Guide to understanding online instruction

As an online student, there are certain things that you should know. This short lesson should prepare you for your online class with SDCCE.

This page is designed to provide you with the knowledge needed to be a successful online Emeritus student. You will find information as well as resources and examples.

If you prefer print, you can download this handout.

Overview

In an online course, your instruction is delivered over the internet rather than in-person, in a traditional classroom. The course management system (CMS) is where your instructor will:

• post all of the course materials,

• conduct online discussions and perhaps other activities, and

• receive your assignments.

For SDCCE, your instructor may use one of two CMS: Canvas or Google Sites.

You can access the course materials on your CMS using your computer, smartphone or tablet. You will need a faster Internet connections (referred to as broadband) for the Zoom sessions.

Taking part in an online course requires a minimum of computer or device understanding.

You should know how to connect to the Internet via a browser (such as Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari). Your instructor may provide insight on the best browser for that class.
You should know how to send and receive emails, click on links safely, download and store files, and download simple programs
You should also know how to update your operating systems and browsers, install and use an antivirus program and troubleshoot basic problems.
You should understand how your webcam works, so that you can participate in the weekly Zoom sessions.

This guide summarizes some things that you will need to know to take part in our classes. Please review it for important tips and ideas to help you connect safely and accurately to our courses. It includes (clicking on the link will take you to that spot in this lesson):

Technical requirements

Overview of requirements:

Computer, tablet or smartphone: Older versions are no longer updated for safety and security. So for that reason, the minimum OS (operating system) recommended is as follows:
- PC: Windows 8 or higher,
- MacOS: OS 10.4 or higher,
- Android OS 8.0 and higher
- iPhone/iPad, Above 6, (6S or above).
  - Webcam for computer (optional, but recommended)
  - Printer (optional, but might be nice)
  - Internet access: Best if you have in the home, but you can also access from public networks. See resources below for information on finding low-cost Internet access.
  - Working knowledge of basics including email, files and folders, attachments, the web, browsers.
  - Understand basic computer maintenance (update the operating system, browsers and antivirus program regularly), install an antivirus program for protection

Resources:

Finding your version of operating system:
- Mac: Click on the Apple on the top left and then “overview”. You will see the version you are running. You will also see a tab called software update which can be used to update the system.
- Windows 10/11: Settings>System>About
- Chromebook: Settings>About Chrome OS
- Android: Varies, but usually in either System: Updates or About phone
- iPhone/iPad: Settings>General>Software update

Handout: Introduction to the Computer
Guide from Net Literacy: Basic Computer Skills
Link to low cost Internet through AT&T for low income adults
Consider taking a class on technology to build your online skills. SDCCE offers Communicating with Technology as an option. Contact instructor Mary Burns (mburns@sdccd.edu) for information on this free, ongoing class designed for older adults.

What to expect

What to expect:

Weekly emails from instructor: Your instructor may send notes out of their district email (name@sdccd.edu), through Canvas, or even through another server (name@sdceonline.com or name@gmail.com) . Check with your instructor if you receive an email from an unrecognized email address. DO NOT open attachments or click on links unless you are certain that the email is from a respected source!
Attachments to the email: Understand how to open, view and save.
Links within email: Understand that they will open in your default browser (Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari, etc.).
Course management systems: Classes are delivered via the Course Management System (CMS). This can be either Canvas or Google Sites. This course website will include all course materials, other activities and in some cases interactive activities like a discussion board.
Choose your browser: In some cases, a particular browser will work better for your course website. If the class is not working on one browser, download and try another. Examples of browsers which work well for our classes: Firefox, Chrome, Edge, Safari (Apple). Your instructor may have information on the best browser for their class.
Attending class via Zoom: Prior to the first class, you will receive an email with a link to the Zoom address. In most cases, your class will also have a password embedded in the link. If not, there will be a passcode/password that you will use. Some classes do not use a passcode/password. Instead, their link will only include the meeting ID and a waiting room. When it is time for the class, you will be let into the waiting room. You may wish to try the link prior to the first day of class to make sure that it works. Also, the first time you access the Zoom classroom, your device will ask you to download an app. From then on, this app will open when you click on a Zoom link. If you are using a portable device (smartphone or tablet), you can download the Zoom app directly from the web store (Google Play or the Apple App store). If you are new to Zoom, please check out the resources below to get started.
Student participation via quizzes online (clicking on a link or within the Canvas class), discussion boards, emailing instructor, individual class interaction through games (Kahoots) or student feedback (Flipgrid, Pronto) and navigating special programs to enhance lessons (YouTube)

Related resources:

How to prepare for your online course

How to prepare:

Passwords: Your course may contain one or more passwords. Make a note of them and keep next to your device. Possible passwords you may create include:

A class registration password (myportal.sdccd.edu)

A CMS password for Canvas (sdccd.instructure.com).

