Outside Northern VA? Allow extra time for Proctor Request Forms

As an ELI or distance learning student, you will be required to take proctored exams. There are several ways to do this. The first, and most common way, is to take your exams at one of the six campus testing centers. A link to the Testing Center Calendar featuring the hours of operation for each, is located on the main ELI webpage.

One alternative for students, who are located outside of the service area of the campus testing centers, is to request a proctor using a Proctor Request Form. The link for the form also appears on the main ELI webpage under Announcements. Please be sure to read the form carefully and submit it in a timely manner. It takes 3-5 business days for these forms to be processed so, don't wait until the day before the test!

A third way to take tests that is course-specific is called Proctor U. ProctorU, an online proctoring service, is available for select courses for a fee of $7.50 per exam. To see if your course has the ProctorU service as an option, please check the Exams and/or Announcements pages of your Blackboard course, or ask your instructor. You must be 18 or older and meet minimum technical system requirements to use ProctorU. The specific requirements are listed on the ProctorU website.

Conquer Note Taking to Succeed in Classes

Ever heard of the Cornell Note Taking System?  Watch this video, try it, see if it helps you…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8t_Vzeq5L3g

 

 

Tools for Success: Quick Tips for Writing your Research Paper

Does the thought of writing a research paper cause anxiety?  For many, creating a thesis statement, research, surveys and interviews can feel overwhelming to the point of complete panic!  If you feel this way, do not procrastinate, start early and incorporate the tips referenced below into your process, you may find your anxiety turning into confidence and reassurance.

Do Not Procrastinate:  It is so easy to put the paper off if you are not excited about getting started.  Provide plenty of time – think of your thesis statement early and get started on your research. Write a quick schedule to help you keep track of time: list the days you have left and the time during the day you'll be able to work. You will need to allot yourself time to go to your school library, take notes, write an outline, write a first draft, and revise the paper.

Thesis Statement:  It's important to start out your research with a well-defined Thesis Statement. If you have a hard time developing a thesis statement, meet with your instructor during office hours and discuss your thoughts – they can help. If you are having struggles, your instructor can give you direction with this as well—do not hesitate to reach out to them during their office hours.  Some tips to consider when developing your Thesis Statement:

Ø  Keep it simple: You don't need an enormous subject to work with.

Ø  Make it specific: It's much easier to do research on a narrowly selected subject than a massive idea. Help yourself by sharpening it down.

Ø  Ensure your thesis will work: Check with your professor about the suitability of the thesis to the assignment (some instructors may require you get their approval). Do some initial research to make sure there's enough available material on your topic.

Research: Take some time to familiarize yourself with the libraries you'll be using. Do not be timid-- talk to one of the reference librarians about where and how to start—they are there to help.  To stress again, start early so you have plenty of time to work with a librarian. If you're under deadline, they may not have time to help you.  If you are in the area, you can visit the NOVA Libraries (they even have ‘Ask a Librarian’ live chat).  As an ELI student, you also have off campus access and assistance from our ELI Librarian.

ELI Resources: When writing your paper, you may find the Writing Lab, offered through our free Smarthinking tutoring helpful. The online Writing Lab provides students with the ability to receive a detailed, personalized critique of any written assignment through a formal critique process. NOVA also offers a Writing Center on each campus available to ELI students.

For more information on this topic, to include writing your introduction, steps on gathering and organizing your research, and more, please click here.

Managing Your Schedule This Summer

If you have ever taken summer classes in the past, you know it can be a major hurdle to squeeze everything you need to do, from homework assignments and exams, to the leisurely summer activities that you enjoy into one condensed semester.  Below are some tips to keep in mind as you prepare for a fast, yet fun schedule ahead:

• Be sure to make time to get outside, either by getting up a little earlier in the morning and going for a power walk or making time at the end of your day to get out and enjoy the sun.  Vitamin D from the sun is great for renewing your energy during a busy week.

• Don’t overbook yourself.  With summer classes occurring in a more condensed format, it is best not to overload yourself with too many activities or too many classes.  You don’t want to feel like you blinked your eyes and suddenly, summer is over due to a frenzy of activity!

• Make time to spend with close friends and relatives.  With the warmer weather, people are more inclined to want to get together for a walk or ice-cream.  Take advantage of the long days and use this time to reconnect with meaningful friendships and relationships.

