Penn Summer Online

The Penn LPS Commons | Summer 2012 Online Course Offerings | Questions About Online Courses

Already have plans for the summer? Heading to the beach or a great internship? The Penn LPS Commons provides you with access to Penn classes wherever you are. Courses are offered in a number of disciplines and are designed to give you the flexibility you need to challenge yourself academically and still have the summer experience you wish to have. Courses taught on the Commons are for credit and can count towards degree requirements.

Taking a Class Online with the Penn LPS Commons

The Penn LPS Commons is a new social learning platform dedicated to supporting online learning at the
College of Liberal and Professional Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. Its design sets new
benchmarks at the intersection of online learning and the social web, allowing participants from both
inside and outside of the classroom to interact in engaged communities of inquiry.

Penn Summer 2012 Online Courses

View Online Courses

If the course is online, then why are there scheduled meetings?

All Commons courses contain both live lecture sessions and non-live course site activities. The scheduled meetings for a Commons course are when students log in to the Adobe Connect Pro classroom and attend lecture. Throughout the duration of the course, all lecture sessions are recorded so that students can refer to class discussions while writing blogs, discussion forum posts and other course activities.

What are the technical requirements for a Commons course?

There are three main things you need to complete a Commons course succesfully.

Web Browser: We recommend using the latest version of Mozilla Firefox or Safari with the latest version of Adobe Flash Player. If you need to use Internet Explorer, you must use version 8 or higher.

High-Speed Internet Connection: Your internet connection should be dedicated, and in most cases wired. You should not log on from a location where there are other connections using up the bandwidth (for example, a coffee shop).

Headphones and Microphone or Headset with Microphone: To participate in the Adobe Connect Pro sessions, you need either headphones and a microphone or a headset with microphone. For users with a built-in-microphone, headphones are required because of the potential for audio feedback while other participants are speaking. If you do not have a microphone, we recommend purchasing a headset with microphone.

If you have specific questions about the technical requirements for Commons courses, contact Commons Technical Support.

How do I access a Commons course?

Before the start of the course, a member of the Commons team will email you with login information for the Commons and Adobe Connect Pro classroom. You don't need to worry about contacting Penn Summer or the Commons Support Team: a representative will contact you as soon as the Commons course site is ready.

For more frequently asked questions, visit the Commons FAQ.