|
|
|
Last Updated October 8, 2007
Welcome to Virtual University! This Handbook explains how to access your VU
Desk and online classrooms. It also provides helpful navigation tips and
answers to most frequently asked questions. To browse this document, click
any topic from the index below or just use your PageUp and
PageDown keys to scroll through the text.
| Quick Reference: Index of Topics
|
|
What is Virtual University?
|
Virtual University (VU) is the oldest online learning community on the
World Wide Web. More than two million people from 130 countries have
attended classes at our global village campus. VU was one of the first
sites built on the Web, but we've been hosting online courses since the
first modem BBS systems sprouted up in the early 1980s. Since then, VU has
been a pioneer in the online learning revolution, and many of
the innovative tools and technologies that we developed are now embraced by
e-learning communities around the world.
Our belief at VU is that lifelong learning is essential to a healthy body,
mind, and spirit. We also believe that literacy and education are the
pillars of a free society and the keys to world peace and prosperity in the
21st century. Without the light of knowledge, tyranny and ignorance can
extinguish humanity's hopes and dreams. Hence, our mission: "Empowerment
through Knowledge."
A wonderful aspect of our virtual campus is our volunteer instructors
and mentors who make learning enjoyable for all. Without their devoted
efforts, this learning community would not exist. They are living
proof that individuals can make a difference in this brave new "wired"
world.
After you have attended a few classes and experienced the benefits of
online learning at VU, we hope that you, too, will join this
"Revolution of the Mind" and share your knowledge with others at our
global village campus!
People of all ages and from all cultures and walks of life are welcome
at VU. To become a member of this virtual community and receive our
free e-mail newsletter and course calendars, just fill out the
subscription request at
http://vu.org/subscribe.html.
When you subscribe, a virtual desk will be instantly created for you. From
your desk, you can enroll for classes, visit classrooms, participate in
discussion forums, and access various tools and resources with a few easy
mouse clicks.
To navigate around the Virtual University campus, simply click on the
hyperlinks displayed in green
on VU web pages. Mouse over any link and
click once to load that page into your browser.
Often, clicking a link will open the requested page in a new browser
window. You can explore that URL, close the window when you are
finished, and be back at the starting page (for example, your desk).
This speeds up your Web surfing experience because you don't have to
wait for your desk to reload.
Some VU webpages use Javascript, a Web-based programming language, to
display help tips or other information in popup windows. For this
reason, you need a Javascript capable browser to use the VU web site.
Most current browsers support Javascript. To verify that your browser
is Javascript enabled,
click here. If a Javascript error occurs and you are running
an old version of Internet Explorer 5, refer to
this page for help.
|
How to Enroll for Classes
|
To enroll for classes, you must have a virtual desk and you must be logged in.
To log in now, go online to http://vu.org/mydesk or
click here. When you arrive at your desk,
you can browse our current calendar for course descriptions. To enroll for
classes, simply click the Enroll link. Your enrollment request will
be processed instantly and your classes will appear on your desk.
Your browser must be set to accept "cookies" so that your virtual desk can
be created and maintained by our server. If you don't know whether your
browser currently allows cookies, you can find out with this
quick test.
If you need help adjusting your browser to accept cookies,
we've compiled helpful step-by-step
instructions. There's a detailed
FAQ for Firefox
users, and a help file covering
other browsers
including Internet Explorer, Netscape, Mozilla, and Opera.
Once you have enrolled for classes, you can add or drop classes
conveniently. Just log in to your desk and click the link on the
Enrollment Menu to either Add a Class or Drop a Class.
The deadline to add and drop classes is 11pm (Pacific)
Saturday of Week One. Late enrollments and schedule changes will
not be processed after this cutoff date.
To ensure uninterrupted access to classes, registration fees should be paid
before classes begin.
Virtual University is a member-supported global learning community,
and we're committed to keeping lifelong learning affordable. We
have a simple registration fee of just
US$18.00 per term
and you can take up to three classes concurrently. There are no
"per class" fees or hidden charges and most of our classes do not
require textbooks.
Your student fee can be conveniently billed to your Visa, Mastercard or
Discover card, or you can land mail a cheque or money order. We do not accept
debit cards which require entry of a PIN number.
