As you know, we are transitioning the Houston in-person residency and pre-practicum event to a virtual-format beginning Thursday, March 12^th at 10 am CST in response to updates we have received from both the CDC and local health organizations in Houston. Once again, we apologize for this last-minute change, and want you to know that we have made this decision out of an abundance of caution for the health and well-being of our students, faculty and staff.

 

IMPORTANT: In order to satisfy your residency or pre-practicum requirement and stay on track in your program, you should plan to participate in virtual sessions March 12-15. Your virtual experience will take place over the same time period as the face-to-face sessions that were scheduled in Houston.

 

NEXT STEPS:

 

1. Register for ONE of these one-hour Virtual Orientation session options. In this session, you will learn about your virtual event experience. After registering for one of the sessions, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. Be sure to save your selection in your calendar.

Option 1: Mar 11, 2020 12:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Option 2: Mar 11, 2020 05:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Option 3: Mar 11, 2020 08:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

 

2. Check your Blackboard classroom on or after Wednesday, March 11^th at 5pm to view the final virtual schedule, links to access your synchronous virtual sessions and other important information for your upcoming virtual experience.

 

If you have any questions, please contact Student Success Advising. We look forward to working with you virtually to complete your program requirements.

Dress as you would for professional conferences and other professional meetings; business casual is strongly encouraged. Also, please be aware that although this is a virtual residency experience, it is a professional academic experience.

Academic residencies represent an important opportunity for students, faculty members, and staff members to interact in a professional setting for the purpose of advancing student academic progress. It is important that this academic setting provides an environment that embodies the professionalism and ideals of the University. Please make efforts to interact positively with your peers, faculty and staff. This is a time for you to network and learn as much as possible to enhance your professionalism, your dissertation experience and your overall Walden experience.

• Students are expected to attend sessions in a quiet, private location where they will be able to participate in group discussions without undue background noise or distraction. 
• Prepare a workspace that can be dedicated to your virtual course for the duration of all synchronous sessions
  • Materials for note-taking.
  • Comfortable seating.
  • Power cords and outlet(s) for all electronic devices you will be using.
• Review the Technical Requirements.
• Review the detailed schedule for the virtual course under Schedule & Classroom and/or in the Blackboard classroom.
  • Locate and complete pre-work assignments (if any).
• Get organized – block off your personal and work calendars for each synchronous session meeting time so you do not miss any sessions.
• Go to Login & Access Information to log in and become familiar with the Blackboard classroom.
• Locate the Helpdesk in the virtual course Blackboard classroom for immediate response to your virtual course questions.
• Prior to each session, reduce or eliminate background noises and distractions such as pets, family members, noise outside your work area coming from open windows, etc. The virtual course is a professional learning environment and your work area should be free from distractions.
• Log in at least 15 minutes prior to the start of each session to be prepared and have time to troubleshoot any unforeseen technical challenges.
• Check your webcam and audio functionality prior to the event start and at the beginning of each session.