Hi! My name is Erin Gratz and I will be your instructor for the Library Research and Information Competency course. Please take a couple of minutes and learn a bit more about me. Then explore the rest of this page and site to prepare for Week 1.
I'm looking forward to working with you this semester. See you online!
~Erin
Pronouns: she/her/hers You are welcome to call me: Erin, Dr. Erin, Dr. Gratz, or Professor Gratz
This is a 16-week fully online course. It is a three unit course.
This class does not meet in Zoom. Your learning will be conducted asynchronously (which means "not live") in Canvas.
In this class, we are constantly building off of the information that you learned the week before. If you skip lessons, you will have trouble completing later assignments.
You will learn in a community with your peers. You will interact with your peers throughout each of our weekly modules. This is not a self-paced course.
The textbooks for this class are all freely available online and will be linked in our course modules in Canvas.
This class is organized into one-week modules that open each Monday morning by 10:30am.
Each module starts with a video giving an overview of the week - make sure to watch that first. It will give you an idea of what to plan for in the week. Each module contains readings and videos, activities/assignments, and an interaction to help build your research and information competency skills.
Due dates for the class are always the same. Thursdays by 11:59pm - initial interaction posts are due; Sundays by 11:59 - assignments and interaction responses are due. The exceptions to this are the first and last week of the semester.
In this course, we are using a non-traditional grading approach. It is designed to take the guess work out of grades and to put you in control of the grade you earn. The concept is simple. As you start the class this week, you will pick the grade you want to end up with (A, B, or C). Then, to receive that grade, you will complete the necessary assignments at a satisfactory or excellent level to achieve the grade. More details are in the Grading section of the syllabus.
I am here to help you succeed! Please feel free to reach out to me.
I prefer that you contact me through the Canvas inbox. You can also reach me at egratz@occ.cccd.edu
If you contact me Monday-Friday, I will respond within 24 hours (or sooner). I will also reply during the weekends but I might be slower.
I'll be on Zoom every Thursday from noon to 2pm PT for office hours. Feel free to drop in if you have a question or want to chat!
If my office hour time doesn't work for you, I'm happy to arrange times to meet individually in person, Zoom, or call you directly via phone at a time that works for both of us. Check out my available appointments or message me!
Use the Q&A Forum within Canvas.
If you have a general question about the course, I invite you to ask it in the Q&A Forum. Your question will be seen by your peers and if anyone has the answer -- by all means, answer it!
To find the Q&A Forum, click on the link on our homepage or click on Discussions in our course menu.
If your question is personal in nature, please send it directly to me through the Canvas inbox.
I believe strongly in creating communities of learning. While I am the instructor of this course, it is important to keep in mind that this course will only be enhanced by the contributions you, as students, make. It is important to me that you appreciate the reciprocity of learning and realize the value of others’ experiences. Everyone in this course brings with them varying levels of knowledge and a myriad of experiences from which to draw, and it is this diversity that can enrich our educational experience, so whenever possible, connect what we are learning to your experiences, and share, share, share!!
I will provide you with a clear, organized course that is designed to ensure you meet our course outcomes in a meaningful manner.
I will provide a variety of assignments to ensure your learning needs are met.
I will be actively present in your learning.
I will provide a supportive and safe environment for you to share and discuss ideas with your peers.
I will reach out to you when I sense that you need support.
I will treat you with dignity and respect and be flexible to support your individual needs.
I won't be perfect. I am human and will make mistakes at times. I will view mistakes as an opportunity to learn and grow.
Is there anything else YOU would like to add to this list? If so, let me know here!
You strive to be an active participant in this course and strive to meet due dates.
You will maintain an open line of communication with me so I understand how to support you.
You will contact me if you have a concern with meeting a due date.
You strive to regularly contribute to collaborative activities to ensure other members of the community have ample opportunity to read/listen, reflect, and respond to your ideas.
You will treat your peers with dignity and respect.
You will do your best to have patience with technology. There will be hiccups, expect them. We will get through them together.
You will give yourself grace. Expect to make mistakes. You are human and you are stressed.
Is there anything else YOU would like to add to this list? If so, let me know here!