Online courses don’t meet in person. Instead, course content is delivered via
the
internet, TV, CDs or DVDs. There may be opportunities for live events like conferences or lectures
as well.
As an online student, keeping up with weekly assignments and deadlines is vital to your success.
Since your
class attendance isn’t tracked, assignments are used to determine how well you are completing the
course. If
you are not timely with your assignments, your grade will reflect that.
Classes are conducted through a learning management system, Moodle. This Unique learning environment facilitated by Bluefield State faculty contains both material recorded during in-person classes and material created primarily for online courses. Students can use Moodle from anywhere they can connect to the internet.
Accessing Moodle
First log on to Bluefield State’s campus portal, myBSU, using your Bluefield State username and password. If you’ve forgotten your username or password, you can reset it using the Forgot Password link on the login page of myBSU.
Once you’re in the myBSU system, you can find your course by selecting the Moodle icon. Every instructor designs their courses differently, and although there may be many similarities, be sure to follow all directions posted by your instructor whether in course materials, discussion boards or announcement pages.
Tips for Success
- Be organized. These courses do not meet in person. Therefore, you must use the syllabus and course outline to complete assignments by the deadlines listed. Mark your calendar with test dates. Recognize your due dates and schedule preparation days to stay on track. Plan several hours per week to read the text or materials, post questions and comments, and complete and submit assignments. Each instructor maintains the course structure and facilitates classroom expectations, which should be spelled out in the syllabus.
- Don’t procrastinate. Viewings, readings and assignments should be done weekly. Don’t put them off until the last minute.
- Keep deadlines. Instructors may drop you from classes for failure to complete assignments. If you are not completing assignments in a timely manner, when grade time comes, instructors will be forced to give you an F (they are required to follow the university’s academic regulations).
- Ask for help early and often. Ask questions. Communicate with the instructor using email if you are uncertain about anything. Most online courses are writing- and reading-intensive, so falling behind will have a negative bearing on your success. Use resources like Student Services Center and Smart Thinking™ to receive tutoring on subjects presented in the course.
- Practice. Practice any online activities such as glossary flashcards. Use the study guides and exam reviews that are posted on the homepage for each exam. Take practice tests, if offered. Most give immediate feedback and answers. When workshops are scheduled, try to attend them.
Rules for Online Conduct
The rules of conduct and the institutional policies laid out in the Bluefield State School Catalog and Student Handbook apply to online students as well as campus students.
A Computer System Use and Abuse Policy can be found in the handbook, which grants students the use of lab and online resources subject to university policies, local, state and federal laws. Such obligations are suggested but not limited to copyright, intellectual property rights, and academic honesty and ethics.
Online Learning Help Desk
Instructional Technology Center
Hours: Monday – Friday 8:00 am – 4:00 pm
Phone: (304)-327-4057
Toll Free: 800-344-8892 or or 800-654-7798
Moodle
Phone: (304)-327-4545
Email: moodlesupport@bluefieldstate.edu
These services are part of the Instructional Technology Center and are available to anyone within the Bluefield State student or faculty community.
Location & Contact Information
Room 405
Ned Shott Physical Education Building
Bluefield State University, Bluefield Campus
Phone: (304) 327-4441
Email: testing@bluefieldstate.edu
Hours of Operation
Monday – Friday: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
- All individuals must present a BSU Student ID in order to take any test/assessment at the BSU Testing Center.
- All students that take a test at the BSU Testing Center must sign a BSU Testing Center Student Agreement Form prior to testing.
- No cell phones or other electronic devices will be allowed in the Testing Center.
- Students will leave all personal belongings (including cell phones, smart watches, etc.) secured in marked cubes inside the Testing Center.
- No books, notes, or other materials will be allowed in the Testing Center (unless authorized by the instructor).
- No food, drinks, or tobacco products are allowed in the Testing Center.
- Students should arrive at the testing center early enough to allow them to finish the test within 15 minutes prior to closing.
