Online Special Students FAQ
Updated: 01/31/12
The information on this page is provided as a courtesy for our online Special Students, or for prospective online Special Students. The term "Special Student" refers to individuals who wish to take coursework but who are not currently enrolled at Starr King or any other GTU school.
Where can I find syllabi and books?
How do I register?
What equipment do I need?
How will I log in?
How will I contact my Instructor?
What’s expected?
How can I avoid that odd code?
What about grading?
What if I had to drop?
What about Incompletes?
Got plagiarism detectors?
Automatic transcripts?
Anything else?
Where can I find the syllabus for my course?
Syllabi with any required books are posted as soon as instructors send them to us. Syllabi for Spring 2012 can be found beneath their relevant course descriptions at http://online.sksm.edu/courses12.php. Note the series ‘courses12’ in the url. Next academic year, the number will advance by one; i.e., http://online.sksm.edu/courses13.php.
How do I register for an online course?
See How To Register for details. Take note of registration dates as listed on Starr King's Academic Calendar.
What computer equipment and software do I need in order to take an online course?
See http://online.sksm.edu/techsupport.php.
How will I log in?
During the week before your class begins you’ll get an an email containing access codes and detailed information, including simple instructions about the Moodle Precourse, making initial introductions, posting photos and getting to know GTU Moodle.
How can I contact my Instructor?
Your instructor will provide contact information to enrolled students either by email at the start of the semester, or clarify preferred contact information through your particular Moodle course site. Or, if an instructor has multiple email addresses and the preferred email address for class use isn’t clear, you can contact your instructor by email once your course has begun. SKSM does not give out faculty home phone numbers. Adjunct Faculty, Visiting Scholars and Student Teachers do not have offices or voicemail boxes at the school, and cannot be reached by phone via the school. Please do not contact online instructors outside of the GTU’s scheduled registration periods or after a semester/course has ended. During registration periods, follow the information at How To Register.
Briefly please, what will be expected of me?
One thing is consistent across all SKSM courses: Full participation is required. In terms of simply "showing up," students are allowed 1 week off ~ the equivalent of 1 absence per semester. More than that must be arranged with the instructor. Sometimes terms can be negotiated. If not, a student may be encouraged to withdraw from the course.
Apart from that, be sure to look for a clear and detailed set of expectations that’s been posted by your instructor. If you don’t see one, ask for one. It might go something like this:
• As this is a graduate course, you will be expected to do a substantial amount of reading. Students are expected to complete all assigned readings and to complete them on time.
• Participate in weekly online discussion.
• Complete and post weekly written reflections.
• Each student is expected to post to the Web a one-page-or-less written reflection based on readings and course materials pertinent to that week; to be posted by midnight Wednesday of each week in the discussion forum (midnight Pacific Time, where Starr King is located).
• Respond to peer reflections. Each student is expected to respond to the substance of the weekly reflections of two of their peers each week.
How can I eliminate all those odd little glyphs from my Moodle postings?
Copying and pasting from a word processing program (like MSWord) into Moodle often causes unwanted code to appear. Use the "Paste from Word" button in the Moodle textbox toolbar. Copy your text from Word, then go back into your Moodle course. In the textbox toolbar, click the "Paste from Word" button. A new window will appear; paste your text (right-clicking and selecting Paste, or pressing Ctrl+V on your keyboard) into that textbox. Click the Insert button.
Another older-but-reliable method is to copy from Word into Notepad [if using a Windows-based computer] or into Text Edit [if using a Mac]. From there, do a "Select All," then copy again and paste into the Moodle window. It sounds more complicated than it is and will go fast once you've done it a few times.
Tell me about grading.
Right after the semester begins, let your instructor know what grading system to use. The norm for grading at Starr King is pass/fail, but if you need or prefer a letter grade, simply tell your instructor. Be sure to do it well before the end of a semester.
Okay, so if I had to drop or withdraw from my course, what should I do?
