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Volunteer Notetaking
As an Accessible Learning Volunteer Notetaker, you:
- Help to create an inclusive, equitable, and welcoming Laurier.
- Enhance classroom accessibility for students with disabilities.
- Enhance your notetaking skills (and maybe your grades too!).
- Add to your Laurier Experience Record.
- May be eligible for the Dixon Volunteer Award.
Volunteer Today!
Follow these easy steps below to apply as a volunteer notetaker:
- Log onto Loris and record the Course Registration Numbers (CRN) for each course in which you wish to volunteer.
- Complete the Accessible Learning Notetaker Application.
- This will create your Notetaker account.
- Open a second browser tab to log onto Accessible Learning using your MyLaurier username and password.
- Click Notetaker found on the left-hand side of your dashboard. Update your preferences.
- Ensure the correct term is displayed. Enter the CRNs you noted from above.
- Click Add Courses. Select the courses in which you want to volunteer, sign the agreement, and click Submit Your Request.
Please monitor your Laurier email regularly. After reviewing your application, we will send you a confirmation message to your Laurier email.
After matching you to a course in which a student needs volunteer notetaking as an accommodation, we will email you about next steps and instructions for uploading your notes.
Note: We match volunteer notetakers with courses based on student access needs. While we may not match you in your preferred courses right away, there is still a chance we could match you later in the term.
Current Notetakers
The information below will help ensure your success as a volunteer notetaker.
Tip: Upload your notes within TWO (2) days after each class!
Only Word and PDF formats are accepted.
Tip: Bookmark Accessible Learning Online.
- Log onto Accessible Learning Online using your MyLaurier username and password.
- Under Assignments in the left-hand navigation, click Upload and View Notes.
- In the File Information box, complete the required information and upload your notes as a single file.
- Upload one file at a time.
- Click Upload File
- Attend every class.
- Email alnotes@wlu.ca about any class you have missed so we can inform the student.
- Upload your notes within days after class.
- Take well-organized, legible typed or handwritten notes:
- Label notes with the course name.
- Follow the lecture format.
- Numer and date all pages.
- Use headings and subheadings for better organization.
- Include instructor slide decks and other class materials.
- Clarify any unclear information or material with the instructor immediately after class.
- Highlight "assignment", "text or exam", and other class announcements.
- Convert notes, slide decks and other materials to Word or PDF formats.
Notetaking Best Practices
Accessible Learning assembled best notetaking practices from our learning strategists, students, and notetakers. Follow these practices to boost your notetaking skills!
- Set a reminder or alarm to remind you to upload the notes after class.
- Complete assigned readings.
- Skim over previous notes.
- Download and review slides and other materials posted in MyLearningSpace.
- Review the syllabi.
- Sit close to the front.
- Pay attention, actively participate, and ask questions.
- Turn off notifications and other distractions.
- Type or handwrite legible notes.
- Record information spoken by the instructor, following the lecture format.
- Use pre-downloaded slide decks to expand on concepts and provide additional information.
- Take pictures of information the instructor writes on the board or slides during class.
- Highlight new terms, definitions, numbered or listed items.
- Include any examples given by the instructor.
- Use "sp?" to indicate any words you need to check/correct later.
Complete these tasks within 24 hours of the class!
- Gather slide decks, your notes, photos, and other materials.
- Copy your notes to the applicable slide deck "notes" section, adding photos and other materials where possible.
- Expand, elaborate, and fill in any missing information.
- Read everything over and correct spelling/grammar.
- Save everything in PDF format.
- Upload all files to Accessible Learning Online.
Evaluation
Each term, Accessible Learning collects feedback from our notetakers and students about their experiences and satisfaction with this service. This helps us with continuous service improvement for our students volunteers.