Here is a general orientation for new students to Open Center Online Learning courses and the way in which courses operate. (Courses may vary in approach and content materials.)

The typical scenario for weekly modules is as follows:

• Check for Module Announcements: Students log in to the site at the beginning of the week and check the Course Blog, which will contain an announcement of which course module is being released that week.
• View the Week’s Module: Students view, listen to and read the course content on the module webpage for that week.
• Do Exercises: Exercises or assignments are done. See the bottom of the webpage for each module, or check the Resources tab.
• View the Handouts: Courses may also have handouts for each module, which are available under the Resources tab.
• Post Comments and Discuss on the Course Blog: Students and teacher then discuss that week’s material on the Course Blog, which serves as the main interactive feature of the course website.

During the period of the course, students and teacher may also engage in the online community features of the course website:

• Messages: Send a private message to a fellow student or the teacher.
• Groups: Create a group on a theme related to the course subject.
• Forums: Start a discussion forum topic (Forums are created within Groups), and engage in discussion.
• Events: Post events of interest to other students or teacher.