Upcoming webinars for the week of August 11-16. You can participate in a webinar from your home computer or mobile device. All webinars are free, but registration is required. We hope to “see” you online! 

The NOVA Online Orientation is a general overview for students enrolled in courses offered through the Extended Learning Institute. 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. The NOVA Online Orientation is highly recommended for students who are new to online learning. Register or request a recording here.

Tips for Success in Online Learning Courses is a 45-minute webinar for NOVA students will focus on strategies and tips for being successful in distance learning courses offered through NOVA Online. Topics covered will include time management, schedule planning, learning preferences, and support resources. Register or request a recording here.

Exploring Career Options is a 45-minute webinar will focus on using various online resources to research career options.  The relationship between programs of study at NOVA, college majors, and career options will be discussed.  Resources presented will provide information on nature of work, educational requirements, job outlook, and wages. Register or request a recording here.

Have you enrolled in classes? Have any questions? Contact a NOVA Online Counselor at elicounselors@nvcc.edu.

Are you working on your Fall semester schedule? Have some questions about your Academic plan? Join us for a 45 minute webinar that will focus on helping you answer key questions about preparing for your next semester.  Topics covered will include program identification, course selection, college resources, schedule planning, and registration/payment tips.We have a live session scheduled with a NOVA Online Counselor on Thursday, August 7 from 12:15 pm – 1:00 pm.

We hope to see you online! If you can’t make it live, but would like to receive the information, email us at NOVA OnlineCounselors@nvcc.edu.

Are you thinking about signing up for an online course this fall? Not sure if online learning is right for you?  Join us for a 30 minute webinar that will focus on the benefits of studying online at NOVA’s Extended Learning Institute. We will discuss programs offered, options for accelerating your program and student support services.

We have a live session on Wednesday, August 6 from 12: 15 pm – 12:45 pm.

We hope to see you online! If you are unable to attend live, but interested in receiving the information, email us at NOVA OnlineLearn@nvcc.edu.

We recently came across some discussion board forum tips from a website called online learning tips that we wanted to share! Whether you are new to online learning, or a seasoned pro, converting your thoughts to written words can be tough. What you might say out loud in a classroom setting might not come across well in print. Tone can be difficult to master while writing and on top of all of that, you need to worry about spelling and grammar.

All NOVA Online courses require discussion board posts and often times you are asked to comment on your classmates posts. In a face-to-face setting, you might not have any problems discussing the material with classmates, but getting comfortable writing your comments out can take time. Check out the tips in the online learning tips post and feel free to share some of your own in the comments section!

If you need assistance locating helpful study resources, contact your Student Success Coach at elisuccess@nvcc.edu or call 703.764.5076.

Be Prepared – Begin reviewing and studying well in advance. If you need assistance locating helpful study resources, contact your Student Success Coach at elisuccess@nvcc.edu or call 703.764.5076.

For a sampling of helpful study resources offered through NOVA Online, please click here.

Proctor U Guidelines

Some courses offer online testing through ProctorU. Courses offering this option will be listed in the Syllabus Section of your Blackboard Course site, in the folder labeled “Taking Exams and Using Exam Passes”. You can also ask your instructor if Proctor U is an option for your course.

• You will need to create an account through Proctor U. Make sure you use your VCCS email address, and select Northern Virginia Community College as your institution.
• You will want to schedule your exam(s) at least 72 hours prior to testing to avoid a late fee.
• If it is your first time using ProctorU, sign in 15 minutes early to set up your computer.
• Be sure to have your photo ID ready.

Good Luck on your exams!

Be Prepared – Begin reviewing and studying well in advance. If you need assistance locating helpful study resources, contact your Student Success Coach at elisuccess@nvcc.edu or call 703.764.5076.

For a sampling of helpful study resources offered through NOVA Online, please click here.

Taking Exams at an Alternate Site

If you will not be in the area during your course or exam time, you will need to identify a proctor to supervise your exams. Some examples of approved proctors are a full time educator, a professional librarian, or a military educational officer. A VCCS College Testing Center or a college or university in your area are also good options when looking for a proctor. Once your proctor has been identified,  you will need to complete the Proctor Request Form.

As soon as you have identified your proctor, submit the form. The proctor will be approved for all your exams for that semester. Please allow 3-5 business days for your proctor request form to be approved.

