Page 25 - Keys to College Success

■ Connect to your college’s system. You should receive instructions for how to
register for and use your school’s network. Being registered will give you access to
school-specif c sites such as the LMS, library databases, and academic support. If

you run into problems, contact your school’s IT (Information Technology) depart-
ment for help.

Communication in Online Educational Environments

Learning happens in a community, even when the community cannot meet face to face.
Online interaction with instructors, TAs, and classmates can happen in many ways. Use
any of the following methods to connect to and learn from your course community:
■ Video lectures provided by instructors, either recorded earlier for watching on
your own time or offered live for students to experience in real time
■ Presentations that add in-time video or audio commentary from the instructor to
PowerPoints (examples include Camtasia or Screen-Cast-o-Matic recordings)
■ Discussion boards on which to respond to questions and prompts as well as ex-
tend conversations

■ Chat “rooms” on LMS sites where students can meet to discuss course materials
in real time
■ Email, whether through the college LMS or the regular college email server, which
is an essential channel of communication with your instructors
■ Synchronous video conferences during which you can talk in real time and see and
hear others in the conference (offered through platforms such as WebEx, Zoom,
Canvas Big Blue Button, and others)
■ App and document sharing, through collaborative tools such as Google Docs (use-
ful for group projects – yes, online instructors can assign group projects)

Strategies for Navigating Online Courses

Approach your online coursework with the focus and dedication you
would give any other college course. Here are important strategies to
help you thrive in a digital environment.

Get clear on expectations. The more you know what’s expected of
you, the more successful you will be at getting the job done. Access the
course website as soon as it is available—it is your go-to resource for
information. Use it to f nd:
■ Details of how the class will be conducted—when it will meet
(if meetings happen in real time) and how the professor will
provide materials

■ Weekly actions required (such as discussion board postings or
video lecture viewing)
■ Dates of assignments, quizzes, projects, and exams

■ Your syllabus, which will summarize the details of how the class
will be conducted, and contains what you need to know about
grading, schedule, and more
■ Your instructor’s preferred methods of communication and any
other important points your instructor emphasizes

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