Advising Week is Almost Here!

 

Advising week is offered every fall and spring semester at NOVA as a time for students to reflect upon their academic goals and career development in preparation for planning or evaluating their schedule for next semester.   Advising week for the Spring 2014 semester will be held from November 4 – November 8.  Get the most out of advising week by following the steps below: 

1.       Attend a Getting Ready for Your Next Semester webinar.  Click here to learn more about the webinar, identify session dates and register at the ELI Webinar website.

2.       Review your Advisement Report.   Access NOVAConnect to view your advisement report.

3.       Communicate with your advisor about your academic and career goals.   If you have not declared a program of study or are not pursuing a specific program at NOVA, contact an ELI counselor for assistance.  

Priority registration will begin on November 12.   All current students will be assigned a priority registration date.  During advising week access NOVAConnect to identify your priority registration date.  Open registration begins on November 18. 

Research Skills: A Blog Series from your ELI Library staff

Encyclopædia Britannica Image Quest http://quest.eb.com/images/132_1306928

Bringing It All Together

Over the past several weeks, your ELI Library staff has given you some key information you’ll need when doing research for your classes. If you’ve missed any of the topics, scroll down through the older blog posts to find them. Topics have included Scholarly vs. Popular Resources, Peer Review, Using Google and Wikipedia, Searching Library Databases, Evaluating Websites, and Citations.

Remember, your access point to all NOVA Library resources is the library homepage at www.nvcc.edu/library/.  You can search for books, e-Books, audio, videos, and articles. You’ll find research guides for many subjects as well as guides to help you cite your work. 

Check out the ELI Webinars schedule at http://eli.nvcc.edu/webinars.htm . Throughout the semester, ELI Library staff offer library orientation webinars as well as citation webinars. 

You can find videos on many of the topics this blog covered on our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/user/NOVALibraries.

And we want to hear from you! Are there any topics that we haven’t covered that you’re curious about? Would you like something demonstrated in a video? We love suggestions or any questions that you may have about research or library resources. Email us at ELI-Library@nvcc.edu.

Finally, a few quick tips on organizing your research:

·         Keep a research log. Write down your sources, and keep track of what information you found in them and on what page.

·         Do your citations FIRST, not last. Who wants to track down that article again because you forgot to write down the volume number or date?

·         Remember that research is NOT a linear process. After some initial research, you’ll probably need to refine your topic (narrow it, broaden it, or change it all together) based on what you find. As you’re writing, you’ll probably need to go back and fill in gaps of information as well.

·         You’re not alone. We can help you wherever you are in the research process. Just email us at the address above.

Promoting Your Success: Treasure Chest of ELI Resources

If you are searching for resources to help you achieve your academic goals, look no more!  As an ELI Student, you have access to a ‘treasure chest’ of free resources to help promote your academic and career goals!  Some of our popular resources include:

ELI Student Success Coaches:  Your ELI Success Coach can help you with any questions or concerns you may have as an ELI student.  They can also provide referrals to academic resources as well as assistance with Blackboard navigation and help with time management concerns.  If you are experiencing any challenges with study skills, complex assignments, communicating with your instructor or have any other concerns, promote your academic success by contacting your ELI Success Coach at elisuccess@nvcc.edu or call 703.764.5076

Smarthinking: Online tutoring offered 24/7 exclusively to ELI students. Log in and set up an appointment today for your one-on-one online tutoring session. You can even receive feedback on your papers through their online writing lab. The online writing lab provides students with the ability to receive a detailed, personalized critique of any written assignment. Be sure to take advantage of this service throughout your academic journey at ELI. If you prefer one-on-one tutoring, ELI students are also eligible to take advantage of free tutoring on our campuses.

Student Lingo: Short online/on-demand workshops, available 24/7, on time management, test taking/test anxiety, study skills, job interviews, stress management, and more – just click and learn!  These online workshops are an excellent resource to promote your college study skills.

ELI Webinars: If you need help with time management, getting started in an ELI online course or experience math anxiety, sign up for an ELI Webinar today.

ELI Counselors: Need help with Academic Advising, Academic Counseling and Career Counseling.  Contact our counselors at, Elicounselors@nvcc.edu or 703.323.2425.

