This week at NOVA Online

Posted on October 19, 2015 by Dual Enrollment Coordinator

Welcome to everyone starting an 8-week class today!

Instructors make courses available in Blackboard on the course start date, or sometimes a few days in advance. If you don’t see your course available yet, double check your course enrolling in NOVA Connect and check blackboard throughout the day! While you wait, check out the First Day of Class Reminders provided by NOVA Online Blogger, Rebecca and be aware of your Critical Course Deadlines.

First class online? Join us for the NOVA Online Orientation Webinar – Monday or Wednesday for a general overview. This one hour webinar will focus on getting started in your courses, navigating your Blackboard course site, and identifying tips for success and student support services. Register Today!

Have any questions about Blackboard? View these short videos to help you get started in your course. Videos include: how to submit an assignment, post on discussion board, check grades, and other blackboard tips you will need throughout the semester.

October is Transfer Month at NOVA Online! Check the NOVA Online Webinar page and blog for webinars and virtual transfer fairs to speak with transfer representatives from several colleges and universities.

Wednesday, October 21 from 2:00 – 4:00 pm – Student Life Presents Social Justice Ally Sam Killermann. Presentation will be at the Manassas Campus, but streamed live to several locations or available to stream at home. To learn more about him, visit his website and view his Ted Talk. Sam_K Plan ahead for Spring Registration! Advising Week and Spring Registration will be here soon! Look for upcoming webinars to help you plan and register for your spring semester. Follow this tutorial to find your priority registration date.

SmarterMeasure: Technical Competency, Skills, and Knowledge

Posted on October 15, 2015 by Dual Enrollment Coordinator

In order to participate in class, a student must have some way to get to the classroom. A student in a traditional class may drive a car on a highway to attend class, but a student in an online course “drives” a computer on the Internet (the Information Highway) to “attend” class. Technical competency is important, but if you do not score high in this area, don’t worry! The ability to comfortably learn is what is most important. You will want to gain comfort in navigating the blackboard course site so you can submit assignments, post on the discussion board and select folders so you don’t miss any course work.

A multitude of resources exist on the internet. Those listed in the technical competency summary are just a small sample of what is available in terms of information or tutorials on the topics focused on in SmarterMeasure. Some of these sites are free; a few require a subscription or fee. To find more or different information beyond these sites, feel free to perform your own web search.

You can run the System Check which is found in the Welcome message of each Blackboard course site to see what tools you will need for your online course, and make sure your computer is up to date.

Also, check out the Blackboard Learn app on your mobile device to connect with your class. You cannot complete your entire class on the app, but can access a lot of the folders and use it to stay up to date on announcements and assignments.

To obtain log-in information for the SmarterMeasure assessment, email EliSuccess@nvcc.edu from your VCCS email account. Once you complete the SmarterMeasure assessment, you can find more information in the ‘Assessment Summary’ section.

Making It Through The First Semester

Posted on October 14, 2015 by Dual Enrollment Coordinator

Today’s post is provided by student blogger Eunice! She just finished her first semester and has some tips to share with fellow and future online students. Have any tips? Share in the comments!

The thought of furthering my education had been hanging on for a long time due to some personal constraints. It appeared there was no end in sight to those challenges, but I knew that in the long term, further education was the solution to those challenges. For that reason, I went ahead to register for my first semester of classes.

My goal to return to school has finally materialized, but I’m aware of the challenges so I’m not going to be complacent. As a single mother, I still have to work to provide for my family’s livelihood. I still have to find time to do things with my teenage daughter. But I have to persevere with my studies because I know it is a pathway to a career I have long hoped to pursue and which will provide me with better financial security in the long run.

Most of my relatives are highly educated and have good jobs. I have always felt the odd one out. While the decision to go back to school is mine and is about my own future well-being, I’m grateful to them for their encouragement. They have been very supportive in that decision and throughout the first semester.

Although it is still early days, I feel I can see light at the end of the tunnel, because I have enjoyed my studies in the first semester and I have come to realize I can still get on with my studies despite the challenges. Besides, after so many years of staying away from formal education, I believe I’m still capable of applying myself to my studies. I feel a sense of pride in what I have been able to achieve so far in the midst of all the challenges and now there is no turning back. I certainly look forward to the study period ahead.

“If you can imagine it, you can achieve it, and if you can dream it, you can become it” – William Arthur Ward

If you are interested in sharing your story on the NOVA Online blog, contact elistulife@nvcc.edu!

This Week at NOVA Online

Posted on October 12, 2015 by Dual Enrollment Coordinator

Save the Date: Wednesday, October 21 from 2:00 – 4:00 pm – Student Life Presents Social Justice Ally Sam Killermann. To learn more about him, visit his website and view his Ted Talk.

