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This
section provides very important information regarding how this course will
function and what will be expected of you. So, please take the time to read all
of the material provided.
After
you have read the material in this section you will be required complete
several introductory tasks. If you have additional questions after completing
this section, please post them to the 'Course Questions' discussion topic on
the discussion board. Don't be shy about asking your question(s). Remember, if
something is not clear to you...it is probably not clear to others as
well! Also, if someone posts a question for which you have an answer,
feel free to help them out!
With
thanks to WCJC’s Director of Distance Education, Professor Michele
Betancourt, for her permission to use her Getting Started documents
(including her exact words) in the Getting Started sections of our WCJC
courses. |
Welcome
to this online section of United States History II. My name is C.J. Bibus, and
I will be your instructor this semester. I have been teaching online history
since 2003 and both on-campus and online history for WCJC since 2004. My
experience is that history is interesting and useful for survival. History is
about how thing work.
I
am a native Texan who attended a community college. I moved to Virginia for
Master’s degree in history and then later returned to Texas to earn by
doctorate. My doctorate emphasized teaching in the community college and the
history of the early junior college just after 1900. I also worked in industry
before returning to teaching in the community college in 2003. Much of my
emphasis on evidence and factual accuracy comes because I found that getting or
keeping a job that paid well required those skills. I love history because it
is beautiful, but my life in industry taught me that it was useful for learning
how to think about real things—from biology to business.
I
have a perfect daughter—all parents should feel that way about their children. The
family joke is that she “brought me up as best she could.”
I
am always trying to improve the course each semester. At the end of each
semester, I take a survey to see what would help students. I also wanted to
take advantage of the efforts of WCJC’s Director of Distance Education,
Professor Michele Betancourt. I have copied her work in hopes of helping each
of you. If any one has suggestions to improve this
course, feel free to let me know, I value and appreciate the input.
As
this is an online course, our primary means of communication will be through
email and discussion board areas.
Office
Hours
Each
semester I will post my virtual office hours. These will be posted as an
announcement during the first week of the semester. During my virtual office
hours I will be available to respond to student questions. Additionally I try to
login each day when you are taking Unit Exams.
The
Discussion Section of the course is used for a variety of purposes. With this
course, you can use the Discussion Board to get help or give it. You also can
communicate with other members of the class—and not just in the graded area).
Hopefully this section will help to create a sense of community.
Everyone
is encouraged to answer questions if they know the answer. One thing I learned
in academics—but more in business—is to always double-check anything you are
about to say is true. It is a good habit that takes a few seconds but always
pays off. I regularly read through the questions and answers. If there is any
particular area of confusion or "bad" answers I will send out the
correct information as a general email.
There are several types of discussions/bulletin boards in this
area:
Unit
Topics: These are the graded discussions for
the course. They let you ask or answer questions about the current content and
about current assignments. They are for extra credit, but you can earn those
points in several ways.
Course
Questions: You should post general questions that
you have related to course in this area. This is generally the fastest way to
receive a response. I will review and respond frequently. Students are welcome
to post responses to questions if they so choose. Your participation in this
discussion topic is optional.
Technical
Questions: You can post questions related to
computer related problems here. I used to know a great deal about WebCT and the
Blackboard version we used here at WCJC before May 2012. I am a novice at this
Blackboard because I have only used it since May. I know that if you have a
problem I do want about it. I may know a solution. If I don’t, I will tell you
that. Also, many students have taken several online course
and have experienced similar technical issues. Remember you can always click on
the help button at the top of the course page.
Student
Lounge: A place to discuss issues not related
to the course. Your participation in the Student Lounge is optional. I rarely
go into this area. If you have a question for your instructor, post in Course
Questions or email me.
Student
Introduction: A place to post a little bit about
yourself so that other students and the instructor can know a little bit about
you.
Email /
Telephone
Reaching
me through my Blackboard email (Messages on the left menu) is the BEST way to
reach me. I can rarely check my WCJC email except at the beginning of the day.
If you mail me within Blackboard email, I will generally respond within 24
hours (holidays and weekends being exceptions). At a minimum, I check the course
messages at least after my last class on campus..
