The recording of today s presentation will help you better understand the Syllabus Section of your ELI course. The Extended Learning Institute is the online division at NOVA and commonly referred to as ELI. 1
Essentially, the syllabus is like a blueprint for your course. It outlines the format the course will follow and gives you a detailed idea of the pace and expectations of the assignments so that you can plan your study schedule accordingly. The syllabus is the single most important instrument of structure for your course. The syllabus will outline the goals and objectives of the course, the grading system, the materials that are required, topics that will be covered, and the schedule for the course. 2
In today s recording, we will cover a sample ELI course site. We will not go into course specifics, but we will touch on the general course syllabus you will see in all ELI courses. We will discuss: What is in your syllabus? The importance of regular syllabus reviews. Using your syllabus as a communication tool with classmates and instructors. And Student Support Services available at ELI. 3
You will receive a Quick Start Syllabus in the postal mail before your course begins. The Quick Start Syllabus will give you general information about ELI and include your instructors contact information. You will receive one Quick Start Syllabus per course you are enrolled in through ELI. Instructors make courses available in Blackboard on the course start date, or sometimes a few days in advance. Once you have access to your course in Blackboard, you will be able to access the full course syllabus. The Quick Start Syllabus will also give you instructions on how to log into Blackboard through MyNOVA. 4
At anytime on your course start date, log into MyNOVA to access your courses through Blackboard. All ELI courses are housed on Blackboard. 5
Once you log in, click on the Blackboard Tab in the My Tools section. 6
Your course will be available in Blackboard on the course start date. Once you have access to your course in Blackboard you will be able to access your Syllabus folder in the menu on the left hand side. Right now you are seeing the Blackboard Dashboard. On the right side, you will see My Blackboard Courses and see the ELI Sample Course listed here. On your Blackboard Dashboard, you will see your courses listed once they open on the course start date. When your course becomes available, click on the title of your course to view the virtual classroom. I m going to take you through a Sample Blackboard course site now. Each course is set up a little differently, so the names of the folders and the order of the sections might vary, but I am going to point out some things you might see in your course and some helpful things to look for. 7
In your Blackboard course site, you will see the Syllabus Folder on the left hand side. Once you open the Syllabus, you will see several folders inside. Since the setup of the syllabus folder is a little different than a syllabus you will see in your on campus courses, you will want to be familiar with the setup of the folders and the information inside. As you are reading through the folders make note of critical course deadlines and course specific due dates, course materials, exam dates, grade distribution, and your instructors contact information and office hours. I want to start by pointing out the Overview of Assignments area. Whenever you see an icon like this open folder, it means there is information inside. For this sample class, there is a chart with the assignments and exams laid out to help you stay on track. Majority of ELI courses have weekly or even mid-weekly due dates so use this chart as a checklist to stay on track with the course. At the top of the page, you will see this breadcrumb trail, so you can see how you got to the folder you are in. Instead of clicking the back button, you can just go back to the syllabus folder from here. The next section I want to point out is the Grading, Withdrawals, and Incompletes section. In this section you will see the grade distribution for the assignments, discussion boards, and exams. You will also see course specific policies. If your 8
instructor accepts late assignments for partial credit, that might be listed here. Not all instructors accept late work, but you want to be aware of the late policy and that information might be here. All ELI courses require at least two proctored or supervised exams. Proctored exams are heavily weighted in online courses, you may find that you are required to pass a certain number of exams in order to pass the course, regardless of points earned in other areas. This is important to know early and make sure you are prepared and review this section in detail. The next section I want to point out is the Taking Exams and Using Exam Passes section. ALL ELI courses require proctored exams or assignments. There are 3 different ways to take ELI Exams depending on where you live and what courses you are enrolled in. More information about how you will test will be explained in this folder so make sure you are planning ahead and preparing for your proctored exams. Be sure to review the plagiarism, netiquette and ELI policies folders in detail. This is an example of what a Blackboard course syllabus might look like, so on your course start date, at any time, log into and start by navigating through all the folders and looking at course specific policies and the setup of your individual course. 8
Anytime on your course start date, log into Blackboard to make sure you have access. There are a lot of tips and tricks to help you stay on track. Using a written planner, a calendar on your phone or computer, or using a to-do list. Try out different options and learn what works best for you. Write down critical enrollment deadlines and course specific due dates in your planner. Use different colored highlighters or pens to designate different types of assignments or courses. Make notes and/or paraphrase expectations and instructions to verify your understanding. Note contact information for your instructor. If the instructor mentions any corrections/changes to the syllabus, make edits immediately and record in your planner. Highlight important themes and information related to the purpose and format of the course as it relates to the main objective. 9
Reviewing your syllabus regularly helps you stay on track throughout the course. The overview of assignments section will help as you are planning out your weekly schedule and you can use it as a checklist to make sure you get all the assignments turned in on time. Reviewing your syllabus regularly can help you from missing important assignments and deadlines, and can help with your long and short term academic planning. It will also help you stay on track in achieving your desired grade for your courses. Stay aware of your schedule and plan ahead. Look ahead to see what larger projects and exams are coming up so you have time to study and prepare. Communicate with your instructor and ELI when you have questions. 10
Your instructor is available to help you succeed in your course. Make sure you are aware of their contact information and any posted office hours in the syllabus. Office hours might mean that is the time they have designated to answer emails, be available through the phone or even have virtual office hours where you are able to log into web conference and ask any questions about assignments or the course. 11
The grade distribution section of the syllabus will help you stay on track of the grade you are earning for your course. In your planner, write down your grades on each assignment, or print out you syllabus and write it directly. Spend time every week reviewing your grades and upcoming assignments. At the end of the course, tally all of your grades and points prior to your final exam to determine the grade you will need on that final assignment. Communicate any questions/concerns to your instructor where appropriate. Review questions you missed on an exam and check your understanding prior to the end of the course. Use study guides where possible if they are available. 12
ELI has a lot of resources for you throughout your course. If you aren t sure of a service, let us know! We can help make sure you are taking advantage of the resources available to you as a student. When you think about online courses, you might not necessarily think about student support services, but we are here to help! ELI has free online tutoring, technology support, success coaches, and many more. Your instructor are also be a great resource for you. 13
Anytime on your course start date, log into Blackboard and start getting comfortable navigating the virtual classroom. All ELI classes are based on the full 16 week course material, so if you are enrolled in a shorter course, please note the class will move at an accelerated pace to cover the full 16 week course material. Stay on top of weekly assignments and pace yourself throughout the course. Back up your work so you don t lose any assignments. Make sure to activate and use your VCCS email address! Use NOVA and ELI resources that are available to you as a student. Connect with us on our student blog! 14
Thank you for joining us! Please let us know if you have any questions we can be reached at ELISuccess@nvcc.edu or 703.323.3347. 15