Hello, and welcome to the Psy./Soc.230 Distance Learning Human Sexuality class.
Please print out this email for later reference. Thank you.
There will be an optional orientation meeting this Monday on campus in room IB 3404
from 5:00 – 5:50 pm. If this is the first online class you have taken, or are not computer
savvy, or have specific questions, it may help to come to this meeting. Otherwise, you
can do well in the class without attending this orientation.
This is a test and welcome email to be sure everything is working, and to get you on the
class website from WebCT. From here on, we will communicate using the WebCT email
system.
Please reply to this message by simply putting “Received” in the subject line. These
“Received “ emails will not be opened. I am simply checking that your email is correct
and everything is working. Therefore, do not put any questions or comments in this reply
message.
The syllabus should answer any questions you have about the way the class works.
Please read the syllabus (all 19 pages) before asking a syllabus related question. If you
have a question, please quote the section of the syllabus that you do not understand to
help me answer you more specifically.
After this email, please use the WebCT email system.
How to get started: (Plus how to find the syllabus and other items)
(You will be able to access the class website below on the first day of class.
See the course schedule for the beginning of on-campus classes.)
1. Go to: http://elvis.sccd.ctc.edu:8900/ , and you will see “Log in to my Web
CT” (Click on this). Bookmark this site for easy access later.
2. For WebCT ID, put in your first initial of first name, and entire last name e.g.
“jsmith” (all lower case)
3. For Password, put in the last 6 numbers of your student ID (e.g. 123456)
4. Click “Log in”
5. Click on “Psy230_Soc230RA
You will see the WebCT home page for this class.
Next:
6. Click on “Course Materials”
Ignore the “Parent Directory” folder
7. Click on the “Class Materials230” folder
8. Click on the “Soc_Psy230SyllabusDL.doc”
This should download and/or open the Syllabus. If it does not, you can use
another internet browser, or download and open the “.pdf” version if you have Adobe
Acrobat reader (which most computers have). If you download the “pdf” version, or
have different margin settings on your computer the page number in the syllabus Table of
Contents may not directly match the correct page. However, it will be close.
We have found that if you are using Firefox on a Mac. You may get a Google
spreadsheet in some cases. If this happens, use another browser such as Internet
Explorer.
The syllabus will answer almost any questions you have regarding the format and
requirements of the class; please read all of it. If you have a question, email me citing the
page number and quoting the section you do not understand. This will help me answer
your question more specifically.
Other folders in the class materials section include:
1. Exam Concepts 230/ This contains four “Exam Concepts” sheets, one for each
exam. If you have difficulty opening these, use the same procedure you used for the
syllabus. These are to help you prepare for each exam. However, they do not need to be
handed in. The Exam Concepts for exam #1 are currently posted in this file.
2. Exam Reviews230/ This folder will contain a recording of the review of each
exam. These exam review recordings will be posted according to the daily outline in the
syllabus as they are presented to the on-campus class.
3. PowerPoints230/ This folder contains Power Point presentations for each
chapter, which are used with the class recordings. These Power Points will be posted
according to the daily outline in the syllabus as they are presented to the on-campus class.
4. Recordings230/ This folder contains the class recordings for each chapter.
These recordings (along with the Power Points) will be posted according to the daily
outline in the syllabus as they are presented to the on-campus class.
Further information on each of these items, and how they are used in the class is located
in the syllabus. Please note, the date of the class and exam review recordings are often
listed as 05 by the computer. This is inaccurate, due to a difficulty in the software. This
will not affect you in any way.
If you do not have PowerPoint on your computer :
Here are links for the PowerPoint viewer. I believe these are free downloads.
Power Point Viewer for a PC (not Mac.) computer.
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=428D5727-43AB-4F2490B7-A94784AF71A4&displaylang=en#Requirements
PowerPoint viewer for the Mac
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=e25cb1e5-209c-4a58b283-23e84b616477&DisplayLang=en
Another cross platform product that can play PowerPoint slides:
I also understand the free download called Open Office has a section called Impress that
will play PowerPoint presentations. It also can be used on a PC. or a Mac. This can be
found at: http://www.openoffice.org/
If you not have a WMA player (for recordings) on your computer :
To listen to the class recordings, you need to download a copy of Windows Media Player.
For a PC, go to:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/Browse.aspx?displaylang=en&categoryid=4
For Mac, go to:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/player/mac/mp9/default.aspx
On the course home page you will find:
“Mail” This is for emailing your instructor after you are in the class.
“Grades” Here is where you can find your grades for each exam. Grades are
posted after the time for taking the exam has expired.
“Tests” Here is where your tests are located. When the exams are available (e.g.
between 8:00 am and 8:00 pm Pacific time on the exam day) you can go here to take the
exam.
“Discussions” Here is where you can go to post questions or comments, and
receive replies from other students in the class.
“Calendar” Here is where you can go to see when the exams are to be taken. If
you miss an exam, or your computer malfunctions, you will be able to take a make-up
exam, which is different from the original, and considered more difficult. Take the
original exam if at all possible.
Many of these items are elaborated on in the syllabus.
Before you email me during the class (not the original “Received” email):
Before you email me, please read the syllabus, the text, and listen to that section of the
class recordings and power points. Next, check the “Email_answers.doc”, because that
question may have been answered previously.
In your email, please (1.) quote the passage in the syllabus (with page number), text (with
page number), or class recording you do not understand, then (2.) discuss why you do not
understand it, then (3.) state your question. This will help me answer your question more
specifically.
When possible, your inquiry will be answered by referring you to the “Email-answers”,
such as EA#1. This means check the “email_answers” document in the Class Materials
folder for answer #1. In this case, answer #1 is “. Please read the syllabus”.
Thank you
Additional help with online learning:
One module for potential students discussing learning style and time management
considerations to help you assess your readiness and aptitude for online learning is
available at the website below.
A second module for registered students presenting resources at North that can help
improve your study skills specifically for online learning is also available at the website
below. Online tutorials on the technologies used in our online courses are offered as well
at this site.
These modules are available in several formats at
http://www.virtualcollege.org/resource/orient.htm. Scroll to the bottom of the web page for links
to the modules themselves. Check them out!
It may be useful to print out this email for later reference.
Best of luck with the class!
Robert Atkins, Ph.D.
“Dr.Bob”