Take the Online Readiness Quiz!

The week before class begins, you receive a welcome email from your online instructor. What do you do?*
- Email? What email?
- Let it go. It’s still a week away!
- Read the email then file it in a folder to revisit the day class begins.
- Read the email then login to your course to review the schedule and syllabus
Feedback: In online learning, getting a head start is the ideal way to begin. By taking just a few minutes to orient yourself to the course, the structure, and the expectations allows you to approach the first day of class a little more relaxed and ready to go.

It is the first day of class, and you have found and read the syllabus, but you are still a little confused by the deadlines. It says assignments are due every Friday at midnight. Does that mean end of the day on Thursday or end of the day on Friday? What do you do?*
- Nothing, I’m sure I’ll figure it out.
- Email the instructor and ask them for clarification, but be sure not to insult them by defining the term “midnight.” That’s not a great way to start a class.
- Always submit on Thursday just to be sure.
- Ask a clarifying question in the discussion board forum.
Feedback: It is essential that you know the deadlines for assignments. If it isn’t crystal clear in the syllabus, reach out your instructor for confirmation. Your instructors are there to support you, but it is up to you to ask questions when you need more information.

Let's assume that you are pretty good at setting a routine for yourself. So setting time aside from your regular class responsibilities should be relatively easy to do. However, in the middle of the term you have a family vacation planned. How do you ensure that your coursework will still be completed?*
- The class is online, I’ll take my computer with me and still get it all done.
- I’ll tell my professor that I’m out of town and I will finish up when I return.
- I will carve out extra time in my week to get ahead so I can go on vacation and not worry.
Feedback: There is not a clear right answer to this question, but since you have your assignments and schedule ahead of time, you should get a jump start and work ahead for the time you will be on vacation. Plus, who wants to worry about class on vacation. This allows you to get well deserved time away and still be successful in your class.

Your syllabus indicates that participation is 25% of your grade. How do you ensure you are putting forth enough participation?*
- You respond to every post in the discussion board.
- You email your instructor every week to make sure you are on track.
- You spend time reviewing discussion posts and respond when something strikes you as intriguing and/or someone asks you a direct question.
- You read all announcements and respond accordingly
- Participate in Professor office hours when needed.
- You do all of your work on Saturdays and play catch up then.
Feedback: Finding a balance is key to being “present” in your class. It is not necessary, not to mention extremely time consuming, to respond to all posts in the discussion board. The best approach is to make your participation valuable and intentional. Find discussion posts that intrigue you and engage interesting dialog with your classmates. Additionally, be sure to keep up with the course announcements. This is the best way to stay up to date with what is happening in the course and any changes along the way.

A person has responded to one of your discussion board posts in a tone that makes you a little uncomfortable. What do you do next?*
- Reply to the post explaining that their response was not nice and to please not do it again.
- Reply in the same tone.
- Ignore it.
- Contact the instructor and explain your situation and ask for help.
Feedback: Your classroom is a professional environment, so you need to respond in a way that you are comfortable and that makes the others in the class as comfortable as possible. Keep in mind that in text “tone” is something that is very difficult to decipher. For this reason replying back to the individual may not be the best response because you could be making an assumption of their tone. Is is best to reach out to your instructor for advice in the matter.

You have a research paper due for your online course. You found some great resources on Google and your roommate offered to give you her paper from a similar course she took last semester. You cut and paste the information you find into a final document to turn in to your instructor. Suddenly, you wonder if you’ve used sources properly. What do you do?*
- You save the document and submit it for a grade
- You contact the Writing Center and ask them to help you use your sources properly.
- You go back and add in citations where you used sources and cut the information from your roommate.
- You ask your professor to look it over and give you advice on using your sources properly.
Feedback: If you’re not sure you’ve used your research properly, it’s always a good idea to ask for help. The Writing Center, your instructor, or the library can help! Avoid submitting your assignments if you are unsure whether you have plagiarized.

Are You Ready for Online Classes?