• • You will use Canvas to log into the course and to access  all of the course content. (log in link at bottom of syllabus)

  • This 15-Week course is organized into 15 individual 1-Week Modules, preceded by the Getting Started module.

  • Weekly modules will officially begin on Tuesday morning, but the module material may be open earlier, in case you want to get an early start on the module. 

  • Each module will have assignments with staggered due dates.  They may vary occasionally, but most module assignments will be due either on Friday or the following Wednesday at midnight.

  • There is no required text for this course.  All study materials will be delivered online. 

  • *This course is "asynchronous" which means "There will be no required scheduled class meetings".  You set your weekly schedule.

We are a community of learners - all different, all imperfect, all wonderful.

• I know that every person is capable of learning anything. As a teacher I can offer some experience, some information and some suggestions, but ultimately it is the learner's responsibility to learn the thing.  My goal is to partner with my students to help them move themselves to the next level of whatever it is they are learning. I strive to make my class a safe place to try new things, to find a voice and to make mistakes. Mistakes are something to be welcomed, because it is through mistakes that we learn the best.

• In a class we students and teachers are all members of a community and have a unique and special opportunity to learn from each other.  Each member of the community is different and those differences will strengthen our learning by yielding unique insights drawn from diverse experiences. 

⭐Use Chrome as your browser. Canvas works best on Chrome and so do various other technologies you'll be using in our course. I recommend you download Chrome now if you don't have it installed already.

⭐ Work hard to stay current and not fall behind in the activities. This course is a scaffolded course - each assignment, discussion and project step is built on the previous ones.  So log in to our course each Monday (or earlier) to orient yourself to the new module. Take note of the assignments and their due dates. Mark them on your digital calendar to help track them.

⭐Log-in multiple times during the week, and remember to check the Announcements and Q&A Discussion Board.  There may be important and helpful updates.  You can also enable Canvas to alert you to new announcements.  You'll learn how to do this in our Getting Started module. 

⭐Use the feedback. I strive to give prompt, thoughtful and actionable feedback in this course, and it is a strong learning move to take advantage of it.  Always review your assignment feedback, and apply it as appropriate to a revisions or subsequent activities.

⭐If you sense that you might not be able to meet a due date, contact me. We'll work out an extension that will support you but also keep you on track for success.

⭐If something isn't working or you just can't figure something out, post a message in our Q&A Discussion. There's a lot of knowledge among our group – let's tap into it! Technology can be frustrating at times so step away if you feel tension rising. :)

Materials you will need for week one

1. Access to CSUCI's Canvas course management system. There is also a Canvas Student Guide if you are new to Canvas.

2. Access to your CSUCI email account.

Due dates for Week 1

In week one, you will complete a brief "Start Here" module and Module 1. You can jump into the Getting Started Module as soon as it opens on Sunday August 20.  A list of the Week 1 assignments and due dates is provided below. I recommend that you note these dates in your calendar now to support your Week 1 success. I will be nudging students throughout the week to complete the Week 1's  work.

1. By Friday, August 25 at 11:59pm:

   • Read the full and complete Course Syllabus (Start Here Module)

   • Submit the Getting to Know You Survey (Start Here Module) .  

   • Complete the Start here Module Quiz* 

     {*Once you complete the 2 survey and the quiz, Module 1 will  automatically unlocke  for you.}

• Complete Module 1 Warm-up

2. By Wednesday, August 30 at 11:59pm:

   • Complete Target 1 Content and  Activities

⭐Canvas Technical Support

Having trouble making Canvas work for you?  If googling your question doe not give you a quick answer, there is a question mark icon (?) within Canvas, which links you to live tech support. And, you can also visit CSUCI's IT Solution Center to access help.

⭐Writing - Online and On-campus Support!

The  folks at the CSUCI Writing and Multiliteracy Center will not only help you with writing, but with visual and oral communication, as well as pre-writing (ie thinking about your writing before you start). And if you like working with them, consider becoming a tutor down the road! 

⭐Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

The DASS office, Disability Accommodation and Support Services, assists students with disabilities by providing a wide range of support including: student appointments, academic and housing accommodations, support programs and resources.

If you've used accommodations due to disability at CSUCI, please check in with our DASS office at the start of the term to activate your accommodations in our class. If you suspect you need disability accommodations but haven't used them in the past, a DASS counselor can explain the intake and evaluation process and help you get started.

⭐Food Pantry

Are you stretched thin, hungry, and available to pick up food on campus? The Dolphin Food Pantry can help!

⭐Physical and Mental Health

Not feeling great, for whatever reason?  Reach out and get the help you need!

• • • Student Health Services provides care for common injuries, illnesses, and medical issues.

    • CAPS (Counseling and Psychological Services) provides confidential, short-term mental health services to support you in your academic and personal pursuits.

Photo credits: Knox College Habitat for Humanity marshmallow tower contest. Photos by Peter Bailley, flickr. Tlingit Canoes head into Auk Village Celebration, Juneau from the North, via the Inside Passage, Southeast Alaska in 2018, Gillfoto, wikipedia. Hands, pxhere. Paper cutouts, One Click Group UK, flickr.