Library Assistance: Need help locating a book or research article?  Contact the ELI Librarian today. She is here to help with your questions!

Quizlet: This study aid is sure to help you get that A on your exam.  Students love it!  Create your own flashcards and practice tests or use study aids already created on the website or via their app. Click here to visit the Quizlet website.

ELife Blogs:  The ELife Blog provides timely information on ELI and College policies, resources and upcoming events.  It also contains excellent study and success tips, stress buster recommendations, helpful academic resources, and more. Become a regular reader today!

The Success Coaches invite you to contact them anytime.  They are here to help you experience a successful academic journey.

This Week at ELI: October 28-November 3, 2013

 

IMPORTANT COURSE DATES

Ø  October 28 – ELI 3^rd 8 week session, last day to withdraw with grade of ‘W’.

Ø  October 29 – ELI 2^nd 8-week session, last day of class.

Ø  October 31 – ELI 1^st 16-week session, last day to withdraw with grade of ‘W’.

Ø  November 1 – ELI 3^rd 4-week session (MTT), last day to withdraw with grade of ‘W’.

EVENTS  

v  Save the Date:  Nov. 4-8  Advising Week – held on all NOVA Campuses

v  For a listing of ELI events, please click here.

v  For a listing of NOVA events, please click here.

UPCOMING ELI WEBNIARS

Tuesday, October 29, 3:00-5:00pm: MEC Exchange Workshop – Interested in enrolling in one of MEC’s Allied Health and Nursing Programs?  Attend a MEC exchange workshop!  This workshop is intended to increase your knowledge of the admission process and to help you to prepare for admission into NOVA’s exceptional Allied Health and Nursing Programs.  For more details, contact MEC Advisor Bridget Page at bpage@nvcc.edu.  

Thursday, October, 31, 12:00-1:00pm: Transfer Planning - It’s never too early to begin your planning to transfer to another institution. This one-hour webinar will discuss the basics of transfer planning; information about Guaranteed Admission Agreements, Articulation Agreements, and Transfer Guides; and a web tour of NOVA’s transfer website. Click here to register.

 

Friday, November 1, 1:00-2:00pm: Tackling Math Anxiety - Math can be a difficult subject no matter how smart you are.  Many students view math as overwhelming and scary—but it doesn’t have to be.  Learn how to study more efficiently for mathematics and apply relaxing techniques to reduce your anxieties. Click here to register.  

Beyond Google – Basic Library Skills for Online Learners- Have you ever been assigned a paper or project and don’t know where to start? Do you feel like you need extra practice for your assignments? Are you curious what library resources are available to you without going to a campus library? This 5 minute video will give you a brief introduction to what library resources are available to you as an online learner. There might be more than you expect!  Watch the video!  

Creating a Personal Mission Statement: Click here to view the webinar recording: Learn how to channel your goals into actions!  From visualization to motivation, this pre-recorded webinar will help you to create and fine-tune your personal mission statement. 

Creating Win-Win Relationships: Click here to view the webinar recording: Win-Win will teach you how to cooperate in relationships rather than compete.  This webinar will teach you how to share success with others by being respectful and assertive without being manipulated. 

Synergy: Click here to view the webinar recording: Learn how to integrate your knowledge, skills, and expertise with others to collaborate effectively.  This webinar is excellent for working in small groups and communicating with your instructor or teammates.

ELI Orientation: Click here to request a recording of an earlier session. This one hour webinar for students enrolled in courses offered through the Extended Learning Institute (ELI) will focus on getting started in your courses, navigating in your Blackboard course site, identifying tips for success, and student support services.

ONGOING

Proctor Requests:  If you are out of the area, be sure to submit your Proctor Request.  Proctor Requests are processed in the order they are received.  It takes 3-5 business days for the form to be processed so please do not wait until the day before your test!

Fall Fun and Relaxation in Virginia

If you live in the Virginia area and need a break to get away and enjoy the beauty of the skyline, bursting with autumn colors, click here to visit the Fall in Virginia website. 

