Managing Your Study Time

Posted on February 18, 2015 by Dual Enrollment Coordinator

Balancing college, work and life can be overwhelming! With so many responsibilities there doesn’t seem to be enough time to eat breakfast, let alone start that research paper. If your life feels like a balancing act, take control of your time and consider incorporating these time saving strategies into your study routine:

To successfully manage your course assignments, try setting assignment completion goals and record them in your planner, phone or calendar. Writing down goals will inspire and motivate you to stay on track. If you have a large research paper, consider setting daily goals to complete the paper. For example, in your planner, on Monday, March 1, record: locate 3 research articles, Tuesday, March 2: review research articles and start the works cited page. Wednesday, March 3: develop thesis for paper, and so on. Be sure to set a goal to finish 2-3 days early! Need help developing or setting goals, review this SMART Goals blog post and be sure to explore the links.

For a dynamic overview of an effective plan to organize your course workload, view our free 30 minute, online workshop focused on Time Management. The workshop will help you get on track and take control of your balancing act as you explore tips and strategies to organize your course assignments along with your personal and work responsibilities by developing a daily schedule that will put you in control. To encourage your follow through on your plans, explore their workshop titled, Overcoming Procrastination. To view these and other online workshops, click here.

Don’t let social media or interruptions get the best of your time—once you start allowing interruptions, the time you had is gone!

Stay organized by creating a binder for each course. Further organize the binder with dividers for: Syllabus, Assignments, Lectures, Notes, etc. (just as you would do for an on-campus class).

Set up a study area that is quiet and free of distractions. A quiet ‘study zone’, will enable you to stay focused and get more accomplished in a shorter period of time. If you find them helpful, place post-it’s in key places to serve as reminders, encouragement or motivation! Remember to shut off your phone and don’t let social media interrupt you. Interruptions will cause you to wander and loose concentration which will get you off track and waste valuable time.

If you would like a planner to get started on your journey to improving your time management skills, send an email to the NOVA Online Success Coaches, elisuccess@nvcc.edu. They will be happy to mail you a NOVA planner.

Take control of your time by integrating these strategies into your study routine. Before you know it, life will no longer be a balancing act and you will be reaping the benefits of a controlled, stress free, and organized future! For a quick visual review of these strategies, click here.

Need help getting your assignments, tests and projects organized. Reach out to a NOVA Online Success Coach, elisuccess@nvcc.edu. They can help you map out your assignments and empower you to succeed.

#Blackhistorymonth

Posted on February 17, 2015 by

Otis Boykin: inventor of a control unit for the pacemaker

Yesterday, Professor Pool offered some great resources for understanding slavery in the United States. In celebration of black history month, the library would also like to recommend some resources to learn more about black American history and culture.

The Songs Are Free: Bernice Johnson Reagon and African-American Music – This is a video about the history of African American music and includes performances by Bernice Johnson Reagon.

Prelude and First Curtains: African Grove Theater – Offers a glimpse in to the history of Africa- American theater in America.

Women’s Work : An Anthology of African-American Women’s Historical Writings From Antebellum America to the Harlem Renaissance – an eBook that “… aims to bring together writings by African-American women between 1832 and 1920, the period when they began to write for American audiences and to use history to comment on political and social issues of the day.” -from worldcat.org

You can view these and more at the library’s homepage (http://www.nvcc.edu/academics/library). You just need your myNOVA username and password. If you have questions, please contact us at NOVA Online-Library@nvcc.edu. #Blackhistorymonth

Black History Month

Posted on February 16, 2015 by Dual Enrollment Coordinator

We can never fully understand what it is like to be a slave, but there are stories that can speak to us from the past. During Black History Month, we are encouraged to try to learn more about the experience. Here are a few resources about slavery that might make the indescribable horrors come alive in your mind.

The Library of Congress has a collection entitled Voices From the Days of Slavery. These are interviews with former slaves about their experiences.

The History Channel has a fascinating site called Slavery in America.

Here is the full text of the Autobiography of Venture Smith, a former slave who published his story in 1798. It is one of the earliest published slave narratives.

This blog was written by Assistant Professor of English, Bridget Pool. Professor Pool teaches ENG 254 – Survey of
African American Literature II. She can be reached by email at bpool@nvcc.edu.

This week at NOVA Online!

Posted on February 15, 2015 by Dual Enrollment Coordinator

Tomorrow, Monday, February 16th is the start date for the 3rd 12-week courses. Do you have courses starting tomorrow? You might not see your course open until tomorrow. Any Blackboard questions? Check out Blackboard tutorial tips here.

Monday, February 16th from 12:15-1:15pm – Participate in an NOVA Online Orientation Webinar – 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.

Tuesday, February 17 from 7 – 8:30 pm – Participate in a NOVA/NOVA Online Transfer Panel webinar. Are you interested in transferring to a Bachelor’s degree program after NOVA? This 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. Register or request a recording here.

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.

Northern Virginia Community College has contracted with Tuition Management Services (TMS) to process electronic financial aid disbursements to students who are entitled to excess financial aid after all institutional charges for tuition, fees, and books have been paid. You have the ability to receive excess financial aid disbursements in as little as one to two business days, depending on your choice. For more information and to register, click here.

