Academics · Adult Learning

Learn the course website
before the first deadline.

Returning to college often means a course website you have never used: modules, a calendar, an upload button, a grades page. Work through nine things to find or practice, copy each graded item from the syllabus, and the tool checks the weights add to 100 percent, shows what is due this week and prints a one-page map of the course.

Map a courseWhat you get

Courses

The worked example is made up: an online writing course with an essay due this week, a hybrid biology course whose weights add to only 80 percent, and a statistics course starting in January. Saved on this device only.

Loading the course form. If nothing appears, turn on JavaScript.

What you get

Academics · Adult LearningFree

What you finish with
A record per course: the course, term start, instructor and format; nine platform tasks marked done, not yet or not needed; each graded item with due date and percent; office hours and questions. Counts items, totals the weights, finds the next due date and what is due within seven days, flags the biggest items ahead and prints a course map.
Who it is for
Adult learners starting or returning to community college or university courses, and the advisors, adult education teachers and college success instructors who help them.
Format
Browser organizer with a saved record per course. Prints the course map, the full record, every course in a table or a blank form; downloads a spreadsheet (.csv); exports and imports a file.
Access
Free. No account, no sign-in and nothing to install. Everything you type stays in this browser; nothing is sent to Caveat.
Where it lives
The Adult Learning space in Caveat Academics.
Support
Questions about access, an order or a correction: team@caveatacademic.com.

How to use it

  1. Sign in and find the syllabus.
  2. Copy every graded item with dates and percents.
  3. Check the weights add to 100.
  4. Practice one small submission.
  5. Print the map and keep it near your desk.

Map a course

Course websites

The first week on a course website1Sign inWith the college account; savethe address2Find the syllabusDownload it; it is therulebook for the course3Copy the graded itemsEvery item, due date andpercent4Turn on alertsDue dates and announcements toyour phone5Submit something smallAn introduction post or apractice upload6Say helloA short message to theinstructorThe first week on a course website1Sign inWith the college account; save theaddress2Find the syllabusDownload it; it is the rulebook for thecourse3Copy the graded itemsEvery item, due date and percent4Turn on alertsDue dates and announcements to yourphone5Submit something smallAn introduction post or a practiceupload6Say helloA short message to the instructor
Doing a small submission early means the first big one is not also the first upload.

Why the weights matter

A syllabus usually says what share of the grade each item carries. A research essay worth 30 percent deserves more time than a 2 percent quiz. If the percents you copied do not add to 100, something is missing, often participation, a lab or weekly quizzes.

Starting an online course counts

For federal financial aid, colleges must show a student actually began each class. In an online course, logging in alone generally does not count; submitting an assignment, taking a quiz or posting in a graded discussion does. Doing something graded in the first week protects your aid and your place in the class.

Sources

  1. 34 CFR 600.2, definition of academic attendance and attendance at an academically related activity (U.S. Department of Education).
  2. Federal Student Aid Handbook, Volume 5: withdrawals and the return of Title IV funds (fsapartners.ed.gov).
  3. Your college’s disability or accessibility services office: how to request accommodations in online and in-person courses.
  4. Your course syllabus and your college’s help pages for its learning management system.

The worked example is made up. Platforms, menus and attendance rules differ by college; your syllabus and college policies come first. Nothing you type is sent to Caveat. Support: team@caveatacademic.com.