This website provides all the information you could possibly need to explore fall in Virginia.  You will find a plethora of recommendations for the best scenic drives, family getaways, romantic getaways, fall festival, corn mazes, pumpkin patches and even a Fall Foliage Hotline (1.800.424.LOVE).  There is also a search engine to help you find events taking place by area.  You will even find meters on this website showing the peak time the leaves are turning by area!!

According to the meter on the Fall in Virginia website, this will be a peak weekend to enjoy the colors in the mountain areas of Virginia.  This is an outstanding website to locate just about any fall fun you could desire.  Explore this website today and plan your day to relax, de-stress, and enjoy the beauty of autumn!  (If you do not live in the Virginia area, a web search will provide many similar websites by state – look for your state today!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Smarthinking is the online tutoring service that Northern Virginia Community College has made available for FREE to its students enrolled in courses offered through the Extended Learning Institute (ELI).  Smarthinking provides tutoring in a variety of subjects, some available 24/7.  Please click here to view Smarthinking’s hours of service and other information.

 

The current Smarthinking Student Handbook is available under Academic Resources in your account.

Accessing Smarthinking:

You may access Smarthinking directly from your online course site in Blackboard.  No additional username or password is needed.  Simply log into Blackboard, select “Tools” and click on the NOVA ELI Smarthinking link.

With Smarthinking you can find help with the following disciplines:



Math	Reading & Writing	Science	Business	ESL	Spanish	Computers & Technology
Basic Math Algebra Geometry & Trigonometry Single Variable Calculus Statistics Advanced Statistics Math beyond Calc II	Reading Comprehension Pronunciation Vocabulary Building Essay Critique Grammar & Mechanics Pre-Writing Research Strategies Proper Documentation	General Chemistry Organic Chemistry Biology Intro to Anatomy & Physiology Physics	Accounting Macro & Microeconomics Intro to Finance	ESL Writing Center Math in English/Spanish	Spanish Essay Center Grammar Questions	IT Support Word IT Support Excel IT Support Access IT Support Power Point IT Support Windows7

Please click here for additional information and sample sessions.

Research Skills: A Blog Series from your ELI Library Staff

Citing Your Sources

Really, the hardest part of doing research is finding the best sources and completing your paper or assignment using those sources. Citing them should be the easy part. But students tend to get pretty stressed out when it comes to citations. No worries, though, we can help.

First, why is it important to cite? There are really 2 main reasons:

1) Readers of your paper or research should be able to find where you got your information, even if your information came from online videos, podcasts, or social media. If you use or refer to images, sound, or music, your readers should be able to find those sources. By citing your sources, you give your readers a chance to utilize those same resources out of interest, or even to check your facts. 

All citation styles, e.g. MLA and APA, try to include all the information needed for someone to track down that source. 

2) You need to give credit to the creators/authors of the information you use. This is key to academic integrity and avoiding plagiarism.

For information on formatting, in-text citations, and reference lists, take a look at the style guides below:

• NOVA MLA Citation Style Guide
• NOVA APA Citation Style Guide

·    NOVA Libraries: Citing Media

You can also explore the following sites for more help:

• Purdue OWL MLA Formatting and Style Guide
• Purdue OWL APA Formatting and Style Guide
• FAQs about the MLA Style Manual
• APA Style Blog

And go to the ELI Webinars schedule at http://eli.nvcc.edu/webinars.htm to sign up for upcoming citation webinars.

October: A Month of Health Awareness

October is dedicated to raising awareness about many important health topics. National Health Observances recognizes each October health awareness topic at http://healthfinder.gov/NHO/. Please take a moment to promote your health and explore the October Health Awareness topics linked below. 