A password for Brain HQ, the brain training activity site for Brain Fitness students (brainhq.com)

No password needed for Google sites

Web addresses: You will also be working with a variety of websites during your course. You need to understand how to get to your course website:

If your course in on Canvas, you will access the course by going to sdccd.instructure.com, signing in, and then choosing the course from your list. You will arrive at the home page, where you must then navigate to your module.

If your course is on Google sites, it may have a “shortcut”. This shortcut is a name which can be typed directly into the address browser on the course website. Since it is a shortcut, after arriving on the site, you will see a much longer address. NOTE: The shortcut takes you to the Home page. From there, you must find the current lesson. Examples of shortcuts:

bhqonline.org

cwtsdce.org

rediscoversd.org

Organizing for your class: It is a good idea to set up folders on your device. You can then download handouts to keep on that folder. This will be helpful if you want to find a handout in the future and your website is no longer able to be found.

Open the program on your device where you can save documents. On Windows, it is File Explorer (a small folder icon). On Mac it is Finder (a square icon with a happy face)

Create a folder for the class. You might include the year. (Example: Brain Fitness, Fall 2021)

If you wish, you might add subfolders to this main one. (Example: Brain health tips, Exercise in the brain)

You can also use these files for additional information that you find. By engaging in the class and filling in the blanks, you will be a better student.

Resources:

Handout on managing files and folders in Windows 10, Mac computers and Chromebook

Tips for Safe Online Use

Tips to consider when opening an email and/or attachment

Your email provider should be scanning for malicious attachments. If a virus is included in the attachment that you are trying to send, you will see a “Virus detected”” error message. You can choose to send without an attachment. If the virus is attached to an email sent to you, they should reject the message and let the sender know. If the virus is found in an attachment in your inbox, you won’t be able to download the attachment. This is true in theory, but things can still get through. So, keep reading!
Filenames: avoid bizarre filenames and misspelled words. Spreadsheets are usually not named a random string of symbols (this would be suspicious as well)
EXE files: These are executable files. Only open if you have downloaded them from a reputable source. Do not open an EXE file in an email attachment.
Zipped files: If you have any doubt, confirm by phone or email (but not replying to this email because you are not sure if it is legitimate)
Office documents: These can contain hidden macros or scripts that will “allow macros” without knowing what you are allowing to run. Macros can then enable installed malware.

How to tell if an email is malicious:

Unknown sender or even a sender you recognize with a suspicious looking email. Or the address is incorrect. Check the email as well as the sender name. And remember the sender address can be different by just a letter or two. So, look carefully!
The sender does not seem to know you. They address you as “Dear Customer” or may have no contact information.
Embedded links: You can see a link by hovering over it as it is on the page. Before clicking on a link, hover your mouse over the link. This will show you the actual web address embedded in the link. Check this against the actual web address of the trusted source. If you are still unsure, contact the source through another trusted channel (for example, a customer support number listed on the official website) to verify the email is legitimate.
Language, spelling and grammar: Many of these are created in other countries and translated into English. Look for mistakes, even minor ones.
Content is bizarre or unbelievable: Think of the Nigerian Prince.
There is a “call to action” button. This is encouraging you to click there, which can trick you into downloading a malicious code.
The email is asking for sensitive information, hoping that one person will fall for it! (This is known as phishing)

Carousel of Bad Emails

View this stream of emails to see examples of how email can be "bad"

Phishing: Recognize and ignore!

The cyber threat landscape is ever-changing, but one thing remains consistent—cyber criminals continue to leverage email as a way to gain access to a network environment. The favorite tool of cyber criminals is phishing. Phishing involves sending emails, whether general in nature or specific to the recipient, hoping that the user either enters their credentials to access a bogus file or clicks on a malicious link or attachment which deploys malware on their system. The goal of phishing emails is to encourage you to act without thinking.

Recognize Three Main Threats:

· Malicious attachments that look like legitimate file attachments, usually an invoice, software update, or other file that seems urgent in nature. These attachments can infect your device with malware that can spread to other systems. Some attachments will take you to a website which asks you to enter your credentials to access the file. However, the file is bogus and your credentials are now in the hands of the attacker.

