Getting Started With Your DSA Course

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The information on this page will get you started with the key technologies used in the DSA program: Wiki, Email, JupyterHub, Git, Teams, Canvas, and Zoom.

Wiki:

This website, https://wiki.dsa.missouri.edu/ , has useful systems documentation and help pages.

Email:

Be sure to check your university email daily, as this is the way official business is communicated from the program.

Information on student email is provided by the University Department of IT (DOIT) here: https://webmail.missouri.edu/

JupyerHub: 

https://jupyterhub.dsa.missouri.edu

Programming work will be conducted in Jupyter notebooks. These notebooks are hosted on DSA servers using the JupyterHub learning activity environment and a course-configured container, which is accessed via a browser.  (Your instructor will tell you which container to use for your course.) This provides a controlled, standard operating environment for all students.

NOTE: Google Chrome is the only officially supported brower for the MU DSA learning environment.

Instructions for logging in, spawning a container, and using Jupyter notebooks are provided in the post: Jupyter Usage.

After you have been added to the system and a course has been deployed to you, you will be able to login to to jupyterhub. The initial deployment for a course is normally the Saturday morning before the course begins.

Git:

Class materials are deployed from, and student work is submitted to, our GitLab server using the git version control system. Submissions are done on the command line through the terminal on JupyterHub. The following information will be important to turn in your first module and to obtain the second module of your course - the same info is in the post and the video, with a bit of extra background information in the video as well as a follow-along demo.

Canvas: 

https://umsystem.instructure.com/

  • To login, choose UMSystem Login and enter your_sso@umsystem.edu and your university password.
  • Canvas is the course management platform used by the university. Use of Canvas in most DSA courses is limited. Common uses of Canvas in DSA courses are:
    • Receiving grades and feedback from your programming assignments on Canvas, although the programming assignments are completed on JupyterHub and turned in via git.
    • Canvas is often the official way announcements are made to the class (although some instructors prefer email.) Be sure to check the course announcements daily. You may have Canvas announcements delivered to your email or to your phone app notifications.
    • Weekly topical discussions and short quizzes may be conducted on Canvas.
    • The syllabus and office hour information is usually provided on Canvas.
    • Zoom links for the course for virtual office hours or for class sessions are often provided on Canvas.
  • Videos and Links from Canvas if you want more info:

Microsoft Teams

Support (aka Mutual Aid) for our DSA courses and the overall program is available using Microsoft Teams. The Team for DSA Support is DSA Student Support – Ogrp. You will be added to the Teams organization by the time your course is deployed on Jupyter.

  • The Jupyter_environment channel is for reporting issues with Jupyter or our infrastructure.
  • If you are in the DSA Master's program, there will be a channel for your cohort, named something like On-Campus Cohort 2026 or Online Cohort 2026.
  • There will be a course channel specific to your course. Your instructor will provide the name and/or link.
    • Note: Some instructors are experimenting with having a separate Team Organization for their course. You will still use the DSA Student Support organization for communication in the other channels.
  • DSA Seminar Series This channel provides communciations related to the on-campus DSA Seminars that are provided throughout the semester. Online students can usually view recordings of these seminars.

Information about accessing Teams in the browser or downloading the app is provided by the Univeresity's Department of IT (DOIT) here: https://www.umsystem.edu/ums/is/teams

Helpful hints about using Teams is in this post: Teams Hints.

Zoom

Zoom may be used for video meetings and screen sharing with students for support issues. A Zoom account is provided to all students at Mizzou, and information about logging in with your student account and access to support resources are provided on this University Depart of IT (DOIT) page: https://doit.missouri.edu/services/software-directory/zoom-video-conference/

Need more information or help? Reach out to us at 📧 jcwdw@missouri.edu