Online Learning - Registered Students

Getting Started | How to Access Your Course | Online Login Time | Technical Support | Netiquette and Tips for Success

Already registered for an online course? Please read this information, as well as your Course Specific Information, carefully. Please note that detailed information specific to your course, including readings, is described in your Course Specific Information.

Getting Started

1. Make sure you know your UTORid information. UTORids are needed in order to access your online course. Information about UTORids and how to access your course online is located below in the "How to Access Your Course" section below.  For even more detailed information about UTORids, go here.

2. Read your Course Specific Information. Find your course specific information by clicking here.

3. Confirm your requirements. Ensure that your hardware and software meet the minimum technical requirements, including resetting your email options so that volume mailings are not filtered automatically to "bulk" or "junk" folders.

4. Confirm your e-mail address. As a registered candidate in an online AQ course, it is crucial that your instructor has your correct e-mail address so you can be contacted with course information. Future communication with you will be via e-mail only. To confirm or change your email address login to your AQ OAS profile.

5. Disable any e-mail filters. Hotmail.com users in particular, please disable junk mail handling filters that may prevent you from receiving crucial information. If you do not wish to do so, just make sure to check your Junk mail folder.

How to Access Your Course

Additional Qualification online courses are offered on the Blackboard platform. 

BlackBoard Platform Users
Students using the BlackBoard platform will need to use their UTORID and password to login to the online course through the BlackBoard portal at www.portal.utoronto.ca. Once logged in students will see their course name appear under "My Courses".

UTORid and Library Barcode Information
UTORids are required for various resources online. If you are registered for an ONLINE course, you MUST have an active and working UTORid in order to access your course . To access your UTORid information login to your AQOAS profile.

After you login, there should be a link called "Check your UTORid/library barcode information" below your name. Click on that for further information on the status of your UTORid (i.e. how to activate it, if needed). That link also displays your library barcode number, which allows you to access library resources. If you want to access library resources online, you must have an active and working UTORid.

If the "Check your UTORid/library barcode information" is not showing in your AQOAS profile, please check back in a few days. UTORid information is added manually for all applicants and may take some time to process. If you still do not see the "Check your UTORid/library barcode information" and your course is starting soon, please send an email to aqutorid@utoronto.ca. It is very important that students (especially those with ONLINE courses) have an active and working UTORid BEFORE the start of their course.

After you know your UTORid and your password, please ensure that you are able to login to the U of T Portal at: www.portal.utoronto.ca.  This is where you would go to access your online course.  After you successfully login, it might say that you are not enrolled in any courses.  This is because your course will be made available on the first day of classes by your instructor. Check your AQ OAS profile for the status of your enrollment. 

Login time for course work

Depending on the current session and the time frame of online courses, they require a different amount of login time.  The following is an approximation of how many hours should be spent online.

Technical Support

If you need help with locating online information and resources associated with your course, send an email to the instructor or other contact person associated with your course.

There are a variety of support systems available for our online candidates. For quick accurate support, be sure to contact the right one:

UTORid Help - aqutorid@utoronto.ca

Blackboard Help - Click here or call 416-978-1802

Connecting to the Internet - If you are experiencing problems connecting to the Internet, call your Internet Service Provider (for example, Rogers, Cogeco, Bell) to ask for assistance.

Netiquette and Tips for Success

As online AQ courses are based on principles of shared learning and knowledge building, the expectation is that you are learning from and sharing knowledge with a whole group and will enjoy responding to the ideas of your fellow students as well as your instructor. You will therefore need to be comfortable with text-base communication.

Key aspects of "netiquette" include:

• Not engaging in VIRTUAL SHOUTING
• Labelling your posts
• Trying to interject a positive tone into your postings, as neutral messages are usually interpreted negatively
• Take care with how you phrase things online
• Be clear and precise
• Be constructive when taking issue with another person's idea, and remember that there in no tone of voice or body language to mitigate between what you mean to say and what you've actually typed
• When responding to an issue, be careful to think about other possible directions than those already suggested by replies - it can be easy to get drawn in to the one interpretation of an idea which has been already proposed, leaving others unexplored. 
• Make sure you keep copies of all entries and assignments. They may be needed for review in the event of a technological error. 
• Make sure you are clear about the expectations for the different tasks and assisgnments in your course. The course outline provided by your instructor will set out these expectations. Ask questions where necessary.
• Be clear about the amount of time expected for online work, the number of contributions expected daily or per week and the procedures for any group work
• Keep a written record of your password, username, etc.