TECHNOLOGY
Communication
While here, it is expected that you check your email at least daily and respond promptly. You will be getting an MSU email and access to Office 365. (Outlook mail, calendar, and a suite of other applications.)
**Americans typically find it very rude when you don’t answer an email within a day or two. If you get an email invitation or question and you can’t attend or don’t know the answer, It is MUCH better to respond to the email and say ‘I’m sorry, I can’t attend” or “I’m sorry, I don’t know” than not answer. Americans will accept an answer that says “no” better than no answer at all.
Managing email can be frustrating–try using folders to help you. Move emails you have answered to a different folder. When replying to emails, keep the previous email chain so the reader knows what you are addressing. Be careful with keeping the email chain if you are forwarding the email to a new reader. You don’t want to include private information in the email to a new person.
Outlook Calendar
We will be asking you to use the Outlook calendar system with your MSU ID. This will aid in sharing calendars, scheduling, and participating in department, college, and university events. We have an FLTA calendar that will include the MSU academic calendar, required weekly FLTA meetings, etc.
Many FLTAs are on facebook already. Many professors, supervisors, and students are also on facebook. If you have an account, you are welcome to request to become friends with any of us, but it is not required. You should decide if you want to ‘friend’ your students on facebook. If you are not comfortable with a request from a student, you may reply “I’m sorry, I don’t ‘friend’ any of my students, but I will do so after I’m no longer your instructor.” Use your own judgement. Another option is to create a class group–that way the whole class can be in a shared group, but no one has to friend each other if they don’t wish to do so.
Online Course Management System
D2l is the course management system that most MSU professors use for their courses. The system allows the instructor/professor to post articles, links, photos, powerpoint presentations, quizzes, etc.. for their students. During the orientation at MSU, you will have an orientation to this new system.
OER- Open Educational Resources Textbooks
The LCTL program has started several OER projects including an FLTA textbook program. Each FLTA will be working to add at least one chapter to their language textbook over the year.
Computers
You each will have a desktop computer on your own desk with headphones, camera, and software in B430. The computer could be either a PC or MAC–we don’t have a choice. Owen Hall also has a computer lab that you are free to use. MSU has many, many, computer labs all over campus with multiple types of equipment and various hours of availability. Unfortunately, unless there is a special need, we no longer are able to regularly supply laptop computers to FLTAs.