Ourse Overview: the Low Down

ourse Overview: "The "Low Down"

**Note: the links inthe material beloware NOT REQUIRED FOR YOU TO ACCESS IN ORDER TO TAKE THE INITIAL QUIZ SUCCESSFULLY, and there are a couple which could offend some of you, so check out the disclaimers before clicking on them.

Hello everyone,

I've taught this course for years now, typically three sections per semester, and my favorite feedback from students centers on their feeling of really being in a course, both in terms of relating to their peers as well as the instructor. I hope that you find this to be true.

Recently, all WNC instructors have switched from the Moodle platform to Canvas (like moving from MySpace to Facebook with a lot more bells and whistles). While I think I've eliminated most of the bugs in the system, we're sure to encounter a few issues, and I'm looking forward to hearing your feedback and making adjustments to make it even more user-friendly.**Important note: Please use the "Clarification Area" within the "Toolkit" modulefor questions related to the class as your question and subsequent clarification will likely help others and reduces the number of times I have to answer the same question from students.

So, let’s review your holistic understanding of how this class will operate. I’ve provided plenty of instructions in the course itself, and, quite frankly, you’re going to need to poke around, be confused occasionally, and try things out, in order for you to fully grasp the class, but if you understand my intentions, you’ll grasp the particulars more rapidly.

There are 16 individual weeks (8, for summer), and each week has its own content.There is a Course Information area with a detailed syllabus, divided into helpful portions so that you digest/access them more easily.

Each week is organized according to the following: Major Writing Assignment, Discussionand/orQuizzes.

At the beginning of each week is a must-read page, entitled "Weekly Overview and Learning Objectives" which gives you an accessible play-by-play understanding of what we're doing, and, most importantly, why we're doing it.

**Now, while there is a repeated structure for each week, each week is not exactly the same, but there are reasons for these variations.

Variation Among Weeks:

Major Writing Assignments:The major writing assignments (Writer's Autobiography, Narrative Essay, Poetry Project, Persuasive Essay, and Research Essay") are all divided acrossseveral weeks. You are encouraged to work ahead.

Discussions:For 10 weeks of class (weeks 2-6 and 9-13), there are discussions (worth5 points each) related to assigned critical readings from our America Now text. (Summer is paced differently.) These are described in detail within the discussion area itself and elsewhere in the syllabus. There are also discussions or "forums" which appear at different points in the semester for different reasons:

• Topics forums(Encouraged) Located at the beginning of most major writing assignments, these are places wherein you may put forth crazy, original, innovative and generally cool ideas for a topic and others will respond to its feasability (peers, tutors, and instructor). Also, you will find previous topics discussions within the content for these weeks.
• Exhange forums(required)(Located about 2/3 of the way through each major writing assignment, these are places wherein you will agree to exchange drafts of your essays with your peers.)
• Sharing forums (Encouraged) (Located at the end of each major writing assignment, these are places wherein you may voluntarily post your essay and share with your peers.This a place for appreciation, not criticism.
• Tutor Interaction:We have tremendous tutoring resources, and they are highly recommended, and I provide extra credit for you participating in the Brainfuse exchanges, but they do not take the place of peer interaction.

Quizzes:Beginning in the second week of classes, I expect you to work towards completing the "Adaptive Learning Plan,"accessible via the Connect access code you purchased from the class, so that the lessons of "correctness" can improve your initial essays. There are additional prescribed readings and associated quizzes throughout the course, and you need to keep your eye out for them in the "quizzes" portion, but the first weeksare dominated bythis AdaptiveLearning Plan, and you need to work independently to complete it.

Aspects of grammar and correctness are addressed in both quizzes and major assignments, and the many rules for Standard Written English (SWE) can be irritating and seemarbitrary(Links to an external site.)at times, but these rules are "keys to power," and they are helpful to have in your pocket as you move forward in life.

Research Essay Requirement:The research essay serves as the "exit exam," of sorts for the class, demonstrating minimum competency necessary to pass the class. Don't stress. You will have the chance to discover that the "dreaded" research essay can actually be very, very fun, and this is coming from someone who hated writing research essays as an undergrad! Now, given that you will be submitting a rough draft of your research essay, you should absolutely be aware of whether not your essay will reach the 60% threshold, so don't stress.

