First Day – Attendance Reminders

Posted on June 13, 2016 by Dual Enrollment Coordinator

If you are starting an online course today, it is important to keep in mind attendance and participation in your NOVA Online courses are very important. In fact, your attendance and participation are not just important, they are required. It is crucial to ensure you have completed and submitted your first assignment prior to the First Assignment Due Date to avoid being administratively withdrawn from your course. This has several outcomes of concern including:

Reduction in class load and possible change (if less than 12 credits) from full time to part time status (both potentially affecting financial aid).

Loss of tuition (yes, an administrative withdrawal will cause you to lose the money paid as tuition for this course).

No record of the class or letter grade on your transcript.

As soon as you have access, log into Blackboard and explore your course Blackboard. Locate and review your course syllabus and assignments tab thoroughly. This will give you a chance to see what you will be responsible for throughout the course. In addition, this will also allow you sufficient time to plan your time appropriately, making certain you will be able to complete your readings, assignments, projects and tests in time for their specified due dates. To that end, take a moment to record all of the assignments in your paper or online planner. Once you have recorded all of the assignments, you will need to break them down into daily manageable tasks.

It is crucial to ensure you have completed and submitted your first assignment prior to the First Assignment Due Date to avoid being administratively withdrawn from your course.

If you have any questions or you are not sure where to start, please contact the Success Coaching Team at elisuccess@nvcc.edu or by calling 703-764-5076. We are more than happy to answer your questions, as well as refer you to useful resources and services that will support your online learning experience.

Women in Search of Excellence (WISE) Mentoring Program

Posted on June 9, 2016 by Dual Enrollment Coordinator

The Women in Search of Excellence (WISE) Mentoring Program seeks to address the challenges facing women in higher education by fostering healthy relationships and providing support, guidance, and encouragement to help overcome obstacles and achieve personal, professional and academic growth.

With support from their mentors, WISE students set academic, personal and career goals; learn how to make informed decisions; identify resources and pathways to successfully achieve their goals; cultivate strong relationships with women in business and academia, and develop leadership and self-improvement skills.

WISE is open to any female enrolled at NOVA-Woodbridge who is committed to the mission of the program.

The program objectives are to increase persistence/retention, grade point averages, and self–esteem for female students on campus. The program will officially launch August 31^st. For more information email WISE@nvcc.edu.

Conquering Math Stress

Posted on June 6, 2016 by Dual Enrollment Coordinator

For a lot of us, math can be a cause of anxiety! You can easily lose perspective if you don’t stay on top of assignments and exam preparation.

Below are some tips for coping with the math funk – the period of time where you may be growing discouraged by the increasing difficulty that your math course is presenting, when you are beating your head against the wall memorizing theorems and tying it to the larger purpose of getting a good grade, all the while, trying not to drown in the complex terminology and detailed strategies of working the problems. $math stress$

Remember and reinforce the “whys” behind the reasoning for your math courses: Do you need these courses to graduate, for your degree plan, for a prerequisite? If you need them for your degree plan, the bigger picture may transform from I need to get a good grade in this course to I need to be able to apply these skills and generalize them to scenarios in my work environment. If you merely need them as a general education requirement or prerequisite, remind yourself that you need to master this course in order to excel to a more interesting class for which you have prerequisites.
Do not fall into the math quicksand – I call this the period of time that you forget much of the information you have learned either for a test or in preparation for future math lessons, the result being that when you approach the next lesson, the cumulative learning that took place beforehand is all but lost. Hence, you may find yourself quickly trying to re-memorize the previous theories all over again in an effort to rapidly catch up to the current one or the fast approaching cumulative exam.
Avoid blaming external factors for math not being fun – Let’s face it; math may not be the most “entertaining” and engaging material for some folks. However, rather than blame your lack of interest on the dryness of the material, find unique ways to apply the concepts to your life. Word problems are a great example; the ones that involve calculating percentages, totals and sale prices can go a long way in planning how to budget your next trip to the grocery store! When I think of memorizing something as simple as multiplication tables, it may enhance my memory of future numbers like phone numbers or my driver’s license number, if I left it at home – yikes!
Plan accordingly and practice effective time management – Remember to access your calendar or planner daily, weekly and monthly to plan out your assignments and even carve out some time to review notes and prepare for the next assignment or lesson. Even insert time for diversions like studying a different subject or going for a walk when you start to feel yourself burning out.
Find the humor in math – Believe it or not, math can be funny sometimes. When you are practicing that problem for what seems like an eternity; then, you get feedback or discover how the correct answer came to be. Substitute the feeling of frustration with one of “that textbook showed me” – and learn to laugh at your mistakes. Any epiphanies that you discover along the way can serve as lighthearted moments – where the “how did they get that answer? – can be humorous in and of itself before your resume the “serious” task of trying to re-work the problem to get to the correct answer.