• Plan your vacation early.  Even if you don’t plan on taking a vacation until mid to late summer, make sure you know when and how much time you will need to plan in advance.  If you start feeling super stressed, think of your upcoming vacation that will serve as a relaxing getaway.

• Allow time for reflection on your long term goals such as when you plan to graduate, what career you are seeking or if you plan on changing careers.  If possible, find a quiet place outside where you can contemplate your next steps in the long term scheme of things. 

• Plan ahead as much as possible, so that when classes are in full swing, you will be aware of your long term plans since you will have them mapped out where you can look ahead to the next week or month and know what is coming up.

The semester moves fast in the summer, so you’ll need to buckle down and plan out what assignments are due and when.  The earlier you do this the better.  In the midst of all of the craziness, be sure to make time for some summer fun and relaxation.

Summer Fun: Time to Relax and Enjoy Free Weekend Entertainment

Are you looking for an inexpensive and entertaining summer night out?  Discover the endless entertainment at the Fairfax County ‘Free’ Summer Entertainment Series.  If you live in the Northern Virginia area, the summer entertainment series will provide a relaxing and enjoyable ‘free’ night out. 

Pay tribute to our Military and enjoy the music of The United States Army Field Band “The Volunteers, The United States Navy Commodores, The United States Air Force Band Celtic Air, the United States Air Force Singing Sergeants and more.  Enjoy area community bands, jazz, rock, folk, puppet shows, magicians and more! The entertainment is endless!

Please click here for a complete listing of the events, times and locations.     

Summer Arrives Tomorrow – Stay Hydrated

Tomorrow is the official first day of summer.  Now that the warm weather has arrived, it is important to remember to drink plenty of water.  As long as you are not going through the security check at the airport, you can grab a bottle of water and take it with you nearly everywhere.  While staying hydrated is critical, there is a number of other benefits drinking water provides.  The MindBodyGreen website suggests that water:

1. Increases Energy & Relieves Fatigue – Since your brain is mostly water, drinking it helps you think, focus and concentrate better and be more alert. As an added bonus, your energy levels are also boosted!

2. Promotes Weight Loss – Removes by-products of fat, reduces eating intake (by filling up your tummy if consumed prior to meals), reduces hunger (hello natural appetite suppressant!), raises your metabolism and has zero calories!

3. Flushes Out Toxins – Gets rid of waste through sweat and urination which reduces the risk of kidney stones and UTI’s (urinary tract infections).

4. Improves Skin Complexion – Moisturizes your skin, keeps it fresh, soft, glowing and smooth.  [It also] gets rid of wrinkles.  It’s the best anti-aging treatment around!

5. Maintains Regularity – Aids in digestion as water is essential to digest your food and prevents constipation.

6. Boosts Immune System – A water guzzler is less likely to get sick. And who wouldn’t rather feel healthy the majority of the time? Drinking plenty of water helps fight against flu, cancer and other ailments like heart attacks.

7. Natural Headache Remedy – Helps relieve and prevent headaches (migraines & back pains too!) which are commonly caused by dehydration.

8. Prevents Cramps & Sprains - Proper hydration helps keep joints lubricated and muscles more elastic so joint pain is less likely.

9. Puts You in a Good Mood – When the body is functioning at its best, you will feel great and be happy!

10. Saves Money! - Water is FREE! Even if you choose bottled/filtered water, it’s STILL cheaper than that high sugar and fat-filled latte!

For more information about this article, please visit MindBodyGreen

 

 

 

 

 

5 Mid-Semester Testing Tips You Need To Know

Late June – early July is the period of heaviest testing for the Summer 2013 semester at ELI.  Exams are due for all sessions, 6, 8, and 12 week.  Here are a few tips to keep in mind when taking exams during this period.

1.       Never wait until the last minute to test.  Crowds can be large, lines long, and Blackboard can be affected by the volume.

2.       Avoid Saturdays, if at all possible.  If you cannot, please arrive at or before the testing center opening time.  If your course offers exam proctoring through ProctorU, consider using that option, keeping in mind item number one.  Blackboard is affected everywhere during high volume periods.

3.       Please note there can be lines during this period, even during what might normally be slow times at your campus testing center.  Plan to arrive earlier than you normally would at other times during the semester.

4.       Be sure to have your completed exam pass and your photo ID ready when you arrive.  Anything that speeds up the process of getting students into the center and exams started is beneficial to all.

