The start of each new term, Summer, Fall, and Spring, amplifies the differing needs of the individual members of the LDT Online Programs’ community. Let’s take a global view of all that is happening in the first week of any term so that the programmatic purpose of the methods and schedules of the first week seem a bit more human and coordinated.

Settling-In

First, we have new students beginning their online education with us at the start of every term.

Our new students are not only adjusting to the course, they are still settling-in with all of the administrative details of Penn State, World Campus, The Graduate School, and the LDT Program. Accessing an online course with us requires numerous steps to occur in sequence across multiple offices or administrations—Program, Department, Admissions, Registrar, Financial Aid, Bursar, World Campus, and Canvas CMS, to name the major players. At each step of the way, some humans need to do some steps, and despite the amount of automation that has been added to support new students there are still steps that the new student must also take along the intake process. At the LDT program level we try to simplify this by admitting M.Ed. students and accepting certificate students well in advance of the start of the term so that students do not miss any class time at the beginning of the term.

Am I in the Right Place?

Once a new student is enrolled and can assess their first course, they need to figure out how to navigate both the course materials and the certificate or degree program. We try to make the first week of 15-week courses somewhat light and exploratory, so that students can get their bearings, learn the course management system and other tools, and connect with the instructor. At the same time, all students (new or returning) need to carefully review the course syllabus and course schedule and determine if the course is what they want. This is a personal decision, but an important one. If a student feels any apprehension about the course content or the program goals, they need to communicate as soon as possible with the course instructor, their assigned academic advisor, and/or the program coordinator.

Regular Drop Period

Students are able to drop a course without fees or penalties during the first six calendar days of Penn State’s official start date for the Fall and Spring terms. The length of the Regular Drop Period is proportional to the length of summer courses, so the Regular Drop Period of summer courses is reduced to just a few days after the start of the course. Information about dropping a course via LionPATH is on the Registrar’s Web site, here. All LDT Online Program students should process their course drop via LionPATH.

DO NOT PROCRASTINATE in making your decision about dropping a course. Any student who drops a course after the Regular Drop Period is required to pay a proportion of the semester tuition for the course, starting at a 25% penalty. Learn more about the Penn State Bursar’s Tuition Adjustment Schedule on their site. To be clear, dropping a course one day or more after the end of the Regular Drop Period will result in a penalty of at least 25%. If the tuition cost for a course is, for example, $2,559, then the student will still pay the university $639.75 even after dropping the course.

This information is provided as an example, and for informational purposes only. All conversation about Bursar Policy, payments, and fees must be directed to the World Campus HelpDesk at 1-800-252-3592. LDT Online Program faculty and staff do not discuss financial matters with students.

Initializing the Wednesday to Tuesday Schedule

Lastly, as you have read elsewhere on our site, the LDT Online Program’s courses operate on a Wednesday to Tuesday schedule. Given that courses officially begin on a Monday to align with the business processes of the university, we use the first week to get the class shifted to the Wednesday to Tuesday schedule. Some courses have the first lesson week as nine days long, starting on Monday and ending on Wednesday, with all successive lessons being on the Wednesday to Tuesday schedule. Other courses have a two-day orientation built into them, sometimes called “Lesson 0”.

Purchase Textbooks

The LDT Online Program expects all students to have textbooks in-hand prior to the first day of the course. The course textbook information is provided in LionPATH, with the course listing, at the time of registration. If you did not purchase the required textbooks or materials in advance, the first days of the new term are your last chance to do so to remain on schedule for the course. Course instructors cannot provide copies/scans of materials that must be purchased by students. Do note, though, that some courses provide all of the readings within the course via the Penn State Libraries’ digital collections, and therefore a separate purchase is not required.

New Term Checklist

To summarize, here is what LDT Online Program students should do in their first days of a new term:

Ask yourself:

• Am I able to access all of the course materials? Check the Canvas course management system, and also click on the syllabus and course schedule and any supplemental tools integrated into the course like Flipgrid, VoiceThread, Piazza, Yammer, etc. If you don’t have the access that you should have, send a message to the instructor.
• Does the course content match my overall interests? Education is a transformative experience, so we don’t expect students to look at every course and love it at first glance like their favorite hobby. We do, however, recommend that students feel comfortable that they are studying with the right program, and learning what they need to know for their professional/career goals. If there are doubts, reach out.
• Does the course schedule and time commitment match my current and foreseeable lifestyle? Each student’s weekly time commitment will vary, but we generally expect between 10 to 15 hours per week per course to be spent on readings, writings, projects, collaboration, etc. Some weeks will require more time, some less. If your current or future work or family or personal schedule prevents you from participating in the course as it is presented in the course schedule and course syllabus, something will need to change. It is your decision whether you change aspects of your schedule, or whether you drop the course. Make those decisions promptly.
• What is the regular drop deadline? If you have any doubts about the course, research as soon as possible the official Regular Drop Period for the course. If you have questions about this after reviewing the Registrar and Bursar sites provided above then contact the course instructor, your assigned academic advisor, or the program coordinator (Dr. Kirby) promptly.
• Have I purchased all of the required course materials? If the purchase of textbooks or materials was required, it should be done prior to the first day of class. If you need to purchase textbooks or materials then you must do so as soon as possible.

Overall, it is our sincerest hope that each new term starts smoothly for every individual student, faculty member, and staff member.