All in all, don’t give up. When you find yourself losing momentum, take a break or divert your mind to another subject area. One suggestion for combating frustration is to keep a journal close by to jot down the following: what kind of problem it was, why you got it wrong, how did you feel at the time and what strategy are you taking to empower yourself so you bounce back. Then, evaluate how this strategy helped. This might even involve taking a break first and returning to the problem, noting how the brief interlude might have changed your perspective.

Many students view math as overwhelming and scary—but it doesn’t have to be. Learn how to study more efficiently for mathematics and apply relaxing techniques to reduce your anxieties by participating in the NOVA Online Student Success Coach’s Tackling Your Math Anxiety Recorded Workshop! You can also view on-demand workshops from Student Lingo.

This post has been modified from the squarecircleZ, math blog. For more information on this topic, visit this link. Contact the NOVA Online Success Coach Team at elisuccess@nvcc.edu or 703.764.5076 for resources and references to help you have a successful semester.

Happy studying!

The Commonwealth Legacy Scholarship Program

Posted on June 1, 2016 by Dual Enrollment Coordinator

The purpose of the Commonwealth Legacy Scholarship Program is to increase access to higher education and to develop student leadership potential for graduating high school seniors who will be attending a Virginia Community College for the first time in Fall 2016.

One ($3,125) scholarship will be awarded for the fall 2016 and spring 2017 semesters. The Student Financial Aid Committee will select the recipient in July. The recipient will be notified by August 2016. The following criteria will be used to award the scholarship:

Commonwealth Legacy Scholars will be students attending Northern Virginia Community College for the first time in Fall 2016.
Selections will be based on merit.
Scholars will demonstrate academic excellence during high school.
Scholars will demonstrate a willingness to promote community college education and the Commonwealth Legacy Scholarship Program.
Scholars will demonstrate a willingness to mentor future scholars.
Scholars will demonstrate a commitment to developing leadership potential.
Students must be full-time, associate’s degree seeking students with plans to graduate from a Northern Virginia Community College.
Scholars must agree to an interview with the selecting committee to be considered.
If selected, recipients agree to participate in the annual Student Leadership program.

Applicant Materials

Complete on-line application.
Official High School Transcript (upload to on-line application).
One letter of recommendation from high school faculty written on official school stationary- (upload to on-line application).

10 Tips to Get You Started!

Posted on May 30, 2016 by Dual Enrollment Coordinator

Below are some tips to help you get started in your NOVA Online classes this summer!

You will have access to your course the first day the class is scheduled to begin or sometimes a few days in advance. If your course is scheduled to begin later in the summer, check back closer to that date. Be sure to check your Blackboard course site regularly throughout the summer to make sure you don’t miss any course specific deadlines. Check each folder and read announcements from your instructors.

It is important to be aware of Critical Course Deadlines for your courses. In addition, you also want to be aware of course specific deadlines. Get started immediately so you don’t miss any deadlines.

NOVA Online Student Life offers various in-person and virtual events throughout the semester to help connect you to peers, faculty and staff. Join us!

Take advantage of NOVA’s Library Services from your home computer. You can access resources and references from the Library database with your VCCS username and password.

Do you have any general NOVA Online questions? Live Chat (bottom right) or NOVA Online Hotline – 703.323.3347 is a great option to ask general questions, but remember your instructors are available if you have course specific questions.

Proctor U is an online proctoring service available for some NOVA Online courses. This service is available for some NOVA Online courses and gives you the opportunity to take your exams from your home computer using a web cam, microphone and speakers.

Try using Smarthinking for 24/7 online tutoring.

