Start Strong at NOVA!

Posted on February 18, 2016 by Dual Enrollment Coordinator

Welcome to Northern Virginia Community College’s Extended Learning Institute (NOVA Online)! We are dedicated to helping you start strong. Whatever your educational goals, we can help you achieve them. If you are a first-time-to-college student, ages 17-24 (including high school/homeschool/GED graduates), you will want to follow the Start Strong at NOVA.

The new polices are part of an effort to strengthen the NOVA experience. Five of the new policies affect first-time-to-college students (ages 17-24). New students are required to attend a Student Orientation and meet with a First Year Advisor. As a new NOVA Online student, you can attend a campus Student Orientation, or you can work with NOVA Online virtually to get started.

As you are getting started, utilize your Student Success Planner to help guide your academic goals throughout your NOVA degree. You will also need to take the SmarterMeasure assessment early to help you gage your readiness for online learning.

The sixth policy requiring on-time registration impacts all students: new, current, transfer, international, military or any other type of student. All students must be registered for classes by 11:59 p.m. the day before the session’s start date. Once the session begins, registration is closed.

If you are not enrolled in a class on the start date of the session you will not be able to enroll without permission from the division dean. If you miss on-time registration you can still register for later start date. NOVA Online has several start dates each semester, for students interested in starting a class later in the semester. Check out NOVA Online Critical Course Deadlines for more information. For more information about on-time registration view this video.

This Week at NOVA Online!

Posted on February 15, 2016 by Dual Enrollment Coordinator

Starting a NOVA Online course today? Log into Blackboard in your MyNOVA account and get started! Review this previous blog post for 10 tips to help you get started. Remember online courses at NOVA Online require firm assignment due dates, so make sure you are sticking with your weekly schedule so you are not administratively withdrawn from your course. Know your Critical Enrollment Dates, including your First Assignment Due Date and read this past blog for more information about your Critical Enrollment Dates!First online course? Join us for an NOVA Online Orientation Webinar today at 12:15 pm (EST) (webinar will happen regardless of NOVA delays or closings) – 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.

First time in college? 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. Use your VCCS username/password to register and email NOVA OnlineLearn@nvcc.edu with any questions. All are welcome.

Are you enrolled in a MTT course this spring? If this is your first time taking an online MTT Course with NOVA Online, you may be feeling a bit anxious about what to expect in this course. In this Recorded Webinar, NOVA Online Success Coaches provide you with tips to success in your course. You will learn what an MTT course is, how the course is formatted, and what resources are available to you throughout the course. Request a copy today!

Transfer Planning – Join NOVA Online Transfer Counselor today at 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm (EST) – 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 provide web tour of NOVA’s transfer website.

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.

Still looking to add a spring course? NOVA Online offers several later starting sessions. Enroll today! Once you enroll, tuition is due by 5pm the following business day. Schedule a virtual appointment with an NOVA Online Counselor with any academic advising questions.

While enrolled in courses, you may be interested in registering for NOVA Alert to get emergency related messages, including closures due to inclement weather. Campus closures will affect all campus offices, including the testing centers, tutoring centers, and campus libraries. What a snow day means for your NOVA Online courses? Find out in this previous blog post.

MTT – Technology Based Developmental Math

Posted on February 10, 2016 by Dual Enrollment Coordinator

Are you enrolled in a MTT course through NOVA Online? We want to make sure you have all the information to start strong!

What is MTT ?

MTT refers to the Motivating Academic Success Through Effective Redesign (MASTER) math courses that make up NOVA’s developmental math program. These courses offer personalized instruction allowing students to skip sections of material in which they can demonstrate competency and work toward mastery of the remaining material. Which MTT course a student takes depends upon the number of units needed. The Virginia Placement Test (VPT) for mathematics is aligned with the MTT units. View the MASTER Math: Progression chart to determine what units are required to be prepared for specific math courses at NOVA. The most units a student can cover in an MTT course at one time is four (MTT 4). Some students may need to complete more than one MTT course to be prepared for the math course required for their degree.

To be successful in MTT, you will need to spend several hours working on the course activities.

Textbooks and Course Materials:

MTT courses use MyMathLab which is an online textbook-based diagnostic evaluation and tutorial program designed specifically for this course. It includes an electronic copy of the class textbook, a variety of multimedia instructional resources, unlimited practice exercises, self-paced learning modules, online testing, and an individualized study plan. MyMathLab is supported and maintained by the publisher’s web server and the required plug-ins for this tool are standard. MyMathLab is delivered inside a web-based course delivery system called MyLabsPlus. You must have an access code to MyLabsPlus, which can be purchased through the online bookstore.