If you live outside the U.S. and you don't use credit cards,
there are several convenient payment alternatives, depending on where you reside:
Europe – you can mail a cheque, bank draft or money order
payable in British Pounds or Euros.
Canada – personal cheques are acceptable. Please write "US Dollars"
after the amount.
Japan and Canada
– you can remit by International Postal Money Order.
Worldwide – You can purchase a Western Union money order and mail it to us.
Western Union's fee for a money order is usually much less than a wire
transfer.
Click
to locate a Western Union office near you.
Cash (US dollars) can be sent by Registered Mail, although this is not recommended.
Wrap the currency between several sheets of paper so it is not visible through the
envelope. Cash is sent at your own risk and VU cannot be responsible for lost mail.
Please note that registration fees are nonrefundable
and apply only to the current semester. These fees defray the cost of
processing your enrollment, maintaining your virtual desk, and allow us to
operate our website and provide other services. Registration fees will not be
refunded if you change your mind, forget to attend classes, can't connect to the
Internet, or personal matters interfere with your studies. We understand that
life is hectic and disruptions are sometimes unavoidable, but it is each
student's responsibility to know when classes begin and end, to visit classrooms
at least once a week, and to submit homework and exams on time (if you expect an
official grade and/or CEU credit for a course; otherwise, homework and exams are
optional.)
If you are unable to complete a course for any reason, you may retake the class
at a more convenient time. No negative grade will be recorded in your transcript
for a course if you do not take the final exam. If you repeat a course, you will
need to pay the registration fee for the current term.
If you are dissatisfied with your learning experience at Virtual University and
wish to terminate your membership, you may request a one-time courtesy refund
(use this form to
expedite your request.) When a refund is granted, your membership will be
terminated and you will not be eligible to apply for a new desk or enroll in
future classes. In consideration of this "no questions asked" refund guarantee,
you agree not to initiate credit card chargebacks or stop payments on checks.
Our bank charges us substantial penalties for such transactions which must be
absorbed by other students. In the event that you initiate a chargeback or stop
payment order rather than requesting a refund, you will be charged a USD
$18.00 special handling fee, above and beyond any refund that you might
receive. In addition, your desk will be locked and all membership privileges
immediately suspended until these handling fees are paid in full.
Most courses at VU are "open enrollment" and anyone can attend. A few
courses have prerequisites which need to be met before you enroll.
Prerequisites, if any, will be listed in the course description on our
calendar for
the current term.
To participate in online classes at VU, you must have reliable access to
the World Wide Web and a compatible browser. Firefox 1.x or
higher, or Internet Explorer 5.5 or higher is recommended.
Recent versions of Netscape, Mozilla and Opera are
also supported. Older browsers are not supported.
Most VU courses do not require textbooks. We understand that many of our
students are on fixed incomes or have limited resources and cannot
afford to buy pricey textbooks or materials. If a course
requires a textbook, it will be stated in the course description.
Textbooks may be purchased at the Campus Bookstore by clicking on the
book title (displayed in green, so it's a clickable link) in the course
description.
By using the VU web site, you agree to abide by Virtual University's
Terms of Service.
Please review these terms before subscribing or enrolling for classes.
|
How to Participate in Classes
|
You don't have to be online at any particular time to attend classes at
VU. You can study and do homework at your leisure. This flexibility
permits adult learners with jobs and families an opportunity to
broaden their knowledge and pursue lifelong learning goals. Still, it
is a good idea to set aside a certain day and time each week for
course work, just as you would if you were taking a class at a
conventional campus. Additional tips on how to benefit from online
learning are provided below.
In most classes, lessons are posted once a week and will include a
tutorial, suggested readings, a discussion topic, and homework.
Lessons are usually posted Sunday night (Pacific/Campus Time) but this
may vary depending on network traffic, staffing, power outages due to
inclemental weather, and other factors. If a lesson is not
posted on Monday morning or when you expect it, please check back
later in the day.
Plan to spend 3-4 hours per week on reading, homework, discussion, and
independant study for each course you take. Naturally, the more time and
effort you put into a class, the more you will learn. Students who
diligently follow the curriculum will realize the greatest opportunity for
knowledge and personal growth.