Participate in a New Student Orientation Webinar – This one hour webinar is required for new-to-college students aged 17-24. New Student Orientation will focus on academic and career goals, reading degree plans, and registering for classes. All are welcome. Use your VCCS username/password to register and email NOVA OnlineLearn@nvcc.edu with any questions.

MEC Open House: Explore a career in health sciences at NOVA’s Medical Education Campus. This Saturday, October 17 from 9 am – 12 pm. Register today! Cash Course Financial Literacy Contest– Have you heard? Twenty $100 NOVA bookstore gift cards towards educational costs at NOVA will be raffled off throughout the 2015‐2016 academic year to randomly selected students NOVA Online who successfully complete CashCourse web‐based financial literacy modules! Only 1 week left to complete the Budgeting Basics Module (due October 20^th)! Complete between now and the deadline and also be entered to win an NOVA Online T-shirt and messenger bag! Official contest rules and registration to participate can be found here: Cash Course Contest Registration.

All Semester- Engage in your Community! – Did you miss our Community Involvement Fair? Check out our community volunteer booklet to learn more about the variety of non-profits participating and volunteer opportunities available: Community Volunteer Booklet. Email us at elistulife@nvcc.edu and tell us where and when you are volunteering and we will send you a FREE NOVA Student Life T-shirt to wear!

Upcoming Transfer Planning Webinars

Posted on October 9, 2015 by Dual Enrollment Coordinator

October is Transfer Awareness Month at the Extended Learning Institute! All NOVA student are invited to attend any of the following virtual events. Visit the Transfer Planning Section of NOVA Online’s Webinar Page for more information and to register for any individual sessions.

Transfer Planning:

Friday, 10/9/15 from 12-1pm or Monday, 10/12/15 from 6:30-7:30pm

It’s never too early to begin your planning to transfer another institution. This one-hour webinar will discuss the basics of transfer planning; information about Guaranteed Admission Agreements, Articulation Agreements, and Transfer Guides; and a web tour of NOVA’s transfer website.

American Public University System Transfer Information Session:

Wednesday, 10/14/15 at 12pm

The George Washington University, College of Professional Studies Transfer Information Session:

Monday, 10/19/15 at 1pm

The George Washington University’s School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Guaranteed Admission Agreement Information Session:

Tuesday, 10/20/15 at 12:30 PM or at 6:00 PM

George Mason University Transfer Information Session:

Wednesday, 10/21/15 from 3-5pm or Friday, 10/30/15 from 11am-1pm

Excelsior College Transfer Information Session:

Monday, 10/26/15 from 9-10am or 6-7pm

Alumni Transfer Panel:

Tuesday, 10/27/15 from 7-8:30pm

This one-hour webinar will host a panel of NOVA/NOVA Online alumni students who have transferred to 4-year institutions. Learn more regarding the transfer process and have your questions answered about their varied experiences. Information will be discussed around transfer topics such as Guaranteed Admission Agreements, understanding transfer requirements, and NOVA’s transfer resources.

SmarterMeasure: Learning Styles

Posted on October 8, 2015 by Dual Enrollment Coordinator

People learn differently. Some people are very comfortable reading large amounts of text, while others are more comfortable listening to someone speak or writing things down for themselves. A person’s preferred learning style is the approach to learning that feels most natural to them. It is based on a combination of their experiences, strengths, weaknesses, and preferences.

Everyone has a mix of learning styles, and some people have strong, dominant learning styles. There are no “right” or “wrong” learning styles. Most people tend to adapt their learning style to the context of learning. With practice a person can strengthen themselves in the learning styles that are least comfortable for them. When a person recognizes the learning styles that work best for them, they can then make a better informed decision about the ways that they approach learning new things.

Student Lingo offers an on-demand workshop titled Discover your learning styles. Student Lingo on-demand workshops are available to you on a number of topics throughout the semester. Take advantage of the resources to help you succeed in your online classes.

This week at NOVA Online!

Posted on October 5, 2015 by Dual Enrollment Coordinator

October is Transfer Month at NOVA Online! Check the NOVA Online Student Life Calendar and the blog for webinars and virtual transfer fairs to speak with transfer representatives from several colleges and universities.

Do you have any questions or problems with your Blackboard course site? View these short videos from blackboard to give you a reminder of how to submit an assignment, post on discussion board, check grades, and other blackboard tips you will need throughout the semester. The 24/7 NOVA Online IT Help Desk is available for you too! Give them a call at 703.764.5051. There is one more chance to start a Fall semester course! More classes begin Monday, October 19. Check the schedule of classes in NOVA Connect and follow this tutorial to help you search for online classes through NOVA Online. Make sure you change the date to reflect the term you are looking to register for (fall ’15).

