. In most cases, they will count toward your final grade. Discussions also help to make you feel part of the class community and give you an opportunity to learn from your peers.

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