5.       Please keep in mind testing center staff are doing the best they can with the resources they are provided.  A smile can go a long way to make everyone’s experience a pleasant one.

Steps to Thinking Like a Genius

If you are looking for new ways to refine your problem solving abilities, take a moment to explore the tips referenced below for some strategies that many historical artists and inventors have employed to fine tune their thinking skills: 

View the problem from a new angle:  Upon first analyzing a problem, we can sometimes be affected by our mood or a recent conversation.  Wait a few hours and revisit the problem. By looking at the problem from a fresh perspective, you can find new solutions that may not have been present before.

Visualize the problem using varied methods: Use diagrams, flowcharts, outlines and draw pictures that display a sequence of events.   Viewing the problem from many different images can give you multiple ways to think about, and therefore, solve the problem. Be creative!  Draw pictures using colors that represent the problem and the ways you visualize solving it.

Be productive in more ways than one: A concept that Thomas Edison called “idea quotas.”  By listing many ideas for a solution to a problem, some good and some bad, the more ideas you generate, even if some are merely mediocre, your bad ideas can serve as an opportunity for expansion and a source of genius when you discover that serendipity that improves them.

Combine ideas and/or thoughts: You may discover creative solutions as you take an approach to combine thoughts into different combinations that can be linked to each other in different formats.  In much the same way that math and science were combined to create biology and chemistry, learning to tie in concepts with ideas that you may have gleaned from previous class will help you to view the problem solution in new and inventive ways.

Use metaphors and symbols to represent your ideas where possible:  When you can relate an idea to an image or symbol that resonates with you, the concept will stand out more as it continues to be something of interest that you can relate to.

See failure as an opportunity:  Rather than worry over not solving it the first time, learn from the experience and see it as a stepping stone for getting it right the next time.

Have patience:  Believe that by being patient and persistent, ideas will flow fluently, leading you to the right solution.  When in doubt, take frequent breaks if you find that your patience is wearing thin.

By tapping into parts of your brain and using strategies that you may not use on a regular basis, you will strengthen your thinking to approach a problem from many different angles which will lead you to solutions and new discoveries, the stuff that geniuses are made of!  For more information on this topic, please click here.

Father's Day Fun: Sunday, June 16

If you are looking for a Father’s Day activity, consider attending the 40^th Annual Sully Antique Car Show:  Sunday, June 16, 10am-3:30pm

Treat your Dad or yourself to a fun day out at the Annual Antique Car Show.  This event, which has become a tradition for my family, has something for everyone!  It is a great place for Dad to spend time with his family and enjoy his day browsing over 400 antique and classic cars. After working up an appetite, he can enjoy some classic fair food such as fresh lemonade, hot kettle corn, pulled pork, hotdogs and more.  While dining, he can experience live music by Jumpin Jupiter!  To end the day, he can take some time and browse the treasures of over 100 vendors at the flea market. 

The event is located at Sully Historic Park, 3650 Historic Sully Way, Chantilly, VA  20151. Admission includes a tour of the first floor of the 1794 house: $10/adult, $8/senior, $7/child.  For directions and more information, please click here.  

The Annual Car Show is presented by the George Washington Chapter, Inc. Model A Ford Club of America and the Fairfax County Park Authority.

 

Interested in working in IT?

Bicycle Etiquette and Safety

Now that the warm weather and long nights have arrived, if you are a bicycle enthusiast, promote your safety and well-being by obeying biking safety rules.  Furthermore, to be respectful of others on the roads and trails, it is important to be mindful of biking etiquette. Of the many websites that you will find devoted to this topic, TEAM LIVESTRONG, references a number of excellent safety tips required by their Challenge participants: 

Wear a helmet at all times:  You may think you are safe without a helmet but one patch of sand or slip up and you could be down.  A helmet can make all the difference!  When my son was five, he lost control when his bicycle tire slipped.  Although he had to have stitches near his eye, if he had not been wearing a helmet, the outcome would have been far worse!

Be Respectful of Others (Observe the Traffic Rules):  Ride in the same direction of traffic and follow the same traffic laws as if you were driving a car.  Use hand singles to advise others of what you will be doing. Do not pass on the right and be sure to stop at red lights, stop signs and yield to pedestrians.  You are sharing the roads and must be respectful of automobiles and walkers.  If you are riding on a trail and notice walkers ahead, ring your bell (if you have one) and announce loudly, ‘coming up on your left’.  If the walkers do not move over, slow down.

