Course Summary

Why is this course Important?

The main goal of this course is not to transform you into a perfect writer or reader but rather to help you develop effective writing, reading, and research skills. Developing such skills will better prepare you for college success and for your future career.  By strengthening and sharpening your writing, reading, and research skills, you will be able to communicate your thoughts and ideas more clearly and effectively. 

How does this course work?

• This fully hybrid or online course meets over 16 weeks.

• This course does not meet in Zoom. 

• If you are enrolled in the hybrid (partially in-person) section of the course, learning will occur through both face-to-face and asynchronous forms of instruction. If you are enrolled in the online section of the course, learning will occur asynchronously (which means "not live") in Canvas.

• The driving them of this course is Change. In exploring this question, we will focus on three major units: mind change, name change, and social change. Each unit, excluding the orientation, will last about 4 or 5 weeks.

• You will learn in a community with your peers. This course is not self-paced. You will interact with your peers throughout each of our weekly modules.

• This course is organized into one-week modules that open weekly. Each module contains readings, reflections, interactive videos, peer review/discussion post, a quiz, and collaborative activities. You will be expected to complete and submit your assignments typically during the weekday and on either Monday nights by 6:00 p.m. (hybrid section) or Sunday nights by 11:59 p.m (online section). Expect to spend 9-12 hours per week completing assignments and activities for this course.

What will help you succeed in this course?

Please read my top five tips for online success for students, which are located in my teaching corner. While you do not need to have any prior knowledge or expertise, you will need to be able to draw upon your habits of mind while being aware of the ways in which your environment may influence your learning.

What will you be doing in this course?

To meet the objectives of this course, you will

• conduct and evaluate library and appropriate Internet-based research;

• read, evaluate, and discuss texts (readings and videos);

• complete an assortment of weekly activities, including discussion posts, peer and instructor-generated responses, sentence exercises,  and quizzes;

• apply sentence, editing, and grammar strategies and tools;

• write three thesis-driven, research-based essays; and

• complete lab assignments (4 Guided Learning Activities, 4 Online Library Workshops, 2 Meetings with an Embedded CCSF Tutor and/or Librarian)

How will you know you’re learning in this course?

• You will see improvement in the quality and quantity of your writing and reading skills.

• You will feel more confident in your ability to apply writing, reading, and research skills.

• You will see more clarity, development, and precision in your writing.

• You will be able to apply the writing, reading, and research skills you have developed in other disciplines and classes.

Important Dates

Some important class and school dates to remember (Hybrid/In-person Classes only):

Some important school dates to remember:

• Labor Day: Sep 2 (No Class)

• Day Class Begins: Sep 3

• First Face-to-Face Class Meeting (hybrid only): Sep 9

• Last Day to Drop with full refund: Sep 12

• Last Day to Add: Sep 20

• Last Day to Drop without a W symbol: Sep 20

• Census: Sept 23

• Last Day to Request P/NP option: Nov 21

• Last Day to Drop with a W: Nov 21

• Thanksgiving Break (No class/college closed): Nov 28 to Dec 1

• Library Workshops close: Usually early Dec

• Last Day of Instruction: Dec 20

• Final Grades Available on MyRam: Jan 8

For additional important dates, please read and review the Academic Calendar.

Please refer to the important dates for online courses if you are registered for my online course section.

Add Policy

After the first day of instruction, if you would like to add the class, you will need to go to MyRam and submit a Class Add Request. I drop students who have not completed required assignments after the first week. During the first week of instruction, I will check Canvas daily to determine if I have space and will notify students, via their CCSF Google email, when I have approved their add requests.

Please note that I add students from the Class Add Request lists in the order that I receive them, as space becomes available.

Drop Policy

To ensure that your seat is not given to another student if you are enrolled in the course, you must complete the first module activities (Orientation Module) by the end of the week. Please log into Canvas and click on Start Here button located in the heading. Students who do not complete the first week activities will be dropped from the course.