What can you expect from me?You can expect that I'll always strive to provide you the best "service" possible, giving of my time and attention throughout the semester.My classes are extremely full (there are traditional classes with 12 student in them regularly, but mine are overflowing at 30 per section, 3 sections minimum).What this means is that I need to focus my time and talents on what can best improve your writing. I was always the type who wanted to teach in person, but I was encouraged early on to teach on-line as well, and I've done so, but I've always strived to retain the complexity and personal touch of the in-person class. I assign holistic grades to your discussion submissions (if you wish clarification regarding your grade, you're welcome to ask), and I provide topic discussion areas so that you can get off in the right direction with your essay. I devote the bulk of my time to responding to your essays.

Now, what do I need from you?

1. Patience.Understand that problems and misunderstandings occur in the on-line environment.

2. Diligence.Most problems are solved by effort and effort alone. Failure to follow guidelines and due dates is the prime reason students fail in an on-line classroom, period. DO NOT PROCRASTINATE. Set goals for yourself and keep them.

3. Positive Attitude.The on-line environment often encourages us to “read into” postings from the instructor or a peer. We hear a negative tone, feel an intended insult, and so on. Yes, negativity does occur, but more often than not, we project our own insecurities. Trust me, I’m just as much as fault as anyone in this respect, and I have to constantly fight against it. I’m always thinking, “Is this student mad? Is she irritated? What did I do wrong? Is he upset at my comment? What can I do differently?”

4. A Clear Understanding of Expectations:As a college student, you should know that even intense labor on your partdoesn't guarantee(Links to an external site.)a high grade. College-level classes can be verystressful(Links to an external site.), and you need to developstrategies(Links to an external site.)to cope appropriately. You could get a Bachelor's degree in underwater basket weaving, and you would still stand above your peers when it comes to applying for a job because you have demonstrated that you can follow a large project through to completion. The discipline practiced just to get an education should be explicitly recognized as one of the chief virtues and goals of an education. We have entire classes devoted to "college success," and you need to pick and choose those approaches which work best for you. An on-line class itself comes with its own particular set of challenges as well, and the tools that you use to access this course need to be considered carefully. I had a student complain about how difficult the course was, and I found out that she was using an IPhone to take the class. While there is an application for Canvas that can be used on smartphones, this is not an appropriate platform for engaging in themajority of the class material, and you should familiarize yourself withWNC technical expectations(Links to an external site.)for on-line learning.

Success in college is complicated by so many factors, and you need to take responsibility for your success and look long and hard at who you are as a learner. As the ancient Greek aphorism states,"know thyself."(Links to an external site.)There is no perfect model for success because every student comes with a unique set of needs and skills. Success can be complicated by the demands of your daily life. I am always shocked to discover students who are take on immense challenges, say, taking 20 units, working two jobs, and raising children--often as asingle parent(Links to an external site.). Sometimes, the challenges for students includephysical disabilities(Links to an external site.), and these can require immense effort. Trust me, as the parent of a child with a severe physical disability, I get it, but I have also witnessed thestrength and resilience which springs from dealing on a daily basis with with physical disabilities.

Challenges may belocated within the mind itself, and learning disabilities (a term I sometimesdisagree with as many "disabilities" are really justdifferences(Links to an external site.)in how learning occurs). Students withADD or ADHD(Links to an external site.), for example, confront many challenges in a course such as this, and learn how to maximize their strengths.Michelangelo(Links to an external site.), for example, would likely be assessed as having ADD or ADHD, and was one of the most talented humans to walk the earth. He knew how to channel his strengths, and, if you ever visit the Uffizi museum in Florence, Italy, you will see his approach on display. As you walk up to view the magnificent"David,(Links to an external site.)" the corridor is lined with hisunfinished sculpture(Links to an external site.)s because he always worked on several projects at the same time.Know thyself(Links to an external site.), and you should research learning disabilities even if you have never been assessed as having one. We are all on a spectrum in terms of how we learn, and we classify "disorders" when they get to the point that they seriously inhibit student learning, but variations in learning are everywhere, and every studentcan heighten the speed and ease with which they learn. If the degree of impairment is significant, you need to take charge of it, and ourDisability Support Services(Links to an external site.)office is a good place to start.