February’s focus on the blog is Effective Communication Skills. Throughout the month we will post topics and have guest bloggers related to improving and fine-tuning your written communication. This Wednesday, the Student Success Coaches have provided a post focused on time and stress management, which can help you keep the lines of communication open through active planning. How do you manage your time?

ToBeMe@NOVA: First Generation College Students

Posted on February 13, 2015 by

For the month of February 2015, we will be highlighting NOVA’s First-Generation College Students. Many of NOVA’s students are the first person in their family or household to ever go to college and with that role comes a very unique experience. This distinguished student group, like the many we serve at NOVA, has unparalleled strengths and character that deserves to be celebrated.

We are asking our First Generation Students to share what it’s like to be a First Generation Student at NOVA. Over the next two weeks, we want to know how handle the expectations of others, how you balance your coursework with all your other responsibilities, what it feels like to hold this position in your family, and anything more about your experience you think others need to know.

Please respond to this post with your comments and experiences. You may also post your response on NOVA Online’s Facebook and NOVA Online’s Twitter pages with the #ToBeMe@NOVA after your comment.

***Please make sure all comments are appropriate for an academic setting. Please refrain from posting obscenities, profanity, and otherwise offensive remarks***

Be on the look out for First Generation College Student resources for students, faculty, and staff on the next ToBeMe@NOVA posting on Feb. 27, 2015!

Ten Quick Steps to Emailing Your Instructor

Posted on February 11, 2015 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.

#DigitalCivility

Posted on February 10, 2015 by


  -"Duty Calls" by Randall Munroe

We regularly hear about the harassment and bullying that occurs within social media. In fact, a Pew research study has found that “60% of internet users said they had witnessed someone being called offensive names.” So what can you do to make the internet a safer place?

image of Civility in the Digital Age: How Companies and People Can Triumph over Haters, Trolls, Bullies and Other Jerks by Andrea Weckerle e-book cover

from safaribooksonline.com

The book “Civility in the Digital Age: How Companies and People can Triumph Over Haters, Trolls, Bullies, and Other Jerks” by Andrea Weckerle offers great advice for handling conflict over the web.

The author offers a “30-Day Action Plan for restoring civility to your corner of the digital world.”¹ Here’s some of what you will learn:

“Master the foundational skills you need to resolve and prevent conflict online
Stay cool and effectively manage conflict in even the highest-pressure online environments
Differentiate between what people say and what they really want
Create a positive online footprint—or start cleaning up a negative image
Recognize online troublemakers and strategize ways to handle them
Manage your own anger—and, when necessary, express it online safely and productively
Strategically manage others’ online hostility and frustration”¹

Interested in learning more? Visit NOVA library’s website (http://www.nvcc.edu/academics/library) to read this e-book and to find other resources on the topic. As always, if you need assistance please contact the NOVA Online library at NOVA Online-Library@nvcc.edu.

#DigitalCivility

1. Excerpted from safaribooksonline.com

This Week at NOVA Online!

Posted on February 9, 2015 by Dual Enrollment Coordinator

February’s focus on the blog is Effective Communication Skills. Throughout the month we will post topics and have guest bloggers related to improving and fine-tuning your written communication. Coming up on Wednesday, we will have a blog from the NOVA Online Success Coaches giving you 10 tips to emailing your instructor. What are challenges you face with communicating with your instructors?Tuesday, February 10 from 12:15 – 1:15 pm – Participate in a Transfer Planning webinar. 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. Register or request a recording here.

ToBeMe@NOVA: Veteran/Active Duty Military Students Resources

Posted on February 6, 2015 by

Thank you to all students who shared what it’s like to be a Veteran/Active Duty Military student at NOVA. Below you will find some helpful resources and tips for students and faculty to better serve this great student population.

For Students:

Stay in contact with your instructor. For active military students and students who are family members of active duty soldiers, orders can come without much warning and it can take a toll on academic performance without the right support. Such mitigating circumstances need to be shared with instructors immediately to discuss any accommodations. If you need additional help with exploring your options, reach out to Military Services (see below for contact info) and NOVA Online Success Coaches (elisuccess@nvcc.edu).

Testing Information. Many military students live outside of the Northern Virginia area and need to make arrangements to ensure all course exams are done in a timely manner. You have the option of taking NOVA Online Course Exams at a location more convenient for you through the Proctor Approval Process. Please click here for more testing information and infomation how to find a proctor to take your exams near you!

Use our Office of Military Services. NOVA offers our Veteran, Active Duty, and Military dependents/spouses/families resources and services they need to make their educational experience as enriching as possible. Reach out to the Office of Military Services to get more information and find a Veteran Advisor and a Military Site Representative at militaryservices@nvcc.edu or call 703.293.8132.

For Faculty

Keep lines of communication open. Create an environment in which students feel comfortable to come to you as issues arise.

Know where to refer students. You will often be the first point of contact for our students so you need to be aware of the appropriate referrals to make. You can send your students to the Office of Military Services for assistance and have them reach out to NOVA Online Success Coaches if you aren’t sure where to start.

Be empathic. Addressing students with a tone of understanding and support can go a very long way.

If you have any questions please reach out to the Office of Military Services or email NOVA Online Student Success Coaches.

–Jennifer, NOVA Online Student Success Coach

MTT – Technology Based Developmental Math

Posted on February 4, 2015 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.