Without education you are not going anywhere in this world – Malcolm X.

Types of Classes

What types of classes are you taking this semester? Did you consider the delivery mode, or instructional method, as you selected your courses? Check out the list below to see the kinds of courses offered at WCC and look for the types of classes in which you are currently enrolled:

Face to Face: Sometimes referred to as a lecture course even though several teaching methods may be used, these courses usually reference traditional classroom instruction. These courses are usually marked with a LEC and one of the following codes under the “Section” column of your Class Search:

D = Daytime

E = Evening

X = Extension Location

S = Saturday

Sometimes these courses can be combined. For example, a section code that says “XD” would mean a daytime face-to-face lecture at an extension location, “XE” would be an evening class, and an “XS” would be a Saturday class.

*Note: If the code has a letter followed by “75” then this is a course that runs for only 7.5 weeks instead of the regular 15-week semester. Check the dates to see if the course runs in the first half or the second half of the regular semester.

 

Lab: Typically a hands-on experience that engages students with applying course concepts to solve problems and/or conduct experiments. These courses need to be taken along with Lecture courses, and are noted with a letter plus “L” and “LAB” in the Section column of the Class Search:

There may be a lecture and lab section that must be taken together, and may be listed like this:

The first class, E001-LEC is the face-to-face evening lecture in Valhalla, while the EL01-LAB is the face-to-face lab section that is associated with that lecture.

Hybrid: A blend of face-to-face instruction with online learning activities. In a hybrid course, a significant part of the learning is online and seat time is reduced. In a hybrid course, you might attend class from fifty to eighty minutes weekly or monthly and then complete additional coursework online using myWCC (Blackboard Learn). Hybrid courses are denoted with an “HY” code under “Section” in your Class Search.

Examples:

 

Fully Online: Course instruction and all leaning activities are asynchronous and online using myMCC (Blackboard Learn), so there is no seat time. Your fully online course may require you to take proctored exams. Fully online courses are denoted with an “I” in the section code:

*Note: If the code is “I75” then this is an online course that runs for only 7.5 weeks instead of the regular 15-week semester. Check the dates to see if the course runs in the first half or the second half of the regular semester.

Examples:

While some students prefer the convenience of learning anywhere/anytime with online courses, others feel most comfortable with traditional classroom instruction. If you are already enrolled in different course delivery methods this semester, note the benefits and challenges you are encountering. As you move through earning your certificate or degree at WCC, you’ll likely encounter a variety of delivery modes. You may need to adjust some of your strategies for success based on the instructional method, but many success strategies remain the same across all course delivery methods.

 

The First Week of Classes

Attending class every day is important, but attending the first day of class is especially critical. It is the time when you’ll most likely receive a course information sheet, a syllabus, and important information about the course’s content, the instructor’s approach, and any necessary pre-assessments. In some classes, you may have an opportunity to interact with your classmates through icebreaker activities while in others you may be expected to begin learning new material immediately. If you are enrolled in any online courses, it is equally important to “attend” by getting online and engaging in preview week.

One way to prepare for any of those Week #1 materials and activities is by knowing a little about them in advance:

Syllabus

Every instructor in every class at Westchester Community College should provide you with a syllabus, which lists course learning outcomes (what each student will know or be able to do by the end of the course) and important policies (such as if you can make-up exams, or how many absences are allowed). The syllabus explains how you can contact your instructor, what books and materials should be purchased, how your final grade will be calculated, and what to do if you need extra assistance in any course. The syllabus may also include information on class cancellations, emergency school closings, important policies, and a listing of when assignments are due. Many provide specific pages of the course readings they expect to be completed each day, while others list only the due dates for tests, papers, or projects. All syllabi are key documents that you should read carefully, record on your calendar, and keep in a safe and prominent place. By familiarizing yourself with each of your syllabi, you are taking a fundamental step to getting your semester off to good start.

Pre-Assessments or Immediate Learning

Many professors expect their students to read the syllabi outside of class because they want to get right to work either teaching important course content or determining what students know by administering some type of pretest or baseline assessment, such as a writing sample. It’s important to come to the first class with pens, pencils, paper, and a folder so you are prepared to take notes or pretests as necessary.

Icebreakers

Even before they start teaching, some professors spend time on icebreaker activities designed to help students get to know each other. These introductory practices, such as name tags, games, or questionnaires, are valuable because they build a community of learners who are more likely to be comfortable and engaged than students who may not even know each other’s names.