5. Understand where I am coming from as your teacher and your role as a student:

• We have common goals: You want to learn and to move on with your education, and I want to help you in that process. You’ll notice that in the first week of class, I emphasize a discussion that allows you to share with your peers, and I do want you to share and come to know each other.
• I'll try to give you a sense of who I am as well this semester. I, for example, am currently being distracted by my son, Waylon, who considers typing a group activity.
• Let’s just do our best. We’ll have bad and good days, misunderstandings and clarifications, but we’ll learn along the way and that is what matters.
• If you miss a deadline and plead for an extension which I deny, please remember that a monster is not at the other end of the computer, arbitrarily making up rules to satisfy his need for power. Instead, the rules and deadlines allow for me to remain sane and consistent. Extensions of deadlines create more problems than they solve.

While I strive to be polite and tactful in dealing with students, we do not have all the time in the world, and I am here to teach you. Now, while I'm not like"The Wolf"(Links to an external site.)in Pulp Fiction(don't watch if you can't handle gore or profanity), I agree with him that"the clock is ticking." If I am"curt,"(Links to an external site.)and come across in a way that offends you, take a second and remember that I am never, ever trying to offend you. As "The Wolf" notes, "I'm here to help."

Don't feel overwhelmed. You will get the hang of it. I hope you have a great experience this semester. I have given you a lot of information, and I don't expect you to absorb it all at once.

Sincerely,

Josh

An Agreement of Sorts: What I Need to Know That You Know

My mission statement covers some of this ground, but I can single out a few things that I need from you. I need you to follow directions, especially when it comes to the final submission of assignments. There was a time when I would extend all sorts of leniency to students for not following instructions, but I reached a tipping point this past year when I realized that this very leniency was taking away from what I do best: teaching students how to write effectively and easily.

When you begin this class, we are entering an unspoken agreement, which I am now making explicit so that everything we do is "above board," so to speak. As your teacher, I am obliged to teach you effectively, and I take this job seriously. This is not a "canned class," but one in which my personality and teaching style is apparent throughout. It's not the perfect class for any one student, but it's a good class nonetheless. My job is to interact with you, especially for your major writing assignments: writer's autobiography as well as the narrative, persuasive, and research essays.

Aspects of grammar and correctness are addressed in both quizzes and major assignments within this class, and the many rules for Standard Written English (SWE) can be irritating and seemarbitrary(Links to an external site.)at times, but these rules are "keys to power," and they are helpful to have in your pocket as you move forward in life.

I am ready and willing to help you, but you need to meet me halfway, and that means fulfilling your obligations to follow directions, especially when it comes to submitting a finished essay.

What do I expect from you? (Warning: Explicit Language)

I figured the "explicit language" notation would be an effective means of getting you to read, but I want to speak to some of the unstated expectations which you won't find in the formal course description:

• Read and understand instructions. This classwill not work if you do not read the instructionsand understand the different aspects of the course. Don't expect to understand everything at once. You're entering into something which will take more than a week or two to grasp, but it is paced so that you can understand it.
• If you're not technically up to speed, get there--by hook or by crook.
• Discipline yourself. If you're a procrastinator, figure out a way not to be (check out the apps for procrastination!) Here's the thing about procrastination, folks, an app will help, but the underlying core of procrastination is that you don't see the meaning, purpose, or relevance of the task in front of you. I can preach to you until I'm blue in the face of how education and this sort of course can change you in ways you cannot predict, but, if you don't take the leap of faith and believe, your expectations of this being a less-than-great experience will be fulfilled.
• Do your work especially when you don't want to. If you're not feeling enthused about the class, pretend to be. At some point, enthusiasm will catch up with you.
• Have the nerve of failure. Do I mean failing the class, necessarily? Perhaps. Perhaps not. What I mean is that it takes a certain nerve to do the best that you can. It's hard for everyone to do their best. Those who lack certain skills fear exposure and confirmation of their fears. Those with skills tend towards complacency, feeling modest effort may "be enough" to get the grade they want. Here's the thing, though. Don't allow yourself the luxury of an excuse for failing.
• Do your own work. Understand what plagiarism is. In addition to using the tool of Turnitin.com, I possess a refined nose for sniffing our plagiarism, and I take it very seriously. Plagiarism can result in you failing the entire course. In the last course I taught, I wasshocked at the number of students who presented others' work as their own.I don't care how overwhelmed you are. THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR BLATANT PLAGIARISM. This semester I am working with other English instructors to identify those who steal the work of others.
• Be positive. We all need to appreciate the opportunities available to us and how many other humans on the earth don't possess similar ones. Just think of your educational opportunities if you happened to be born in Afghanistan, Syria, North Korea, etc. (If you're a woman, this is a particularly scary notion.)

Okay, done preaching for now, but I'm sure I'll resume later.