Course Guide

Help Available

The following sections describe the support that is available to you throughout this course.

TRU Open Learning Faculty Member Support

Your Open Learning Faculty Member will guide your learning in this course, mark and comment on your assignments, and provide you with whatever assistance you need with your coursework. You are encouraged to contact your Open Learning Faculty Member early and often; for example, when you:

  • Wish to discuss any ideas about the course content.

  • Do not understand some aspect of the course instructions or assessments.

  • Have difficulty with any of the assigned readings.

  • Have a question or a problem arising from your Open Learning Faculty Member’s comments or grading of your assessments.

Library Support

Thompson Rivers University Library provides you with access to online, print, and audiovisual resources to successfully complete your assignments and for further reading on any topic discussed in this course. TRU’s Distance, Regional, and Open Learning (DROL) Library Services provide specialized services that you can use at a distance, including the direct delivery of library materials at no cost to you and one-on-one research assistance. You can request assistance and/or order library materials by online form, email, phone, or fax. For more information about TRU Library’s policies and services for TRU-OL students, visit the library’s DROL website at http://www.tru.ca/library/services/distance.html. To access DROL services from Blackboard Learn, click “Web Links” in the left-hand navigation bar and then the “Library” link.  

To search the library’s resources, go to the TRU Library Homepage at http://www.tru.ca/library.html. If you are looking for information on which subject-specific resources (e.g., databases) to use, check out the “Research Guides” tab on the library homepage. For a general introduction on to how to find and use library resources, visit the Library Research 101: Doing Research at a Distance guide at http://libguides.tru.ca/distance. When you are searching the library’s resources, you will be prompted to log on to the library’s licensed databases using your TRU student number and library PIN.

If you have any questions regarding the resources or DROL services, go to http://www.tru.ca/library/services/distance.html or contact the library by email at distancelib@tru.ca or by phone at 1.800.663.1699 (toll free in Canada) or 250.852.6402.

Technical Support

If you are having problems using the tools or features of the course website, check if you are using the correct hardware and software required for your course at http://www.tru.ca/distance/about/learner/techsoftware.html.

If you still are experiencing problems, go to the IT Service Desk at http://www.tru.ca/distance/services/resources/helpdesk.html.

If you are having problems accessing the course website or have other related questions, you can phone the IT Service Desk at 1.888.852.8533 (toll-free in Canada), 250.852.6800 (Kamloops, BC), and 1.250.852.6800 (International); or email ITServiceDesk@tru.ca.