Drop/Add Period

The schedule adjustment (drop/add) period occurs at the very beginning of every semester. Courses dropped within the first three weeks of the full fall or spring term will not be recorded on your academic transcript. With the exception of online courses, students may add a course during the first week of the full semester without an instructor’s signature. Faculty approval is required to add a class during the second and third weeks. Dropping or adding a course may have financial aid implications, so it’s always wise to check with the Financial Aid office and/or with an advisor before making any final decisions.

Physically and Mentally Prepare for Class

Most students balance a lot of responsibilities, such as work, school, and family. Such competing demands can make it hard to get the most out of class time and assignments. The effort you put in to succeed in college will pay off, though, and there are ways that you can physically and mentally prepare to excel in class. Below are a few suggestions, along with additional health and wellness strategies that can be found later in this text.

Eat Healthy Meals and Snacks

Sometimes students get so busy that they skip meals like breakfast or lunch and then resort to junk food and coffee or energy drinks to get them through. While a candy bar and soda might give you a temporary boost, you’ll soon feel tired and hungry again. Eating healthy meals and snacks that contain lean protein, vegetables, and fruits will give you the energy needed to accomplish all of your daily tasks. The United States Department of Agriculture’s MyPlate on Campus site includes tips on healthy eating, especially in the cafeteria setting. We’ll return to this topic later in the course.

Exercise Regularly

In much the same way healthy eating does, exercising can give you energy throughout the day. Physical activity can also help prevent you from getting sick, which can lead to missed classes and work and lower grades. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), college-aged students should get at least 2.5 hours of exercise each week.

Get Enough Sleep

Sleeping is like recharging your personal battery each night for the next day. However, studies show that on some campuses, like the University of Alabama, 60 percent of the student population doesn’t get adequate sleep. Although some students will need slightly more or less sleep, you should aim for eight hours every night. Along with getting enough sleep, you can practice healthy habits to sleep soundly, like avoiding caffeinated beverages before you go to bed and reading instead of using electronic devices before bed to help your body start to relax. ^[1]

Manage Stress

According to a recent American Psychological Association (APA) study, more than half of college students who used their schools’ counseling services cited anxiety as the reason they sought help. Other stress points included relationship and academic problems. Stress management will look different for each student. For some students, the solution might include exercising, while others might want to make time each week to meditate, go out with friends, spend time with pets, listen to music, or work on arts-and-crafts projects. Regardless of which activities you enjoy, it’s important to make time for stress management in your schedule.^[2]

Talk to Counselors, Advisors, or Instructors

Counselors, advisors, and instructors are good resources to help you learn strategies for being successful both in and out of the classroom. Services provided by the Personal Counseling include individual, group and crisis counseling, prevention and education, mental health consultation, and referrals. Academic Counselors help students with making decisions, exploring career goals, choosing a major, and selecting courses. A great place for students to reach out if they have questions is to go to an instructor teaching their courses. Instructors can often assist in giving additional study tips for the course content they teach, and they can help guide students to other resources across the campus.

Utilize Campus Resources  

WCC has many resources to support student success that will be discussed throughout this First-Year Seminar textbook. Here are three you may want to consider accessing right away: free tutoring, the computer labs, and the Library. Free tutoring is available at the Academic Support Center and the Writing Center located in the Harold L. Drimmer Library. The library provides students with quiet areas and spaces for collaboration, reference materials, research help, and more. Students can visit the computer labs for access to computers and printers and for technology help. Here are the locations on the Valhalla campus:

• Open Computer Labs, Harold L. Drimmer Library, ground, 1st and 2nd floors
• The Technology Computer Lab in the Technology Building, Room 25B
• Classroom Building, Room 302

Computer labs can also be found at the Mount Vernon, Ossining, and Cross County -Yonkers Extension Centers.

The Student Technology HelpDesk will assist students with connecting to and utilizing WCC technologies, such as resetting your password, myWCC login, WCC student email, and wireless connections.

Why Go to Class?

You may not always want to go to class, perhaps because you have required classes that you find difficult, or you may feel overwhelmed by other commitments. However, even if your instructors allow a certain number of unexcused absences, you should aim to attend every class session. Online students should participate in class by logging on multiple times a week to complete assignments and to participate in discussions. Check the course information sheet for specific instructor expectations regarding class participation.