Stay to the Right:  Ride as far to the right as is possible unless you are making a left-hand turn or avoiding hazards in the road.  If you must stop, do your best to move as far off the road as possible.

Ride Single File or Two Abreast: When riding in a group of two or more, be sure that you do not ride more than two abreast on the roads.  According to LIVESTRONG, “no state permits riding more than two abreast on public roads”.

Equip Your Bike for Safety:  For safety purposes, your bicycle should have a bell, mirror headlight and taillight.

Regular Maintenance: As you would do with your car, keep your bike in excellent repair, checking the breaks and tires. Also, be sure to lock it when leaving it parked. 

These are just a small listing of the safety measures you need to practice when riding your bicycle.  If you are a biking enthusiast, you can find additional information on various websites to include the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or the  National Biking Safety Network.

Tools for College Success: Mentors

The transition to college can be a challenging and stressful time of life.  If you find yourself struggling in college or in your career, a mentor may be the perfect prescription.  A mentor can help guide you, answer questions, encourage you, teach you, and promote your confidence to help you accomplish your academic and/or career goals. 

In most cases, a mentor will not come to you.  You will need to seek out a mentor.  Finding a mentor is not a complicated process!  There are a number ways you can connect to a suitable mentor—a few to consider include:

·       Do you have a neighbor or family friend with a job in your major/career field?  Ask them if they would consider serving as your mentor. 

·       Consider visiting a volunteer organization, with a focus in your major and volunteer.  Once you have established a connection at the organization, perhaps you will find an employee or even another volunteer that would be willing to serve as your mentor---just ask!

·       If you have a professor, advisor or counselor, that you admire, ask if s/he would consider serving as your mentor.

·       Mentors do not have to be local.  Do you have a former high school teacher or tutor that you respected and admired?  Consider asking them – you can communicate through email, Skype, etc.

Don’t be afraid to ask! Most folks will be honored to serve as a mentor.  Once you find the perfect mentor and connect, they will empower you, make you accountable, listen to your struggles, provide practical advice, inspire you, and even serve as a future reference.  You are never too young or too old for a mentor -find yours today!!  For additional information about the benefits of a mentor, click here.

 

 

Take a break this weekend, June 7-9, 2013, and enjoy some summer fun at the annual Celebrate Fairfax Festival!

 

In addition to exhibits by area businesses, the Festival offers an assortment of events and activities to include:

 

 Ø Concerts

Ø Carnival and KidWay/MidWay

Ø Karaoke Championship

Ø Dock Dogs Championship

Ø NBC4

Ø Food Vendors with to Satisfy Everyone

Ø And much, much more….

 

The Festival is located at the Fairfax County Government Center, 12000 Government Center Parkway in Fairfax, VA

 To visit the Celebrate Fairfax website, please click here. 



As you plan for your summer vacation and prepare for much needed relaxation, it is easy to neglect important travel health and safety matters.  To promote a safe and happy summer vacation, take time to explore the vacation travel and safety tips referenced below: 
 
• Avoid drinking water from suspicious sources such as lakes, rivers, pools and back-country streams. You may be tempted to drink water from these sources while camping in the woods. However, it is important to be aware that this water may contain Giardia, a tiny parasite that can cause gastrointestinal distress which includes symptoms such as vomiting, cramps and nausea. Boiling water for 10 minutes or more can kill the parasite. Packing plenty of bottled water is an excellent way to stay hydrated and avoid potential parasites from suspicious sources.

• Food poisoning is a common illness that affects over 50,000 people who travel in the US and overseas. Eating contaminated or spoiled food may cause food poisoning so take a moment and think twice before devouring a sandwich that has been sitting out for several hours. Some tips in avoiding food poisoning include: cooking meat and fish sufficiently and making sure the fish is hot and cooked throughly when served. When traveling, it is a good idea to stay away from unpasteurized milk and milk products as they contain heavy amounts bacteria. Since bacteria quickly multiply at lukewarm temperatures, it is wise to consume foods that are very cold or hot. It is also a good idea to avoid buffets since it’s hard to know how long it has been sitting out or who is coming into contact with the food.

• Bug bites can lead to Lyme disease (in the case of a tick bite) or the West Nile virus so it is best to avoid grassy areas in the early morning and early evening hours when these critters proliferate. It is also a good idea to wear long sleeves and long pants and use a bug repellant (if possible) when walking in the woods to avoid bugs from getting on your skin. At the end of the day, be sure to check for bugs prior to changing your clothes. Do not approach stray animals, to avoid the risk of Rabies.
 