· Malicious links that take you to imposter websites designed to resemble a trusted website such as a known bank or a cloud platform to access a file. The goal of these sites is to fool the target into entering credentials to access the site or file, which transmits the username and password to the attacker for later use. These links may be imbedded in email or as links on a website.

· Requests for sensitive data designed to seem legitimate, such as an email from the IRS or a fake email from a family member or co-worker. These requests prompt you to fill in information like user IDs, passwords, credit card data, and so on. Once you submit the information, it's used by cyber criminals for their personal gain.

What You Can Do:

· Check that the sender's email address matches up with the sender's name. Often cyber criminals will masquerade as a trusted source, such as a valid business, but the sender's email address will not match up with the business mail system.

· Watch for misspellings and poor grammar. These can be an indication that the email did not originate from a trusted source.

· Watch for legitimate-seeming organizations requesting your sensitive information or sending unsolicited attachments via email. Most government organizations (such as the IRS) and major companies do not do this.

· Watch for unsolicited emails that push you to act hastily or that seem too good to be true, such as emails saying that your account has been frozen or that you will receive a large sum of money.

· Before clicking on a link, hover your mouse over the link. This will show you the actual web address embedded in the link. Check this against the actual web address of the trusted source. If you are still unsure, contact the source through another trusted channel (for example, a customer support number listed on the official website) to verify the email is legitimate.

Activity: Test your skills

Can you tell the difference between a legitimate website and one that is phishing? Take this quiz. When you are done, you will see how you did and learn more on how to tell if the website is legitimate or phishing. https://www.opendns.com/phishing-quiz/

Google has a test to see if you can spot when you are being phished. How did you do on this one? https://phishingquiz.withgoogle.com/

Here is another test to see how well you can spot legitimate or phishing email. When you finish, they will ask for your name and email, but don’t fill it in. Keep track of your score as you won’t see it at the end, but interesting quiz. https://accellis.com/email-phishing-quiz/

This quiz is about online scams. How well can you spot them? https://www.protectseniorsonline.com/quiz/

How to tell if a website is malicious

Emotional language (is there an elevated level of urgency, optimism or fear?)
Poor design quality (low resolution images, odd layouts)
Odd grammar (spelling mistakes, broken or stilted English or grammar errors)
Absence of identifying web pages (is it missing contact us or about us? Is there a phone number? Can you call it?
Check the spelling (there is a difference between amazon.com and amozon.com)
Check the prefix (Phishers are now learning that many browsers ignore the prefix, which should be http:// or https://. So they are using http:\ as their prefix. This can send you to a non-legitimate site.)
Check the domain name (usbank.com is not the same as usbank.co, FBI.gov is not the same as FBI.com)

Malicious redirects

A malicious redirect is when you are browsing the web and are sent to a website which you did not intend to go to. When you get there, there will be pop-ups and warnings that your computer is infected. Your computer is NOT infected, you are just experiencing a malicious redirect. They are actually bits of code included in the website which are designed to divert website visitors to a specified, unrelated site, often containing advertising, pornography, potentially unwanted programs or browser extensions.

Why are they set up on the website?

Money: The hackers are hoping that you will call the number on the website for their fake technical support and hand over credit card information or allow them remote access to your computer so they can install malicious software.
Phishing: Redirects can be used to send you to bad websites where you’re encouraged to enter in usernames, passwords, or credit card information. This information is then used to commit identity fraud.
Malware: These malicious redirects send you to websites where you may end up downloading unwanted software. These products often come bundled with malware which can leave your computer vulnerable to an attack in the future. Although your anti-virus software will not prevent these malicious redirects from happening, it may help protect you from unwanted and harmful software downloaded from these websites.

What to do if it happens to you:

Do NOT call the phone number listed on the pop-up. Your computer is NOT infected. Follow the steps below to get rid of it.
Then, try to close the page by selecting the “x” at the top of the page’s tab or by closing your web browser by clicking the “X” in the upper right-hand corner on a PC or the upper left-hand corner on a Mac.
If you are able to close the tab or the web browser window, then re-open the web browser and resume your online activity. Make sure that you do not restore your previous session when prompted.
If your computer screen seems locked or frozen and you are unable to close your web browser, push and hold the power button on your computer for a minimum of 10 seconds until the device completely powers off.
Restart your computer.
Open your web browser and be sure to not restore your previous session when prompted.
If this doesn't work, you may have to consult a professional.

Remember:

Your computer is NOT infected and the phone number listed in the pop-up is a scam. Do not call the number or give them any personal information. Follow the steps above to remove the threat.

