Welcome to [Class Name] with Markup
How to use this page
This page shows a sample getting started page that captures all the main information you might want to share with your students to successfully get them started in your course. The page is interactive and should not be the one you copy over to your actual course. Hover over the highlighted sections to see more information on additional considerations and how you might make this content your own.
In a short letter or video, introduce yourself, describe how you got into this field and why you teach this class. Give a little insight as to why this course is important. Let the student know you are a human being invested in the course and in the student's success and get the student as excited as the student will permit himself or herself to be. Replace the avatar with your picture (unless you have shared your image in a video).
Why should you explain why the course is important?
Anytime you can provide a purpose or rationale behind the things you do, say, teach, students are likely to be more engaged. Find ways to show students how this course moves them closer to their own goals and/or careers.
Why humanize yourself?
reduce isolation
First M. Last, Ph.D.
123-123-1234 | first.last@myinstitution.edu | website
Department
Office location
Student hours and method/location
Preferred contact method
How long it takes me to get back to you
What are "student hours?"
Using the term "student hours" as opposed to "office hours" can reduce the anxiety students might feel meeting with an instructor.
Division and division phone number
Why include the division information?
As a courtesy to your students In the event that they need immediate assistance and they cannot reach you, please provide your division name and phone number.
Step 1: Read the course syllabus and course schedule
Do you want your students only to read the syllabus?
Think about activities you can have your students do to make sure that they not only read the syllabus but that they understand what was in it. Some suggestions are a syllabus quiz or syllabus scavenger hunt, a student discussion where the students determine some part of the syllabus (i.e. what extra credit would be helpful to them, what the rules around discussions might be, a student contract, etc).
The course syllabus will provide you with the course schedule, course objectives, explanations of assignments and assessments, grading policies, and instructor contact information. Please read it carefully. You should have a deep familiarity with the schedule and process of the course.
Step 2: Get the Required Materials
What must the students purchase?
Be clear about the cost of materials and what the students must purchase vs. rent. Are there some titles that the students can wait to purchase? Make sure to include the costs of these required materials and alert students to methods by which they might save money.
The required materials include:
- Author (Year). Title. Location: Publisher [ISBN]
- Author (Year). Title. Location: Publisher [ISBN]
- 3rd party software or tools/apps used in the course
Step 3: Become Aware of Student Success and Support Resources Links to an external site.
Is there anything you want students to do with this information?
Consider whether this area will serve simply as a resource or whether you might have students investigate these resources more deeply by creating an activity around this.
The following student success and support resources are available to Bellevue College students. Please take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with these resources.
Expand to view a list of student resources
- Academic Advising Links to an external site.: schedule an appointment with an advisor to make sure you are on track with your academic and career goals
- Academic Success Center Links to an external site.: schedule an appointment with a tutor or to receive writing or reading support
- Benefits Hub Links to an external site.: access need based benefits and support such as rental or fool assistance
- Bellevue College ITS Links to an external site.: login to the ITS portal and chat or file a ticket with ITS support
- Center for Career Connections Links to an external site.: view the career services for students
- Counseling Center Links to an external site.: view the Counseling Center services and/or schedule a meeting with a counselor
- Disability Resource Center Links to an external site.: learn about their services and/or set up your accommodations
- eLearning Links to an external site.: view eLearning resources including resources for Canvas and Zoom
- Financial Aid Links to an external site.: apply for, or check the status of, your financial aid
- Library Media Center Links to an external site.: learn what services are provided for online students, including 24/7 "Ask a librarian" support
- Multicultural Center Links to an external site.: view resources for all enrolled students and students of color, lesbian/gay/transgender students, first generation, refugee and immigrant students
- Neurodiversity Navigators Links to an external site.: individualized advocacy and access services for Neurodivergent Bellevue College students
- Office of International Education Links to an external site.: learn about the programs and resources available to international students
- TRiO Links to an external site.: view services provided to first-generation college students, low-income students, and students with disabilities
- Veterans Services Links to an external site.: view the resources available for veterans
- Workforce Education Links to an external site.: learn about training and grants or schedule an appointment to meet with a support staff
You are encouraged to contact any office/service that could be a support to you.
Step 4: Prepare for online access
- The Technical Requirements Links to an external site. page identifies the browsers, operating systems, and plugins that work best with Canvas.
- If you are new to Canvas, review the Canvas student guides. Links to an external site.
- View the eLearning student guides Links to an external site. for Zoom, Respondus, Honorlock, and Simcheck.
- If needed, sign up for a eLearning student Canvas training Links to an external site. option.
- Know who to contact for technology support: your instructor, ITS, the vendor or publisher.
What information do you need to provide about these tools?
- If you are meeting via Zoom, provide information to students on how to log in using the single sign on option. Consider adding a Zoom netiquette/expectations guide.
- If you plan to use Respondus, students should know that this browser needs to be downloaded onto their computer. Provide the accessibility and privacy statements for Respondus. Be sure to schedule a practice test in Respondus before you have students take a for-credit test.
- If you plan to use Honorlock, students should know that they have to have Chrome on their device. Provide the accessibility and privacy statements for Honorlock. Be sure to schedule a practice test in Honorlock before you have students take a for-credit test.
Step 5: Read about academic integrity and netiquette
Do you want students to do more than read about academic integrity and netiquette? Are there other behaviors you want to touch on?
You may choose to write your own academic integrity statement here, or use the official college policy wording. Students can read the policy and the core rules of netiquette, or you may want to engage them in the process. Consider a discussion where students suggest the type of course environment they want to participate in. Have them come up with the netiquette rules. See if students can identify cases of cheating and plagiarism in scenarios.
[Place your own content here.]
Also, please review the core rules of netiquette Links to an external site. for some guidelines and expectations on how to behave in an online learning environment.