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The purpose of this video is to give you advice that will help you evaluate whether you are
adequately prepared for an online course. Make sure that you have regular, consistent
access to a computer with an internet connection. An inability to get online will not excuse
you from class work. Theoretically, you could rely on a local library for computer and internet
access, but in my experience, you really need your own personal computer and internet access
to be successful in any college class, let alone an online class. If you do not own a
computer, I encourage you to consider investing in a laptop or desktop computer. Make sure
you can log in to the SEMO Portal and the class Moodle Site. We will be using Moodle
quite extensively in this class, so you must be able to regularly access the class Moodle
page. Make sure you have an up-to-date internet browser, preferably Google Chrome. For this
class, you will need to be able read articles from websites as well as watch YouTube videos.
If your browser is old and out-of-date, then you may not be able to access some material.
I recommend the Google Chrome browser because of its reliability, speed, and bookmarking
abilities. You can sign-in to Chrome and access your bookmarks on any computer. Be prepared
to check your student email account regularly. When I send a mass email to the class, it
will go to your SEMO email account. I may also send individualized messages to you,
especially if there's some kind of problem or issue that we need to address. So it is
extremely important that you check your SEMO email on a daily basis. Make arrangements
to acquire your books from the University bookstore or another book-seller. We will
begin using your textbooks early in the semester. If you are in English 100, please note that
I do not require you to have "Beyond the Blank Page" or "A Pocket Style Manual," the style
guide that most English 100 classes use. You may want these books as additional resources,
but I will not assign any reading from them. Everything in these books is covered in the
textbook that I do require for English 100, "Writing: A Guide to College and Beyond" by
Lester Faigley. Consider your likes and dislikes for completing coursework. A online class
is very different from either a blended or a fully face-to-face class. You will be expected
to work independently, without supervision. I will not send emails reminding you to turn
in papers or complete forum posts. You will need to refer to the course schedule to know
what to do and when to do it, and you will need to manage your time effectively so that
you can accomplish what you need to accomplish. If you have questions or confusions about
the schedule, please don't hesitate to let me know. You will need to be self-disciplined
and self-motivated, especially at the semester's end. In my first online class, I noticed that
most of the students began lagging at the end of the semester. You must be self-disciplined
and self-motivated to manage your time and make yourself complete your coursework, but
this is especially true when your other classes become busier as finals week approaches. I
urge you to use some kind of planner and to look ahead so that you don't procrastinate
on an assignment only to feel overwhelmed later because you have three other major assignments
you didn't think about. You will be expected to use a computer and the internet for the
vast majority of your coursework. If you are not comfortable using technology, then you
will need to become more comfortable. The best way to learn technology is to use it.
If you have problems, then I am here to try to help. There is also the university's IT
Help Desk. But you will have to take an active role in figuring out any technological issues
you might experience. You will be expected to engage your instructor through email or
teleconferencing when you have some need for one-on-one discussion. If I don't know about
a problem or issue you're having, then I can't help you with it. You must be comfortable
emailing me with questions. Here are some questions to consider as you evaluate whether
you want to work in an online course: Can you work independently, planning and executing
your own work? If you need a teacher who reminds you a month in advance when assignments are
due, then an online class may not work well for you. Will you feel comfortable posting
your work for others to read online? If you do not want to post your writing for your
classmates to read, then you will not want to complete the Forum Posts for this class,
and this class may not be for you. Will you be able to read and comment on classmates'
work online? If you cannot access Moodle or the Forum Posts, or if you simply do not want
to read something your computer screen, then this class may not be the best fit for you.
Are you prepared to access library resources and tutorial resources online? You may come
to campus to use the library, the writing center, or other tutoring services, of course,
but I am assuming it would be more convenient for you to access these services online. The
library has tons of online resources, and the writing center accepts papers and provides
feedback through email. Can you manage the time commitment for online work? Many students
say online learning is more time-consuming than face-to-face learning. You will need
to set aside some time in your schedule to work on this class, and it may require more
time than you expect. You will need to be committed and flexible as you figure out how
much time to allocate to this class. You may work slower or faster than other students,
but every writer, including me, must devote significant time to his or her writing to
produce anything worth reading. Can you make an effort to engage the instructor when necessary
without having any face-to-face class meetings? I am dedicated to being a resource for you.
However, I tend to be fairly hands-off unless you ask for my help. I work better when I'm
left alone, so I tend to treat other people the same way rather than micro-managing them.
If you have questions or need help, then you must ask or else I may never even know about
your problem. Online courses work well for many students. However, others do not like
or do not succeed in an online format. You should make a conscious decision about whether
this format is right for you. If you decide that you do not want an online course, please
take advantage of SEMO's generous drop policy. You are welcome to enroll in a different course
during the first week of classes. The sooner you make your decision, the sooner you can
enroll in a different class or make plans for next semester.