Getting Started

Timeline – Before Classes Start

Start writing goals, objectives or desired learning outcomes. See our course design guide for tips to get started.
Begin considering what kinds of assignments students will do. See our suggestions for designing appropriate assignments.
Sign your contract. Do this as early as possible so that you can be paid in a timely manner. It is also helpful to complete employment paperwork so that you can be put into the university computer system as quickly as possible; you must be in the system to set up your myUMBC account.

Start drafting your syllabus. See our resource on what goes into a good syllabus for ideas.
Order books.
Gather course documents (journal articles, useful websites, films, etc.)
Set up your myUMBC account.
Start setting up your Blackboard shell.

Visit your classroom to make sure you know where it is, what it’s like and what equipment is available to you.
Check the A/V and other classroom technology to make sure it works with whatever device you plan to use.
Make sure you can access your class roster in Student Administration (SA). Your enrollment will probably change several times over the course of the next month.

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