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Welcome!
I'm glad to have you in my online courses this semester. If this is your first online course you may be a little nervous. Relax … the online part of online courses is not that difficult and I think you will enjoy the experience once you get used to everything.
Cultivate those habits and you're on your way to a successful semester! This page is the main Online Courses page and is the starting point for all courses. Please read through this page carefully. It contains general course policies and all announcements posted during the semester.
Table of Contents
Below the Course Policies section, find the Course Schedule section and chart. The chart has the links to the eight units in your course as well as the assignment due dates. Each unit page has the margin notes, power point presentations, text chapters and downloads needed for that portion of the course. Too, the details for completing and submitting all assignments are on the unit pages.
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Many of you use Plain format in your emails. That's okay, but if I send anything to you that has formatting - tables, colors, indentations, etc. - the formatting will be lost. You'll still get the words, just none of the extras. If you'd like to change to a different format, it's fairly easy to do. If you use Microsoft Outlook, choose Tools from the commands at the top. From the drop-down menu, choose Options, then the Mail Format tab. Next to Compose in this message format, choose either Rich Text or HTML. I use HTML. Hit Apply and then OK. If you use something other than Outlook, the process won't be exactly the same but it should be similar. Just look around in the commands and you should be able to figure it out. If you are using your college or university's email the default format is probably Plain but in almost all cases you can change the default to Rich Text or HTML. It's possible that some of the free email software doesn't allow any format except Plain. If that's true of yours or if you simply prefer to use Plain format, that's always your choice. [posted 01/12/10 @ 2030]
I've run across some really good links that I'm sharing with you below. You'll find some of them useful for class and some of them useful on a personal level but all of them are really good. Check them out when you have time.
I have hundreds of links on my E-Links pages which you are welcome to use in my classes, other classes or just for the fun of it. At the top of this page use the Up link to go to my home page. Then click on E-Links. If you run across a link that no longer works, let me know. If the site still exists, I'll track down the new link and correct the page.
ARE YOU READY TO BE AN INTERNET STUDENT? Before you take an online course you should be confident about your computer and study skills. Review the following list of requirements to assess your readiness to take online courses.
If you're not sure all of those statements apply to you, you may not be quite ready for online learning. Visit some of the links below to learn more.
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USING EMAIL IN COLLEGE COURSES 1. Never use all capitals. This is the written equivalent of shouting and people consider it rude. Too, it’s simply not correct grammar. 2. Never include irrelevant items - emoticons :), pictures, fancy signatures, closing quotes, scriptures, sales pitches, stationery, business slogans or etc. in course emails. If your software automatically adds any of those things every time you send an email, you must disable that feature when you send a course email. If you email from your workplace, this applies to your work email as well. The only exception to this is if you use an email service that requires you to include the company name at the bottom of all emails. In order to reply to an email, the email software has to download any graphics, pictures or etc. included in the original. Because I receive so many emails, I have very strict security controls. Those controls block downloading pictures, graphics and etc because they so frequently carry viruses. If your email includes any of those things, my software will block any attempt to reply to it. 3. Never use colored backgrounds or ink. All course emails should use black print on a white background. You don’t use pink paper and add smiley faces to your hard copy assignments. The same is true for electronic assignments. 4. Never use IM lingo. As with any written college communication, your emails should use appropriate grammar and spelling. At the beginning of your course, I will encourage you to work on any spelling and grammar problems I see. As the course progresses, I will expect improvement. Almost all colleges have writing labs and tutors that can help you improve in these areas. Take advantage of those resources. If your college does not offer help, let me know. I have some excellent online resources. 5. Never send group emails to me ... including the really sad one your best friend just forwarded to you AND the one that absolutely must be forwarded to 10 people (or else). In case you didn't know, that kind of email is spam and you should never send it to anyone who did not request it or give you permission. Because the problem is so pernicious, I treat it very seriously. My software treats every group email as spam and not only deletes the group email but also deletes all future email from that address before I ever see it. 6. Never send forwarded emails to me. Reread my comments about group emails above. 7. Never send attached files to me for any reason. I never open attached files because of the danger of viruses and the extra time involved. Instead, copy and paste your work into the body of your email message. It is never okay to send attached files. 