The Online Math Lab is a substitute for the on-campus Math Computer Lab requirements and can be accessed through the Online Math Lab link in the menu of your Blackboard course site. The Online Math Lab is used by MTT students to ask general questions regarding course content and concepts.

Tests and Quizzes:

There are pre and post tests for each unit. Unit pre and post-tests must be proctored. Module quizzes are not proctored and will be taken at home. You cannot move forward, or complete a unit without completing the pre and post test for that unit. If you are out of the area, you will need to secure an approved proctor to supervise your exams. If you are in the area, you can take your proctored exams at any NOVA campus testing center.

Resources:

Success Coaches – Anxious about taking a math course? Contact your Success Coach at elisuccess@nvcc.edu or 703.764.5076 for tips for success and resources to help you have a successful semester.

Smarthinking – Smarthinking is a free online tutoring service available to NOVA Online students. Smarthinking provides tutoring in a variety of subjects, many of which are available 24/7.

Student Lingo – Engaging on-demand, on-line workshops 24/7 on a variety of subjects – including math-related topics for example: How to Succeed in Math, which provides specific strategies on how to succeed in an online math course and How to Overcome Math Anxiety, which helps students understand and assess their own level of math anxiety while providing ways to cope with fear and eliminate stress.

Khan Academy – This free resource offers a new way to work on some of the skills that you may be falling behind on. Students can use Khan’s large library resource database and partake in interactive assessments, challenges and even some helpful videos on a variety of topics.

Conquering Math Stress

Posted on February 8, 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!

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!

Critical Course Deadlines

Posted on February 5, 2016 by Dual Enrollment Coordinator

One assumption some online students make is that all NOVA Online courses are self-paced. To that end, students may put off getting started and learn that their instructor has withdrawn them for not meeting course deadlines. Don’t let this happen to you!

It is very important to understand that most NOVA Online courses have weekly or even mid-weekly due dates. There are critical enrollment dates, that include your First Assignment Due Date – requiring you to log into your Blackboard course site and complete your First Assignment by the assigned due date. Failure to follow these guidelines may result in being dropped from the course without a tuition refund. NOVA Online courses may be 16, 12 , 10, 8 , 6, or 4 weeks in length; each course has specific start, refund, first assignment due date, withdrawal, and end date that you should be aware of when you select a particular course. View the critical enrollment dates early and know your options.

You can also view your critical enrollment dates by visiting your class schedule in your Student Center.

After selecting “My Class Schedule” in your Student Center account view the calendar link under “deadlines” for each course. (See photo below)

In addition to logging in and completing your first assignments (as referenced in your Quick Start Syllabus and Blackboard Course Site), NOVA Online courses also have weekly or mid-weekly assignment deadlines.

When taking a NOVA Online course, it is important to understand that assignment due dates as well as test and quiz due dates come quickly. Due dates are firm and in some NOVA Online courses, assignments and tests/quizzes are sometimes removed after the due date.

To be successful in your course:

Read through your course syllabus on the first day of class. Understand all the deadlines that apply to your course and record them in your planner.

Establish a Routine – Visit your Blackboard Course Site daily and read all of your emails and announcements.

Make Note of your Course Deadlines, and turn your assignments in on time.

If possible, take your test prior to the testing deadline—you never know what might come up at the last minute!

To ensure that you understand the NOVA Online course deadlines, know your course specific critical course deadlines and review the important dates to include refund date, first assignment due date and last day to withdraw with a grade of ‘W’.

Make sure to look for emails from the Student Success Coaches – elisuccess@nvcc.edu – that will give you reminders of specific upcoming dates and helpful tips for success throughout the term. You can always reply to their emails with any questions you have, or give them a call at 703.764.5076.

Updated: 5/9/17

NOVA Free Tax Prep Workshops

Posted on February 3, 2016 by Dual Enrollment Coordinator

Free Tax Prep Workshops are located at NOVA campuses and are open to students and the community:

February 2016

February 8th from 4:00 – 8:00 PM, Alexandria Campus, Bisdorf Building, Room 334C
February 15th from 1:00 – 4:00 PM, Loudoun Campus, Room 249J
February 22nd, from 10:00 – 4:00 PM, Manassas Campus Howsmon Hall, Room 110 (STUDENTS ONLY)
February 22nd, from 4:00 – 8:00 PM, Manassas Campus, Global Learning Center
February 29th from 10:00 – 2:00 PM, Woodbridge Campus, Seefeldt 329
February 29th from 4:00 – 8:00 PM, Springfield Campus (MEC), Computer Labs 327 & 330

March 2016

March 7th from 10:00 – 2:00 PM, Woodbridge Campus, Seefeldt 329
March 14th from TIME, Annandale Campus, LOCATION
March 21st from 4:00 – 8:00 PM, Alexandria Campus, Bisdorf Building, Room 334C
March 28th from 5:00 – 8:00 PM, Loudoun Campus, Room 249J

April 2016

April 4th from 10:00 – 4:00 PM, Manassas Campus, Howsmon Hall Room 110 (STUDENTS ONLY)
April 4th from 4:00-8:00 PM, Manassas Campus, SkillSource Center
April 11th from 10:00 – 2:00 PM, Woodbridge Campus, Seefeldt 329

This week at NOVA Online!

