Exploring Canvas and Resources at North Central College

North Central College is dedicated to providing its students, faculty, and staff with a comprehensive suite of resources and tools to facilitate learning, research, and professional growth. Among these resources, Canvas stands out as a central platform for managing digital learning. This article delves into the features of Canvas at North Central College, alongside other essential resources like the Oesterle Library and student support services, to provide a holistic view of the college's commitment to academic excellence and student success.

Canvas: A Digital Learning Hub

Canvas is a web-based software used at North Central College. It empowers educators to create and present online learning materials and assess student learning. Students use it to engage in courses and receive feedback about skill development and learning achievement. It serves as the college's online learning platform, where students can access course materials, submit assignments, take quizzes, and communicate with instructors and classmates.

Key Features and Benefits

Centralized Course Management: Canvas allows instructors to organize and deliver course content in a structured and accessible manner.
Interactive Learning Environment: The platform supports various interactive elements, such as discussion forums, quizzes, and multimedia resources, to enhance student engagement.
Assessment and Feedback: Canvas provides tools for creating and administering assessments, as well as providing timely feedback to students on their performance.
Communication and Collaboration: Students and instructors can communicate and collaborate effectively through Canvas' messaging system, discussion boards, and group project features.

Oesterle Library: A Gateway to Information and Research

Oesterle Library is a student-centered resource center focused on creating a diverse and responsive environment of access, creativity, and learning. The mission of North Central College Library Services is to provide resources and services to meet the College Community's information and instructional media needs and to assist members of that community in developing skills for lifelong learning.

Collection Development and Management

The information resources selection process is a cooperative endeavor. Responsibility for developing a relevant and balanced collection depends on the efforts of faculty, library liaisons, and students. Each librarian serves as a liaison to a department or division. Library liaisons accept book and media orders from the chairperson of each department or division to which they are liaison. Library liaisons also facilitate the selection of gift materials and the annual review of periodicals. The library welcomes gifts of books or other materials that support the curriculum from members of the North Central College community. Inventory/shelf reading and physical assessment of materials is performed on an ongoing basis to ensure that the library’s catalog accurately reflects the library’s holdings. Deselection, or weeding, is an integral part of collection management. have been replaced by a more accessible format.

Specialized Collections

Curriculum Collection: The collection houses K-12 textbooks and activity and resource materials needed by education students.
Archives and Special Collections: The North Central College Archives is to collect, organize, describe, preserve and make available for research materials on the history of North Central College, Shimer College, and the western Chicago suburbs after World War II. The Archives supports the College community's need for historical information and provides reference assistance to researchers from on and off campus. The archive collects archival material, including documents, audio, video, photos, and artifacts, in both analog and digital formats.
Cardinal Textbooks: This is a Reserve collection available for 2 hour increments and in-library use only. Items that are included are print books that are required texts for North Central College classes.

Access and Services

Access to Electronic Resources: Access is of paramount importance to purchasing electronic resources.
Reserve Materials: Materials placed on reserve are located at the Information Services Desk in Oesterle Library. These materials are for the use of North Central College students, faculty, and staff only. A reserve form (available at the library or online in the Services for Faculty section) must be completed listing all titles, and the number of copies of each, to be placed on reserve for each course. All photocopies must carry a notice that the material may be protected by copyright law.
Archives & Special Collections: The North Central College Archives & Special Collections collects, organizes, describes, preserves, and makes available research and reference materials on the history of North Central College, Shimer College, and the western Chicago suburbs after World War II. Special Collections consists primarily of rare books and publications that hold long-term historical research potential for the North Central College academic programs. Instruction and reference are available to individual researchers during the Archives open hours upon appointment. Appointments should be made with the Head of Archives and Special Collections. The preservation of materials is vital to the ongoing operations of the NCC Archives. The collections are housed in a secure, temperature-controlled environment. The Archives is a closed stack facility. The North Central College Archives & Special Collections as part of Oesterle Library provides access to digital collections to further education and research. Care is taken to clear rights and attribute rights holders when possible, but due to the nature of archives and special collections this information is not always available. A statement that includes the nature of the issue with the shared materials, such as non-attribution, misattribution, copyright infringement, or privacy concern.
Copyright Compliance: The library complies with the Copyright Law of the United States.
Community Borrowing: Members of the Naperville community who have a library card with the Naperville Public Library are able to sign-up for a Community Borrower card to borrow print materials from the North Central College Library.
I-Share and Interlibrary Loan: I-Share library members allow North Central College patrons to borrow materials in person may be found here. Interlibrary loan requests for books may be placed online via I-Share. Interlibrary loan requests for books not available in I-Share and for articles may be placed by filling out the appropriate online request forms. Incomplete or inaccurate information on forms delays the processing of requests. Library staff members are available to help patrons in placing requests. Books may be borrowed from libraries that are members of I-Share by placing a request online. Books can also be borrowed from non-I-Share libraries by filling out the appropriate online request form. For more information, contact a library staff member. While every attempt will be made to obtain materials, each library has the right to deny filling a request. Title 17, United States Code limits the annual number of copies or periodical articles that institutions may obtain. These limits apply to copies from recent issues (five years old or newer) of a periodical title which the borrowing library does not own. No more than five articles may be obtained from a single title, and no more than one article from a single issue. If a request puts the library over its legal limit for the title or issue from which material was requested, the Interlibrary Loan Assistant will attempt to obtain a copy of the article via other services which provide for copyright compliance. Patrons borrowing materials from other institutions are responsible for payment of any overdue fines or replacement costs for lost or damaged items. Requests placed online via I-Share will stay in the system for 30 days, if they cannot be immediately filled. If patrons so choose, they can change this default at the time they place the request. Delivery time is dependent on availability of materials and the distance they must travel. Interlibrary loan requests submitted to the Oesterle Library Interlibrary Loan Assistant are processed on a "first-come, first-served" basis. The library attempts to process all requests within a 24-hour period, Monday through Friday. The library will keep trying to fill a request for 7 days. Patrons may check on the status of I-Share requests by using the "My Account" feature of CardinalCat. To check status of non-I-Share requests, patrons can access their Interlibrary Loan accounts. I-Share requests can be canclled online using the "My Account" feature of CardinalCat. If patrons wish to cancel any other interlibrary loan order, they can access their Interlibrary Loan accounts. In addition to requesting materials through interlibrary loan, patrons may also be eligible to borrow materials in person from selected institutions.
Faculty Support: The library encourages faculty to provide information about Oesterle Library in their syllabus, Canvas course shell, or other course documentation. Oesterle Library provides access to a broad range of high-quality information resources, including research articles, newspaper articles, and books. Librarians are available to support students through all stages of the research process, from brainstorming to bibliographies. Oesterle Library provides access to a broad range of high-quality information resources. Librarians are available to support students through all stages of the research process, from brainstorming to bibliographies.