Also, Microsoft and Apple will never make an unsolicited phone call to you about your computer. These phone calls are scams. Do not give the caller any personal information and hang up the phone.

https://www.drcomputermd.com/2019/06/24/your-computer-is-not-infected-what-you-need-to-know-about-malicious-redirects/

Example of a malicious redirect: You are NOT infected!

Learn more about and protect yourself against scams

Scams are becoming very common, as they become more sophisticated and widespread. Here are some ways to recognize scams, and some tools for fighting back. This information is from "Protect Seniors Online".

AARP has an excellent section on scams and fraud. You can access it here.

What to do if you are hacked

If you are noticing that your computer is acting differently (can’t turn it off, running slow, opening pages you didn’t click on, displaying pop-ups), there is a chance that your computer has been hacked. Here are the suggested steps to take (from the FTC site).
STOP: Stop shopping, banking and entering passwords online until the problem is resolved
UPDATE: Update your security software. Install a new version. Use your phone or another computer to check reviews of security software or use the AV-Test.org site to choose the top rated products.
FIND AND DELETE: Using the security software, scan your system. If it finds malware, it will flag for you. Delete the suggested malware files and restart your computer. Contact your computer manufacturer or tech support if problems persist.
AFTER CLEANING: Once your computer is restored, change the password on your bank accounts, your email accounts and other important accounts. Use strong passwords which are unique and not easy to guess.
FINAL NOTES: Make sure to keep your operating system and web browsers up to date.

Information and Resources through FDA.gov

For more information on the steps after you have been hacked, go to the FTC OnGuardOnline site at: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/features/feature-0038-onguardonline

From the FTC: What to do if your email or social media account is hacked: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-recover-your-hacked-email-or-social-media-account

Contact IdentityTheft.Gov: If you are hacked, and your sensitive information was used, report it to IdentityTheft.gov at: https://www.identitytheft.gov/#/

Free Credit Report: If you have been hacked, you will want to view your current credit reports and continue to monitor them regularly. It would be a good idea to freeze your three accounts (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion). You can order these free reports through AnnualCreditReport.com at: https://www.annualcreditreport.com/index.action . You can learn more about this on the FDC website: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/free-credit-reports

Reporting scams: If you see a scam, fraud or bad business practice, report it on the FTC site. On this site, you can also learn more about avoiding scams. https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/

Avoiding scams: Learn more about consumer scams, view specific Consumer Alerts and find quick links to reporting fraud, reporting identity theft, registering for Do Not Call and more: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/

http://illinoiscomptroller.gov/services/smart-consumers-illinois/identity-theft/

Some possible fixes for computer problems

Although some problems may have to be remedied by professionals, there are a few quick tips you might consider if you have a common hardware issue. They include:

Check your computer cables and connections (they sometimes shift without you noticing)
Make sure your surge protector is on. You can also reset the surge protector (turn off and on) to be sure.
Check your battery status often when working on a laptop, tablet or smartphone. If your device will not turn on at all, try plugging it in and waiting a few minutes before trying again.
If the monitor is blank, make sure it is plugged in, connected to the computer and turned on. Then check the brightness control (usually found on monitor or keyboard).
If there is no sound, check the volume control to see if it is turned up high enough. Some applications (music and videos) have their own volume controls, so make sure to check both places. If you are using speakers, make sure they are plugged in, turned on and connected to the audio port of your computer. If you aren’t sure, you can plug in your headphones to the audio port and see if you can hear anything there.
Speaking of the headphone, if you aren’t hearing anything from the speaker, see if you have left headphones plugged in. If so, unplug them so you can hear out of the speaker.
Final resort, save your work and restart your computer. This often works the best!

Protecting yourself and your device

- Find a good antivirus program (use independent testing organization AV-Test (https://www.av-test.org)
- Use a safe browser, update it when asked. Also look for https for sensitive information along with a lock in the browser’s window
- Use a strong password for your accounts (at least 8 letters, numbers and symbols). Do not share passwords across devices, especially for sensitive sites.
- Consider a password manager to keep track of your passwords.
- When logging into a public network (library, airport, etc.) use extreme caution. Do not access sensitive sites (bank and financial sites, sites that have your credit card saved, etc.) from a public network. If you must use a public network for your class, keep your activity online to a minimum (access course, read and participate in activities). If you want to use your laptop and you do not have access to a secure network, you can use your phone for a hotspot (in most cases). Contact your ISP (Sprint, Verizon) for more details.

Resources:

From FTC, a list of resources on online safety

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