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Taking Online or Hybrid courses? This is for you!

Site: NMC Learning Management System (Moodle)
Course: Your NMC Journey
Book: Taking Online or Hybrid courses? This is for you!
Printed by: Guest user
Date: Friday, 22 November 2024, 4:35 AM

Description

(Student introduction) You're not alone if you still are uncertain about what direction to choose: classroom, online, or hybrid.

Perhaps you want to take an online class, but the skill check indicated it wasn't your best choice.

NMC has several resources for you, including people to help you decide. Check out our resource directory...


Table of contents

Is it for me?

So how did you do with the "Exploring Your Learning Type" exercise in the Pre-Orientation Guide section? Whether you discovered that you might be a fit for online and/or hybrid classes or if your scheduled required that you sign up for either, this module is just for you.

In this module we will:

  • Help you prepare for the different environments.
  • Go a little deeper into what each entails.
  • Identify what technology and skills you need.
  • Discuss the time involvement.
  • Highlight what attending and participating in a course online means.

Skill Check

Do you...

Know your computer?
  • Operating system.
  • Applications.
  • Process for downloading software.
Know how to navigate the internet?
  • Which browser and what version you use.
  • How to search.
  • Type in a URL (web address).
Know basic word processing functions (MS Word, Google Docs, or other)?
  • Create a new document.
  • Insert an image.
  • Basic formatting.
  • Save, open, edit, and save as functions.
Know some file management basics?
  • Save a file to your computer from different sources: a software application (Word, PowerPoint, Google, etc.), stick drive, website, or other location.
  • Copy a saved file on your computer and move to different locations: another folder, a stick drive, or Google..
Know e-mail basics?
  • Open, reply to, and forward functions.
  • Create new and send.
  • Add, open, and save an attachment.
Need help with these skills? Visit the Student Success Center.

If you need to brush up on or learn your Basic Skills the Student Success Center can help you! 


Students can make appointments or drop in for one-on-one academic success coaching. Success coaches can help students with technology skills, time management, improving organization, increasing focus in class, and other general academic skills. Call (231) 995-2134 to make an appointment or stop by the Student Success Center in the Osterlin Building.

 

Technology Check

Do you have...

  • Consistent, reliable computer access.
  • Consistent, reliable internet access.

Pay attention to course required/specific technology or software requirements.

 

Always have a back-up plan for computer and internet access, whether that be a local library, coffee shop, or NMC computer labs, plan ahead! Check out the Computer Labs website for locations and hours.

How's Your Time?

As you learned in a previous module, time management is one of the most important skills for college success. It is even more important when you are not going to a scheduled class on a regular basis. You have to:

  • Manage your study time.
  • Complete assignments on your own time.
  • Find the time to participate in class activities to prepare for your on-campus meetings if a hybrid course, or for the next activity or assignment if online.
  • To be successful, it requires a lot of self-discipline!

Our online and hybrid courses represent the same model as the same course on campus. They typically:

  • Use the course outline.
  • Use the same textbook(s).
  • Meet the same list of learning objectives.
  • Have the same grading scales.

They just meet in fully or partially in a different classroom...the virtual classroom.

It is an online course misconception that an online course will take less time.

This is not true. However, you do have more control over when you spend that time on the course. Let's explain it this way:

With an online course, you may take a 4-credit course, however, instead of the 4 hours of classroom and travel time in one evening, you spend an hour on Sunday, fifteen minutes on Monday, two hours on Tuesday, etc. Your "class time" is spent accessing online documents, checking announcements, submitting assignments, posting discussions, emailing your instructor, etc. Add on your needed "out-of-classroom" study time (2 additional hours for each credit hour), and the time is the same as if taking this same course face-to-face. In fact, often, students state it takes a little more time due to having to read content instead of listening to a lecture.

Participation

What is meant by "Attendance" and "Participation" in an online class?

Although your instructor will provide specific requirements for "attendance" and "participation" in your online class, general guidelines do need to be understood.

  • Attendance refers to signing onto your online classroom and viewing different areas of the course site.
  • Participation refers to your interaction with the instructor and your classmates through online discussions, group assignments, and other activities assigned by the instructor.

As with classes held on campus, your attendance and participation in your online class is important to your success. With only a few exceptions, your level of participation in the online classroom will have a direct impact on your class grade. There's more to it than that, however. Participation in class discussions greatly enhances your learning by sharing experiences (good and bad) between classmates.

Meet Your Host: eLearning (Moodle)

eLearning (Moodle) is NMC's learning management system through which online courses are delivered. In fact, all courses have a course page where, at a minimum, you can check your grades, see a course syllabus and schedule, and your instructor's contact information.

Once you log into NMC systems you access eLearning (Moodle) from the list of links provided on your MyNMC Students intranet home page.

After clicking on the eLearning (Moodle) link, the system opens and you see your homepage. If your courses are available (or open), you will see them listed under "My Courses" right in the middle of the page.

Your courses will not "appear" on your eLearning (Moodle) homepage until the start of the semester. Once they do, just click on the course title to open that course page.

If you are enrolled in a face-to-face or hybrid course, your instructor may not make your course area available to you until after you have met on campus. Also, if your course has a later start date, it will not appear on your homepage until that start date.

By participating in this course you are experiencing what an online course is like. You will also have learned how to navigate through forums, quizzes, assignments, and various resources in Moodle. Because this is a prep for you to learn how to navigate Moodle, we highly recommend that you complete this course.

Still unsure...want to know more?

Still unsure?

  • Talk to an academic advisor for more guidance.

Already registered for a class, but still have questions?

  • Talk to your instructor; they are going to be able to give you the best guidance on what to expect in the course.
  • As mentioned above, you can also contact the online support team through the NMC Technology Help Desk (231-995-3020 or helpdesk.nmc.edu). We are here to help!

Here are some more helpful resources: