Start Guide for Online Learning Support
How does the Start Guide work?
The Start Guide is composed of four (4) modules, each with several pages of content and ending with a quiz. After completing the quiz at the end of each module the next one will become available.
In the final module you will complete a readiness assessment that will open in a new window/tab. When this assessment is completed, you have the option to save or email a copy of your results to yourself.
The final step, after completing the readiness assessment, requires you to return to D2L Brightspace, and review the last page titled ‘Start Guide Completion’. You will want to read over the full page and then click the large Submit Results button at the bottom of the page to submit your completion of the Start Guide for Online Learning and acquire the prerequisite from this course.
You can confirm that you have completed the Start Guide for Online Learning fully by checking your My Courses tab of MyPCC and noting whether the Virtual Backpack icon listed within the “Ready to take online classes?” box now has a green check on it.
More information can be found on the Start Guide for Online Learning page.
Frequently asked questions
Can I stop and return to the start guide at a later time to complete it?
Yes. If you leave the Start Guide for Online Learning then you can return to where you last left off by accessing the course shell on D2L Brightspace and clicking the Content link located within the course navigation bar. The pages you have completed or looked at will have a check mark to the right of the page title. You will want to click on the first module without a check mark to pick up where you left off.
I am getting an error message that my D2L Brightspace account is deactivate.
Please contact the Student Help Desk at 971-722-8222, or email shd@pcc.edu from your PCC email. We will activate your D2L Brightspace account.
I thought I finished it, why can’t I register?
You can confirm you have completed the start guide by loading your MyPCC My courses tab. If you have fully completed the Start Guide for Online Learning then the backpack image will have a green check mark on it. If there is not a green check mark on the backpack, you may not have completed the final module. Return to the Start Guide for Online Learning in D2L Brightspace and click on the Content link to pick up where you left off.
It’s worth noting that the Start Guide for Online Learning only provides you with the prerequisite to enroll in fully online courses in general. Without completing the Start Guide for Online Learning you would only be able to sign up for on-campus courses.
You would additionally need to have any other prerequisites that are required for the course satisfied on your PCC account to enroll in a course, beyond what is provided from the Start Guide for Online Learning.
I have taken online classes before at other schools, do I still have to do this?
The Start Guide for Online Learning is required to be completed by all students prior to enrolling in a fully online offering. If you have taken online classes before then this should be relatively quick course to get through, and you will learn about support resources specific to PCC.
What about community education (or Ed2go) classes? Do I have to complete this guide?
No. The Start Guide for Online Learning only applies to credit earning online classes that have the computer icon designation in the schedule.
My advisor (or another staff member) gave me an override for an Online course in a previous term. Why am I still being asked to complete this?
The override you received was for prerequisites of the course(s) you enrolled in that term. Once the term ends the overrides expire and the prerequisite acquired from the Start Guide for Online Learning would be required again.
I was taking the first quiz, and hit the arrow to go to the next page, but it took me back to the beginning.
Please watch the D2L Brightspace quizzes orientation video. You will need to submit the quiz to continue to the next section of the Start Guide for Online Learning.
Do you have a question about the Start Guide for Online Learning that was not answered here? Contact the Student Help Desk for more information!