Fresh start: Check it off!

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Ah September! The smell of sharpened pencils, soon the sound of wind and falling leaves,  the hopeful, maybe a bit fearful, anticipation of a fresh start–new classes, new instructors, some old friends, some new friends.

This blog backwards last April, with exams first, because we were all so suddenly plunged into the COVID-19 reality near the end of the year. Most of us were new to online lectures, exams, assignments and I really wanted to be a home ground for learning in a newly dangerous time. Your comments were encouraging.

We are still learning in dangerous times, but learning we are. This term, we get to start at the beginning. And what better way to start than with a checklist, especially if you are new to online learning. So check the list, and see how many you can check off by the end of the first week in class.

Checklist: Done, To do, or Not applicable:

  • Confirm your enrollment in your school and program.
  • Equip yourself with either paper or electronic schedulers. I recommend a monthly paper or wall calendar for the term, and paper, computer or phone app daily planners.
  • Enroll in each course in your program.
  • Download each course syllabus.
  • Read each syllabus. Know the rules.
  • Make a list of texts, resources, and specialized supplies needed for each course.
  • Make note of each instructor’s research, publications, and interest areas.
  • Check the status of any accommodations you have and what you need to do to ensure you are accommodated.
  • Check to ensure your online access to libraries, course delivery sites (D2L, for example), student services, book store, learning centres, IT services, campus online communication. Test these before you need them.
  • Usual supplies of notebooks, pens, scratch paper. 
  • Check your campus and course requirements for connectivity, recommended hardware, software, and phone apps.
  • Check your WiFi and internet bandwidth, especially if you have others at home who are streaming, gaming and ZOOMing. See if your provider offers student or campus related discounts.
  • If you can, have a dedicated work space, equipped with computer and webcam. If you can swing it, possibly by sharing with others in your home or dorm, also a printer and scanner. See if there are deals or discounts for students at your campus.
  • Check to make sure you have a back-up procedure. Get religion about this.
  • Have a plan for dealing with downtime or equipment failure during exams or deadlines.
  • Check the calendar for important deadline dates for adding, dropping, swapping, or withdrawing from courses.
  • Daily check for updates on COVID-19 policies re classes, labs, transportation, dorms, sports.
  • Read and highlight the college calendar, especially for your school or faculty, program, courses, and particular circumstances.
  • Have a supply of masks, gloves, and sanitizer ready in a pack you can take to campus if needed. :
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You probably have most of this checked off. My guess is also that there are a few items you haven’t done yet–if there is one item that your term will go better by ignoring, I’d be really, really interested in what that would be! Customize the list, make it yours, and let me know what is missing for you.

This term I’ll be addressing special needs and special circumstances in online learning. Let me know your most significant issue: Maybe the success I’ve had with others can be made to work for you. [email protected]