eCore Student Survival Guide

eCore SUCCESS tips:

2010-12-06T12:45:00.000-08:00

Here's some eCore SUCCESS tips:

Search out Information: Look for information EVERYWHERE in the classroom - Course Content, Calendar, Syllabus, etc. And, read OUR emails that come to you in your school's email portal!

Understand: If something is not thoroughly understood, mail the instructor inside the classroom.

Commitment: No Procrastination, and remember "eCore EVERY DAY will bring success your way!!!"
Have you developed the habit of logging into your eCore class daily? You must maintain daily communication with your class so that you are not overwhelmed. If you have time management difficulties, try to commit to log in for 30 minutes each day and see if that helps.

Calendar: Respect Deadlines. Pay attention to Instructor Due Dates! Plan Your Work and Work

Extreme Organization: Maintain classwork organization.

Seek Improvement: Utilize tutoring opportunities available, and remember the email we sent to you, "eCore: FREE Tutoring Services".

Strategies for Technology: If there are PC problems, Plan B: Utilize University Computer Labs or a local Library. And, remember, "Save Often!"

What does this spell? S - U - C - C - E - S - S ! ! !

As always, we are here to help. Please let eCore know if you need assistance.

2010-12-06T08:37:00.000-08:00

Hello eCore Students -

We are now within a week of your Final Exams. You have almost completed the
Fall semester, so take a moment and pat yourself on the back!

A reminder about Final exams:
Please be sure you know the final exam plans for your eCore course(s).
To confirm your course's final exam plans, check your classroom Calendar,
Syllabus, or contact your professor.
If your final exam is to be proctored, ensure you have completed testing center
arrangements and the eCore Exam Request Form.

A reminder about eCore-related surveys:
Please remember to take a few minutes to participate in the eCore-related surveys.

1. Student Services Survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/BLP2N87
You only need to complete this survey once, and your input is very important to us.

2. Course Evaluations: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/PZBMZWQ
You will need to complete the course evaluation for each course you are taking in eCore.
If you are submitting more than one time, please remember to clear your cache
and cookies.

Good luck!!

Score 1 for eCore

2009-09-02T12:47:00.000-07:00

eCore has yet another satisfied student! One of our eCore students was so excited about an eCore course he had taken previously that he wrote us at our Usg eCore Facebook account to share his enthusiasm with us. Here is what the student had to say about his previous eCore course:

"Just completed [American Literature II] in the Summer. Best college course I've ever taken. Mostly because of Dr Reddick!!! Awesome participation and interaction by all! It was fun!"

If you, or someone you know, is taking or has taken an eCore course and would like to share that experience with us you may contact us via:

E-mail: ecore@westga.edu
Facebook: Usg eCore
Myspace: eCore Usg
Phone: 678-839-5300
Reply: Just reply to this post

We look forward to hearing from you!

Earn (3) Credit Hours While Having Fun!

2009-08-13T07:24:00.000-07:00

What do Mark Twain, Langston Hughes, and Walt Whitman all have in common?

They represent just a few of the diverging views explored in the American Literature II course, which are sure to peak each individual student's interest and yours too! There is something for everyone in this course.

Contact eCore today (678-839-5300) to register and dare to enhance your knowledge of American literature, cultures, and perspectives from the mid-nineteenth century to the present.

Now you can track eCore in real-time through Twitter!

2009-07-10T08:25:00.000-07:00

Track eCore in real-time through Twitter:

http://www.twitter.com/ecore_USG

eCore Fall Registration Information

2009-07-10T08:19:00.000-07:00

eCore fall registration begins July 13 - 31. eCore drop/add period is August 17, 18, and 19. eCore courses begin August 17 - November 19.

Tools of the Trade.

2009-06-15T17:33:00.000-07:00

Just a few links to some helpful online gadgets that can help you schedule and brainstorm for your eCore classes...

* More than just a to-do list, Toodledo also allows you to prioritize tasks and improve your productivity.

* Thinkature can be used "as a collaboration environment, a meeting room, a personal web-based whiteboard, or something entirely new."

* Can't think of quite the right word? Try the Big Huge Thesaurus, where they provide you with not only synonyms and antonyms - but rhymes too!

* The Visual Thesaurus is an interactive dictionary and thesaurus that helps one to understand word relationships in a more spatial way – great for brainstorming and drawing links you may not have thought of otherwise.

* FreeMind is a premier free mind-mapping software, described by its developers as a "high productivity tool" that prioritizes and tracks your progress on the task at hand.

