So, What's All This Online Stuff About?

This course will be taught completely online (there will be no in-person, face-to-face, class sessions) over the Internet using a program called Westernonline. Students use their Internet browser (Netscape or Internet Explorer) to access and participate in the course. The following information should help prospective students understand the overall process.

Use the following downlinks if you wish.

1. What Do You Do in an Online Course?
2. Is There a Specific Class Meeting Time?
3. How Is this Different from an Independent Study?
4. Will I Have Contact With the Professor?
5. How does a typical weekly class discussion go?
6. Is this Easier than a Regular Face-to-face Class?
7. How Long Does the Class Run?
8. Am I Ready for an Online Course? (Assessing my ability
   to succeed online)
9. What are Some Keys to being Successful?
10. What Kind of Computer and Software Do I Need?
11. How Much Does it Cost?
12. What If I'm Out of Town for Spring Break for a Week or
    My Basketball Team Makes it to the State
    Tournament?
13. What If I Have Other Questions?

What DoYou Do in an Online Course?

• Have discussions over reading material (e.g., from the textbook).
• Share teaching ideas and lesson plans.
• Visit web sites of interest.
• Learn a few computer skills (to make the course go more smoothly, but this is not the primary focus of the course).
• View videos (online).
• Work in groups.
• Take exams.
• Do Projects.
• Prepare learning activities for your own classroom.

Is There a Specific Class Meeting Time?

How Is this Different from an Independent Study?

Will I Have Contact With the Professor?

• You should phone the professor if

• you have trouble using Westernonline in the first week.
• you have a multi-step question.
• frustration level is high and waiting for a bulletin board or e-mail response won't do it.

• You should post your question on the bulletin board (which will be answered by students of the professor) if

• you have a question about an assignment (because others will have the same question).
• you have a technology question (because others will have the same question).

• You should e-mail the professor if

• you have a personal concern or question.

How does a typical weekly class discussion go?

• On Monday morning (or Sunday night) discussion questions are posted.
• Student A reads some of the questions at 8:15 a.m. Monday (but decides not to respond right away).
• Student B reads a question at 8:45 a.m. and types up (and sends) his response.
• Student C reads a question and Student B's response at 9:05 a.m. and types up (and sends) her response.
• Student A returns at 11:45 a.m., reads all the responses posted so far and sends his response.
• .....
• The professor, at 9:15 p.m. Monday reads the questions and responses and sends a response to the second question.
• .....
• Student N, first reads this week's questions and responses Tuesday at 10:15 p.m. and sends her responses.
• .....
• Later in the week students return to see what new postings have been made and comment further.

 

Is this Easier than a Regular Face-to-face Class?

• No.

• I will try to keep the workload similar to a face-to-face course. Being a three semester-hour course, you can expect to be on-line ("in class") three hours per week and allot three to six hours per week for read and course assignments. Historically, online courses have a tendency to be slightly more work than face-to-face courses (but they also can be more advantageous).

• There are benefits.

• You do not have to drive to a campus to take the course.
• You do not have to have a certain block of time on specific days set aside so that you can attend the class.
• You can do it from home.

How Long Does the Class Run?

Am I Ready for an Online Course?

• Fairly comfortable around a computer (and realize you'll be learning more).
• Fairly comfortable using the Internet, because this is the primary method of delivery of the course.
• Be comfortable in an environment where there are numerous choices, without someone standing over your shoulder telling you exactly what to do next.
• Be a self-starter. While there is an overall structure, you will have to prioritize your activities and manage your time.

What are Some Keys to being Successful?

• Having at least the minimum amount of hardware, software, and abilities to be able to successfully participate in the course (see list below).
• Getting familiar with the course site, and Westernonline early the first week/segment, so that you can navigate comfortably.
• Getting the plug-ins in the first week, so that you can utilize the power of the Internet.
• Utilize the problem-solving methods spelled out in the section above on "Will I Have Contact With the Professor?"
• Do not fall behind.
• The same things that make students successful in any course, such as asking questions and helping classmates.

What Kind of Computer and Software Do I Need?

1. Minimal Needs (You need the following to get up and running and be successful in the course-feel free to call the professor if you have questions about how to do any of these things.)
1. Hardware
1. Computer with modem and Internet connection (56K recommended, 28.8K may work).
2. Printer.
3. Graphics calculator (this can be a borrowed calculator).
2. Software
1. Internet Browser (Netscape or Internet Explorer).
2. Word Processor (MSWord or WordPerfect are great, but others may work).
3. Plug-ins for your Internet Browser. These are very important to utilize the power of the Internet.
1. Full list elsewhere. (Examples: Shockwave, Acrobat Reader, unzipper program, Windows Media Player)
3. Technological Skills
1. Ability to run the software above at a minimal level.
2. Ability to cut, copy, and paste text and URL's.
3. Ability to copy, and paste graphics.
4. Ability to use e-mail (through WebCT you will be getting a course e-mail address, but it may also be useful to maintain your "regular" e-mail account that you already use)
5. Ability to download, unzip, and install free software (e.g., plug-ins) off the Internet.
4. Other
1. Willingness (even a desire) to learn additional computer skills, which may involve downloading free software to your computer.

 
2. Useful--Nice to Have (The following are not required for the course, but may be very useful to you in this course and as a teacher.)
1. Hardware
1. Scanner with basic graphic scanning software.
2. Computer with a faster Internet connection (perhaps at school) to use some of the time.
2. Software
1. Electronic spreadsheet (e.g., Excel)
2. PowerPoint
3. Dynamic geometry software (e.g., Geometer's Sketchpad or Wingeom (which is free) for making geometry diagrams.
4. Grapher software for making algebraic graphs (e.g., Winplot).
3. Technological Skills
1. Ability to run the software above at a minimal level.
2. Ability to manage graphics in a word processing document (such as resizing, wrapping text, borders, etc.)
4. Other
1. Technology coordinator at your school that can help answer questions unique to your local computer or network.

 
3. Useful--Advanced (The following are also very useful to you as a teacher, but you will probably not use these (unless you already are familiar with them) much in the course.)
1. Hardware
1. TI-GraphLink cable and software (software is free off the Internet).
2. Software
1. OCR (Optical Character Recognition) software for your scanner (this probably came bundled with your scanner.
2. Computer Algebra System (CAS), such as Maple, Mathematica, or Derive or a TI-89 or TI-92.
3. Technological Skills
1. Ability to run the software above a minimal level.

How Much Does it Cost?

What If I'm Out of Town for Spring Break for a Week or My Basketball Team Makes it to the State Tournament?

What If I Have Other Questions?