Additional Resources and Support Systems

North Central College provides a range of additional resources and support systems to enhance the overall student experience.

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The Hub and Coursedog

The Hub is a user-friendly intranet and the go-to source for internal information. Coursedog is an event calendar system that centralizes and simplifies academic and event scheduling.

Faculty and Staff Development

North Central College faculty and staff join a community of learners that welcomes your expertise and enables your professional growth.

Online Learning Success Strategies

North Central College recognizes the growing importance of online education and provides resources to help students succeed in this environment.

Flexibility and Time Management: Online degree programs offer students the flexibility to earn their degree while balancing schoolwork with their personal and professional lives. Successful online degree students carefully manage their time, plan ahead and reach out early and often for assistance when needed.
Communication Skills: Be comfortable communicating through writing. Some classes may give you chances for video or audio chat, but most of what you will be doing in online classes is writing. Contact your instructor or student services if you are struggling with the writing portion of the class. North Central’s Writing Center also provides dedicated support for graduate students.
Collaboration: Be ready to work in online groups. Part of your assignments may include working together with your peers. These group projects are a great way to connect with other students and develop your collaboration skills. Be willing to share stories about your life, past classes, work experience, etc. One of the benefits of an online degree program is the ability to bring together students from across the country (and even the world!) who can all bring their own unique experiences and perspective to the table. Sharing with and learning from your peers is a great way to broaden your worldview and offers valuable takeaways you can apply to your own workplace.
Time Commitment: Schedule time to be a student. With the freedom and flexibility of online courses comes the responsibility of finishing the work. Building time into each day to dedicate to your graduate coursework is essential to ensuring you stay on top of assignments.
Seeking Help: Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Because you are not in the same room as the instructor, it is harder for them to know if you are struggling with an aspect of the course.
Community Engagement: Join the class community. Casual discussions can make the course more enjoyable for you, help you make friends and network with your classmates, and increase your motivation.
Technical Requirements: Be sure you have access to the internet and a good computer. While it is possible to access classes with smartphones or tablets, you will find the coursework is easier to complete on a computer. Find a comfortable, convenient study space. Learn how to navigate your courses.

Student Orientation

We are excited you are joining us as a student at North Central College. Whether you are coming as a first-year student or a transfer student, our Orientation programs will ensure that your transition to the College is smooth and enjoyable.

Through our Orientation program, students will:

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connect with peers in meaningful ways and share experiences to broaden their community
discover North Central's traditions and campus culture
learn about and deepen their understanding of the College's services and procedures that students and families use throughout their time at North Central
intellectually engage with faculty, staff, and other students to strengthen their understanding of the academic expectations of the college experience, including the General Education curriculum, engaged learning, and academic advising
register for their fall class (first-year students) or full year schedule (transfer students)

A step-by-step guide is designed for students and their families as they navigate their orientation experience.

NTC Timberwolf Ready

To succeed at NTC, it’s important to get comfortable with the digital tools you’ll use every day. From registering for classes to submitting assignments and staying connected, these essential platforms will help you navigate your college experience with ease. Workday is NTC’s student portal where you’ll register for classes, view your class schedule, check your tuition balance, and access important academic records. Multifactor authentication sends a confirmation notification to your phone or device of your choice when you log into any NTC system with your NTC student account. Canvas is NTC’s online learning platform, where you’ll access course materials, submit assignments, take quizzes, and communicate with instructors and classmates. The Pre-Advising Guide will help you get ready to meet with your Student Success Advisor and start your NTC journey with confidence. In this short, self-paced Canvas guide, you’ll explore how to pay for college, get to know your program, and build your college life plan. Once you’ve completed the course, you’re ready to schedule your advising appointment to enroll in your first semester of classes. You’ll be prompted to do this and guided through the process of scheduling your appointment in the Canvas checklist.

Financial Aid and Support

Paying for college can feel overwhelming, but there are plenty of ways to make it affordable. Scholarships help you fund your education by providing financial assistance that can be used to pay for tuition, books and other school-related expenses. Your first and most important step in the financial aid process is to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA becomes available on October 1st the year prior to attendance. Student and parent(s) will need to create a username and password (FSA ID). FAFSA encompasses grants, loans and work-study. Grants help cover your college costs and usually don’t need to be paid back. NTC offers part-time, on-campus jobs for students who qualify for work-study. Students working toward a program at NTC have a dedicated Student Success Advisor. The ARC provides academic support that is specifically designed to assist students who are currently enrolled in a class or area of study at NTC. Having a technical issue? The IT Help Desk can help, and is located at the Wausau campus in the Timberwolf Learning Commons, room C178. We are here to help!

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