Remember, you must be logged in to your VU desk to browse course
materials, post homework and participate in class discussion. From
your desk, click the corresponding links to enter your classrooms.
Classes end officially on the Final Exam due date — that is, 11:00 p.m. Saturday of
Week 5. You can check the due date for the current term
here.
Course materials, including discussion board messages, will remain on
your desk for the duration of the term plus one extra week beyond the
exam due date. If you want to save a copy of course materials for your
own personal use and future reference, be sure to copy the material to
your hard drive before the end of the term.
|
Classroom Discussion Boards
|
Class discussion is an important ingredient in the recipe for online
learning at VU. Each classroom has its own discussion board.
Participation in class discussion allows you to share ideas, resources
and feedback with classmates which can enhance your online
experience and broaden your knowledge.
Because many Internet users are concerned about privacy, your real name
will not appear in messages on class boards unless you choose to reveal it.
It is a good idea to use a nickname when posting on public boards at VU (or
anywhere else on the Internet!) You may use your first name or any
nickname, as long as it is not offensive. If you use a nickname, be
consistent and use the same nick on all posts, including homework, to
ensure that you receive credit for your work.
Often, students prefer not to divulge their email address on class
discussion boards. Your email address will not appear in your messages
unless you choose to reveal it. If you do post your email address,
please understand that VU is not responsible for unsolicited advertising
("spam") or other consequences arising from your decision to divulge this
information on a public discussion board.
Never reveal your home address, work address, telephone number,
credit card details, or other confidential information on a class
discussion board — or any other public forum on the Internet! A
good rule of thumb is do not post anything on the Internet that you
would not post on the bulletin board at your office or local
supermarket.
|
Discussion Board Netiquette |
Classroom discussion boards are not free speech zones where anything
goes but, rather, an extension of your virtual classroom. Boards
are subject to moderation just as you would expect the blackboard in a
traditional classroom to be moderated by the instructor. Profanity,
insults, complaints, provocative remarks, advertising, and other
messages deemed offensive or off-topic by VU staff are subject to
removal. In addition, breach of discussion board rules may result in
termination of membership.
Do not post copyrighted materials of any kind on VU discussion boards.
Copyrighted material includes but is not limited to newspaper and
magazine articles, book excerpts, music, software, photos, or graphic
images produced by individuals other than yourself. If you wish to
share a resource with classmates, the proper way is to post the URL
where the material can be viewed, allowing others to browse that
information on their own.
In some classes, homework may be assigned. These learning challenges
are optional and meant to give you a better understanding of
the curriculum. Homework will typically involve additional reading or
research using resources freely accessible over the Internet. Such
projects encourage students to delve beyond the material presented in
weekly lessons and provide opportunities for hands-on learning. To
derive maximum benefit from a course, you should participate in
homework challenges to the best of your ability.
Homework papers should be posted on the class discussion board unless an
instructor directs otherwise. Homework is due by 11:00 p.m.
(Pacific/Campus Time), Saturday of the current week. Adhering to this
schedule will serve two important purposes:
- Limiting discussion to the current week's homework topic
will minimize the distraction of multiple, competing topics from
homework being posted late.
- Classmates will have an opportunity to review and offer feedback on
your work before discussion board messages are archived into weekly digests.
"Digesting" occurs on all discussion boards every Sunday night. This
process keeps the message base down to a manageable size for faster
browsing. When messages are archived, "Reply To" links are removed
and it is no longer convenient to respond to previous homework posts.
If you are unable to complete a homework assignment on time, simply go
on to the next lesson. As a general rule, homework tasks are self-evaluated
and usually will not be graded or critiqued by instructors.
|
How to Post Homework Papers |
Post homework papers on the classroom discussion board unless your
instructor asks you to do otherwise. To post homework, follow these
easy steps:
- Log in to your eDesk and click the link to your classroom. When you
enter your classroom, click Discussion Board, then
Post A New Message. A form will appear.
- Type your name or nickname and a message subject. Then type your
homework in the message box below. Remember — you can work
offline if you wish. Compose your homework in any text editor or word
processor and then simply "copy and paste" your homework into the
message box.
