After successfully completing this week's Learning Module, you should be able to:

• Navigate all the content and tools necessary for success in our online course

• Demonstrate an understanding of the rules of netiquette that will help us interact productively online

• Check that you can contact your professor by email

• Create an introduction and got to know your classmates in the Discussion board in Canvas

• Complete a short quiz in Canvas to check your understanding of the course syllabus

Welcome to English 101 online in the Access Semester! The main objectives for Week 1 are to familiarize yourself with the Learning Modules page and assignments in Canvas, learn about best practices for online education, meet your professor, and introduce yourself to the class.

Note, the slow orientation pace for the first add/drop week is not necessarily an indication of how much work you can expect throughout the course. As a general rule you'll need to be checking in early each week (ideally on Monday) and completing small assignments with multiple deadlines (usually Wednesday or Friday, and often Sunday); you'll also be working independently towards larger essay due dates indicated on our Learning Modules home page. Your professor will work hard to make sure you're doing only what's necessary to be successful on the assignments, and you're encouraged to email/text if you have questions and to keep working if you fall behind. More on that in a minute. 

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You can see a video walkthrough of this week's assignments and where to submit them here.

Getting Started with Online Learning

To succeed in this course, you'll need to familiarize yourself with some basic premises of online learning and make sure your technology is up-to-date enough to complete coursework. Here's how to get started.

Familiarize yourself with online learning.

Online courses have many benefits: you have flexibility with your scheduling, you don't have to come to class at a certain time, you can get many of your assignments done on your own schedule, and you don't need to make time to be on campus. While these benefits do make online classes attractive, there are also some responsibilities unique to online students. Please plan some time to evaluate if this online class is the right fit for you as a student before the deadline to change your schedule, which is Friday, September 27th. This way you'll have a better idea of what you're getting into before it's too late to make a change.

Optional:

Not sure if an online course is right for you? Take a quick ungraded quiz called "Is Online Learning for Me?" from the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges. 

Make sure internet access is ready to go.

To be successful with your online experience, you'll need to make sure your internet access is ready to go. This Learning Modules page where you'll access most of the course material doesn't require a fast connection and is optimized for smartphones, tablets, and computers (PC or Mac) using most browsers. Your professor uses Google Chrome, and this page is hosted on Google Sites, but you should be fine even if you prefer something different. Canvas is where you'll complete quizzes, post and reply for the discussion board, potentially send email to your professor, and submit final essays for grading. Canvas also has an app for smartphone and tablet access. That being said, if you use your phone to access Learning Modules you might still want to access a computer to submit essays in the Canvas assignments tool. 

However you access the Learning Modules and the Canvas LMS page, make sure this week that you're able to complete assignments and contact your instructor or the RCC IT office if you have any problems. 

Think about using Google Docs or Word 365 via your RCC email.

Over the years you've spent as a student the way you do your work has almost certainly changed. Not only that, you might have a preference for one way--maybe handwriting essays--over another way. I hear you. But I want to take a second to recommend writing your essays (or typing the ones you handwrite) in Google Docs or Microsoft Word 365 connected to your RCC email since both save to the cloud.  When you write your essays using one of these options it automatically saves, lets you access your work whenever and wherever you get ideas or free time (including on your phone or at work), and both are free. 

If you've never used Google Docs before try following these instructions from San Diego Community College or find a tutorial on YouTube; if you want to get started using Word with Office 365 in your RCC email contact IT on campus or look for trainings in your email. For either option, you can always check-in with your professor by email or online office hours.  

Course Success USING Canvas

Students can now self-enroll in a self-paced Canvas resource course where you can also practice submitting assignments, discussions, and quizzes. If you're interested consider enrolling in the course here.

You can also get help from Canvas or search frequent questions using the Help menu on the left of your screen in Canvas or with this link: https://help.instructure.com/ 

Finally, because Canvas is used at so many colleges around the world it's also possible to find tutorials for specific tasks by searching in YouTube. But don't forget, when you're stuck you should also get comfortable contacting your professor for help. 

Review the Course Syllabus

Because we don't have the face-to-face class meetings to clear up class expectations, it's especially important that you read and understand our course syllabus. The policies described in the syllabus are kind of like terms and conditions when you sign up for Spotify or download an app on your phone: they're rarely read but still operate like a contract if there's ever a problem. More than that, the course syllabus gives you a lot of information about the class so that you can make an informed decision to stay in the class or leave before the schedule change deadline on Friday, September 27th. After all, you know yourself best. 

While I think every part of the syllabus is important (seriously, I do) I think it's most important to read through and find everything that you think you'll need to know to be successful this semester. That might be contact information, extra credit details, or late work submission policies. Again, you know yourself best. 

Netiquette

Now that we have reviewed how to prepare for the technical requirements of the course and looked at how to access course content and assignments in Canvas, the next step is to discuss how to make this class a positive experience for everyone enrolled. While there are many similarities between an online class and a face-to-face class, there are some differences, too, especially when it comes to communication.

In an online class, students are often less inhibited and tend to "tell it like it is." In a face-to-face class, where we have to see classmates on a regular basis, students are often more inhibited for fear of offending someone or embarrassing themselves. This change is one reason why it's especially important to think about how we might come across to others when we work online. 

Another issue is that in an online class, the primary form of communication is written; in a face-to-face class, it is verbal. In an online class, we don't have the benefit of noticing voice tone or facial and body mannerisms. Instead, our tone must be conveyed through how someone else interprets the written word. In a face-to-face class, we do have the benefit of these other non-verbal forms of communication, making it easier to see when someone is joking or being sarcastic.

For that reason, in an online class we need to be more careful with what we write and how we write it, especially since most times that a person is offended or angered, it is done inadvertently. In this class, you will need to respond to writing done by your classmates. When you do this, it is very important that you take into consideration a few standardized communication rules for online classes, often called Netiquette rules, in order to avoid offending, angering, or hurting the feelings of one of your classmates.

Introductions: Meet Your PROFESSOR

In the final task for this introductory unit, you will get to meet your professor as well as introduce yourself and learn about your classmates. Here's a quick video about me so you can see that I'm a real person. 

Note: Because I'm part time at RCC, I am not available to meet in my office this semester. You can reserve a time to talk during Office Hours by scheduling yourself with this link: https://calendly.com/jbreitenfeldt; once you've scheduled yourself, you can follow the link to meet in Zoom or call the number on your syllabus (857 997-0730) if you prefer. 

Introductions: Introduce Yourself and Meet Your Classmates

In a face-to-face classroom, introductions are often accomplished by awkwardly going around the room and introducing yourself to everyone. In an online class like this one, you can't do that. Some of you may find that you miss the interaction between yourself and other students and others may be extremely relieved that you do not have to speak about yourselves in a room full of strangers!

However, it is important in an online environment to learn something about your classmates and feel like you are part of a community of learners who can help if you get stuck or feel comfortable reaching out if they have a question you can answer; this is particularly important for success in college courses, especially if it's an online community. To this end, we will be introducing ourselves and meeting our classmates using the Discussion tool in Canvas in an attempt to build that community.

Optional: Interests and Relevance Survey

Please take a few minutes to complete a short survey about yourself, your preparation for ENG 101 and online classes, your interests, and how your professor can best help you succeed this semester. 

https://forms.gle/vKan9CoAQVf6mVxD9 

"8 Strategies for Getting the Most out of an Online Class" from Northeastern University