Northern Virginia Community College has re-open from Winter Break!

Have you registered for your Spring term courses? There is still time to work with an academic counselor and register.

Registration: If you have not registered, Spring 2016 registration is still open. Search the online catalog to see what options you have for online courses. If you need assistance with your course selection, NOVA Online Counselors can be reached at, elicounselors@nvcc.edu. Emails will be answered in the order they are received.

Pre-requisites Satisfied at another College: If you are attempting to enroll in a course at NOVA for which you believe you have successfully completed (a grade of “C“or higher) the required pre-requisite(s) at another regionally accredited institution, you will need to submit a copy of your unofficial transcript to a NOVA Online counselor for review. Using your NOVA email, send an email to the counselors at: elicounselors@nvcc.edu. Include the following information with your unofficial transcript:

Blackboard Course Availability: Instructors make classes available in blackboard on the first day the course is scheduled to begin, or sometimes a few days in advance. If you are visiting Blackboard to access your Spring 2016 class, you may not have access until closer to the start date.

NOVA Online Orientation: This one hour live online instructor session 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 Today!

Course Start Dates: Make sure you know your course start date and critical enrollment dates! Don’t miss your first assignment due date!

Welcome back and we wish you a positive and productive year! Contact the NOVA Online Success Coaches if you have any questions as you are getting started in your online courses. They can be reached at NOVA OnlineSuccess@nvcc.edu or 703.764.5076.

Are you enrolled in your first online learning course this spring? Or, have you taken an online course previously and want to ensure that you are headed in the right direction? Do you have any questions about using Blackboard to complete your NOVA Online course? A great place to start is with the NOVA Online Orientation webinar. A webinar is a live, online instruction session. You can participate in a webinar from any computer or mobile device with Internet access and speakers. A microphone is not required as we will use a text chat for all questions. Participation in all webinars offered through NOVA Online is free, but registration is required. Register for a live session or request a copy of the recording on the NOVA Online Webinar webpage.

The NOVA Online Orientation webinar is a live, one hour online instruction session that focuses on getting started in your NOVA Online courses, navigating your Blackboard course site, identifying tips for success, and highlighting student support services. During the webinar, you will have the opportunity to ask any questions you have before you start your course.

The NOVA Online Orientation will cover an overview of navigating your Blakcboard Course Site. Instructors make courses available on the course start date or sometimes a few days in advance. If you haven’t used Blackboard in the past, you may be interested in some short videos to review how to submit an assignment, post on discussion board, check grades, etc.

The web conference tool we use at NOVA Online is Blackboard Collaborate. You can test your connection ahead of time by following the steps in this NOVA Online Student Blog post. http://blogs.nvcc.edu/elife/2014/06/16/how-to-log-into-a-blackboard-collaborate-session/

Connect with NOVA Online on Facebook and Twitter for tips for success in your online courses. NOVA Online Student Success Coaches are available for any questions as you are getting started. Reach out to them at NOVA OnlineSuccess@nvcc.edu or 703.764.5076.

It’s National Distance Learning Week and throughout the week we are celebrating current students and making sure future students know the ins and outs of being an online student. Throughout the week on social media, you will see trivia, myths, pictures, and of course prizes! Not sure if online courses are right for you? Take the SmarterMeasure assessment to gauge your readiness! Listen to the Furthering your Education with NOVA Online webinar designed for prospective students and will focus on the benefits of studying online at NOVA’s Extended Learning Institute, programs offered, options for accelerating your program and student support services.

In addition to National Distance learning Week – it is also National Career Development Month. Join NOVA Online Career Counselor on Wednesday, November 11, 12:15 pm – 1:00 pm for the Exploring Career Options webinar – This 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. Can’t attend a live session? Click here to request a recording.

Tuesday, November 10 – 12:15 – 1:00 pm – Getting Ready for your Second Semester – Join us for this 45 minute webinar for NOVA students will focus on answering key questions students have about preparing for their second semester. Topics covered will include program identification, course selection, college resources, schedule planning, and registration/payment tips. Register Today!

Join a representative from Old Dominion University to learn how to transfer to ODU Online business programs, Tuesday, Nov. 10 at noon. Join the session on Tuesday!

Have a great week!

A student does not have to be an expert typist to succeed in a course. However, the faster you can type and the fewer errors you make will impact your ability to participate in your courses.

The average workplace typist reaches about 50 to 60 words per minute. The average web surfer comes in at around 30 words per minute, at a peak. Many courses require you to type as you participate in discussion boards, email the instructor, and compose papers. If you type slower than about 20 words per minute, you should consider using a resource such as www.learn2type.com.  This resource is the leading FREE Web site that helps you master the skills of touch typing. Whether you’re a typing expert or just a “hunt & peck” beginner, the interactive exercises in this Typing Tutor automatically adjust to your skill level. The better you get, the more challenging the typing exercises become. You can come and go as you please and pick up the typing lesson where you left off.

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.

The average adult reading rate for English prose text in the United States is around 250 to 300 words per minute. Research shows that reading is around 25% slower from a computer screen than from paper. Thus you may slightly increase your results to find your speed when reading from paper.

Student Lingo offers an on-demand workshop titled Reading Comprehension Strategies that you can watch to help develop your skills. Take advantage of resources available to you including Student Lingo and your Student Success Coach, just to name a few!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Many students strongly desire to continue their education. However, often other situations in life prevent them from being able to do so. The Life Factors section of SmarterMeasure asks questions about other elements in your life that may impact your ability to continue your education. The section measures five items: Time, Place, Reason, Resources, and Skills.

You may be able to modify circumstances which impact some of these life skills. If so, you are encouraged to take appropriate action to help yourself succeed. But some of the circumstances in life may be beyond your control. If this is the case, being aware of these realities and planning accordingly may be beneficial for you.

The NOVA Online staff offer several webinars throughout the semester to help you succeed in your NOVA Online Courses. You might be specifically interested in the Student Lingo on-demand workshop called Maximizing Your College Experience. For all webinars and on-demand workshops, visit the NOVA Online Webinar page.

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.

Are you ready for Online Learning at NOVA Online?

SmarterMeasure is an assessment that measures learner readiness for Northern Virginia Community College’s Extended Learning Institute. SmarterMeasure is an indicator of the degree to which distance learning and/or learning in a technology rich environment will be a good fit for you.

SmarterMeasure is meant to be an interesting experience by which you may learn more about yourself, online learning, and how to succeed! Your SmarterMeasure score will not prevent you from registering for online classes. Take your time to rate yourself honestly. It is a tool that will help you assess your strengths and opportunities for growth related to online learning in 6 areas.

1. Life Factors
2. Individual Attributes – procrastination, time management, willingness to ask for help, academic attributes
3. Learning Styles – what is your predominant learning style?
4. Technical Competency, Skills, and Knowledge
5. Reading Rate and Recall
6. Typing Speed and Accuracy

You will receive a full color report immediately following the completion of all areas of SmarterMeasure. You may email this report, print it, or download and save for future reference. It also provides some remedial tools related to each area. For more information about SmarterMeasture, request a copy of the SmarterMeasure Assessment Webinar.

If you are visiting Northern Virginia Community College Extended Learning Institute and would like to determine if online learning is right for you, please email elisuccess@nvcc.edu for your user name and password.