* The Visual Understanding Environment (VUE) is an Open Source project "focused on creating flexible tools for managing and integrating digital resources in support of... learning and research... [and] provides a flexible visual environment for structuring, presenting, and sharing digital information."

Ahead of the Curve.

2009-06-15T16:44:00.000-07:00

Want to know how other students get ahead of the curve? Check out this article by Professors Lynn F. Jacobs and Jeremy S. Hyman on The 15 Habits of Top College Students. Jacobs and Hyman share their advice for college success in their column Professors' Guide featured on USNews.com.

2009-06-15T15:33:00.000-07:00

Just a few links to some helpful online gadgets that can help you schedule and brainstorm for your eCore classes...

More than just a to-do list, Toodledo also allows you to prioritize tasks and improve your productivity.

Thinkature can be used "as a collaboration environment, a meeting room, a personal web-based whiteboard, or something entirely new."

Can't think of quite the right word? Try the Big Huge Thesaurus, where they provide you with not only synonyms and antonyms - but rhymes too!

The Visual Thesaurus is an interactive dictionary and thesaurus that helps one to understand word relationships in a more spatial way – great for brainstorming and drawing links you may not have thought of otherwise.

FreeMind is a premier free mind-mapping software, described by its developers as a "high productivity tool" that prioritizes and tracks your progress on the task at hand.

The Visual Understanding Environment (VUE) is an Open Source project "focused on creating flexible tools for managing and integrating digital resources in support of... learning and research... [and] provides a flexible visual environment for structuring, presenting, and sharing digital information.

Toodling

2009-06-15T15:11:00.000-07:00

Just a few links to some helpful online gadgets that can help you schedule and brainstorm for your eCore classes...

More than just a to-do list, Toodledo also allows you to prioritize tasks and improve your productivity.
Thinkature can be used "as a collaboration environment, a meeting room, a personal web-based whiteboard, or something entirely new."
Can't think of quite the right word? Try the Big Huge Thesaurus, where they provide you with not only synonyms and antonyms - but rhymes too!
The Visual Thesaurus is an interactive dictionary and thesaurus that helps one to understand word relationships in a more spatial way – great for brainstorming and drawing links you may not have thought of otherwise.

Always in Session.

2009-06-04T17:03:00.000-07:00

iTunes U, another innovation from Apple, has put a plethora of lectures at our fingertips – for FREE! In an article for The Washington Post, Jeffrey Selingo delved into the perks (and cons) of the course podcasts offered free of charge to anyone who’d care to listen. Why not use such lectures as a supplement to your course research – all while listening to your iPod on the go?

Do you Facebook?

2009-06-04T16:35:00.000-07:00

We do! We'd love for you to check us out and join our Student Group! You can find us here; hope to see you around!

Break a Leg!

2009-06-04T16:22:00.001-07:00

Midterm Exams are just around the corner and study groups can be a very advantageous tool when preparing for them. You can communicate with one another through the tools provided to you through eCore such as discussion boards, chat-rooms and email. Perhaps you'd like to start a study group in your area? Let your fellow students know you'd like to get together!

Do you have any other suggestions as to how to study for exams? Any particular tools or techniques?

Get Physical.

2009-06-03T16:07:00.000-07:00

With many hours spent in front of the computer, or behind the wheel of the car, it’s no wonder that many of us students seem to do a lot of ‘sitting around’. Plus, with our hectic schedules, many of us hardly have the time to exercise regularly (if at all).

To battle such tendencies, one particular company has devised an innovative concept to help us maintain a more active lifestyle. The creators of the TreadDesk (http://www.treaddesk.com/) proclaim “if you feel tied to your desk and get tired of sitting in a chair all day, the TreadDesk might be just what you need. This innovative treadmill desk design allows you to stand up and walk without ever leaving your desk!”

AU Asst. Prof., Jeff Vallance tested the idea out for himself. You can read about his experiences at this link: AU Professor Walks While He Works. What do you do to keep active while juggling classes?

An Elephant Never Forgets.

2009-06-01T16:37:00.000-07:00

And hopefully with a program like Evernote, you won’t either (http://www.evernote.com/). Evernote (whose logo is appropriately an elephant) describes their application as allowing “you to easily capture information in any environment using whatever device or platform you find most convenient, and makes this information accessible and searchable at any time, from anywhere.”

With it you can compile to-do lists, web pages, PDFs, pictures and (most importantly!) your school notes and research. As if that weren’t cool enough, it’s absolutely FREE! They even provide you with videos and tutorials to help familiarize you with the ins and outs of Evernote (http://www.evernote.com/about/what_is_en/video/).

As a student, do you find these sorts of programs useful? Do you have any to suggest?

Note to Self.

