As the new semester begins, we know everyone is busy getting ready to make it a great learning experience for your students. One key part of this is making sure course materials and schedules are ready to go on our digital learning environment – paskwâwi-mostos mêskanâs.

Students often get stressed when they don’t know what to expect from their courses. You can help reduce this stress by either making your course available when it is ready or by letting students know when they can access it.

What You Can Do

  1. Activate Your Course: If your course is ready, please make it visible to students as soon as possible. The process is simple and can be found here.
  2. Make an Announcement in Class: If your course is not yet ready, you can still reduce student anxiety by letting them know about when it will be available. A simple message outlining the expected availability date and any preparatory steps they can take can go a long way.
  3. Seek Support: If you encounter any issues or have questions about using mêskanâs, you can find assistance by dropping by our live support room here or emailing us at dle@macewan.ca.

Why is this Important?

  1. Early Access to Materials: Students benefit from having early access to the course outline, reading lists, and any preparatory materials to help them plan their semester, purchase textbooks and balance their commitments.
  2. Familiarity with Course Structure: A preview of the course layout, grading policies, and assignment due dates helps students understand what will be expected of them.
  3. Technical Troubleshooting: Early access allows time for resolving any technical issues, ensuring that all students can access materials and participate in online components of the course.

By taking these steps, we can collectively reduce student anxiety and contribute to a more focused and positive learning environment.

From the Centre for Teaching and Learning