- If your homework must conform to a certain word count, click the
Word Count button under the message box for a quick estimate.
- Before posting your homework, check for accuracy and
completeness. Fix typos, misspelled words and punctuation errors.
Once a message has been posted on the class board, it cannot be
edited or removed!
- When ready, click the POST button
to publish your homework on the class board.
With a little practice, these steps will become second nature
and you'll be able to post your work easily.
In some classes, you may be asked to post homework on your
own website. This is because some homework (for example, a webpage for
an HTML course) cannot be properly viewed on the class board, which is
primarily intended for text messaging. Your instructor will indicate whether
off-site posting is appropriate for your class.
In keeping with VU's helping hand mission of empowerment
through knowledge, by posting homework, essays or comments on class
discussion boards, or by posting links to your work on an external
website, you are agreeing that these works may be showcased on the
Virtual University website, used in future courses, and otherwise
shared with VU students and visitors as provided in our
Terms of Use.
If you post your work under a pseudonym or nickname, attribution will
be made accordingly.
You own the copyright to homework and other original content that you
post on VU discussion boards. You are only granting VU a
nonexclusive right to use this material and only in the limited manner
described in the preceding paragraph. You may edit, revise, repost or publish
your work on your own website, on other third party websites or elsewhere,
and in any other form or venue you wish.
You can maximize your learning experience at VU by completing
an Extra Credit Project for your course. Most courses will give you
this option; however, a few classes do not. Extra Credit projects will
be assigned at the start of Week 5. Some instructors will provide
a list of suggested topics, while in other classes you can choose your
own project. For instance, you might design a web page, write an
essay, or set some other learning goal.
If you plan to take the final exam in a course, you can earn 20 points
for an Extra Credit project. These points are added to your test
score. For example, if you score 80 points on the exam and 20 points
for an Extra Credit project, your overall grade (80 + 20) will be 100
or an "A" for the course (see Grading Policies
below for a table of numeric and letter equivalencies.)
Extra Credit projects must be posted by 11:00 p.m. (Pacific Time)
Saturday of Week 5; this is also the Final Exam deadline.
You can check the exam due date for the current semester
here.
In fairness to students who complete their course work on time,
projects submitted after the deadline will not earn credit.
You will usually be asked to post your Extra Credit work on the
class discussion board, just as you would post a regular homework
paper. When posting your work, type Extra Credit Project on the
Subject line of your message for easy identification. Remember,
you must post your Extra Credit project before you take the
final exam to earn points for your project!
Some instructors may ask you to post your Extra Credit project on your
own website (for example, if you are taking an HTML course and your
project is to create a webpage.) In this case, upload your
work to your website and then post a message on the class
board indicating the URL where your work can be viewed. Type Extra
Credit Project on the Subject line of your message for
convenient identification.
If you post your Extra Credit project on your own website, your work
must remain online and viewable at the specified URL for at least six
months beyond the end of the course to be eligible for extra credit
points. If the Registrar audits your coursework to verify your grade,
a URL will be visited only once: if your work is not viewable, extra
credit points will be disallowed and your grade will be reduced
accordingly. To avoid this problem, you should post your work on your
classroom discussion board whenever possible.
Every course at VU has a final exam. Exams are posted in your
classroom at the start of Week 5. Exams must be completed no later than
11:00 p.m. (Pacific) on Saturday of Week 5. You can verify
the final exam due date for the current semester
here.
In fairness to students who complete their exams
on time, no extensions or makeup exams will be allowed.
In most courses, the final exam will consist of randomly selected
multiple choice questions. Thus, no two exams
will ever be the same. Each correct answer is worth an equal number of
points. No points are deducted for wrong answers.
If you have completed an Extra Credit project for your class, you
must either: (1) check the box at the bottom of the exam form to
indicate that your work has been posted on the classroom discussion
board; or (2) type the off-campus URL where your work can be viewed in
the space provided at the end of the test. If you overlook
this step, you will not receive extra credit for your work.
When you finish taking your exam, click the SUBMIT button at the
bottom of the form. Your exam will be scored instantly and you will be
able to view the test questions and correct answers. If you would like
to save a hard copy of your test, you must print the page now while
you are viewing it. Once you leave the page, you won't be able to
return and view your test results.
