Course Suggestions
Here are some general suggestions for your benefit.
- Realize that Internet courses
are not easy. They require a lot of work and discipline on your part.
- Be prepared to spend an
average of at least 10-12 hours per week working on this class.
- Examine the course calendar
frequently. This calendar will have listings of unit assignments and
will also include key dates for the course events such as tests.
- It is important for you
to check the communication section of the Web CT course site daily.
This includes the e-mail section and the message board section. This
will allow you to keep up with the most up-to-date course news and to
communicate with the instructor and your fellow students.
- Use 1) the textbook chapter
readings, 2) the resources located in the course content section of
the website, 3) the unit terms and definitions located in the course
content section of the website, and 4) the bonus essay article (which
I will send to you through a message board communication) as your resources
for this course.
- Be sure to create and use
the note sheets for test usage mentioned in the syllabus and on the
instruction page listed on the course information and procedures section
of the course website.
- And finally, at the start
of each new unit, print out the term definitions. That way, if you later
have an Internet connection problem, you will have a back-up paper copy
of this material to study. Also, if you desire, you may print out any
of the resources located in the course content section of the website.
This way, if you later have an Internet connection problem, you will
have a back-up paper copy of these resources.
Here are some important
communication suggestions for you.
- Use the communication tools
of the Web CT course site to communicate with the instructor and other
students. As you use these tools to communicate, use them in the following
way:
Use the e-mail system
to communicate with me individually (this is especially the case
if you want the message to be confidential and not available for
the entire class to see). Likewise, if I need to send you an individual,
confidential message, I will send it to you via e-mail message.
Use the message board
system to communicate with me and the class in general (this is
especially the case if you would like for the entire class to see
your questions and comments and my responses). Likewise, if I need
to send out a general message for the entire class to see at the
same time, I will use the message board.
For both the e-mail system
and the message board system, I suggest that you do not delete any
of the old messages. There may be times in the course when you will
want to refer back to old e-mails or messages for information so
leaving them in the system could be helpful.
For both the e-mail system
and the message board system, I suggest that you keep your display
settings on all. This will allow you to see all old e-mails and
messages not just ones that you have not previously read.
For both the e-mail system
and the message board system, you may use either the threaded or
the unthreaded display settings depending on your individual preferences.
- If you experience problems
communicating with me through the Web CT course site, you may send e-mail
messages to my work e-mail address: scovington@eocc.edu.
- If there are problems with
the college Internet server and you are unable to use my work e-mail
address, you may send e-mail messages to my home e-mail address: samcovington@hotmail.com.
- If an attempt to contact
me via the Web CT course site or either of my e-mail addresses fails,
you are welcome to call me. My work telephone number is: 347-2623 ext.
2251.
- If I am out of the office
when you call, you may leave a message on my voice messaging system.
Here are some specific
study suggestions for each unit.
- Carefully read the relevant
chapters for each unit. The calendar explains which chapters you should
be reading during the various units (this is essential).
- Carefully read and study
the term definitions for each unit (this is essential).
- Use the various chapter
resources within the course content page of the website (this is essential).
Again, the calendar explains which chapter resources you should be attempting
during the various units.
- As you use the chapter resources
from the course content page, be sure to take any practice quizzes and
tests which are available (this is essential).
- Contact the instructor if
you have questions about the course content material. I suggest that
you pose questions about the content on the message board rather than
through e-mail. This way all students will be able to see your question
and my response and everyone will benefit.
- Communicate with the other
students through the e-mail system and/or the message board so that
you can share study tips with one another and work together to prepare
for the tests. Also, feel free to use the course chat room to hold study
sessions.
Here is some specific
information about each of the tests.
- On your tests, all of the
matching and fill-in questions come entirely from the list of term definitions
provided with each unit. As a result, it is very important that you
study these terms. I would suggest that you write the terms on notecards.
Then, you could write the definitions on another set of notecards. You
could then practice matching the term card with the definition card.
Another way to study the term definitions would be to read them into
a tape recorder. You could then play back the recorded definitions as
you travel to and from work and school. Also, you could create a practice
fill-in-the-blank test using the terms. A few nights before the tests,
you could give yourself a practice test. You could then grade your practice
test and spend more time studying the ones you missed.
- On your tests, all of the
multiple choice questions come entirely from your textbook reading assignments
for each unit. As a result, it is very important that you read and study
these chapters carefully. Also, be sure to take any practice quizzes
or tests that are included within each chapter of the course content
section of the website.
- On your tests, the bonus
essay question will come entirely from an article which I will send
to you through a message board communication.
- As you prepare for the tests,
you need to use the unit term definitions, the textbook chapters, the
course content materials (especially any practice quizzes or tests associated
with the chapters), and the essay article as your primary resources.
- Also, please note that each
test will have the following format:
- 50 Multiple Choice Questions
worth 1 point each
- 10 Fill-in Questions
worth 1 point each
- 20 Matching Questions
worth 2 points each
- 1 Bonus Essay Question
worth up to 5 points
Obviously, the specific
material will change, but the test formats will remain the same.
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