Guide to School Online Platforms

You should always try to access these platforms on your computer as they are much easier to navigate. Still, you should download the app to your phone as a backup. You want to be able to access these platforms in case the WiFi crashes or your laptop dies. Professors also tend to cancel class on your way there or release a very important grade while you're without computer access, which you would only know if you had the app downloaded. Also, many students find turning on push notifications on their phone for assignments helps them meet important deadlines.

Turn on notifications to keep from missing important activity on your school's platform. Most platforms allow you to select what sorts of activity from your professor will send notifications so that the important notifications don't get buried. For example, you can set reminders for submitting assignments, but you can turn off notifications for when a professor releases grades.

You can set up notifications on your phone or through your email. Some platforms also allow you to send notifications directly to your computer. If you find you're struggling to keep up with everything your professor posts, you can turn on more notifications (such as push notifications on your phone) for another reminder. Or you can disable certain notifications if the inflow of information gets overwhelming.

You can easily set up notifications that work for you in Settings on the platform's website or app, typically under a subheading titled Notifications. See the resources below for more guidance.