The highest possible score that you can earn on a final exam
is 100 points. If your score is less than 100, extra credit points that you have
earned, if any, will be added to your test score, up to a maximum
of 100 points and subject to the conditions mentioned above.
The following grading scale and numeric-letter grade equivalencies are
used at VU:
Numeric Grade Grade Point Letter Grade
100 4.0 A
97-99 3.9 A
94-96 3.8 A
92-93 3.7 A-
90-91 3.6 A-
88-89 3.5 B+
86-87 3.2 B
84-85 3.0 B
82-83 2.7 B-
80-81 2.6 B-
78-79 2.5 C+
76-77 2.2 C
74-75 2.0 C
72-73 1.7 C-
70-71 1.6 C-
68-69 1.5 Incomplete
66-67 1.2 Incomplete
64-65 1.0 Incomplete
62-63 0.7 Incomplete
60-61 0.6 Incomplete
0-59 0.0 Incomplete
If you are dissatisfied with a grade that you earn in a course, you may
repeat the class at your convenience. When re-enrolling, please note that
you must pay the applicable registration fee for the current term. If you
earn a higher grade on a repeated course, you can have the lower grade
purged from your eTranscript by contacting the Registrar with the request.
There is no charge for purging a duplicated course from your eTranscript.
Grades earned for courses taken at VU are maintained in an electronic
transcript. Your eTranscript will display a list of courses that you have
taken, your numeric and letter grade for each course, your Grade Point
Average, and Continuing Education Units (CEUs) awarded. A brief summary of each
course is also included. These course descriptions may be used to compile a portfolio
of life experience credits, to help an employer evaluate promotions or
wage upgrades, and for other continuing education purposes.
A complete and up-to-date record of your grades earned for courses taken during
the past six years will be maintained in your eTranscript. Courses taken
more than six years ago (and courses taken prior to March 1, 2005, for which
you did not remit the CEU recording fee which was assessed by VU at that
time) will be purged from your eTranscript automatically.
To browse your eTranscript, simply log in to your VU desk and click the link to Your
eTranscript. To obtain a printed copy of your eTranscript, place your mouse
in the window containing your eTranscript, right click, and select Print
from the context menu. Respond to the Print dialogue box as you would to print
any other web page.
As noted in the preceding section, if you are dissatisfied with a grade
that you earn, you may repeat the course at your convenience. When re-
enrolling, you must pay the applicable registration fee for the current
term. If you earn a higher grade on a repeated course, you can have the
lower grade purged from your eTranscript. You must contact the Registrar to
request that the lower grade be removed. There is no charge for purging a
duplicated course from your eTranscript.
If you believe that your eTranscript contains errors, please
contact us.
Be sure to provide sufficient detail (your full name, Student ID, course
title, semester, and grade received) so that we can locate your record
and research your question. Allow ten business days for investigations
and transcript updates to be completed.
The Registrar will authenticate your eTranscript upon the request of a
school or employer at no charge to you or the requesting agency. To
comply with privacy policies, requests must be in writing, by surface
mail only, on the agency's official letterhead, and signed by an
authorized representative. Only the data displayed in your eTranscript
as it appears in your browser (name, course list and grades), will be
disclosed; other personal data such as your home address, telephone
number, social security number, and billing information will not be
divulged with your transcript.
Transcript verification requests must be mailed to Registrar, Virtual
University, PO Box 2189, Nipomo CA 93444 USA. Allow 10 business days plus
surface mail delivery time for a response. VU is not responsible for any
loss or damages you may incur as a result of your providing false or
inaccurate information to your school, employer, or any other third party
and which VU is subsequently unable to corroborate from your transcript.
|
Continuing Education Units
|
A course grade of 70 or higher (including extra credit points) is considered a
passing grade and entitles you to earn Continuing Education Units for
a course. CEUs are a globally recognized unit of measure for recording
participation in continuing education activities. One CEU represents
ten hours of participation in an organized learning experience. You can earn
two (2) CEU credits for most five week courses at Virtual University.