Posted on February 1, 2016 by Dual Enrollment Coordinator

Welcome back, everyone! How was the weather in your area?Starting a NOVA Online course today? Log into Blackboard in your MyNOVA account and get started! Review this previous blog post for 10 tips to help you get started. Remember online courses at NOVA Online require firm assignment due dates, so make sure you are sticking with your weekly schedule so you are not administratively withdrawn from your course. Know your Critical Enrollment Dates, including your First Assignment Due Date!

Update from snow days: First Book Purchase Period will be closed tomorrow, Tuesday, February 2 and the next one will open on February 29, 2016. More details can be found on this previous blog post.

First online course? Join us for an NOVA Online Orientation Webinar today – 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.

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.

This Week at NOVA Online

Posted on January 25, 2016 by Dual Enrollment Coordinator

Have a NOVA Online course starting today? Review this previous blog post for 10 tips to help you get started. Remember online courses at NOVA Online require firm assignment due dates, so make sure you are sticking with your weekly schedule so you are not administratively withdrawn from your course. Know your Critical Enrollment Dates, including your First Assignment Due Date!

First online course? Join us for an NOVA Online Orientation Webinar (rain, snow, or shine the webinar will go on!) – 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.

First Book Purchase Period will be closed on January 28, 2016, and the next one will open on February 29, 2016. More details can be found on this previous blog post.

While enrolled in courses, you may want to register for NOVA Alert to get emergency related messages, including closures due to inclement weather. Campus closures will affect all campus offices, including the testing centers, tutoring centers, and campus libraries. What a snow day means for your NOVA Online courses? Find out in this previous blog post.

Join the NOVA Online Librarians for the Beyond Google Webinar! Have you ever been assigned a paper or project and don’t know where to start? Do you feel like you need extra practice for your assignments? Are you curious what library resources are available to you without going to a campus library? This 45 minute webinar will give you a brief introduction to what library resources are available to you as an online learner. There might be more than you expect! Register today!

What does a snow day mean for your NOVA Online courses?

Posted on January 20, 2016 by Dual Enrollment Coordinator

With winter here it is important to be aware of NOVA’s inclement weather policy and know what that means for your NOVA Online courses. Staying informed will allow you to plan accordingly and stay safe! NOVA makes it easy for you to stay up-to-date in the event of an emergency closing or delay. If the College is closed or delayed due to an emergency or inclement weather, a text alert will be sent to cell phones registered on NOVA Alert, a notice will be posted on the home page of the College’s website, and a message will appear on our cable television station as well as several local radio and television stations. The College also uses several media sources to announce delays and closings. The Emergency Preparedness website provides more information as you are planning ahead.

What does this mean for your NOVA Online class?

All in-person class sessions, and in-person labs will be canceled or delayed based on NOVA’s announcements. If you are planning to take an exam at the campus testing center, you will want to note that any closings or delays will affect campus testing center hours. Campus closing and delays will affect all campus offices, tutoring centers, and libraries.

Keep in mind, even when the college is closed, you can still log into Blackboard to access your NOVA Online courses. A snow day is the perfect time to work on assignments and get ahead. If you have a live, virtual session scheduled, that meeting may still take place. Be sure to check your student email and blackboard announcement section to find out if the closing or delay will affect your NOVA Online course or if due dates have been changed due to the weather.

If you have not already, sign up for NOVA Alert today!

This week at NOVA Online

Posted on January 18, 2016 by Dual Enrollment Coordinator

NOVA Offices are closed today, Monday, January 18 in observation of Martin Luther King, Jr Day. Join NOVA for the seventh annual NOVA SERVES: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service. Sign up to volunteer!How is your first week going? Remember online courses at NOVA Online require firm assignment due dates, so make sure you are sticking with your weekly schedule so you are not administratively withdrawn from your course. Know your Critical Enrollment Dates, including your First Assignment Due Date!

Plan Ahead: Join the NOVA Online Librarians for the Beyond Google Webinar! Have you ever been assigned a paper or project and don’t know where to start? Do you feel like you need extra practice for your assignments? Are you curious what library resources are available to you without going to a campus library? This 45 minute webinar will give you a brief introduction to what library resources are available to you as an online learner. There might be more than you expect! Register today!