Matt Farley
Course Accessibility: Avoiding a Separate Experience
At Penn State World Campus, we want all students to have the same opportunities as their peers, regardless of any functional limitations. That’s why we on the Learning Design team strive to ensure accessibility is not an afterthought but rather a concept “baked in” across multiple roles and phases of the course development process. From…
Writing Research Papers: Part Two — Formatting Your Paper
Once you have decided on a topic for your paper and developed an outline and thesis statement (get tips in Part One of our guide to writing research papers), you are ready to begin writing the paper itself. Here are some tips on structure and format. Starting point: the introduction Introductions should get the…
Writing Research Papers: Part One — Your Topic and Outline
Research papers can be intimidating for many college students. That’s understandable. Writing a research paper takes some work and may require skills that are new — or perhaps have gone rusty. Crafting a good research paper involves planning, organization, research, writing, and editing. Time management can also play a critical role, as these assignments often…
Writing Tips: Use Email in an Effective and Appropriate Way
For most of us, email is an essential staple of daily life. We use it to keep in touch and stay informed. Email is one of the top methods of communication for business, personal, and school purposes. There are some pitfalls and concerns you should keep in mind when communicating via email, however. Netiquette is…
Library Support for Adult Learners
A presentation from Penn State University Libraries entitled Library Support for Adult Learners was first offered as part of Nontraditional Student Week in November 2020. The short video — available via Zoom recording — was presented by Anne Behler, information literacy librarian & instruction coordinator at Penn State Library Learning Services, and reviewed some of…
Writing Tips: Preparing an Effective Discussion Post
Discussion posts are a staple of online courses. This important element of the course structure provides a venue where class members can exchange ideas, discuss their interpretations of specific course topics or materials, and brainstorm creative approaches to problem solving. People sometimes underestimate the value of discussion posts, but they can serve as a valuable…
Free Return Shipping for Library Materials in Spring 2021 Semester
As a Penn State World Campus student, you have access to virtually all of the materials from the Penn State University Libraries. There is a collection of millions of print materials at Penn State, as well as the ability to borrow from other libraries, and it is likely that you may need to request a…
5 Online Learning Myths You Need to Leave Behind in 2020
Penn State World Campus Student Advisory Board member Arianna Lynne Fangonilo shared these thoughts on common myths and misconceptions about online learning. As technology advances, we find that many brick-and-mortar services and physical products are accompanied (or even replaced) by virtual counterparts. Bank tellers can be replaced by ATMs outside of business hours. Junk mail…
If the Cap Fits, Wear It
Penn State World Campus Student Advisory Board member Lisa Curtis shared these thoughts as she reflected on her experience as a student achieving her goal. For as long as I can remember, I’ve heard that it was important to get your priorities straight. Time and time again, it sounded like there was a winning combination of…
The New Normal: Working from Home During COVID-19
Penn State World Campus Student Advisory Board member Chiara Duff compiled this advice to help fellow students manage the challenges of working from home. Life, as we know it, has changed. Without a doubt, COVID-19 has affected all of us, whether it’s impacted us personally or someone we know. I’m fortunate enough to have the…