CEUs may be used for developing or documenting new job skills, wage
upgrades and promotions, recertification, community service training,
and personal development. CEUs cannot be applied toward college credit
or an academic degree. However, some universities do accept CEUs as
evidence of learning outside the classroom and may grant college
credit for non-traditional credits in your portfolio. Consult your
academic advisor to make sure that you can use CEU credits in this
manner before undertaking a non-traditional course of study at VU or
elsewhere.
NOTE: We are compiling a list of K-12 schools, colleges,
corporations and other organizations that recognize CEUs from VU for job
training, wage upgrades, and other continuing education purposes. If your
school or employer accepts CEUs awarded by VU, please
let us know.
|
If You Are Unable to Log In
|
Occasionally, a new user (or someone using a new computer or a new
browser) may experience difficulty logging in to
their VU desk or accessing classrooms and discussion boards. Because
every computer has its own unique hardware and software configuration,
and because a vast array of PC security products exist today
(firewalls, popup blockers, browser extensions, etc.),
we can only provide simple technical support limited to the
basic pointers outlined below. Fortunately, these quick and easy
troubleshooting steps will resolve most problems and restore access
to your desk and classrooms.
1. When you attempt to log in to your desk, if you are repeatedly taken
to an error page that asks you to log in again — and if you are
certain that you've entered your 6-digit Student ID correctly —
it usually means that the server "cookie" containing your desk setup
information is not being recognized by your computer. This problem
typically is caused by either: (1) your browser software is blocking
cookies, (2) your Windows security configuration is blocking cookies,
or (3) a third-party product such as a firewall or browser extension
is blocking cookies.
You can troubleshoot browser-related issues and easily find out whether
your browser is configured to allow cookies by using this
quick test.
If you find that your browser is rejecting cookies, you may find the
following step-by-step instructions helpful. A detailed
FAQ is available for Firefox
users, as well as a help file covering
other browsers
including Internet Explorer, Netscape, Mozilla, and Opera.
|
Changing Your E-Mail Address
|
Many Internet users change their service providers and/or email
addresses from time to time. It is important that you promptly notify
us of any change in your email address so that we can update your
membership record. Just click the appropriate link on your VU desk or
fill out the Change of Address form at
http://vu.org/update
If your browser is configured to accept server cookies, your new email
address will display immediately on your desk. Otherwise, please allow
72 hours for updates to be reflected on your desk.
Many online businesses offer academic discounts on software, books, music
and other products to students enrolled in primary, secondary,
technical and post-secondary schools. If you are currently enrolled in
an ongoing program of study at Virtual University, or if you have a VU
desk and you will be enrolling in classes next term, you may be able
to take advantage of these educational discounts.
Most firms require that students provide proof of their academic
status, either a current student body ID card, a copy of their
enrollment paperwork, or a letter from their school. To generate a
letter confirming your academic status at VU, simply click
this
link and print out the resulting confirmation letter. Please note that you
must have a webDesk, and you must be logged in to your desk in order
to use this service.
|
A Word About "Netiquette"
|
Students often remark that classmates and instructors at VU are among
the nicest and most helpful people they have met on the Internet. One
reason is that "Netiquette" is strictly enforced at our global village
campus, assuring a peaceful learning environment and
encouraging students to interact in caring and positive ways.
In her FAQ on Netiquette, Virginia Shea, a leading proponent of
Internet manners and culture, writes: "What is Netiquette? Simply
stated, it's network etiquette -- that is, the etiquette of
cyberspace. And etiquette means 'the forms required by good
breeding or prescribed by authority to be required in social or
official life.' In other words, Netiquette is a set of rules for
behaving properly online."
Netiquette is taken very seriously at VU. It sets the tone for
courteous interaction in classrooms. Netiquette also extends to
attitude — people who have a positive attitude and share our
passion for knowledge and lifelong learning always do well at VU.
Those who have attitude problems, who take out their frustrations on
fellow students or staff, or who post disruptive remarks on class
discussion boards may find themselves excluded from future activities
at VU.
We all have bad days — job pressures, health and money worries,
arguments with friends and disappointments are part of daily living.
Sometimes computers and servers don't work as they should; or maybe
we're frustrated because we're having trouble understanding course
material. Regardless of the reason, please check bad moods at the door
and treat VU students and staff courteously at all times. Think before
you post a public message and make sure that what you say on a
discussion board is really what you mean to say. Once you've posted a
message, you can't unring the bell.