If for some reason you would need to withdraw, and it’s early enough in the semester [more about this in next paragraph], discuss it with your instructor, who will need to approve and then email Starr King’s Registrar kcroswell@sksm.edu and cc: the Online Education Director cyoung@sksm.edu. Once the Registrar has withdrawn you from a course, your name should no longer appear in WebAdvisor or your Moodle course’s participant list. Also please note that there are no refunds after the first day of a class.
The GTU imposes a deadline for making changes in enrollment without special permission, so if you need to withdraw well into the semester [usually the first or second week after Reading Week], email your instructor and Starr King’s Dean of the Faculty, Dr. Dorsey Blake at dblake@sksm.edu, with your request to drop. Once you’ve received both approvals and signatures via email, they should be forwarded to Starr King’s Registrar kcroswell@sksm.edu with cc: the Online Education Director cyoung@sksm.edu. Once the Registrar has withdrawn you from a course, your name should no longer appear in WebAdvisor or your Moodle course’s participant list.
My brother said Incompletes are never an option; that it’s pass or fail and that’s that. Is it true?
Incompletes are an important option for students dealing with extraordinary circumstances; however, it should not be an option that is to be encouraged. Students are responsible for finishing their work within the term. In order to take an incomplete, students must submit a completed petition for an incomplete to their registrar before the last day of the term – no exceptions. Incomplete work is due to the instructor three weeks after the term. The instructor is required to submit a new grade by the 6th Friday after the end of the term. If, however, no new grade is received by the end of the 6th week, the incomplete grade becomes an “F”.
Given exceptional circumstances, Instructors may, at their discretion, agree to a time frame beyond the six weeks with approval from the Dean of the Faculty. Time frames must be documented as part of the original petition. It is the responsibility of the student to make sure the “Change of Grade” form is completed with all necessary signatures and given to the Registrar to update the grade by the end of the semester in which the incomplete work is due, or it will automatically be converted to an “F” by the Registrar.
I heard online lends itself to acts of plagiarism. Is that true?
Teachers who suspect that a student has plagiarized should address the issue with the student. If plagiarism is confirmed, the teacher will work with the core faculty to determine the best course of action which could include Academic Probation. If the matter is disputed, the student or teacher may follow the procedures listed under “Academic or Personality Disputes.” Students who are placed on Academic Probation twice may be dismissed from a program.
GTU Consortial Agreement Concerning Plagiarism
When a student from one GTU school is suspected of plagiarism in a course that the student is taking at another GTU school, the following protocol will be followed:
1. The faculty member teaching the course will notify the dean of the faculty member's school that the student has been suspected of plagiarism.
2. The dean of the faculty member's school will notify the dean of the student's school that the student has been suspected of plagiarism.
3. The faculty member will follow the policy of his or her own school in regard to possible consequences within the context of the course (e.g., failing grade on the assignment, failing grade for the course, etc.)
4. The student's school will be responsible for following its own policy in regard to possible consequences beyond the context of the course (e.g., warning, academic probation, expulsion, etc.).
Will someone send me a transcript once my course is over?
Starr King produces transcripts only upon request. Students can request a transcript by filling out and submitting an online request form: Transcript Request Form.
Students may also send a written request via USPS mail to Starr King School for the Ministry, Attn: Registrar, 2441 LeConte Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94709. It takes approximately 5-7 business days to process a request. Please note: Policy prohibits us from emailing transcripts.
Ok, well, I'm still sort of worried about taking an online course. Is there any more help out there?
Definitely. In addition to our Technology Requirements and Support page, GTU Moodle Administrators have compiled a helpful and concise resource page called "Moodle Help for Students." Be sure to check it out.
Will you all please notify me when it’s time to register for that one course I really, really need?
Alas, at the present time we don’t have all resources we need to keep alert lists for everyone who request them. We suggest you keep checking our online course descriptions page [as above; see first question] for next-up registration periods. Then write yourself a reminder or mark a calendar you use on a daily basis. Also remind yourself to keep checking our website for changes in registration procedures.
For fee information, see Course Fees.
Click to see all 2011-2012, 2010-2011 and 2009-2010 Starr King School for the Ministry courses.
View Starr King's Academic Calendar.