Checking your Student E-Mail Account is important throughout the semester. You will get updates and announcements from your instructor as well as from NOVA Online. Get in the habit of checking this e-mail.

24/7 Tech Support is available from NOVA by calling 703.764.5051.

NOVA Online offers several webinars throughout the semester to help you succeed. Check out live sessions or request a copy of a recording.

and one more … #11 Financial Aid assistance is available 24/7 by calling 1-855-323-3199 or at the Student Support Center.

Not your first NOVA Online course? What tips would you share with a new student?

NOVA Online Student Spotlight

Posted on May 25, 2016 by Dual Enrollment Coordinator

The Be SAFE Around Water Campaign

My name is Abigail and I am a competitive swimmer, swim coach, and lifeguard. Teaching people, particularly children, how to swim is my passion. Drowning is the number one cause of death for children ages 1-4 and the second leading cause of death in children under the age of 15. By educating children on what to do if they fall in the water we could play a part in saving lives. I visited over 200 kids at various organizations, such as church and VBS groups, and gave my presentation.

The Be SAFE Around Water Campaign is designed to give children simple steps to follow if they fall into water. I created an acronym of the word “safe” to give children something easy to remember.

Be SAFE Around Water

Stop. When you approach water stop and look around for an adult or lifeguard. If no one is around then do not enter the water or go near the edge of the water.

Ask. If you accidentally fall into the water call out and ask for “help” as loud as you can.

Float & kick. Kick your feet and get your head above the water. Then push your belly up and lay on your back so that you are floating. Then kick your feet to the nearest wall or land.

Exit. Exit the water and go tell an adult or lifeguard what happened.

Want to write for the NOVA Online Student Blog? Share your story? Connect with your peers? Send us a writing sample to get started. Email NOVA OnlineStuLife@nvcc.edu for more information.

Ten Quick Steps to Email Your Instructor

Posted on May 23, 2016 by Dual Enrollment Coordinator

Need to email your instructor and not sure where to start? These ten easy to follow steps will help you get that email written and the send button hit in no time!1. Use your NOVA student email account to send your email. All correspondence relating to your courses should come from and go to your NOVA email address. Email messages originating from other email addresses may go directly to your instructors SPAM folder and go unnoticed.

2. Make your subject line meaningful. Your instructor likely teaches multiple courses and may even teach on other campuses. Include the course and section number along with a quick description of why you are writing your instructor.
An example might look like this:
Subject: PSY 200-E05W, Question about grade calculations

3. Briefly and politely state the reason you are writing. Be sure to include all of the relevant information pertaining to your question and leave out anything that does not relate directly to the situation.

4. If you are writing your instructor because you have a problem, include a proposed solution in your email. The instructor may or may not agree with your suggestion. Regardless, it does demonstrate to your instructor you are taking the initiative to actively work towards resolving the situation.

5. Sign your email with your complete first and last name along with your student ID number.

6. Read through your email to check for spelling and punctuation errors. Make sure all of your sentences are complete and do not contain any abbreviations or other modified text that is used in text messaging.

7. If your email is lengthy, have a second set of eyes proofread your email for clarity. This will be an opportunity to make sure you have clearly articulated what it is you wanted to say.

8. Send your email.

9. Allow adequate time for a response from your instructor. Many NOVA Online instructors also teach campus based courses so they are not always sitting at their computer in their office. Often you will find information in the syllabus relating to how soon you should expect a response from your instructor.

10. Once you have received a response from your instructor, acknowledge it. A simple “Thank you” may be all that is needed. If your instructor asks you questions in their response to your email, be sure to answer all of them thoroughly.

This post was adapted from www.wikihow.com/Email-a-professor by the NOVA Online Success Coaches to help you develop skills to effectively communicate through email to your instructor for the February focus on communication. NOVA Online Success Coaches can be reached at elisuccess@nvcc.edu or 703.764.5076.

Written by Laura, NOVA Online Success Coach

Understanding your online syllabus

Posted on May 18, 2016 by Dual Enrollment Coordinator

Thoroughly reading your syllabus and addressing questions at the beginning of the course, will help you succeed from the first to the last day of class! null

Once you have access to your course in blackboard, you can start navigating the virtual classroom and get comfortable with the platform. You can start by reading through the online syllabus to get an idea of the course expectations.