Help keep VU a warm and friendly place where learning is enjoyable and
people from around the world can interact in a positive and caring
environment. Diligent adherence to the common sense rules of
Netiquette benefits everyone!
The history and philosophy of Virtual University are rooted in the
1960s, a turbulent era of change and social awareness. Our
founders knew then that knowledge is the mortar of a free society and
that lifelong learning is the key to personal success, happiness and
well being. Today, we remain devoted to the goal of making the world a
better place by empowering individuals with the knowledge to improve
their lives and their communities.
In the 1960s, our founders helped organize the first Free Clinic in
southern California as well as a crisis intervention counseling
network and a suicide prevention hotline. They taught drug education
workshops years before it became fashionable to "Just Say No." In the
1970's, they founded the Discovery Center in Los Angeles where they
taught self-help and community service courses attended by thousands
of adult learners.
With the arrival of the desktop computer, our founders began exploring
innovative ways to deliver courses through early modem bulletin
boards, producing some of the first online courses. In the late 1980s,
they developed a revolutionary software program called Digital
Professor, the first use of Computer Telephony in education. This
software was a finalist in Educom's 1992 Software Innovation
Awards.
In 1995, VU pioneered the first virtual campus on the World Wide Web.
In fact, VU was one of the first 500 sites built on the Web, at a time
when most people dismissed HTML as a passing fad. Since then, we have
produced and hosted more than 350 courses on a diverse mix of
subjects...more than two million people from 130 countries have
attended classes on our global village campus...and the Internet now
touches the daily lives of more than one billion people around the
world!
As we look toward the future, VU remains dedicated to a "helping hand"
mission and the belief that knowledge is the bridge to peace and
freedom in the new millennium. To learn how you can help bring
knowledge to a hungry world at a time when positive solutions are
desperately needed, please explore our
Volunteer Opportunities
at your convenience.
All text, graphics, software, sounds, music and video files on the
Virtual University website are protected by copyright, trademark,
patent and other intellectual property rights and laws. This content
may not be reposted on any other website (including personal websites)
or otherwise published, rebroadcast or distributed in any manner
without the express written consent of Virtual University. Please
direct copyright inquires and related correspondence to our
Legal Dept.
Students who are currently enrolled in courses at VU may download
pertinent materials for viewing in a Web browser and may make a single
archival copy of this content on magnetic medium (i.e., floppy
diskette, hard disk or CD- ROM) as well as a single "hard copy"
printout of the content for their own personal, non-commercial use
provided that all copyright notices are kept intact and the content is
not altered in any manner. Lessons and other course materials may
not be reposted on any other website (including a student's personal
website). Please remember that all sites on the World Wide Web,
including a personal website that you think is private, can be freely
viewed by other users, indexed by search engines or otherwise accessed
by the public. For this reason, copyright laws will be strictly
enforced.
As you embark on your learning adventure at VU, keep in mind that
taking an online course has benefits and drawbacks. Virtual learning
is convenient: you can work from home, day or night, do homework in
your spare time and study at your own pace. Yet, online learning
requires self-discipline and a desire to succeed. Job stresses, health
and family concerns, and the distractions of daily living may tempt
you to put things off. "I'll catch up next week!" is a frequently
heard mantra in virtual classrooms.
To derive maximize benefit and enjoyment from your classes, try to
establish a routine at the beginning of the term. Set aside a certain
day and time each week for class work. Try to adhere to that schedule
just as you would for a traditional class where you are expected to
show up at specific times in a physical classroom. Also, participate
regularly in class discussion. The more effort you put into a course,
the more knowledge and enjoyment you will derive from it.
We hope your experience at Virtual University will fan the flame of
lifelong learning and enrich you as you journey through this amazing
wired universe. Once you appreciate the limitless possibilities of
this digital medium, you'll become a participant, a contributor, and
an active voice in deciding how the Internet will be used, how it will
change your life today, and how it will shape our world as the 21st
century unfolds.
Good luck with your classes!
©
Virtual University.
All Rights Reserved.
|
|
|
|