Fall into Service: Community Volunteer Fair! Join us at the Annandale campus today, Monday, October 5 from 11-2pm for our 1st annual community volunteer fair. Meet different non-profit organizations within the Northern Virginia area and learn more about volunteer opportunities available.

Career Focused Webinars – Join NOVA Online Career Counselor for webinars this week. Focus on your Career Planning and Exploring your Career Options schedule for Tuesday and Wednesday will give you a deeper look into your career options.

Cash Course Financial Literacy Contest– Have you heard? Twenty $100 NOVA bookstore gift cards towards educational costs at NOVA will be raffled off throughout the 2015‐2016 academic year to randomly selected students NOVA Online who successfully complete CashCourse web‐based financial literacy modules! Official contest rules and registration to participate can be found here: Cash Course Contest Registration.

Mark your calendar – Advising Week and Spring Registration will be here soon! Look for upcoming webinars to help you plan and register for your spring semester.

Purchase Textbooks & Course Materials using Financial Aid

Posted on October 2, 2015 by Dual Enrollment Coordinator

Students with financial aid awards for Fall 2015 can purchase required books and supplies that correlate with registered courses for the fall semester using their excess financial aid – either online or in campus bookstores – from October 7-29.

If you completed the online Bookstore Authorization form for the summer 2015, it will NOT remain valid for Fall 2015 and Spring 2016. If you previously completed the form for 2014-2015 (including Summer 2015), it must be resubmitted with a valid electronic signature.

Students wishing to purchase books on-line must complete and sign the Bookstore Authorization E-Form, via the Financial Aid Dashboard, prior to completing a purchase. Students enrolled or planning to enroll in later starting classes who desire to use their financial aid to purchase books must purchase during one of the two purchase periods; no additional accommodations will be made. The financial aid process must be complete and anticipated aid must be enough to cover tuition, fees and books. Files can have no negative holds.

Second Book Purchase Period (for students with remaining anticipated aid)

–First day to purchase books/supplies using financial aid: October 7, 2015

–Last day to purchase books/supplies using financial aid: October 29, 2015

You may place your on-line order 24 hours after completing the authorization e-form or on the first business day after completing the e-form, if later. Search the online bookstore for the textbooks and course materials required for your NOVA Online courses.

SmarterMeasure: Individual Attributes

Posted on October 1, 2015 by Dual Enrollment Coordinator

This section measures six items: time management, procrastination, persistence, academic attributes, locus of control, and willingness to ask for help. These attributes can be enhanced or improved through academic interventions. Ask your faculty member or academic advisor about the resources for remediation and/or support which your school may provide.

The NOVA Online Counselors host a Tips for Success in Online Courses webinar throughout the semester. The webinar will focus on time management to help you succeed in your classes. To find the live and recorded sessions, click here.

NOVA Online Library: Banned Books Week

Posted on September 29, 2015 by Dual Enrollment Coordinator

Banned Books Week (Sept 27- Oct 3, 2015):

It’s the start of a new academic year and teachers are sending out their lists of required readings and parents are beginning to gather books. You may be some of those parents! In some cases, classics like “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” “The Catcher in the Rye,” and “To Kill a Mocking Bird,” may not be included school libraries due to challenges made by parents or administrators.

The most challenged and/or restricted reading materials have been books for children. However, challenges are not simply an expression of a point of view; on the contrary, they are an attempt to remove materials from public use, thereby restricting the access of others. Even if the motivation to ban or challenge a book is well intentioned, the outcome is detrimental. Censorship denies our freedom as individuals to choose and think for ourselves.

American libraries are the cornerstones of our democracy. Libraries are for everyone, everywhere. Because libraries provide free access to a world of information, they bring opportunity to all people. Now, more than ever, celebrate the freedom to read @ your library! Read an old favorite or a new banned book this week.

Have you read any of these banned books? Click on the title to access the eBook or audiobook with your myNOVA login and password (unless otherwise noted).

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain (Download free via Project Gutenberg)

The Awakening, by Kate Chopin

The Call of the Wild, by Jack London (Download free via Project Gutenberg)

The Color Purple, by Alice Walker

Gulliver’s Travels, by Jonathan Swift (Download free via Project Gutenberg)

The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins

Lord of the Flies, by William Golding

Twilight, by Stephenie Meyer

Written by Heather Blicher, NOVA Online Librarian

NOVA Online

The NOVA Online Student Blog

Author Archives: Dual Enrollment Coordinator