*Frequently Asked Questions

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*Jocelyn Arnold

*Online course

*Fall 2010 Grossmont College

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• Self-motivated and self-starters • Have good organizational skills

• Have good time-management skills

• Are familiar with computers and the Internet

• Are resourceful and actively seek

answers and solutions to questions and problems.

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• Identify yourself by name in each email or postings.

• Be supportive and constructive in your comments to each other.

• Everyone will benefit from a positive online learning environment.

• Read information on Online Etiquette (use the back button to come back and finish the presentation).

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• Course objectives

• Course expectations

• Assignments How to submit assignments How to label files

• How to address your e-mails to

the instructor

• Grading Policies

• Other course issues

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You must not:

• Take others’ thoughts or words without appropriate acknowledgment.

• Submit work that has been written or revised in part or in whole by another person.

• Submit work that you have submitted for another class.

It is a violation of college policy to plagiarize or to recycle work.

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• Most online classes are NOT self-paced.

• Usually homework, other activities, and online class participation must be completed by deadline.

• Many Instructors set the deadline for midnight on Saturday to assist those who work Monday-Friday.

• Use a calendar for deadlines.

• Set aside time each week to login.

Answer: NO

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Answer: That it is up to you.

• You should plan to spend at least the same amount of time you would spend on a face-to-face class.

• For a one unit class - you'll spend a

minimum of one hour a week looking at some of the class resources, checking on assignments, contributing to discussions, and posting homework.

• You’ll probably spend another 3 hours

on reading, practice activities and homework. 

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Answer: Usually not

• You will have deadlines by which to submit your homework, but WHEN you complete that work is usually up to you.

• Your instructor MAY require chat sessions or other real time activities.

• It’s important NOT to leave it to the last minute to do your work or to submit it.

• If you have trouble connecting to your ISP

or the course website, then your assignments will be late.

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• Other than the orientation meeting, most online courses don't really "meet" in a physical face to face sense.

• We'll interact regularly through the Internet.

• We'll be using some software called Desire2Learn and using the Los Rios eLearning web server.  

• Course materials are available on the course web pages, the bulletin boards, announcements and email.

Answer: Online, not in a classroom.

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Answer: In many ways.

• We'll communicate with each other using web-based bulletin boards, chat rooms and email.

• The instructor is available to you through email, voicemail and virtual office hours.

• On-campus office hours are also available by appointment.

• These same tools will be used for student-to-student communication also.

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Answer: No

• Some students think an online class is even more demanding than a face-to-face class.

• You have to stay motivated and stay on top of your work for the class.

• The workload in an online class is usually identical to an on-site class on the same topic.

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Answer: No• Access to a computer at home makes it

easier, but you do NOT have to own a computer for an online class.

• Students can access computers on the campus in several locations (the Learning Resource Center, and the Business Computer lab, for example) or at other district colleges.

• Some students complete online classes from work (with permission from their employer, of course). 

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Answer:

• Know how to use a web browser.

• Know how to use an email program.

• Know how to make and organize bookmarks in your browser software.

• Some familiarity with web-based interactions bulletin boards, chat and mailing lists will also be useful.

• Some familiarity with word processing.

• Experience in successful Internet searches using a variety of search engines.

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Answer: • As in a regular face-to-face class, your instructor expects that you will adhere to standards of:

Courtesy

Professionalism

Academic honesty

• Participate with appropriate consideration for each other and for the instructor.

• Your emails and web postings should:

On the topic at hand

Be appropriate

Should reflect a professional demeanor

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• Online links GCCCD Online Tutorials

http://www.gcccd.net/online/tutorials/tutorials.htm GCCCD Online Orientation

http://www.gcccd.net/online/orientation.htm Login to Blackboard at GCCCD

http://bb.gcccd.edu

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