SLC

Workshops to Help You Succeed!

Have you ever wished someone could show you how to conduct research, correctly craft citations, write an engaging paper, or even make studying less stressful and more effective, you’re in luck!

The Library, Student Learning Centre, and Student Support Services offer a variety of skill-building workshops to help support your success. These sessions are available to all Algonquin College students and are free to attend!

Some featured workshops for April include:

  • Cite Right! APA Bootcamp: This workshop covers how to use the APA citation style for academic purposes. It will familiarize you with how to use in-text citations within the body of the paper and the associated APA rules relating to quotes, paraphrases, and multiple author names. It also covers how to format a Reference List according to APA style rules.
  • Creating Meaningful Connections – Building Healthy Friendships and Relationships: Having close friendships and relationships is seen as one way to improve mental and physical well being but creating and maintaining relationships is tough. Join us for this session to learn about the benefits of creating meaningful connections and start to learn some basics on how to create them and measure for yourself if they are healthy relationships.
  • Searching the Library with Page 1+: Meet Page 1+ – it’s a lot like Google, but instead of searching the web, it searches the library’s online and in-house collection! This workshop will introduce you to Page 1+ and show you how it can be used for your assignments and projects. Learn how to manage your account, save your searches, track your sources, and more.
  • Study Skills: Exam Prep: This workshop will help you to plan out your time in the weeks leading up to exams so that you have enough time to study each subject. It will also introduce the “Stoplight Study Technique” to help you determine what material you need to cover. Other strategies will include study techniques for particular types of exam questions and memory tools that can improve your exam results.

Please click here to view the complete monthly schedule of workshops.

Woman smiles while looking at laptop and writing.

Join Us for AC Day 1 on January 8th!

Happy new year! Join us for all the activities happening on January 8, 2024 for AC Day 1 and discover how the Library and Student Learning Centre (SLC) can support you in your journey towards academic success this semester and beyond.

Library Tours

This short walk through our beautiful library will introduce attendees to our onsite services and resources; such as the silent study area, collaborative learning spaces, and helpful staff. Learn how easy it is to use our self-checkout kiosks to borrow books and find out how to borrow laptops from our new 24h laptop lockers! You’ll also learn about our Coaching and Peer Tutoring Services and meet Page 1+; – it’s a lot like Google, but instead of searching the web, it searches the library’s online and in-house collection!

Event Location: Attendees to meet at the Library main desk in Room C350 (3rd Floor, C Building)

  • 9:00am – 9:30am
  • 11:00am – 11:30am
  • 1:00pm – 1:30pm
  • 3:00pm – 3:30pm

On-Campus Workshops (Ottawa Campus)

Getting Started with Brightspace & Zoom
In this workshop, you’ll get to know Brightspace, the online platform for your courses. You will learn how to access your course materials, submit assignments, take quizzes, see your grades, and more. You will also learn about Zoom, including how to set up your Zoom account, adjust your account settings for security, schedule your own zoom meetings, and work with your classmates.
*Please note, this workshop is first-come, first-serve due to limited spaces.

Event Location: Library Learning Lab (Room C263, 2nd Floor, C Building)

  • 10:00am – 11:00am
  • Can’t attend this session? Click here to check out the Student Learning Centre’s workshops running daily from January 2 to January 12, 2024.

Getting Started with Brightspace, Email, and Microsoft 365
In this workshop, you will find out how to sign in and navigate Brightspace, the online platform for your courses, so you are comfortable using it. The workshop covers how to access your course material, submit assignments, take quizzes, see your grades, and more. You will also learn about your student email and some of the Microsoft 365 apps, like Word and Teams, that you can access through your email account and that can help you in your studies.
*Please note, this workshop is first-come, first-serve due to limited spaces.

Event Location: Library Learning Lab (Room C263, 2nd Floor, C Building)

  • 11:00am – 12:00pm
  • Can’t attend this session? Click here to check out the Student Learning Centre’s workshops running daily from January 2 to January 12, 2024.

Online Workshops

Getting Started with Brightspace & Zoom

In this virtual workshop, you’ll get to know Brightspace, the online platform for your courses. You will learn how to access your course materials, submit assignments, take quizzes, see your grades, and more. You will also learn about Zoom, including how to set up your Zoom account, adjust your account settings for security, schedule your own zoom meetings, and work with your classmates.

Event Location: Virtual Event via Zoom. Click here to join the session.

  • 1:00pm – 2:00pm
  • Can’t attend this session? Click here to check out the Student Learning Centre’s workshops running daily from January 2 to January 12, 2024.

To view the full schedule of AC Day 1 activities and events please click here.

The Library & SLC: Here to Support Your On-Campus & Online Learning!

A big welcome to all our new and returning students! Whether you’re taking classes on-campus or online (or both!) we want to assure you that the Library and Student Learning Centre (SLC) have a variety of services available to support your learning.

*Please note, some of our online resources will require you to login with your College Network Account.

