Imagine yourself as a learning management system student who has no previous experience with e-learning; you would hope to feel as comfortable as possible as you get started on the course. It’s important for you as the course developer to provide some important information to learners early on. What kind of information should you give students at the onset of the course?

First, it’s best to provide pre-course training that deals with exactly how learners should interact with all the online tools, including the learning management system itself. Using course features like Coggno’s simple-to-use video feature, create videos that teach students about course navigation. Video tours are a simple and fun way to provide students quickly and effectively with the information they require. Presenting information in a visually stimulating way will help ensure that students are engaged right away.

Second, create a clear and thorough course outline or syllabus. This kind of early communication with students will help students understand at the very beginning what the course entails.

Include all the basic information in your course outline. {These include information such as the length of the course, start and end dates, how students will be evaluated and the expected involvement of students, learning materials students are expected to purchase, the instructor’s email, phone number or office number, and a detailed description of the course content.} These include information like the start and end dates of the course, the instructor’s phone number and/or email address, a description of the course content, information on how to navigate the course, an explanation of the navigational features, an overall evaluation plan, and a project and exam schedule.

In the syllabus, be sure to emphasize the importance of familiarity with all the features; encourage students to explore the different functions of the LMS. Learners should be informed on where to find the different sections of the learning content and how the course is broken up. Tell students where they can find updates and assignments on the LMS. Include information about consequences for missing classes or assignments, or turning in late work.

Third and last of all, include the plagiarism policy along with a citation guide for students. Attaching information about ATA or MLA citation could help prevent a host of issues down the road. Even though real and purposeful plagiarizing is quite common, accidental cheating does occur and with your help, is quite preventable. It’s all too common for students to be simply uninformed about how to cite their sources.

With simple features such as videos, a course outline, and a citation guide, you can help your students feel at home in their online learning environment.

Design and syndicate robust courses and training with Coggno’s learning management system (LMS) Online. Easy to use, robust and reasonably priced.

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