Your Online Environment And Resources
At CSU, we believe that using and developing your online skills will greatly enrich your educational experience and give you key skills for employment and life.
The University provides students with an extensive online environment and provides access to online services for you to use during your time as a CSU student. Our online facilities and services can assist you in your study and research, and can also meet some of your social and administrative needs as a student.
This section of the guide outlines the various online facilities that make your studies efficient and productive. This section helps you to become an effective user of online resources at CSU, and covers important information on the University's expectations for the use of its information technology facilities.
We are confident that the online services and resources on offer at CSU will make the coming year a rewarding educational experience for you. If you are new to online technologies, we recognise how daunting it may seem, but rest assured that we are here to help and together we can open up a window to the world that will enrich your study experience well beyond your time with CSU.
Topic List
The CSU online environment
my.csu
Searching my.csu
Bookmarking in my.csu
Customising my.csu
Making my.csu your homepage
Changing your password
Forgotten passwords
Policy for the Use of University Computing and Communication Facilities
Your eBox
Email
Forums
CSU Interact
Library Online
CSU computer centres
Internet charges
Printing
IT Support
Access the internet from on campus accommodation
Wireless Access
The CSU Online Environment
The University's extensive online environment provides you access to the online services and facilities you will need to access during your time as a CSU student.
As a student, you can:
- participate in class and social interactions thorugh online forums and chat rooms regardless of your location;
- check and renew library loans, search for and request library books and articles;
- check administrative details such as enrolment, exam results and finance balances;
- receive and reply to official University communications online (your eBox);
- access resources to assist in the preparation of assignments such as help with academic writing and referencing;
- request assistance from the IT Service, Student Administration, Student Services and the Library through a single contact point (Student Central begining March 2010); and
- Submit assessment items electronically using EASTS (Electronic Assignment Submission and Tracking System).
my.csu
Throughout this Guide, reference will often be made to my.csu, which is identifiable by its distinctive blue-coloured desktop (as shown below ):
my.csu is your personalised portal to the full range of online services and facilities for CSU students and staff. The URL (or Web address) is: http://my.csu.edu.au
This webpage portal is the front door to the CSU online environment and provides links to a broad variety of online services necessary for students, such as personal details, exam results, CSU discussion forums, Student Services, the Library and other administrative areas of the University.
To access my.csu, type the URL into the address bar of your web browser and press Enter.
Online Tutorial for my.csu
There is an online tutorial for my.csu homepage that gives an overview of how to use this online resource go to: Online my.csu tutorial.
Exploring
my.csu
Log in to my.csu now and check out the services and facilities offerred. The
address
is: my.csu.edu.au
Remember the Guide to Learning Hotline is available if you need help.
Searching my.csu
An easy way to locate information in my.csu is by using the search box located in the sidebar.
Simply enter a keyword or phrase and click Go . The results will be returned on a screen similar to the one below. This screen also allows you to bookmark any relevant sites returned in the search.
Keywords
Throughout this document you will see keywords listed. These are supplied as guides to finding further information on the topic discussed.
Bookmarking In my.csu
Creating bookmarks from within my.csu allows you to access your favourite sites when using any other computer with internet access.
Searching And Bookmarking In my.csu
1. Open the bookmark tool within my.csu and click Add
2. Type in the URL of the Guide to Learning website and give it a Label
3. Click Add
The my.csu page will refresh and have added a direct link to the Guide to Learning Web Site to your my.csu bookmarks. You can repeat this process for any web site you choose.
When saving bookmarks, write meaningful descriptions in the text box provided, e.g. "Good info for first assignment".
Customising my.csu
The my.csu desktop can be customised to meet your specific requirements. By closing, adding and moving tools you can rearrange your desktop layout and even make your download time faster.
Customise Your Desktop
Go to my.csu and click the Help link to learn how to customise your desktop. Rearrange the tools to best meet your study requirements. To minimise download time, leave all tools on display, but minimise those you don't use regularly.
