The following will help you learn more about the student information service and online learning environment at Knox, as well as about online learning in general.
ACORN is the student information service operated by the University of Toronto. For help go to help.acorn.utoronto.ca. The Knox Registrar’s Office is also happy to help you navigate it.
QUERCUS is the online learning environment operated by the University of Toronto. Your courses can all be found in Quercus. This video provides a basic overview.
For help once you’re logged in, you can visit the Student Support page from the University of Toronto Centre for Teaching Support and Innovation. You can email q.help@utoronto.ca for support as well.
You can find step-by-step videos for using Quercus (Canvas) from the Canvas help pages.
Online learning became prevalent with the onset of the global pandemic in March 2020. But there was robust online learning happening at many institutions – including Knox – before that time. While online learning may offer increased flexibility, it has its own challenges.
For an introduction to successful online learning, you can visit the University of Toronto’s Getting Ready for Online website.
For a better set of tools, the Open University in the UK has a free 3-hour course that will help you assess your skills and prepare you for distance/online learning. Topics include:
Students taking an online course are expected to obtain and provide their own hardware. Students may have access to software such as word processing, video conferencing, or email through the University of Toronto’s student packages. If software is not available through UofT, students must provide the necessary software themselves.
Any technology recommendations by the college or by an individual instructor are aimed at providing the best possible environment for all participants in online courses. Insufficient or ineffective technology can disrupt class time for students and instructors. Instructors are not required to hold up class activities if a student is struggling with their technology.
Hardware
Using a smartphone for online classes is not recommended. Quercus and Zoom do not have full functionality on smartphones, and mobile connections are not as reliable as those on computers or tablets.
Computer
Students taking an online course should have a computer that runs on an operating system that is still supported by the vendor; the most up-to-date operating system is preferred. The computer must have a wired Ethernet connection and/or a WiFi connection. The computer should have available USB port(s) to accommodate any necessary accessories.
Audio
Many computers are equipped with speakers and a microphone, and these can be used for participating in live video class meetings, but a headset with attached microphone, or earphones plus an additional microphone is recommended for clearer sound.
Video
Most laptop computers are equipped with a video camera. Any computer without a video camera will require an external video camera connected to the computer by USB or through wireless/Bluetooth. Knox requires students to have their cameras on during online synchronous class time.
Scanner/camera
Students may be required to provide an image of work completed. A scanner or camera that can be used to take an image and upload it to the computer may be required. Mobile devices such as smartphones or tablets may also be used.
Software
Students should use Firefox or Google Chrome for accessing Quercus; these are available as free downloads. Students should have the most recent version of the Zoom Meeting platform installed, which is available through UofT.
Internet
Students should have high speed broadband access with minimum download speed of 5Mbps. Wired connections may be more reliable than wireless connections. Tethering a computer to a smartphone with a strong signal and minimum download speed of 5Mbps is possible, but not optimal. Video collaboration through a tethered device will likely not be adequate as it can result in poor video quality. Video conferencing can also lead to data overage charges, so students should ensure they have an adequate data plan.
Students accessing ACORN and Quercus and any UofT services such as the University of Toronto Libraries are encouraged to use the UofT VPN when they are off campus. For more information, see https://security.utoronto.ca/services/vpn/. Use of a VPN is strongly recommended if a student is using public WiFi or is outside of Canada.
