Here are some general suggestions to help you successfully complete the course.
Please read all of the course information on Canvas and on the course syllabus (aka “home page”). Ask me questions if you are unsure of anything.
If this is your first time taking an online course, then you might want to check out one of the online webinars run by Novaonline staff to help you get started with your course and to answer any procedural questions that you might have.
It is a good idea that you bookmark the course website and/or schedule so that you can go directly there, instead of through Canvas.
There are fixed due dates for assignments in your course (with late penalties), and there are also important course dates that you must meet. These are all listed on your course schedule. Please make sure that you read the information about taking the exams now and that you see what will be covered on the exams so that you can plan ahead. Yes, I do enforce the 8 am assignment due dates.
It is fine with me if you want to finish the course at a faster pace. You can finish as fast as you want; just remember that I do not accept more than one submission of an assignment or extra credit per calendar day. Remember to check the online Canvas gradebook to keep track of your grades and to read your assignment feedback.
I aim for a 24 hour turn-around on your submitted assignments. If you have not received feedback from me in a maximum of 72 hours, then please check with me directly at my email. Weird things can happen on Canvas at any time.
I will send out weekly reminders. Those reminders will be sent to your official VCCS email address, so please be sure to check that occasionally. You can set up your VCCS email to forward to another email that you check more consistently.
If you do bad on any single assignment, or even two or three assignments, just keep going (and remember to ask me to review drafts of your work). Some students do not pass the course, and 95% of the time it is because they simply stop submitting assignments. Just keep doing the work, and you will do fine in the course. There is plenty of extra credit in the course.
Ask questions. You might be confused by something at any time in the course. Just ask me so that I can clear up things.
I do accept late required assignments at ½ credit, but I do not accept late extra credit work, and remember that I am happy to look at a draft of your assignment; just email your draft.
You must complete all required course assignments, including the two exams, to earn a grade of A, B, C, or D in the course.
After you have received feedback on a submitted assignment, we do encourage resubmission of an assignment to earn an improved grade (usually +5 points possible on a 50-point assignment and +10 points possible on a 100-point assignment), but here's the deal.
- You must contact your instructor within 24 hours of feedback being posted
- Your grade on the assignment must be the equivalent of a "C" or lower
- You must receive instructor approval to resubmit
- You must resubmit before the next unit due date (usually the next Thursday or Monday)
- You may not resubmit extra credit work
- You may not resubmit on the same day that you submit any other assignment or extra credit work
- Your resubmission must show definite improvement to earn an improved grade
Finally, one small thing: I don't count discussion board posts (or the exams) as part of the one submission per day rule (just assignments and extra credit), and just to be clear, you cannot submit extra credit work the same day that you submit an assignment.