Navigating the ODU Student Portal: A Comprehensive Guide
Old Dominion University (ODU) provides its students with a comprehensive online portal designed to streamline their academic journey. This article serves as a guide to understanding and effectively utilizing the features available within the ODU student portal.
Essential First Steps for New Students
Embarking on your academic journey at ODU begins with a few crucial steps:
- Complete the Online New Student Orientation: This online orientation aims to facilitate a smooth admission experience. Your enrollment coordinator will provide instructions on how to access and complete this essential introduction to ODU.
- Complete the New Student Inventory: New freshmen are required to take the Transition to College Inventory, while new transfer students must complete the Transfer Student Survey. These inventories consist of an assessment and a biographical questionnaire. Your student success director will guide you on accessing and completing these assessments.
- CITI Training: All students must complete the CITI (Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative) training within their first year at ODU. CITI comprises seven training modules covering the fundamentals of responsible conduct of research, aiming to enhance the professional development of students across all disciplines.
ODU Mobile: Information at Your Fingertips
ODU Mobile is a suite of free mobile applications designed to provide students with instant access to information and services on the go.
- Maps: Navigate the ODU campus with ease by searching for building names and locating them on the campus map.
- Canvas: Access your course content directly from your mobile device.
- MOVE (Monarch Virtual Environment): Access virtual workstations to enhance your learning experience.
Microsoft 365 at ODU: Tools for Academic Success
ODU provides students with access to Microsoft 365, a suite of tools designed to enhance productivity and collaboration.
- Core Applications: Microsoft 365 allows you to install Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote on up to five PCs or Macs, as well as install Office apps on mobile devices. Note that Microsoft 365 is intended for use on personal computers only, not University-managed workstations.
- Office Online: A web-based version of Office products allows you to create, edit, and share documents from any modern web browser, mirroring the interface of the desktop and mobile versions. Files created or edited in Office Online can be seamlessly opened in the Office programs installed on your PC, Mac, iOS, or Android device.
- OneNote: This digital notebook allows you to capture ideas in various forms, including typing, handwriting, sketching, clipping links and webpages, inserting photos and videos, embedding tables, and attaching files. Your notebooks are accessible across all your devices. OneNote is available as part of Office for Windows, and can be downloaded from your app store for Mac OS X, iOS, and Android devices. It is recommended to connect your OneNote to your ODU Microsoft 365 account.
- OneDrive: This cloud file storage application seamlessly integrates with Office on any device, facilitating the creation, editing, storage, and sharing of class assignments and projects. You can connect OneDrive to Office apps on any device and access your files with an internet connection. ODU provides 1TB (for faculty/staff) or 100GB (for students) of online storage in OneDrive for Business, separate from personal OneDrive accounts.
- Sites, Delve, and Video: These are part of the ODU Teams Site powered by SharePoint Online.
Understanding FERPA
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that grants students certain rights regarding their education records. FERPA guarantees you access to your student education records and allows you to request amendments to them.
Read also: Comprehensive ETAR Guide
Canvas: Your Virtual Learning Environment
Canvas serves as ODU's Learning Management System (LMS), providing access to course materials, assignments, grades, and communication tools.
- Global Navigation Menu: Located on the left side of every screen in Canvas, this menu provides quick access to frequently used Canvas features and your courses.
- Dashboard: The first page you see after logging in, the Dashboard displays Course Cards that link to each of your courses, along with any Announcements from ODU.
- Courses Menu: Displays courses you are enrolled in or your list of favorite courses.
- Course Home Page: When you select a course, you will land on the Course Home Page. Instructors can customize the links that are shown in their courses.
- Assignment Page: Allows you to view all assignments for your courses. Click the name of the assignment to view details like instructions or grading criteria. Assignment types include online assignments, discussions, and quizzes.
- Grades Page: Displays all current grades for that course, sorted chronologically by assignment due date.
Resources for Military-Affiliated Students
ODU is committed to supporting military service members, veterans, and their dependents.
- Student Success Directors (SSD): Highly skilled and friendly SSDs understand the unique needs of military students. Contact your SSD for assistance with degree planning or questions about your schedule.
- Military Connection Center: This center is the primary resource for guidance on tuition and finance processes for military-affiliated students.
Enhancing Your College Career
ODU offers various resources to help you gain relevant experience and develop the skills and knowledge needed for your future career.
Read also: Accessing the Cal Poly Portal
Read also: Accessing the MUSD Student Portal
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