Ready for 2009-2010 AY?

The 2009-2010 academic year is now less than 30 days away. Are you ready?

For my courses, it is a good idea to read the first two chapters of the assigned textbooks.  It will give you a good idea of what to expect in each course and prepare you for the first few class sessions.

 I know many students wait until the last minute to buy them to make sure that the professor actually “uses” the textbook.  In my courses, I assure you that we will read and use the textbooks as an integral part of the course, so consider buying your textbooks now.   A fairly new option for textbooks is to “rent them” digitally for real savings.  Check http://www.coursesmart.com for details.

It is also a good idea to make sure that your PC is working  and ready. Be sure that your internet connection is available and that you can access your AU email and Moodle accounts.  Send a note to ITShelp@aurora.edu , if you need help.

Be sure to update your version of Windows or other operating system with the latest updates from the software publisher.  These can help your PC run more efficiently and securely.

It is also a good idea to make sure your anti-virus and anti-spyware is up-to-date and working.  Make sure that your software updates itself with the latest virus definitions. If it doesn’t,the anti-virus software won’t be as effective.  If you need free anti-virus software consider AVG, Avira, or Avast.  For effective free anti-spyware software, I suggest Spybot Search and Destroy.  There are free and completely legal versions of all of these which are easy to install and are free for home or personal use.  Use your favorite search engine to find the best download site for you.

See you on campus at the end of August!