Explore our list of services and resources:

  • Library Space:
    The Library space at the Ottawa campus is open 24/7 and features a silent study room and a bookable meeting room (more meeting rooms are available on the 2nd floor of C Building). The Library help desks are available to assist you during business hours.
  • Library Live Chat:
    Our Library Live Chat service is available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. If you require more in-depth, one-on-one research help, please book an online or in-person Research Appointment with our staff.
  • Borrowing Books:
    If you would like to borrow a book from your campus Library, you can request the item online using Page 1+ or you can visit your local campus Library in person. You will need your AC card to borrow books. Click here for more information on how to request items.
  • Returning Books:
    Books may be returned to your campus Library drop box.
  • Digital Resource Collections:
    Access the library’s A-Z digital resource collections, this includes databases, eBooks, online videos, journals, and more. Digital resources are available 24/7 and require you to login to your College Network Account.
  • eBooks and Audiobooks Collections:
    Access electronic books on a wide variety of subjects. Find instructions on how to locate, use and download eBooks to different devices in our eBooks Guide.
  • Essential Skills Guides:
    Explore a variety of online guides that cover essential skills such as citing sources, avoiding plagiarism, research, math, English communication, technology, study skills, and much more.
  • FAQ’s:
    Find answers to commonly asked questions.
  • Coaching Lab:
    The Coaching Lab offers all Algonquin College students individual and small group coaching, both online and on-campus, at no charge. The areas of coaching offered are computer, math, writing, ESL, study skills, presentation skills, research, and anatomy/biology.
    *Pembroke students can also visit the Pembroke Campus Student Support Lab page to book an appointment with a Pembroke Campus Coach.
  • Peer Tutoring:
    If you’re a student who finds themselves experiencing difficulties in a course or are struggling to understand a concept being covered in class, Peer Tutoring can help. This service matches you with a trained student tutor for one-on-one tutoring. Tutors are students who graduated from the class before and did well in it. The fee for tutoring is $8.00 per hour. Peer Tutoring appointments are offered online and on-campus.
  • Skill-building Workshops:
    Students can participate in workshops to develop and strengthen fundamental skills such as research, writing, digital skills, and study skills to help you succeed in classes. These workshops are offered both online and on-campus, and are free to attend.
  • Online Video Collections:
    Access multiple online video collections on a wide variety of topics. Find instructions for finding, using, downloading and embedding online videos in our how-to guide.
  • Page 1+:
    Meet the Library’s new resource search tool. Research more effectively and discover access to industry-relevant resources.
  • Open Educational Resources (OER):
    Find free, openly licensed images, videos, icons, course material, textbooks and more within our Open Educational Resources Guide.
  • Subject Guides:
    These are curated guides for specific programs and areas of study. This is a great starting point for new students and for those doing preliminary research!
  • The Learning Portal:
    The Learning Portal provides shared access to resources from all Ontario Colleges. Explore modules related to learning online, study skills, digital skills, writing, research, math, career exploration, and more.

    • Maamwi Hub: The Maamwi Hub is inspired by the TRC 94 Calls to Action to ensure that the 24 Colleges of Ontario lead in the education of staff and students on the diverse Indigenous histories, cultures, and current Indigenous worldviews. We hope that the Maamwi Hub will be a part of your ongoing reconciliation journey.

For more information, please visit us in-person or connect with us online. Have a great first week!

Start Your College Journey on a Positive Path!

Welcome to college! You could be feeling excited or nervous – or both! You may find yourself thinking “I’ve made it here but what are my next steps supposed to be?”

Enter the Where Do I Begin hub! This hub is just the first in a series of supportive modules found within The Learning Portal; an amazing resource that offers shared access to resources from all Ontario Colleges. The Where Do I Begin hub will familiarize you with some of the most important things you need to know when starting out in college.

Getting Started

Follow the 7 steps to success found within the Getting Started module of the Where Do I Begin hub and discover more services that will help you along the way!

  1. Get connected to online tools – register for a free workshop and learn to navigate key technology used regularly at Algonquin College, such as Zoom, Brightspace, email, Microsoft 365, and more!
  2. Learn how to get things done – Resist the temptation to put things off and get started on your assignments sooner! Explore these Time Management modules to gain simple techniques to plan your time more effectively and get into a routine that works for you.
  3. Start planning your schedule early – Many students don’t plan to fail; they just fail to plan. Learn how to make a semester plan and create a weekly schedule to ensure that you start and stay on the right track.
  4. Learn how to take study-worthy notes – Do you find it difficult to listen, take notes and absorb everything all at the same time? You’re not alone! Even if you are attending class online and can access a recorded version of a lecture, it’s still important to take efficient notes that you can use for studying. Visit the Taking Notes in Class module to learn how to balance tasks more efficiently and in a style that works for the way you learn.
  5. Learn to understand what you read – The Reading with Purpose module will help you develop key strategies and techniques to better absorb information you have read.
  6. Learn about available services – There are many college services available to help you! The Library and Student Learning Centre (SLC) offer support in areas such as research, citing, study skills, math, presentations skills, Coaching, Peer Tutoring, and more. Visit the Services webpage to discover how we can support you throughout the school year.
  7. Ask questions – Don’t be afraid to reach out! Visit your campus Library or use our online Library Live Chat service to connect quickly with library staff who are available to help you in real time.

Whether you’re attending classes on-campus or online, start your college journey on the right path by following these steps and seek help when you need it – the key to success lies within you!

Best of luck with your first week of classes!