I am enrolled in a course. Now what?

What responsibilities do I have as the learner?

Welcome!  As a learner at BeADisciple, there are some expectations that will set you up to have the best experience possible.

Learners are responsible to:

• Know the day the course begins.  You should write it on your calendar and plan to participate. 
• Make sure they have received the login instructions and are able to login to the course that day.  If it is after noon Central time, and you have checked your spam filter, then email us at beadisciple@sckans.edu for help.  
• Know if there are any additional materials needed. We put all of the information you need for your course on the course description page, so be sure to read it thoroughly. You will then know what to have and what to do to be fully prepared when the course begins.
• Understand how BeADisciple works.  Our courses are small group experiences online using the software Blackboard.  You will not download Blackboard, you will access it through a secure username and password.  Click here for more information on Blackboard.  
• Manage their schedule.  You are responsible for your schedule.  We recommend planning one hour in your daily schedule for completing assignments in the online course, but it’s an hour according to your schedule.

Below, you’ll find some other questions we are asked by new or returning learners regularly.  Explore these for more information; if you don’t find the question and answer you’re seeking, please email us at BeADisciple@sckans.edu.  

Where and When do my courses meet?

Where? Your BeADisciple online course will meet in Blackboard and this is the login location.  (From any page on our website, click on “Go to Blackboard”- see above and towards the right on this page.)  Prior to the start date of your first online course, you won’t have a username/password combination to enter here.  We will send that combination to you on the morning your course begins sometime between 10:00 am and noon Central time.  You may login to begin your course on its start date once you have received this email.  You can read more about Blackboard on our Blackboard Information page.  

When?  Our online courses are mostly asynchronous, meaning you don’t have to be online at the same time as other students in order to participate. Learners have access to the course environment 24/7. You choose, according to your own schedule, when to log into Blackboard each day to read course materials, complete assignments, and participate in online discussions with your classmates via the discussion board for the day. There will generally be an assignment every day, five or six days a week, during the course.

If the “Quick Info” column on a course description page says it includes a “Live Video Session” (which is a time-sensitive event in Zoom) the details will be stated in the full course description on that same page.  Such a session may be “optional” or “required.” If it’s required, the day and time will be stated. If it’s optional, it may be pre-scheduled or scheduled after the class starts according to what is convenient for the most learners.

Is there a set time for my class to meet daily?

You should plan on one hour of work per day, but using Blackboard allows each learner to log in at the time of day that works best for their own schedule while still allowing for interaction with other learners and the course instructor on a daily basis. 

On the course start day, we make the promise that the login instructions email will be sent between 10:00 am and noon Central time because it takes us all morning to launch the day’s courses.  This does NOT mean you have to be waiting at your computer to login.  You can login at any time that day after the email arrives. (If the email does not arrive by noon Central time, check your spam filter first, then email us at beadisciple@sckans.edu for assistance.)

Does that mean I never have any set meeting times?

Not necessarily. Some instructors schedule live meeting times (held by Zoom) but if live sessions are part of the course, the days/times are either in the course description or are set with learner input once a course begins. “Live” meetings are almost always optional and extra opportunities for learning. Instructions for logging into the live sessions will be given inside the course site.   

If it wasn’t in the course description, and the quick info section says “No” regarding Live Video Sessions, then your entire course will be held asynchronously.

How about additional books or materials?

Some courses require an additional book purchase. Please re‐read the course description for your course if you are unsure.   No one will remind you to purchase the needed materials; we expect you to follow the instructions in the course description for your course.  

We link from the course description to one option for purchasing the materials (usually through Amazon.)  You do not have to purchase the materials through the link we provide, but you should follow that link at least once to make sure you have the correct version of the materials for the course.

If no live meetings are planned, how do I interact with other people in the course?

Learners start on the same day, move through materials together, and end on approximately the same day (although most instructors are flexible by a few days to allow as many to complete as possible) using Blackboard. You will answer questions and respond to your classmates’ answers and most learners find they get to know their peers in the course quite well. The dates of your course are important; be sure to write them on your calendar so you won’t miss your course!  

What happens on the first day of the course?

You should receive an email between 10:00 am and noon Central time on the morning the course is scheduled to start. Please allow until noon Central time for the day’s courses to be opened. Log-in instructions will be attached as a .pdf to that email. Check your spam/junk folder first if you don’t see your welcome email by this time and if it’s not there, email us at beadisciple@sckans.edu.   

What kind of information will be in that first email?

The welcome email will contain log-in instructions and a generic password with instructions on how to change this password for one that is specific to you. You will use this same Blackboard account when you take future courses, so if you change the password, you might document it somehow. (We can always reset your password for you if you forget it.)  

What happens if I have to miss a day in my course?

If you have to miss a day in your course, then the work can typically be made up with a little extra time the next day.  It’s always a good idea to communicate this with the course instructor.  You can email an instructor through the course site once a course has begun.  

If I find my schedule changes and I can’t take a course I’ve signed up for, can I get a refund?

Refunds are given upon request up until five days before a course is scheduled to begin. This allows us time to try to fill the vacated spot. Refunds are not granted after this time.  IFD Refund Policy 

I may have more questions…

If you have questions about assignments once a course begins, you may email your instructor directly to ask questions for clarification.   If you have further questions, be sure to ask, or read through our Frequently Asked Questions page.  And again, welcome to BeADisciple!