About Learning Online

You may hear Online Learning also referred to as distance education or eLearning.  If you have ever completed a training using a computer where you had to watch videos, read articles and/or view other content, then take a quiz or test, you have participated in online learning.  

Here at USI, the majority of our online courses are referred to as asynchronous.  This means you do not have set times you need to log into your online course, no live interactions with your peers or professor and you can complete your course assignments at a time that is convenient for you (you still need to submit work by the stated deadline).  

There are a wide variety of course formats at USI to meet the needs of our students.  Below is a brief description of the types of course formats and the section codes to look for when registering for courses.  

Asynchronous Online - Learners do not have set times you need to log into your online course, no live interactions with your peers or professor and you can complete your course assignments at a time that is convenient for you (you still need to submit work by the stated deadline).   

• Sections codes to look for when registering are .NO, .ND, .NR, and .AO

Hybrid Courses - Learners can complete activities online at a time that is convenient for them, but also have required times they must be logged into their online course and/or video-conferencing.   

• Section codes to look for when registering are .NC, .NS, .TO, and .AS

In-Person Classes - These classes meet on campus at regularly scheduled times.  While some coursework may be done online, students do need to attend the in-person classes sessions per the course schedule.  

• Section codes to look for when registering are .001, .101, .201, and .901. 

Each online course will be slightly different, so you will have variety in the course structure.  Some common activities in your online course will be:

Reading Assignments - Just like a face-to-face course, you can expect to acquire new knowledge through reading.  The readings may be from the assigned textbook, scholarly articles, case studies, blogs, handouts and more.  

Video Lectures - Many of your professors will provide recorded lectures to further explain the course concepts and expand upon any assigned readings.  There may also be professional videos to view and videos available through our resources, such as Youtube.  

Discussions - Discussions can vary in an online course.  Some courses will have a threaded discussion where you can interact with your classmates by posting responses to a prompt and responding to your classmates.  Some courses may utilize a tool called VoiceThread.  VoiceThread is a combination of a recorded video where you can respond to questions, ask questions, etc. either by typing a response or recording a short audio or video clip.  

Assignments - There are a variety of assignments you can submit in an online class, just like a face-to-face course.  These can vary from submitting a homework assignment, a paper, PowerPoint presentations, projects, recordings, and more.  

Quizzes and Exams - Not all courses have quizzes and exams.  This is determined by the professor and the content of the course.  Some professors use papers or projects instead of a quiz or exam so you can apply the new knowledge you are obtaining.   

Even though the majority of online classes at USI are not "live", there are still ways to interact with your professor.  You can email your professor to ask questions, seek clarification, etc.  Most faculty hold office hours where you can visit them on-campus if you are able to do so, hold phone calls or meet using tools like Zoom or Teams.   The important things is, if you need assistance or have questions, make sure you contact your professor to seek assistance.   

There are different technology requirements you should keep in mind when taking online courses.  

Operating System: Windows 10 or newer; Mac OS 10.14 Mojave or higher

Ram: 4 GB or higher

Hard Drive Space: 20 GB or more

Screen Resolution: 1280x1024 or higher recommended

Internet: Download speeds of at least 1.5 Mbps, 750 kbps upload

A variety of browsers are supported.  However, Chrome and Firefox tend to work best.  

• Google Chrome™, most recent stable version and two preceding versions.
• Mozilla® Firefox®, most recent stable version and two preceding versions.
• Apple® Safari® for MacOS and iOS, two most recent major versions.
• Microsoft® Edge®1 most recent stable version and two preceding versions

Blackboard offers a free Browser Check to help you identify if you have a supported browser, if you need to enable cookies, disable pop-up blockers, etc.  

Recent updates to several browsers have included changes to how the browser handles third-party cookies. These changes may affect tools from other providers that integrate with Blackboard Learn. If you have trouble accessing an integrated tool after a browser upgrade, edit your browser’s settings to allow sites to save and read cookie data. You can find instructions for  Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Edge online.

Yes, there is a Blackboard App available for both Android and Apple.  

Please note that all features of an online course may be available through the mobile app or a browser on a mobile device.  It is highly suggested you have access to a Windows or Mac based computer.  

While this will depend upon the individual course, it is recommended students have access to:

• Webcam
• Microphone (can use Webcam microphone)
• Speakers and/or headset 

Some materials in your course may require you have the latest version of Adobe Reader installed to open documents.