Making my.csu Your Home Page
The my.csu site provides the gateway to all the online services necessary for CSU students. Because of the importance of this page, we suggest you make my.csu the default home page on your browser.
Setting Up Your Home Page
To do this:
Go to my.csu.edu.au in your web browser
Drag the address icon onto the home page icon
Click OK
These instructions apply to users of Internet Explorer 5 and above.
Changing Your Password
Your password is a computer-generated sequence that is uniquely assigned to you. To minimise security risks, you must change your password at least every 60 days. You will be reminded via email to do this at regular intervals.
A message is also included in the left-hand side of my.csu displaying how many days you have left until your password expires. Clicking this message will take you directly to the password changing facility.
If you still have not changed your password after 60 days, your access to some CSU online services will be limited. You may need to contact the IT Service Desk to get your access re-established.
If you are going to change your password, do it just before logging off your computer, not before you start working online. It sometimes takes a few hours for the new password information to be activated across all services.
Forgotten Passwords
There is a link at the bottom of the entry point to my.csu titled Forgotten password? This link will prompt you to enter a question that will have meaning to you and its answer. e.g. your dog's name or your favourite football team. Once you have entered a question and answer, should you forget your password, clicking this link will allow you to retrieve your password details.
Enter
Your Question And Answer
Locate the Forgotten your password? link at the bottom of the
my.csu entry point. Enter your question and answer.
Remember that your password is case sensitive.
Policy For The Use of University Computing And Communication Facilities
As a user of CSU's online services, you have certain responsibilities that you must be aware of. These are outlined in the Policy for the Use of University Computing and Communication Facilities. You are strongly advised to read this Policy as soon as possible so that you can become familiar with the University's rules for safeguarding the interests of CSU and its online users.
Some important points of the Policy to be aware of are outlined below:
- Do not use anyone else's access details (username and/or password).
- Do not give anyone your personal access details.
- Do not use the University's electronic facilities to harass or interfere with the work of other users.
- Do not use CSU facilities or computer laboratories to access inappropriate materials.
- Use the facilities in the computer laboratories for course-related purposes only.
- Students should also be aware of copyright legislation when attaching third party material onto forum messages or placing this material online for others to view within the CSU online environment.
The Code of Conduct
Locate and read the Policy for the Use of University Computing and Communication Facilities. Print the policy and store it in this folder for future reference.
Your eBox
Your eBox is your "electronic letter box" to which official University communications such as HECS-HELP notices and invoices are sent. Your eBox is a secure storage area for your official communications and is located in the header section of my.csu. Your eBox is not email.
Through your eBox you will:
- receive official messages from the University, and
- be able to reply to these official messages.
Official University communications are only delivered online and not by post.
You should check your eBox at least once a week to ensure you don't miss any important messages.
Reading An eBox Message
1. Go to my.csu.edu.au in your web browser. The newest message will appear in your eBox window at the top of my.csu
2. Click on the Menu + button of the eBox to go to your In Box
3. Click the View button in the action box next to the message you wish to read. Once a message has been opened it will move to the Old Items section of your eBox.
Replying To An eBox Message
1. You must be viewing a message in order to reply to it. To view, either click the Subject of the message from the eBox window or click the View button in the In Box or Old Items folder.
2. When the message is open, click the Reply button, type your response and click Send . All replies will appear in your Sent Items folder.
Checking Your eBox
Go to your eBox at the top of my.csu. Ensure you are able to access and read messages by viewing the Welcome Message from the Executive Director , Division of Student Services and Indigenous Support Units. Respond to the message if you wish.
CSU will not be providing a free email address to new students. All new students must provide an email address when they enrol. Email is the preferred means of communications between CSU staff and students.
Redirecting Email
If you already have an existing email account, you may prefer for your CSU email to be sent to this account. If so, you can redirect your CSU email so it is automatically forwarded to your preferred email address.
Be careful when redirecting your CSU email to accounts like Hotmail. These accounts expire after a certain time of inactivity and also have storage limits. If you do redirect your CSU email, make sure it's to an account that you use and check regularly.