Class attendance enhances class performance in the following ways:

• Class participation: Students who don’t attend class can’t participate in class activities. Class activities are usually part of your final grade, and they can help you apply concepts you learn from lectures and reading assignments.
• Class interaction: Students who try to learn everything on their own (by doing the reading assignments outside of class, for example) miss out on class discussions with fellow students. Your classmates will often have the same questions as you do, so going to class enables you to learn from them and ask your instructor about topics you all find difficult.
• Interaction with the instructor: Instructors specialize in the subjects they teach, and they can provide extra insight and perspective on the material you’re studying. Going to class gives you the chance to take notes and ask questions about the lectures. Also, the more you participate, the more your instructors will come to know you and be aware of any help or support you might need. This will make you feel more comfortable to approach them outside of class if you need advice or are struggling with the course material.
• Increased learning: Because you will typically spend more time on coursework outside of the classroom, class sessions are even more valuable. Typically, in-class time will be devoted to the most challenging or important concepts covered in your textbooks. It’s important to know what these are so you can master them—also they’re likely to show up on exams.
• Avoiding negative consequences: Missing class can lead to falling behind, feeling overwhelmed, and being confused when going back to class. Consistent attendance helps students stay on track and avoid facing course withdrawal, which can cost time and money. Visualizing the end goal of a specific graduation date, can help students stay motivated.

Effective Listening Strategies

Physically showing up to class is important (especially if attendance is taken), but what you do once you’re there is equally important. Getting the most out of class time involves listening effectively, which involves more than simply hearing what instructors say. Effective listening involves interacting with the speaker and material; think of it as active listening versus passive listening.

To maximize the benefit you get from attending class, try to use the following active listening skills:

• do any assigned reading in advance because prior knowledge helps you acquire new knowledge
• focus your full attention on the speaker
• ask questions, either out loud or internally, in response to what is being said
• paraphrase ideas in notes
• think about how you’ll be assessed on the information
• make connections to other classes and your life

Paraphrasing, or restating what you hear, is a powerful strategy for being an active listener, but it’s obviously impractical in a roomful of other students. That’s why taking notes is so important. Think of it as a “silent” way to restate what you’re taking in. Focus on capturing the key ideas and on paraphrasing what you hear (rather than writing things down verbatim). Putting ideas into your own words will deepen your understanding and strengthen your ability to recall the information later.

Refer to the information on note-taking and other read-study strategies in Chapter 5 if you need assistance in any of these important areas yet to be covered in the course.

Effective Participation Strategies

Like listening, participating in class will help you get more out of class. It may also help you stand out as a student. Instructors notice the students who participate in class, and participation is often a component of the final grade. “Participation” may include contributing to discussions, class activities, or projects. It means being actively involved.

The following are some strategies for effective participation:

• Be a team player: Although most students have classmates they prefer to work with, they should be willing to collaborate in different types of groups. Teamwork demonstrates that a student can adapt to and learn in different situations.
• Share meaningful questions and comments: Some students speak up in class repeatedly if they know that participation is part of their grade. Although there isn’t necessarily anything wrong with this, it’s a good practice to focus on quality vs. quantity. For instance, a quieter student who raises her hand only twice during a discussion but provides thoughtful comments might be more noticeable to an instructor than a student who comments on everything that’s said.
• Be prepared: As with listening, effective participation relies on coming to class prepared. Students should complete all reading assignments beforehand and also review any notes from the previous meeting. This way they can come to class ready to discuss and engage. Be sure to write down any questions or comments you have—this is an especially good strategy for quieter students or those who need practice thinking on their feet.

If You Need to Miss a Class

Class attendance is obviously important for academic success, but from time to time you may need to miss a class. Sometimes it can’t be helped. Since college classes have fewer sessions than high school, missing one class means missing more work.

The following strategies can help you minimize the academic impact when you can’t attend a class:

• Plan in advance: Although nobody can plan to be sick, students should give their instructors advanced notice if they know they will need to miss class for something like a doctor’s appointment. This is not only respectful to the instructor, but he or she may be able to give you any handouts or assignments that you might otherwise miss. If you anticipate that class will be canceled on account of bad weather, etc., make sure you have all the materials and notes that you need to work at home. In college, “snow days” are rarely “free days”—i.e., expect that you will be responsible for all the work due on those days when school reopens.
• Talk to fellow students: Ask to borrow class notes from one or two classmates who are reliable note takers. Be sure to also ask them about any announcements or assignments the instructor made during the class you missed.
• Do the reading assignment(s) and any other homework. Take notes on any readings that will be discussed in the class you missed. If you have questions on the reading or homework, seek help from your classmates. Completing the homework and coming prepared for the next session will demonstrate to your instructor that you are still dedicated to the class.

---