Covid-19

Student Tips and Resources

Adjusting Your Learning During COVID

LET US HELP YOU

We are here for you and will support you in any way that we can. We know there are a lot of unknowns and uncertainties right know. As a college and community, we will get through this together and will continue to provide all of the resources and information we can to help you as a student. Take care of yourself, and use this guide as a starting point for study skills and resources that will help you adjust to both online learning and learning, in general, during this very difficult time.

1. Stay Organized in Your Classes

A lot is changing but staying organized may make you feel better and will also help you adjust to the changes in your courses. Ask yourself the following questions about your classes:

Are the due date for my assignments the same or are these assignment dates changing?
Do I need to be online in the class at a certain time?
Do I know how to submit my assignments in Blackboard?
How can I reach my instructor during office hours online?
Have I communicated with my instructors if I need help completing assignments online?

2. Set a Daily Schedule

It is important to keep a schedule and to make time for yourself, your family, and your classes. Think about the following:

If you find yourself having more free time due to cancelled events and commitments, consider using some of that time to study and complete assignments. Be sure to include those times in a calendar and try to be consistent with studying at the same time each day. Having that routine may help you feel better.
If you are home with your family and caring for children, you may find that you don't have free time during the day to care for yourself and to work on your classes. You may find that scheduling time in your calendar for early morning or in the evenings to study will work best.
Look at an example schedule you can use from University of Michigan to get started.

3. Find a Study Space

Where and how you usually like to study may be changing. Follow these tips to find a study space that can still work for you during this time:

If you enjoy studying by yourself in a library or at a coffee shop, then try to find a space at home that you recreate with what you like about your normal study spaces.
You may be at home caring for your family and trying to find a study space is not easy. Try to find any place, even a bedroom, that you can get some of your work done.
You may enjoy studying with other students but aren't sure how you can do that right now. Think about doing group chats or using a video platform like Zoom, Skype, or even Facetime, to study with other students.

4. Get Help With Blackboard

You may have questions using Blackboard and need help. Review the resources below and do not hesitate to ask any questions.

Blackboard Resource Document: Review this document for help getting started.

Blackboard Technical Help: Blackboard Technical Help has Blackboard Tutorials and is a resource to contact when Blackboard won't connect or load. Their number is (313)333-7300.

Blackboard YouTube Channel: The Blackboard YouTube Channel has videos about common Blackboard topics & questions

Blackboard for Mobile

Students with Smartphones often do not realize that they can download the Blackboard phone app for free, providing them with the ability to do their course work by phone if the student does not have a computer.

5. Get Help with Student Services Remotely

The student services that you received on-campus are still available virtually. While in-person services have been temporarily suspended, our staff is working and ready to help. Please keep this message so you will have department emails handy as you need them. The Service Center is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by phone at (855)246-5282. If you are not sure who to call, that is always a good starting point.

FREE Wi-Fi ACCESS

Wi-Fi is available in the Downtown Campus student parking lot. Access points have been installed at each light pole. At the Tech Campus access is available in the lots at B building – not A building. A solution is being worked on for Southwest.

If your cell phone supports tethering that can also provide a level of Internet access. Check with your wireless provider.

ENROLLMENT SERVICE CONTACTS

ADMISSIONS: jefferson-admissions@kctcs.edu
ADVISING: jf-advising-center@kctcs.edu
ASSESSMENT/TESTING: jf-assessment-center@kctcs.edu
ORIENTATION: jf-orientation@kctcs.edu
FINANCIAL AID: jefferson-financialaid@kctcs.edu
STUDENT ACCOUNTS: jf-bursaroffice-main@kctcs.edu
STUDENT RECORDS: jf-records-office@kctcs.edu

STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES CONTACTS

ACCESSIBILITY RESOURCE CENTER: jf-arc-office@kctcs.edu
READY TO WORK: jf-rtw-staff@kctcs.edu
GED+: gina.embry@kctcs.edu
HUB: malesha.griffin@kctcs.edu