Your Email Account
Access your personal details and click on the Redirect Your Email link. Check to see that your email is being sent to the correct address, and update your details if necessary.
When sending email messages, use meaningful subject headings, e.g. EDN611, Assignment 1 query.
CSU Staff email has a spam filter and junk mail filter that may catch emails without an appropriate subject heading. including the subject code is a good way to prevent your emails from being filtered. Please remember to include your student number and name in your emails to CSU.
Forums
It's helpful to be able to discuss issues with other students and staff. Holding these discussions online is available via forums.
A forum is an electronic communication tool that functions as an open discussion space. You can post messages to a forum and read messages from other people. Forums use Web technology allowing you to access messages the same way you would view a web page by simply clicking a hyperlink.
There are a number of CSU general interest and administrative forums where you can ask questions, share ideas or maintain social interactions. Subject Forums are also included with each subject you are enrolled in. A Subject Forum is simply a Web-based conversation space and you participate in much the same way as you might in an class discussion, except ‘conversations’ do not happen immediately! Forum postings are organised into topics and threads to show conversations. A linked series of postings is called a discussion thread; each topic can contain several threads.
Student mentors are available on the Student Services forum to provide advice and support.
An example of a forum is shown below.
Accessing Forums
1. Go to my.csu at my.csu.edu.au
2. Choose the Forums tool
3. Click Options to select the forums you wish to have listed and click Save
4. Click the title of the forum you wish to visit
Note: subject specific forums can also be accessed from the Overview and Communicate section of the online subject outline.
To Read A Forum Message:
1. Click on the Messages tab
2. The message listing will be displayed
3. Click on the subject title of the message you wish to view
4. The message content will be displayed in the bottom frame, below the message listing
5. To view a message that has a reply, which is indicated by a plus icon, click the plus icon to expend the thread and click the minus icon to collapse the thread after you have read it.
6. Use the Help menu in the forum, located at the top right hand side of screen if you need assistance.
To post a forum message:
1. Click on the Post tab
2. Enter relevant text in the subject and message areas provided
3. Click on Preview
4. The message will be displayed as it will appear when posted. To review the message text click on Edit to return to the compose screen
5. Click on Post to confirm you wish to submit the message. A confirmation screen will be displayed
Check you are on the right forum before posting your message. Students cannot delete forum posts.
Using a Forum
Go to the Forums tool in my.csu.
Locate the Test forum and practise reading and replying to messages. Read the Help section of the forum to learn more about sorting and displaying messages and setting up email notification.
CSU Interact
My Subjects tool within the my.csu desktop is your central gateway into CSU Interact – the online learning environment at the University.
CSU Interact is an integrated online learning and collaboration environment for the University. It’s a virtual space where students and staff meet to build community, share knowledge, and work and learn together in a Web-based learning environment. All the essential learning content and learning tools you need for your subjects are found within Interact. Each subject you’re enrolled in has its own subject site within the Web-based Interact learning environment. You navigate easily to any of your Interact subject sites from the ‘My CSU Interact Subjects’ box within the my.csu student portal. Simply click the subject code or title of the subject you wish to navigate to.
An Interact subject site looks similar to the one shown here:
Interact Online Tutorial
There is a staff online tutorial for using Interact that students can watch but the Help section in Interact covers everything you need to know to use Interact :Interact Online Tutorial
Library Online
The CSU Library Home page is your gateway to the Library, giving you access to the range of services and resources available for your study through Charles Sturt University. The resources listed below all sit on the Library’s Home page and, along with many others, make up your Library anywhere anytime. Use the InfoSkills modules described below to become familiar with this invaluable virtual library, or explore the Home Page yourself discovering resources such as Online Reference, the Library’s Blog, SmartSearch, and many more.
The self paced modules of InfoSkills introduce you to the Library’s tools and services and give you the confidence to get started early. Database modules will guide you through navigating the Library’s Home Page, teach you how to search the Library’s suite of databases for information on journal articles and, if you are studying in distance mode, show you how to request books and copies of articles to be sent to you. The Catalogue module will teach you how to find and request resources to support your study, and how to use the Library’s collection of online journals.
