Getting Started
Objectives
●
Navigate the Virtual
Learning Academy platform by logging in, navigating through icons,
units, and completing and submitting assignments.
●
Get to meet your classmates and coach on Google Spaces.
●
Develop a
weekly habit of logging outside classroom hours.
Welcome to ChallengeU! We are so happy you've joined the ChallengeU community. We want to make sure you have an awesome experience, so we put together a helpful 3-week onboarding course to set you up for success. Each lesson will include TikTok Insight videos that will provide you with inspiration and more information. Check out this TikTok video with Shaquille O’Neal sharing his thoughts on why education matters:
Building Community
Studies show that feeling part of a supportive community helps students do better in school. When we feel like we belong and have people cheering us on, we're more likely to show up, complete our assignments, and graduate.
To give you a place to connect with classmates and teachers, we'll use Google Chat and Google Spaces. Watch this quick video series to learn the basics of Google Chat:
Google Chat Video Series
You'll soon get an email inviting you to a Google Space. Accept the invite to join your community space online. Getting to know your peers and having people to turn to for help can make reaching your goals feel more doable. Check out Google Chat and Google Spaces to see all the ways we can build community and set each other up for success this year!
Virtual Leaning Academy (VLA)
And please don't hesitate to reach out to your coach if you get stuck or have any questions along the way. That's what we're here for! We want you to feel confident and excited about the whole journey. So lean on us whenever an extra hand could help. We've so got your back! Now, let's have some fun with these tutorials. It's going to be a wonderful adventure getting to know this new platform together!
Navigating the Home Page
On your homepage, you'll also see:
● All of your courses
● Your progress in each one
● Time spent
● Average grade
● Final grade
● Alerts
Pay close attention to your time! You should spend at least 12.5 hours per week on coursework. The more time you spend on classwork, the faster you'll finish each course—you could even wrap up early! We also track your outside class time, up to 12.5 hours per week. This could be your job, meeting your coach, doctor's appointments, counseling, etc.
The requirement is 25 hours per week total. The 25 hours are made up of time doing your classwork and other activities. Giving your courses the time will help you grow and achieve your destiny! Ask your coach if you ever need help with managing your study schedule. Let's get started by watching the video to learn more about VLA.
Navigating Icon Menu Bar
In this section, we learn about all the different icons located in the top right corner icon menu bar on the VLA home page.
Icon list (left to right):
●
Home: click on the house icon
to return to your home page at any time
●
Page: takes you to a lesson you
are working on
●
Envelop: email access
that you have sent or have received
●
Pencil: write a
message to your teacher
●
Conversation bubbles:
teachers paste helpful information on this forum
●
Blog Icon: Blog page for
tips and tricks
●
Question mark: take you to
technical support solutions
●
Person icon: click to
contact tech support only
● X icon: click when you are done working in the system to log out
Now it's time to learn how to navigate your courses. This begins by clicking on the course and then opening a unit by clicking on the unit title. You can change your view by clicking on the left vertical menu bar. Watch the video to learn more:
Course Left Menu Bar Icons (top to bottom):
●
Read a Unit
●
Answer Question
●
Split Screen
(Vertical, mobile phone)
●
Split Screen
(Horizontal, computer/tablet)
●
Unit Resources
●
Printer
Friendly
Split Screens & Answering Questions
You can see learning material by clicking the Read a Unit icon or the two Split Screen icons. When you are ready to answer questions, click the Answer Questions icon. You can also click one of the two Split Screen buttons to see the questions alongside the learning material. Click the 'Save' button after answering each question. Answer all questions before completing and sending them to your teacher.
You can include an additional log activity time by clicking the 'Add
a Log Entry' if you spent time outside the course on the lesson. Add the date,
start time, end time, and description, then click the 'Save' button. If you do
not have time to add, click on the button 'I do not have any Offline Activities
for this unit,' then click the 'Save' button.
Click All Finished!
Click the 'All finished review my answers' button. Review your
answers and add any questions you might have for your teacher in the box
provided. Click 'Looks ok, send to my teacher' when you are done.
Attaching Activities & Completing
Log Entry Assignment
Watch this video to learn where to find the assignments and how to download them to your desktop.
Great Job!
Completing this assignment taught you how to navigate the Virtual Learning Academy platform! You are one step closer to doing great in your classes. Below are some additional videos for you to review. Please remember your coach is there for you to help answer any questions. Plus, you can click on the Person Icon on the home page when you need technical support.
Want to learn more?
You can see all of the Virtual Learning Academy tutorials here:
Virtual Learning
Academy Student Tutorial Playlist
Your Voice Matters!
To improve this lesson, we want to know what you think. Your voice and opinions matter to us! Please answer the reflective questions, then break out your amazing research skills to find lesson-centered topic videos that would benefit future ChallengeU classmates. You can find your videos on YouTube, TikTok, or Instagram.