Start Here Checklist

Review Start Here from a student’s point of view. Use these prompts to plan a new module or refresh an existing one.

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Start Here is a home base for orientation and learner support. It can address many Category 4 standards by making navigation, contact information, policies, help, and feedback routes easy to find. Keep that guidance available throughout the course.

A planning aid for best practices. Use alongside the current KCTCS Essential Standards (KES), college requirements, and your course expectations. Prompts marked KES connection identify standards addressed by that work; prompts marked Best practice are additional recommendations. A connection is not a finding that the standard is met. This module checklist does not replace a review of the whole course.

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Welcome & first steps

Students know where to start.Label the module clearly and give a short sequence of first steps.KES connection: 1.9, 4.1Students meet the instructor and understand the course’s purpose.Use a brief welcome; provide captions or a text alternative for media.Best practiceStudents know what to do after Start Here.Point to the first learning module and its first deadline.KES connection: 1.9

Finding their way

Students can locate course materials, activities, grades, and feedback.Explain your course structure with a short tour or annotated overview.KES connection: 4.1Students can find the current syllabus and schedule.Check term dates and keep quick references consistent with the syllabus.Best practiceStudents understand the usual weekly rhythm.Explain when work opens, when participation is expected, and how deadlines are stated.Best practice

Communication & participation

Students know how and when to contact the instructor.Include preferred channel, response timeframe, office hours, and how to arrange help.KES connection: 4.4Students know how the instructor will teach, interact, and provide feedback.Describe predictable announcements, discussions, feedback, or other planned contact.Best practiceStudents understand participation and netiquette expectations.Explain discussion timing, respectful communication, and course-specific participation requirements.KES connection: 4.9; participation grading: 2.7

Materials, technology & policies

Students can identify the right books, access codes, and required tools.Include exact course materials and publisher setup directions; link section-specific bookstore guidance.Best practiceStudents can check device, browser, software, and testing requirements early.Identify webcams, microphones, proctoring tools, or campus visits when applicable.Best practiceStudents understand how their work is assessed.Explain points or weights, major assessments, deadlines, late work, and where detailed criteria appear.KES connection: 3.1Students know the rules for academic integrity, AI, and collaboration.State what is allowed in this course and clarify assignment-level exceptions.KES connection: 4.9

Support & accessibility

Students can find academic, technology, and personal support.Link relevant student guides and make clear who handles course questions versus technical issues.Best practiceStudents can find accommodations information and available alternative formats.Provide the accommodations process and explain Ally where appropriate.KES connection: 1.13, 4.13Students can read and use the Start Here materials.Use headings, descriptive links, accessible documents, captions, and meaningful image alternatives.KES connection: 1.14, 1.16

Make materials usable

Students can use shorter, manageable materials.Break lengthy documents or recordings into useful segments.KES connection: 4.14Students can access media without downloading large files unnecessarily.Stream video when possible and optimize images for web delivery.KES connection: 4.15Students can open course materials in standard formats.Use formats students can access with available tools.KES connection: 4.16Required technologies are linked where students use them.Give a course-level overview in Start Here and repeat the actual tool link with each activity’s instructions.KES connection: 4.17

Practice & readiness

Students can try an essential course action with low stakes.Consider a short introduction, practice upload, or syllabus activity that matches what they will do later.Best practiceStudents know whether an opening activity is required and when it is due.Use a Blackboard activity to record completion when needed; embedded-page interactions do not record course completion.Best practice

Keep a feedback route open

Students know how to offer feedback about course design and content.Introduce an open forum in Start Here and keep it available during the course. Pair ongoing feedback with a course-generic survey and an opportunity to respond after course completion.KES connection: 4.18

Suggested open forum wording

Course Questions & Feedback

Have a question about how this course works? Notice a confusing direction, a link that does not work, or something that would make the course easier to navigate? Post it here. You can also share what is helping you learn.

Check back for responses, and feel free to help classmates when you can. For personal concerns, grades, accommodations, or anything you would rather discuss privately, contact me directly.

If an issue affects an upcoming deadline, contact me directly as soon as possible—ideally before it is due. Do not rely on a forum post for an urgent issue.

Use a course-generic feedback survey

The optional Student Course Feedback Survey uses nine reusable questions about course design, technology, and the learning experience. Use it during the course while there is time to respond to concerns, and offer a feedback opportunity after completion as well.

Adapt the prompts below to your Blackboard survey. Confirm its response settings before telling students whether responses are anonymous.

Suggested survey introduction

Your feedback helps me understand what is working and what could be clearer. Share your thoughts about the course organization, technology, and learning experience. For urgent help or a deadline concern, contact me directly rather than waiting for this survey to be reviewed.

Course design

How clear are the course objectives and expectations? Scale: 1 (Not Clear at All) to 4 (Very Clear).
Is the course content organized in a way that is easy to navigate and understand? True or False.
What improvements would you suggest to the course layout or organization?

Technology

How would you rate your overall experience with Blackboard Ultra? Scale: 1 (Poor) to 4 (Excellent).
What additional technologies or tools might enhance your learning experience?
Have you encountered technical difficulties in Blackboard Ultra? If so, describe them.

General feedback

What aspects of the course have been most beneficial to your learning?
What aspects have been challenging, or where would you like more support?
What other comments or suggestions do you have for improving the course?

Adapted from Stephanie Self’s optional Student Course Feedback Survey. These prompts are a text reference, not a Blackboard survey import file.

Review the forum and survey responses regularly. Acknowledge useful feedback and explain changes—or why a requested change is not possible.

Before students arrive

The module works in student view.Check visibility, release conditions, permissions, links, and embedded content.Best practiceThe experience works on a phone and with keyboard navigation.Check reading order, scrolling, focus, and whether key directions remain easy to find.KES connection: 1.16Information is current and easy to maintain.Remove old dates, verify contacts, and place shared links where future updates will reach students.Best practice

Carry the guidance into each module

Module overviews are the recommended home for KES 1.1, 1.8, and 1.9. Start Here introduces the overall course; each module overview should make the learning path clear for that unit.

1.1 — Goals and objectives: State what students should learn and connect module objectives to course outcomes.
1.8 — Purpose and alignment: Explain how the activities help students reach those objectives.
1.9 — Instructional guidance: Explain how to work with the content and what to do, in what order.

Choose resources to support the module

Copy student resource links and embed codes (opens in a new tab) and place help beside the tasks where it will be useful.

KES reference: KCTCS Essential Standards Quick Checklist supplied for this project. Some standards concern the full course, including assessment frequency and variety; reviewing Start Here alone cannot establish that those standards are met.

Best-practice reference: SUNY OSCQR: Overview and Information (opens in a new tab). This local planning guide also includes course-specific implementation prompts.

Suggest an addition or correction: email Stephanie Self.

LAST UPDATED: October 16, 2026