CSU Computer Centres
All students are welcome to use the CSU computer facilities. You will need your username and password to access these facilities.
The Computer Centres at Albury-Wodonga, Bathurst and Wagga Wagga provide 24 hour computer laboratories, which are accessible with an authorised student card. Your cards can be authorised at the centre inquiry counters during business hours. 24 hour computer access on the Bathurst Campus is available in the new ‘Library Commons’ area.
CSU Computer Centres
Albury City - Adams Building, Olive Street Library
Albury/Thurgoona- Teaching and Administration Centre, ground floor, School of Environmental and Information Science Teaching Building, Building 761 Room 101 Library
Bathurst - Building S1 - 4th level Library
Broken Hill - Robinson Centre, Wentworth Road
Dubbo - Dubbo Interactive Learning Centre, Tony McGrane Place
Orange - Communication Building (Bldg E) R.J. Napier Building (Bldg A2) Library (Bldg C)
Wagga Wagga - Jack Cross Centre Boorooma campus Library
Goulburn - The John K Avery Resource Centre (Library) Laboratory Building B, Room 210
Detailed information regarding the facilities and opening hours of each computer laboratory are available from the IT Services quick link in my.csu
CSU Internet Charges
You will be charged for accessing the internet from the computers on campus, in the Department of Residences and Catering accommodation and by dialling in through the CSU network. Your internet account must be in credit to access the internet. Online payment is available via my.csu.
Your usage will be charged on the basis of the amount of data downloaded to your computer from outside the University's websites. You will not be charged at an hourly rate. Once you leave my.csu and connect to outside websites, you will be charged for your downloads. Current charges are published under IT Services Quick Link in my.csu. Your usage information and current charges can also be found at this website.
Printing
Printing facilities (both colour and black and white) are available in Computer Centres on the Bathurst, Orange, Wagga Wagga, Thurgoona and Albury Campuses. The Library's student-access computers are also connected to a networked printer in each library.
Printing on campus costs you money, and your printing accounts must be in credit to use this service. The charge is based on a cost per page printed. Current charges are published under IT Services Quick Link in my.csu. Your usage information and amounts owing can also be found at this website.
IT Support
Contact the CSU IT Service Desk for IT support. The IT Service Desk can help you with technical issues like dialling into the CSU network, passwords and login problems, and internet and printing charges.
Local call Australia wide: 1300 653 088
International: +612 6338 4357
CSU internal: 84357
IT service desk: IT Service Desk
Hours (AEST)
8am to 10pm, Mon-Thu
8am to 9pm, Friday
10am to 4pm, Sat - Sun
The Guide to Learning Hotline
You will be able to make an appointment with a student mentor at a time convenient.
Your student mentor will then phone you back and ‘walk you through’ using
my.csu or put you in touch with the appropriate area for your concern. Just
ring 1300 734 654
Accessing the internet from on campus accommodation
If you have a computer, the Department of Residences and Catering Services
provides a network connection for student computers in most bedrooms. This
allows you to connect directly to the University network and the internet.
Dialling in through a modem is not permitted in the residences.
In addition to the standard hardware and software listed above, to connect
your computer from the on campus residences, you will require a network card
(installed into the computer) and a category five network cable (blue cable)
at least three metres in length.
Wireless Access
Wireless access is available for students who have their own laptop computers. If you bring your laptop to the enquiry counters at the computer centres on either the Bathurst or Wagga Wagga campus’ staff will configure it to use the CSU network provides a network connection for student computers in most bedrooms. This allows you to connect directly to the University network and the internet. Dialling in through a modem is not permitted in the residences.
Various areas on each campus are designated ‘Wireless Hotspots’ where wireless access is available. These areas are listed on the DIT webpage at: Wireless - Mobile Computing at CSU
For detailed information on connecting to the internet from on campus accommodation, refer to the IT Services Quick Links IT Services for Students in my.csu and go to the section on ResNet in the menu on the left hand side.