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 in to Blackboard or Moodle
  • Make sure your username and password work. If you have problems contact UMass IT.
• 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. The UMass Academic Calendar lists the dates for standard courses. 
• 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 may take longer or need more preparation time