Student Technology

SOWELA uses Canvas^® by Instructure as its learning and course management system.

Canvas offers a number of features, such as the ability to send and receive course-related text messages via your smartphone and a tool that will show all of your assignments and due dates from all of your Canvas courses in one easy-to-use, color-coded calendar. Canvas also has a very dynamic support system that is available to users 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

Check out the information below to discover more about Canvas.

How to Log in to Canvas

• Click on the “QUICK LINKS” link at the top right of the SOWELA website and choose “Canvas (opens new window)” link from the list. Canvas can also be accessed directly at https://sowela.instructure.com/ (opens new window).
• Type your LoLA username in the “Username” box.
• Type your current LoLA password in the “Password” box (Canvas® uses the same usernames and passwords as for LoLA).
• If you forget your password, you must change it on LoLA login page (opens new window) by clicking on the "I don't know my password" link. Then follow the steps as directed.

Contacts for SOWELA Canvas

If you need help with Canvas, the following support options are available to assist you:

• Login Problems in Canvas – Canvas uses your LoLA username and password. If you recently changed your password, be sure you are using the most current password. If you change your password and try to log in to Canvas, you MUST close all browsers before the change will take effect. If this does not help, please email help@sowela.edu with your LoLA username and ID# for assistance.
• Help with Using Canvas – See “How to Use and Navigate Canvas” on this page.
• Help from the Canvas 24/7 Help Desk – While on any page in Canvas, click on the “Help” link at the top right corner of your screen. Here, you can “Ask your Instructor a Question”, “Search the Canvas Guides”, “Report a Problem”, “Canvas Support Hotline” (toll-free phone call), “Chat with Canvas Support” (live chat), or “Ask the Community” (ask a Canvas expert).
• Problems with Specific Course Content (i.e. not seeing an assignment, not being able to access a quiz, etc.) – Contact your instructor directly. Instructor’s contact information can be found in the Faculty and Staff Directory.
• Other Questions or Help Regarding SOWELA Canvas – Email the IT help desk at help@sowela.edu and include the following information:
  • A description of the type of help you need
  • Your full name AND your LoLA username
  • Your full birthdate
  • Your student ID number

Notes

• Instructor messages will only be visible through Canvas. All other school correspondence will be through your SOWELA email.
• The IT Department cannot help with any issues related to RDCs, MyMathLab, MyWritingLab, MyReadingLab, or any other course-specific software. You must ask your teachers for help with those issues.
• Canvas, our learning management system, will not be accessible to students until the first day of classes. After that time, before reporting a problem to the help desk, if you do not see one or more of your courses listed on your Canvas site, ask your instructors if they will be using Canvas. Instructors must make their sites accessible to their students before the coursesite links will show up on the students' pages.
• Click on the SmartNotice™ icon in the bottom right area of the SOWELA website to check your information for accuracy and add any additional contact information, including a cell phone number if you wish to receive alerts by text message. This is the program that SOWELA will use to contact you in the event of a campus emergency or a weather-related emergency.

How to Use and Navigate Canvas

The following “How to” tutorials will assist you in using and navigating in SOWELA Canvas.

Guides

• Canvas Student Guide (opens new window)
• Canvas Instructor Guide (opens new window)
• Canvas Guides - Videos (opens new window)
• Canvas Student Guide for Android (opens new window)
• Canvas Student Guide for iOS (opens new window)

Other Canvas Tutorials (available at Search Canvas Guides)

• Community Canvas Answers (opens new window)
• Quick Source Learning's Canvas Student Guide (PDF)

More Canvas Video Tutorials

• Canvas Tutorial Video Series (opens new window)
• Canvas Video Guide (opens new window)

Minimum Computer Requirements to Use Canvas

Information is provided on the minimum computer requirements for users to have in order for Canvas to work on your computer and/or mobile device.

• Which browsers does Canvas support (opens new window)?
  • You should always use the most current version of your preferred browser. Your browser will notify you if there is a new version available.
  • Some supported browsers may still produce a banner stating Your browser does not meet the minimum requirements for Canvas. If you have upgraded your browser but you are still seeing the warning banner, try logging out of Canvas and deleting your browser cookies.
• What are the basic computer requirements for Canvas (opens new window)?
• What about accessibility in Canvas (screen readers, etc.) (opens new window)?
• Will Canvas work on my mobile device (opens new window)?

Software Recommendations

The software recommendations for the following interfaces are:

Mobile App

• Download the free Canvas Mobile App for iPhone or iPad (opens new window).
• Download the free Canvas Mobile App for Android devices (opens new window).