Your online course syllabus serves as a blueprint for your course. This is such an important document that to reinforce it, some instructors may require you to complete a syllabus quiz, acknowledging that you have read and understand the important information laid out in the syllabus.

If you have a concerns or questions about assignments, check your syllabus and you may find the answer. The online course syllabus will help you manage your time by enabling you to map out and plan your projects, assignments and quiz/test dates. In addition to providing your instructor’s contact information and office hours, it might even provide resources to help you study and learn more about your course subject.

NOVA Online offers a video to help you Review Your Online Syllabus.

If you have questions or would like some additional help, the NOVA Online Student Success Coaching Team is here for you. Coaches can be reached at 703.764.5076 or elisuccess@nvcc.edu.

First day reminders!

Posted on May 16, 2016 by Dual Enrollment Coordinator

Happy First Day of Classes, NOVA Online Students!

Today’s first day blog is provided by student blogger Rebecca! She has been taking NOVA Online classes for two semesters and has some tips to help new NOVA Online students get started in fall classes.

It’s Sunday afternoon and I’m scrambling to finish a paper by the 5pm deadline. I am just about to submit my paper at 4:55pm but I decide to proofread it one more time. By the time I finish it is a couple minutes after 5pm. Okay, I’ll go submit it now. It’s only two minutes, right? WRONG! As I click on the assignment I am startled to discover that the submission page has disappeared off of blackboard!

Yes, this did actually happened to me last semester. Luckily I emailed the professor and was able to turn in my assignment, although I did lose a lot of points. Don’t let this happen to you!

Online classes are great because they let you have flexibility in your schedule. However without a physical class everyday to remind you what is due, it’s easy to get behind if you don’t pace yourself. My #1 tip for students new to online classes is keep track of your course deadlines and your professor’s policy on deadlines.

Here are five things to look for on your syllabus:

What day of the week and time are assignments due? The day and time of deadlines may vary for different courses. In my experience most classes have Sunday deadlines but the times may vary. For example, last semester one of my courses had a Sunday 5pm deadline, another had a Sunday 11:59pm deadline and another had a Monday 6am deadline. It’s helpful to write deadlines on a calendar (especially if you are taking multiple courses, so you don’t get caught off guard by a busy week)
Are there any midweek deadlines? Once in a while there may be a group project or discussion board posting with a midweek deadline, leaving time later in the week for comments.
Are there strict deadlines? Some professors have strict weekly deadlines while others will accept all work right up until the course end date.
Do exams have to be taken during a certain window? Are exams only available for a limited time? Can you take them early or late?
Does your instructor accept late work? Some instructors will let you turn in work a day or two late if you email them and explain the situation. Other instructors will accept late work but take points off. Others are very strict about deadlines and will not accept work even a minute late.

We’ve all been there: You have a busy week and struggle to find the time. You have last minute computer problems. These things can and will happen. Avoid a stressful situation by learning about your Critical Course Deadlines, course specific deadlines, and professor’s late and grading policy before you are too overwhelmed!

Participation In Your Online Class Is Not Only Important, It is Required

Posted on May 13, 2016 by Dual Enrollment Coordinator

As you are preparing for your NOVA Online course(s) to begin, it is important to keep in mind attendance and participation in your NOVA Online courses are very important. In fact, your attendance and participation are not just important, they are required. It is crucial to ensure you have completed and submitted your first assignment prior to the First Assignment Due Date to avoid being administratively withdrawn from your course. This has several outcomes of concern including:

Reduction in class load and possible change (if less than 12 credits) from full time to part time status (both potentially affecting financial aid)

Loss of tuition (yes, an administrative withdrawal will cause you to lose the money paid as tuition for this course)

No record of the class or letter grade on your transcript

As soon as your class begins, log into Blackboard and explore your course Blackboard. Locate and review your course syllabus and assignments tab thoroughly. This will give you a chance to see what you will be responsible for throughout the semester. In addition, this will also allow you sufficient time to plan your time appropriately, making certain you will be able to complete your readings, assignments, projects and tests in time for their specified due dates. To that end, take a moment to record all of the assignments in your paper or online planner. Once you have recorded all of the assignments, you will need to break them down into daily manageable tasks.