- Students that arrive to take a test where the allotted time to complete the test may exceed the allotted time remaining before the BSU Testing Center closes must sign a Testing Termination Agreement Form.
- Students who are still testing at the time of closing will be required to submit or exit their test.
- No talking or other disturbances are allowed in the Testing Center.
- No visitors are allowed in the Testing Center (including children).
- Students may not keep or make copies of the test/assessment and may not leave the Testing Center until they are finished with the test/assessment unless closely supervised.
- Students are encouraged to let someone know when they intend to use the Testing Center for the sake of emergency contact. In the event of an emergency, students should have outside persons contact the testing center directly.
- If a student has purchased an e-book as the course textbook, it is the student’s responsibility to bring all or part of the e-book in printed form if the exam is “open book”, and said materials must adhere to the instructor’s guidelines.
Any student who feels he or she may need testing accommodations based on the impact of a disability should contact the disability services office privately to discuss specific needs. Please contact Student Support Services at (304) 327-4098 to establish eligibility and to coordinate reasonable accommodations.
Students who desire to take a test for a BSU course at another testing site other than the BSU Testing Center must download the official BSU Proctor Request Form and coordinate with the instructor of the course in question. The official test proctor agreeing to administer the test must complete the form and return it to the course instructor. It is the responsibility of the student and the course instructor to arrange for, and approve external proctors. Submission of a completed BSU Proctor Request Form indicates that all parties have read, acknowledged, and agreed to the policies and responsibilities outlined in the Offsite Proctoring Procedures. Please review the BSU Offsite Proctoring Procedures for additional details and responsibilities.
If at any point during the administration of a proctored assessment (e.g., test, assignment, etc.) either on campus or at an off-site location, an unforeseen circumstance arises (e.g., family emergency, power failure, sickness, etc.) which prevents the student from completing the assessment, then the proctor on duty must submit a completed Incident Report to the instructor of the course affected by said event. An incident report will also be completed in the event that a student is caught violating any of the responsibilities outlined in the Student Agreement Form.
Testing Forms
To successfully administer testing at the BSU Testing Center, faculty are required to complete an official Instructor Transmittal Form prior to administering the test. The Testing Center Coordinator must receive the test information and materials at least FIVE (5) working days before the test will be made available to students. Please email a completed transmittal form to testing@bluefieldstate.edu.
Testing Center Calendar
At various times throughout the semester, the Testing Center will be utilized for completion of various forms of the TEAS (Test of Essential Academic Skills) Test. These dates will be listed below as needed so that students and instructors will be aware of the change in Testing Center availability. For information regarding registering for a TEAS test, please email Cravor Jones at cjones@bluefieldstate.edu.
- October 15, 2021, TEAS Testing from 8:00am to 12:00pm
- October 29, 2021, TEAS Testing from 8:00am to 12:00pm
- November 19, 2021, TEAS Testing from 8:00am to 12:00pm
- December 14, 2021,TEAS Testing from 8:00am to 12:00pm
- January 21, 2022, TEAS Testing from 8:00am to 12:00pm
Online Test Completion with Proctortrack
Due to Covid-19 Bluefield State College has provided Proctortrack at no cost to students for the Spring 2021 semester. Proctortrack will enable students to take their exams online from home or another safe environment. Students must first complete the onboarding quiz for their course. Verification of the onboarding may take up to 48 hours. Once the onboarding has been completed students will be able to take their tests and quizzes via Proctortrack. Your course instructor will review recordings and alerts for possible honor code violations at the completion of each proctored assessment. Additional details regarding setup and utilization of Proctortrack may be found here. Please note that proctored tests will take place through the Moodle Learning Management System shell associated with your online course.
Students will be required to complete an Onboarding process before completing any proctored assessment. The Onboarding process will ensure a student can successfully complete a proctored test for the course utilizing their hardware and software setup. Please consult the Student Guide for Using Proctortrack in Moodle.