How to attend class when you can’t meet in person.

Not feeling well?  Can’t make it to campus?  Campus closed? No problem! There are a few simple things you can do to avoid losing valuable classroom instruction time.

All courses have an associated course site on Moodle, Augsburg’s learning management system (LMS).  While many courses regularly use Moodle, some may be leveraging it in new ways to provide remote instruction.  Even if you do not regularly use Moodle, it can still be a simple, valuable, and secure place to access your materials and to interact with your class. 

To get started, here are three simple concepts to consider.

1. Plan ahead

Your class time while away will be best used if you take the time, before you need it, to acquaint yourself with some learning tools (e.g, Moodle Assignments, Online Forums, VoiceThread, Zoom, etc.) that you may use.  The Moodle Introduction Course is a good place to start to learn the basics.  Please note that we are updating this site frequently with new content to advance your online learning skills, so check it regularly for new information and help.

For those of you who are smartphone or tablet users, one specific thing you can do ahead of time is to download the Moodle app.  For instructions on how to connect the app with your moodle courses, go to http://go.augsburg.edu/mmobile

2. Communicate with your instructor

If your course or courses move to an online format, your instructor will notify you of this.  The method of communication will vary by instructor, so keep an eye on the Announcement Forum (in the top section of each Moodle course), your email, and of course, campus Emergency Notifications.  

If you not feeling well and are needing to connect remotely while campus is open, make sure you proactively reach out to your instructor to find out the best way to participate.  Also, if face-to-face classes are suspended and you have not received any notification from your instructor about how to continue to participate, then you need to email them for help (the instructor’s email address is in the course syllabus).  Remember that communication is a two-way street.

3. Access your course material

When the time comes, dig in and get your work done.  We know that students (especially at Augsburg) are resilient, and we have confidence you can succeed–even from a distance!

Should you get stuck, your classmates and instructor will be your best help, but the TechDesk is here to assist as well.  Contact information can be found on the TechDesk website, as well as on the Moodle Introduction Course where you can find additional resources that may be helpful to you as you learn from a distance.