I
am glad to help students online, with a phone call, or on campus. Rather than
covering all the details that might be possible for a phone call or a
face-to-face meeting, these ways have worked best with students in the past:
·
If
you want to talk by phone during my online office hours, then use Blackboard email
to tell me your phone number and ask me to call you
·
If
you want to meet me on campus during my office hours, then use Blackboard email
to tell me that I will respond back with my location at that time so we can
meet.
·
If
the above ways do not work, email me some possible times for you for a phone
call or a face-to-face meeting and I will try to figure out some time that will
work for both of us. I will then email you back with a proposed time.
Discussion
Guidelines
Although
your work in the Unit topics (the Ask and Answer topics) is extra credit, they
are graded. These are general guidelines that will be applied when grading your
class discussions. If you have questions please feel free to contact me.
Whether
you are asking a question or answering another student’s question, you want to
be useful and brief and use verifiable and usable evidence. Those words verifiable and usable are from the back cover of one of my favorite books In
Defense of History by Richard J. Evans. Those words in the context of
history are talking about later if you are intereerifiable
evidence sounds . The initial post should be at least
1 page in length (250 words), and respond to the topic starter. Be
sure to read/watch the background material on the issue. The goal of the
discussions is to have an informed debate on current controversies in American
society.
After
you formulate and post your initial post, you should then respond to at
least two posts of your classmates IN THE SAME TOPIC. The response posts
should be about 1/2 - 3/4 of a page in length (125 - 175 words).
Please
do not post your responses as a file attachment. If you would like to
save a copy of the post, type your response in your word processor and save it
there. You can then cut and paste your response into the discussion post.
The
topics are drawn from a variety of sources. I try to select topics that
the class will find interesting and relate to politics. Each Unit's
topics will only be open until the closing date for the unit (refer to the course
schedule for a listing of all relevant due dates and the closing dates of each
unit).
Late
Discussion posts will not be accepted. Once the topic is locked, responses will
no longer be accepted.
Points
to Remember
Read
discussion topics and responses on Blackboard often. Reflect on these comments
and contribute your own perspectives. Online discussions are learning
opportunities that are equivalent to class discussions with instructors and
other participants. By reflecting on and responding to questions and comments,
you will develop your ability to articulate your concerns, opinions, viewpoints
and professional judgment.
DO
DON'T
Grading
Timeframe
I
know everyone is always anxious to receive feedback on your completed work, so
I will make every effort to give you prompt feedback.
I generally grade twice a week for each class. This means that you will usually
not have to wait more than a week before your grades are posted. For instance if I grade Friday morning, everything that was
submitted between the previous Friday and the Friday of the grading will be
posted. The exception to this is the discussion posts which are only
graded at the close of the unit. Also, be aware that if everyone waits till
the closing date, closing hour of a unit to submit assignments, discussions and
exams there might be a slight delay...I do grade, however, in the order that
the assignments are received.
Success in the Online
Environment
Although
this is a distance learning course, it is NOT a correspondence course; nor is
it an independent study course. Specific deadlines are provided and must be
met. Class participation, in the form of discussions, is required and will be
factored into your final grade. While I try to build in a great deal of
flexibility for you to work ahead in each unit, you cannot complete the course
in a single weekend, but are expected to be part of the course for the whole
semester.
This
online version of Government is designed to require roughly the same amount of
time a student would spend in a 3 credit hour, face-to-face (f2f) class. You
will be expected to complete all of the learning activities and maintain an
active presence in the class discussion forums. Time commitment consists of two
parts: interaction with other students (class participation) and interaction
with content (course material).
General points to
remember:
Introductory Tasks
Great!
You are almost finished. Before you get started with the content for this
course, I would like you to take care of some "housekeeping"
items.
Remember
these tasks are agraddedcomponent of the
course. Please complete as soon after logging in as possible so that I
know a little about each of you enrolled in the course. (If you are enrolled
in both of my online sections at the same time you may use the same info for
both courses - BUT it MUST be posted in both areas to recieve credit)
I
am looking forward to a great semester. If you have any general
questions, please go to the discussion board and post it under general course
questions section. If the question is of a more personal nature, feel
free to email me.