8. Always expect a response. I respond to every email that requires a response. If you don’t get a response from me within 48 hours, chances are I did not get your email. If you don't get a response within 48 hours, try the following suggestions. a. Check the original email you sent me to make sure you used the correct subject line. (It's probably in a folder labeled something like Sent Items.) b. Check for replies to the correct email address. When I reply, I do not type your address into a new email. I use the Reply button. This means that the reply goes straight back to the address from which you sent your original message. If you sent your message using a friend's email address, your work email address or your school email address, that's where my response went. c. Check the announcements on this page. You should check the announcements frequently. I post announcements for things that affect most students - things such as schedule changes, absences, computer problems and so on. If I'm going to be out-of-town for a few days, for example, and won't have access to my emails, I'll post an announcement so you'll know to expect a delay. If you discover you made a mistake sending your assignment or if you're simply not sure, paste it into a new email and send it again before it's too late for me to accept. Be certain you've used the correct subject line before resending it. [Take Note: If you send an email late Friday night or Saturday morning, it may take longer than 48 hours to receive a reply. I usually do not have email access from about mid-day Saturday until sometime late Sunday evening. If I am unable to reply to all of those emails before noon on Saturday, I probably won't be able to do so until Sunday night at the earliest.] 9. Always exercise patience. There are exceptions to my normal 48-hour replies. You are welcome to send assignments early but if you work ahead so that I receive assignments much earlier than they are due, I probably won’t reply until after I’ve replied to students who are working on schedule or behind. Too, there are certain times in the semester when it’s difficult to keep up with the load – for example, at the beginning or end of a semester. 10. Always assume the best. Keep in mind that email communication is not face-to-face. Always be specific and friendly. Since we cannot see each other’s facial expression, there is always the possibility of miscommunication. Two things to remember: a. Brevity: Out of necessity, I am sometimes very brief in my replies to questions. I don’t do that because of a lack of concern. b. Responsibility: I will not do your work for you ... this is college! If you email asking about something that’s in the syllabus, I will tell you to check the syllabus. If you email asking for the definition of __, I will tell you to read chapter X. If, on the other hand, you don't understand a concept and it's clear to me in your questions that you’ve done what you can to figure it out, I'll spend as much time as you need. That's my job! If you are a person who tends to be easily offended, remember that things are different when you communicate by email. I’ll assume you’re polite if you’ll assume the same of me! | Return to Top | 1. Submit each assignment in the body of a new email. Due to the course management system I use, I do not accept: assignments in attached files, assignments in forwarded emails or assignments in reply emails. Nor do I accept faxed assignments, mailed assignments or several assignments in one email. If we're carrying on a conversation or you have a question or etc, you are welcome to use the Reply button but you must use a new email when ever you send an assignment. WARNING: You cannot copy the content of an old email and paste it into a new email. My software (and yours) will treat the content as a forwarded or reply email. I encourage you to complete and save your assignment in Word, Word Perfect or whatever software you use and then copy and paste the assignment into the body of your email. That will also make it easier to resend it – by copying and pasting it from Word or etc. into a new email – should you need to do so. 2. I consider an assignment to be on time if it is correctly completed and in my Inbox by midnight of the day assigned. I am not concerned with when you send an assignment … I have no real way of knowing that. I can prove only when I receive an assignment. Too, note the phrase correctly completed ... you can’t ignore the instructions and then say "but it was there before the deadline!" If you want to avoid late assignments, always try to submit early. That gives you a chance to beat the deadline even when the unexpected occurs. 3. Use email for all course communication ... not the telephone. If you have an emergency, don't hesitate to call me. My cell number is above on this page for exactly that reason. However, impending deadlines do not constitute emergencies. If you wait until the last minute to start an assignment and need help, you’re unlikely to get an email reply from me quickly enough to beat the deadline. You can’t fix the problem by calling me … you can avoid the problem by better organizing your time. Handle all communication other than emergencies by email. 4. Never assume I know what you are talking about! If you and I are in the middle of an ongoing discussion always include or refer to previous messages. Chances are I'm in the middle of several discussions so I may not remember what your specific question / problem is unless you remind me. 5. Always include your first & last names at the beginning of every assignment. If you email with a question, comment, etc. always sign your email with your first & last names. I will not assume I know who you are from your email address or a first name only. Nor will I hunt for your name. If I don’t see your name at the beginning of your assignment, I will either return it or delete it. 6. It's important that you frequently check the Announcements at the top of this page. I post schedule changes, syllabus corrections, absences, computer problems, updated or changed instructions and so on under Announcements. I don’t know how many times I’ve received emails from students angry or distressed about something that would never have been a problem if they had read the Announcements. 7. Some of you print out the syllabus. Please make sure you remember that the official syllabus and schedule are online. Although I detest making changes in the middle of a course, I do have that right as your professor and occasionally it is necessary. You are responsible for knowing any changes I make while you are in the course. If I have to change an element in your syllabus - a due date, assignment instructions, etc - I make the change in your syllabus. I always make the change obvious BUT ... if you're working from a printout that won't help you. If you feel better working from a printout that's fine with me ... just make sure you remember to check the online syllabus - the official syllabus - often! 8. In a college course you have rights AND responsibilities. It was your choice to take this course, it is your choice whether or not to follow course policy, and it is your choice whether or not to participate. You have the right to make those decisions. But you must also take responsibility for your decisions and your performance in the course.
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Copyright © 1996 Amy S. Glenn |
At the top of this page are links to the following pages.
