We hope that as this series introduces everyone to the OpenLab or helps reinvigorate our OpenLab work, it also highlights strategies for cultivating and growing this online community. Follow along as these posts are published or read them at your own pace.
For this first installment, the tasks below will help you create an account and set up your OpenLab profile.Â
Get ready
Before joining the OpenLab, learn more about the platform. Read the OpenLab’s brief About page to learn more about the ethos and values driving the OpenLab. Take some time to browse through the courses, clubs, projects and portfolios on the OpenLab.
Get set
Sign up for an OpenLab Account. To sign up, you’ll also need access to your City Tech email account. See the OpenLab’s help documentation on Accessing your City Tech email if you need help. If you’re eager to get started but know your email account is still not available, reach out to the OpenLab team to see if we can help you get started sooner!
Remember that your user name does not need to be your real name, and that you can’t change your user name once you create your account. Some members use first initial last name, or first name last initial, but others go with something altogether different–you’ll also be able to set a display name (see below) to identify yourself throughout the site.
Go
Get started by setting up your OpenLab profile. You’ll notice as you do this that only some fields are required. You can always come back and complete missing information later when you have time to learn how to manage your account and profile. Your OpenLab profile communicates who you are to the OpenLab community; it can also be indexed in internet search engines, so think carefully about what information you share in your profile. Remember that like your user name, your display name doesn’t need to be your real name–it’s up to you to choose a pseudonym that you feel will represent you while also is appropriate to the community you’re joining. Keep in mind that even though your user name can’t change, you can change your display name and anything else in your profile.
- Students may want to specify major/minor, pronouns, extracurricular interests, any awards or honors you have received, and even a brief overview of your projects and goals. Remember, this is publicly available, so consider what you include carefully!
- Faculty or staff members, in addition to including pronouns and contact information (remember, this is publicly available!), may also choose to detail academic interests, as well as roles within the college.
- Add an avatar, a photo associated with their OpenLab account. Please note that your photo can be of anything that you feel represents you adequately, and does not have to be an actual photo of yourself. This avatar may appear wherever you contribute on the OpenLab.
Stay tuned for Part 2 of 5, when we look at how others use the OpenLab!
Photo credit: Openly licensed photo by Maizal Najmi from Pexels