Page Comparison

Prior to the course (offline)

•  Order textbooks or materials
  •  Make sure to order the correct edition or version. Buying the wrong materials will delay your participation and may affect your class standing or grade
    
•  Know the start and end date of your online course
•  Make a plan for how you will keep track of your coursework (paper or virtual calendar)
  •  Schedule time to work on your online course
    
  •  Add due dates for all assignments, projects and exams to your calendar
    
•  Are there any time considerations such as your job or family commitments you need to plan around? What steps you can take ahead of time to alleviate any potential stressors?
  
  •  For example: planning your school schedule around soccer games, carpooling, or shift changes at work?
    
•  Make sure your computer is updated (system, virus checker, etc.)
•  Review Syllabus (if available)
  
•  Contact your instructor if you have questions about the course and/or if you need accommodations 

During Preview Week & The First Week of Class

•  Login into Blackboard (uma.umassonline.net)
  •  Make sure your username and password work. If you have problems contact the 24 hour / 7 days a week Help Desk
•  Review the Student Orientation & Resource Area and make sure you know how to:
  •  Post in the Discussion Board
  •  Post to a Journal or Blog (if your instructor is using them)
    
  •  Use the course email or Messages tool
    
  •  Submit an Assignment
  •  Find/Read Announcements posted by your instructor
•  Review the syllabus and introductory course materials
•  Contact your instructor if you have questions about the course and/or if you need accommodations

During the Class

•  Once the course starts, make sure you know how to navigate the content
•  Log in to the course every day for announcements and course messages
•  Make sure to review both the syllabus and the course content regularly
  
  • Sometimes instructors will provide up-to-date announcements, syllabus changes, or information about upcoming assignments
•  Review your calendar to see what assignments or materials are due in the next week
•  Check to make sure you can locate and access assignments or assessments in the course before the due date
•  Make sure to participate and interact with your instructor and classmates through the course discussion or messages tools
•  If anything in the course doesn't make sense to you, ask for clarification ahead of time
•  If you are having difficulties completing work, contact your instructor as soon as these challenges arise 

Wrapping up the Class

•  Make sure you know when your course ends
•  Communicate with your instructor to see if you have any outstanding assignments
•  Make sure to set aside time to complete any final papers or exams for the course as these make may take longer or need more preparation time