• Overexposure to the sun can cause sun poisoning/sunburn.  Long term f overexposure to the sun is the culprit behind 90% of wrinkles, fine lines and sun spots. To avoid the dangers of too much sun exposure, use a sunscreen that contains a minimum SPF of 15 and wear sunglasses that block 100% of UVA and UVB rays. The most severe form of UVA damage occurs between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. so use extra sunscreen at these times.

• Prevent rashes by avoiding common plants that harbor triggers such as poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac. These plants release a chemical called urushiol, an oil that produces rashes, bumps or blisters, even in small amounts. These plants can be found in forests, fields and on the side of streams. Should you develop a rash, use calamine lotion, hydro-cortisone cream or special creams that are used in the treatment of these skin conditions.

Armed with these pointers to prevent contracting summer illnesses, you are on your way to happy and healthy summer vacation!  

For more information on this topic, please visit this link.

Test Taking Skills to Promote Your Success

Have you ever felt shocked at your test results---expecting an A and receiving a low grade?  To enhance your test taking skills and get that ‘A’, take a moment to review the common test taking errors and tips referenced below.    

Read the Instructions/Questions Carefully:  You have probably heard this tip a thousand times but failure to read the instructions and each question carefully can result in careless errors. Do not skim---read thoroughly and carefully.  Sometimes, wrong answers can be the result of skipping over important directions.  

Label Your Test: Make sure your name and student ID are on the test along with any other information required by the instructor or testing center.  You would be surprised at how many students, anxious to get started, forget to put their name on the test or the Scantron!  Failure to include your name will most likely result in a zero!!

Sequence Errors: Concept errors such as misunderstanding a principle involved in solving the problem or steps involved in the process can create problems in answering the question correctly. When studying, take time to review your lecture notes and textbook carefully to ensure you follow the proper sequence is answering the question.  (Use flash cards and/or mnemonics when studying, to help remember and recall the order.)

Missing Problems in the Test: If you are anxious and/or have a tendency to rush, you may miss problems or skip a step.  If you are confused on a question, circle it and come back to it later. If you have a tendency to skip the last step or part of a question, be sure to look at this part of the problem first.  Always remember to review your test before turning it in!

Spending too Much Time on One Question: If you are spending too much time on one question, circle it, and refer back to it after you have completed the other questions (as you move forward through the test – other questions may prompt you to remember the answer to the question that stumped you).  If you are taking a timed test, you may want to consider wearing a watch (testing centers do not allow cell phones at your testing station).

Recording the Incorrect Answer:  Accidentally, copying the wrong answer from your scratch paper to the actual test can result in a disaster. To avoid this, strategically plan to compare your answer on the scratch paper with the one on the test.

Review your Answers: Careless mistakes such as forgetting to add two numbers in a long math problem, skipping steps or accidentally missing a question, can result in zero credit or a loss of points. To protect yourself against this common error, after completing each question/problem, review your answers thoroughly.

Preparing for Future Quizzes/Tests: Once you have received your quiz/test back, be sure to review it and look up every question that you missed.  Determine the reason why you missed the question and learn from it so you will understand the concept(s) and be able to apply the correct information on your next exam.   For more information on this topic, visit this link.

To further promote your success, ELI offers many resources and tips through our NovaELIfe social media channels. For links to our informational blogs, academic resources to include free online tutoring, Facebook and Twitter, please click here. 

NOVA’s Textbook-Free Courses Make Headlines

This fall, Northern Virginia Community College will offer a series of 12 general education courses that do not require students to purchase textbooks or other course materials.  These textbook-free classes will all be offered online through NOVA’s Extended Learning Institute (ELI) and will use free open educational resources (OER). The courses can be taken individually, or as a series to satisfy the requirements for the General Education Certificate. In lieu of traditional textbooks, all readings and materials used in the courses will be available to students free of charge online or through Blackboard – NOVA’s course management system.  OER materials include teaching, learning, and research resources that are in the public domain or are released under a licensing agreement that permits their free use or repurposing by others. Read more about how ELI’s OER-Based General Education project will save NOVA students money in Community College Week.  

Interested in these or other NOVA courses?  Registration for Fall is now open!