• Do not wait until the last minute to take your exam(s). If you are able, we advise that you take your exam early. You will need to schedule a time with the proctor to take your exam. If you are using a College Testing Center, you will want to check with them for any specific policies and procedures.
• Be prepared to stow your personal items, not permitted during your exam, including your cell phone. If your exam allows notes, your proctor will be made aware and permit the appropriate items.
• If your exam is not working properly in Blackboard (ex. unable to type in a textbox, audio files not working, images missing) or if you feel your exam did not submit properly, your proctor will be able to give someone at NOVA Online a call for assistance.

Good luck on your exams!

When taking your exams, the NOVA Online Student Services Team encourages you to follow the tips outlined below:

Be Prepared – Begin reviewing and studying well in advance. If you need assistance locating helpful study resources, contact your Student Success Coach at elisuccess@nvcc.edu or call 703.764.5076.

Campus Testing Center Guidelines

• Do not wait until the last minute to take your exam(s). If you are able, we advise that you take your exam early. Not only will you avoid long lines, you many also avoid a last minute unforeseen emergency that could prohibit you from getting to a testing center.
• Verify the Testing Center Hours before you go, and make sure you look at the start times “NOVA Online/Faculty Referred/VCCS Proctored Exams/SDV Able” as well as the office hours for the testing center. All exams are collected 15 minutes prior to the closing of the testing center.
• Do not forget to bring your completed Exam Pass for each exam and a photo ID. You may print your exam pass from the “Taking Exams and Using Exam Passes” section of the Syllabus button in your Blackboard course site.
• Be prepared to stow your personal items, not permitted during your exam, including your cell phone (that must be turned off), in the manner required by the testing center (generally in a locker). Simply placing your phone on “silent” is not enough. You are not permitted access to anything other than your exam while testing, unless expressly stated in the exam instructions.
• If your exam is not working properly in Blackboard (ex. unable to type in a textbox, audio files not working, images missing) or if you feel your exam did not submit properly, please notify testing center staff immediately so they may help you troubleshoot the problem.
• If you are taking multiple exams, you will be required to go through the line for each exam that you are taking.

Be aware of the parking policies at each NOVA Campus. If you do not have a parking pass, you will need to pay by the hour when you are on campus. You can view the parking policies.

The better prepared you are, the more relaxed you will be and the better your testing outcome.

If you have additional questions, do not hesitate to contact the NOVA Online Success Coaches at elisuccess@nvcc.edu or call 703.764.5076.

Good luck on your exams!

(Updated 8/23/17)

All NOVA Online courses require at least two proctored exams or assignments. There are a couple of different ways to do this, depending on where you live, and what courses you are enrolled in.

If you are in the Northern Virginia area, you are expected to take your exams at one of the six Campus Testing Centers. Each campus has a testing center, and it doesn’t matter which one you go to throughout the term. When you go to the Campus Testing Center, you will need to take your course Exam Pass and a Photo ID (your drivers license or other government issued ID will work, or your NOVA Card). Your course Exam Pass can be found in the Syllabus Section of your course. These are course and exam specific.

If you are out of the area, or planning to be out of the area at any point during your course, you will need to request a proctor using a Proctor Request Form. Please be sure to read the form carefully and submit it in a timely manner. It takes 3-5 business days for these forms to be processed so, don’t wait until the day before the test!

A third way to take an exam is by using a service called Proctor U. ProctorU is an online proctoring service that allows you to take your exams from your home computer, using a web cam and microphone. There is a fee for Proctor U, and currently it is $7.50. Proctor U is not available for all NOVA Online course, to see if is an option for your course, please check the Taking Exams and Using Exam Passes in the Syllabus Section of your Blackboard course, or ask your instructor. You must be 18 or older and meet minimum technical system requirements to use ProctorU. The specific requirements are listed on the ProctorU website.

On Saturday, June 28th, all Pearson digital solutions, including MyLab and Mastering, will be offline for maintenance from 3:00 AM EDT until 1:00 PM EDT / 08:00 BST until 18:00 BST (GMT+1).

Please subscribe to this article to receive email updates on this maintenance event and associated downtime, as well as a notification of when you can access Pearson digital solutions.

We apologize in advance of any disruption this might cause for your summer courses. If you have any questions, you can contact the NOVA Online Student Services Team or your course Instructor. The NOVA Online Student Services Team can be reached at 703.323.3347 or NOVA OnlineStuLife@nvcc.edu. Your course instructor will be a great resource as well.