Eye Injury Prevention Month: www.geteyesmart.org/eyesmart/injuries/index.cfm
Health Literacy Month: www.healthliteracymonth.org
Home Eye Safety Month: www.preventblindness.org
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month:  www.nbcam.org
National Bullying Prevention Month - www.pacer.org/bullying/nbpm/
National Down Syndrome Awareness Month - www.ndss.org
National Medical Librarians Month - www.mlanet.org
National Physical Therapy Month - www.apta.org/nptm/
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Awareness Month - www.firstcandle.org
Mental Illness Awareness Week (October 7-13) -  www.nami.org
Drive Safely Work Week (October 7-11) - www.trafficsafety.org
Walk to School Day (October 9) - www.walkbiketoschool.org/
Bone and Joint Health National Action Week (October 12-20) - www.usbji.org
Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day (October 13) - www.nbcam.org
National Health Education Week (October 14-18) - www.sophe.org/nhew.cfm
National Latino AIDS Awareness Day (October 15) - www.nlaad.org
World Food Day (October 16) - www.worldfooddayusa.org
World Pediatric Bone and Joint Day (October 19) - www.usbji.org
International Infection Prevention Week (October 20-26) - www.iipw.site.apic.org/about
Respiratory Care Week (October 20-26) - www.aarc.org/rcweek
International Stuttering Awareness Day (October 22) - www.stutteringhelp.org
Red Ribbon Week (October 23-31) - www.nfp.org
World Psoriasis Day (October 29) - www.psoriasis.org

 

ELI Pedometer Challenge

Join The ELI Fall Pedometer Challenge as part of our Health and Wellness Interest Group!

What is it?

Compete and share experiences with other students by tracking your average daily steps for a month as well as create personal health and wellness goals.

How does it work?  

o      On October 25th, you will receive access to a Google spreadsheet where you will record your pedometer steps as well as keep track of what types of activity you took part in for the day/week.  

o     Pedometer steps will be recorded daily by each participant starting October 28th.  

o      The first 50 participants that sign up will be mailed a FREE pedometer to participate/ otherwise you will need to provide your own pedometer.  

o      Challenge begins on October 28th and ends at 11:59pm on Nov 24th. Prizes will be given for several categories including: weekly winners, best average, overall step count...etc) . 

o      Throughout the challenge, join our Health and Wellness group on ELI's Virtual Student Union. This will be used for participants to share their progress in the challenge and great health and wellness motivational articles and tips. Join here: (http://elife.nvcc.edu/vsu/?page_id=29)

How do I sign up?

Please click here to sign up!

For more information, contact elistlife@nvcc.edu

Attendance and Participation Aren't Just Important, They Are Required!

As your ELI course(s) begin, it is important to keep in mind attendance and participation in your ELI courses are very important. In fact your attendance and participation are not just important, they are required. Students who have not attended and completed their first assignments by the Census Date will be administratively withdrawn from the course by their instructor.  This has several consequences including:

Reduction in class load and possible change from full time to part time status (both potentially affecting financial aid)

Loss of tuition (yes, an administrative withdrawal will cause you to lose the money paid as tuition for this course)

No record of the class or letter grade on your transcript

As soon as your class begins, log into Blackboard and explore your course Blackboard. Use this opportunity to locate and review the course syllabus and assignments tab. This will give you a chance to see what you will be responsible for throughout the semester. In addition, this will also allow you sufficient time to plan your time appropriately, making certain you will be able to complete your readings, assignments, projects and tests in time for their specified due dates. Again, it is crucial to ensure you have completed and submitted your first assignment prior to the Census Date to avoid being administratively withdrawn from your course.

Logging into Blackboard as soon as the semester begins will also give you the opportunity to identify any unexpected issues and provide ample time to ask any questions you might have. ELI has a comprehensive array of student services to support our distance learners.

If you have any questions or you are not sure where to start, you can always contact the Success Coaching Team at elisuccess@nvcc.edu or by calling 703-764-5076. They are more than happy to answer your questions, as well as refer you to useful resources and services that will support your online learning experience.

 

ELI Student Life invites you to join us this evening and meet Colin Beavan, author of our Common Reader, No Impact Man.  Colin will be talking about his book and answering your questions.   A schedule of the evening's events follows: 

 

2:00pm - Recyclable Art Exhibit

5:00pm - Reception

5:30pm - Question/Answer with author, Colin Beavan

7:00pm - Book Signing

For Directions to the Annandale Campus, please click here.

 

We look forward to seeing you! 

Sponsored by The ELI Common Reader Program, NOVA Sustainability Office and AN Student Life.