Microsoft Programs and Office Program Viewers

• Microsoft Word Viewer (opens new window)
• Microsoft Excel Viewer (opens new window)
• Microsoft PowerPoint Viewer (opens new window)
• Windows Media Player (opens new window)

Other Software Programs

• Adobe Acrobat Reader (opens new window)
• Apple QuickTime (opens new window)
• Java Platform (opens new window)
• Flash/Shockwave Player (opens new window)
• Real Player (opens new window)

To download Office 365 applications:

1. Sign in at https://www.office.com (opens new window) using your LoLA credentials followed by: @students.sowela.edu
2. Click the Install Office dropdown, then select Office 365 apps.
3. After the software is installed, open any Office 365 application and sign in with your LoLA credentials.

If you experience any issues while attempting to access or download Office 365 applications, please email the SOWELA IT Help Desk (help@sowela.edu). Be sure to include your student ID#, date of birth, and LoLA username.

Before Attempting to Activate your Student Email Account

• Did you register for at least one class?
• Has one day passed since you registered?

If the answer to either is no, then your email has not been created yet.

IT Help Guide (PDF)

OnTheHub is a web store for SOWELA students and faculty/staff to obtain free and discounted software from many leading software publishers. In order to sign up for this resource you will need a SOWELA email account.

How to Register for an OnTheHub Account (Students)

1. Go to the OnTheHub website (opens new window)
2. Click "Register" in the top menu bar.
3. Enter your SOWELA issued email address and click the continue button.
   • The email must contain @students.sowela.edu
4. Enter your first name, last name, and password in the fields.
5. Check the "I'm not a robot" checkbox and click the Register button.
6. You will need to click the link in the verification email that is sent to your SOWELA email address before you can place an order.
7. For any questions or trouble with the registration process please email the IT help desk (help@sowela.edu).

How to Register for an OnTheHub Account (Faculty/Staff)

1. Go to the OnTheHub website (opens new window)
2. Click "Register" in the top menu bar.
3. Enter your SOWELA issued email address and click the continue button.
   • The email must contain @sowela.edu
4. Enter your first name, last name, and password in the fields. Choose "Sowela Technical and Community College" in the Organization drop down and select which group you are a member of (Faculty or Staff).
5. Check the "I'm not a robot" checkbox and click the Register button.
6. You will need to click the link in the verification email that is sent to your SOWELA email address before you can place an order.
7. For any questions or trouble with the registration process please email the IT help desk (help@sowela.edu).

All of SOWELA's locations offer free wifi to our students.

The SOWELA guest wifi will timeout and disconnect user after 4 hours.

To connect to the SOWELA guest wifi use the following connection information:

• Lake Charles and Oakdale
  • Network name: SowelaGuest
  • Password: Spring10
• Jennings
  • Network name: MS_Guest
  • Password: Spring10

System Requirements

• Operating Systems
  • Windows: 10, 8, 7
  • Mac: MacOS 10.15 to 10.12, OS X 10.11, OSX 10.10
• Memory
  • Windows: 75 MB permanent space on the hard drive
  • Mac: 120 MB permanent space on the hard drive
• Unsupported Hardware
  • Chromebooks
  • iOS and Android Phones
  • iPads

Getting Started

• Click Here to Download Respondus LockDown Browser^® (opens new window)
• Respondus LockDown Browser^® Student Guide (PDF)

Welcome to the new SOWELA Mobile App!

Now available on the App Store for iOS devices or on Google Play Store for Android devices.

Submitting a Paper to Turnitin

• Viewing a Rubric or Grade Form Before You Submit (opens new window)
• Assignment Types (opens new window)
• File Requirements (opens new window)
• File Upload Submission (opens new window)
• Cut and Paste Submission (opens new window)
• Submitting Multiple Files to an Assignment (opens new window)
• Resubmitting a Paper (opens new window)

The Similarity Report

• Refining the Similarity Report (opens new window)
• Similarity Report Score Ranges (opens new window)

ProctorU Student Guides

• ProctorU Student Guide (PDF)
• ProctorU Test-Taker Guide (PDF)

• Are You Ready for Online Learning (PDF)
• eLearning Handbook (PDF)
• Email and Office 365 (opens new window)
• IT Help Guide for Students (PDF)
• IT MFA Guide (PDF)
• LoLA Login (opens new window)
• LoLA Password Reset Tool (opens new window)
• Respondus Lockdown Browser (opens new window)
• SOWELA Bookstore (opens new window)
• Transcript Request (opens new window)