2009-05-28T16:20:00.000-07:00

As an eCore student who is constantly on the go, it is likely that you aren’t only juggling school, but your family, your work and a number of other responsibilities to boot! I certainly can relate, and if you’re schedule is anything like mine it has probably occurred to you (as it has for me) that you would love to have a personal assistant to help relieve some of that burden.

Well, fortunately for us, there is a cheap service out there (less than $4/month) that’s willing to take on some of that weight. Jott (http://jott.com/) describes their service as follows:

“With a simple phone call, Jott Assistant lets you use your voice to capture notes & to-dos, set reminders and appointments, send email and text messages, and post to your favorite web services, all on the go. Our voice-to-text service turns your voice notes, messages, and updates into text and sends them where you want. And with special tools for your desktop, Outlook, iPhone, and Blackberry, you're sure to get more done wherever you are. Jott Assistant works with all phones and all carriers in the US & Canada.”

Unsure if Jott is right for you? Luckily, they’ve a free week trial that allows you the time to figure that out. Know of any other services, short-cuts, etc. that you've found helpful? We'd love to know!

Thinkin' Green - eCore Proctored Exams.

2009-05-27T15:40:00.000-07:00

There are definitely some perks associated with Proctored Online eCore Exams - for one, they're Earth Friendly and Economical!

* Proctored online eCore exams reduce costs, energy and resources needed for mailing, faxing, and shredding paper exams
* Reduction of use of paper, pencils, and ink promote improved environmental quality
* eCore proctored online exams save money and landfill space

Keep in mind that your professor requires that you take at least one proctored exam, so don't forget to sign up early! For the 2009 Summer Semester, the Midterm Exams will be held June 8-10 and the Final Exam Period will be held July 23, 24, 27. Failure to take a proctored examination will result in failure for the course, regardless of the average of other grades (check out more details on how to sign up for a proctored exam at the following site: http://ecore.usg.edu/exams/).

On a roll...

2009-05-20T06:43:00.000-07:00

The eCore Summer Semester has begun and we hope everyone is off to a great a start! As we progress through the semester, keep some important dates in mind:

Midterm Exams
June 8-10
Midpoint of Semester
June 17
Holidays/Breaks
May 25 / July 3
Final Exam Period
July 23, 24, 27

Also, be sure to take advantage of the Smarthinking Online Tutoring (http://www.smarthinking.com/) available to you as you get deeper into your course material. Smarthinking provides tutoring for eCorestudents in mathematics (basic math through Calculus, including Bilingual Math), Chemistry, Physics, Statistics, Spanish, and Writing. Tutoring is available 24/7. Information about Smarthinking is provided inside your eCore course under "Course Resources."

eCore Tips for Success.

2009-03-20T13:34:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! I'm April, the eCore mentor. I just wanted to get this blog rolling with five tips I've found useful for success in eCore courses. But this is only the tip of the iceberg! If you're so inclined, please feel free to add more in the comment section!

1. Feel confident in your computer skills... or at the very least, comfortable. Your professor will present most if not all of your coursework online and your skill level with basic computer technology is a significant indicator of your potential success in an online environment. When taking part in an online course, it is essential that you have some fluency and comfort with using a computer.

2. Log onto the course every day… or at least 5-6 days a week; you will need regular and convenient access to a computer, as well as a dependable internet connection. Though logging in every day is not required, it is highly suggested. Please note that online courses take more self-management skills than traditional courses. If you let too much time lapse before logging on to your course discussion group, you may fall behind and find it very difficult to catch up. You will be expected to commit as much time, if not more, to an online class as you would for a traditional class. Avoid procrastination!

3. Set aside a study time and space… Let your family and friends know that certain times are designated for your schoolwork and that it is essential that you have as little distraction as possible. Make sure you don’t get diverted by the television, radio, etc., (perhaps making sure they’re not in the same room as you). You may even go so far as to disconnect or turn off your phone(s) during your allotted study time.

4. Backup your work… preferably on your own computer as well as on another source, either within your courses’ server, a flash drive/CD-ROM, an external hard drive, or all of the above. Saving your work can prevent you loads of frustration in the case of some unforeseen problem arising with your computer (e.g. power outage, hard drive crashes, etc.) - this is something I've unfortunately had first hand experience with, so learn from my mistake. ;)

5. Communicate… with your professor and your classmates. Working in an online environment may seem isolated, but this isn’t necessarily the case. You will have access to both your classmates and your professor either via email or discussion board, so take advantage of these tools and do not hesitate to ask questions. Discussion boards are a great way to ask questions, share tips, and even build camaraderie with your classmates!