Angela Block, instructor
e-mail: sociologyrocks@hotmail.com
office phone: 916. 558. 2159
office location: Rodda North 215
FALL 2007
Sociology 310 ( 19316 ) / FCS 320 ( 19314): Marriage and the Family ON-LINE
Directions for getting to, and navigating the class on-line
Each student in this class has a Los Rios Online account already set up for them. Because this class is only
accessible to those students who are actually registered for the class, security of content, information and
posts is provided. There is absolutely no advantage in lending other students your access code – all of your
posts and communications will be attributed to you, and you will be held accountable for such. For this
reason, and for the matter of class integrity, please DO NOT share your access code with others!!
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Log onto the Internet. You can do this at home or from a computer on campus.
GET AN E-MAIL ACCOUNT!! If you don’t have one, or want a separate one for this class, get one at I –
MAIL. This is a free e-mail account that is through City College. To get an account, go to the following
URL (internet address): https://imail.losrios.edu/ , click on "Activating iMail is easy" and follow directions to
set up a new account.

Go to the Los Rios Online site. The URL (address) for this is: http://blackboard.losrios.edu (notice that
there is no “www” in the address!!)
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Click the “Login” button and follow the directions given, then “log in”
If you do not know your student identification number, look in the "Login Information" box and click on
“Click here to get it” and follow the directions

A screen will come up that will have your name at the top and the courses that you are taking listed. Click
on Marriage and the Family
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Once you make it to the site, UPDATE YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION TO INCLUDE YOUR E-MAIL
ADDRESS!! To do this, click on the Welcome tab link that is toward the top left of the page, then on the
Personal Information link (located in the "Tools" box on left side of page). Click on “Personal
Information” and then on "edit personal information" and fill in the requested information.
Note that the e-mail address that you list will be where all of your assignments and my
communications to you will be sent -- so make sure to correctly enter your e-mail address!!

If you would like, you can change your password by clicking on the Change Password link inside the
"Personal Information" link. If you do this, be advised to WRITE YOUR PASSWORD DOWN somewhere,
as there is no assistance available for lost passwords!! I recommend that you keep the one that you are
assigned as this is a matter of school record. You may change your password, but do so at your risk!!

After having updated your e-mail address, go back to the opening page by clicking on the "Courses" tab at
the top of the page, and then selecting Marriage and the Family by clicking on it.

Read the announcements by clicking on the Announcements button in the left margin. Next, go to the
syllabus by clicking on the Syllabus button on the left side of the page. Be sure to familiarize yourself with
the entire site by clicking on the various buttons on the left side of the page (Assignments, Web Sites,
etc.). Don’t fear getting lost!! The worst that could happen is you might have to restart your computer!! 
ALL SCHEDULED DUE DATES AND CLASS MEETINGS (i.e. location and anything that you are to bring with you)
WILL BE POSTED ON THE ANNOUNCEMENTS PAGE OF THE CLASS SITE!! YOU WILL WANT TO CHECK THIS
ADDNOUNCEMENTS PAGE CAREFULLY EACH TIME YOU LOG ONTO OUR CLASS!!
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Angela Block, instructor
e-mail: sociologyrocks@hotmail.com
office phone: 916. 558. 2159
office location: Rodda North 215
Sociology 310 ( 19316 ) / FCS 320 ( 19314): Marriage and the Family ON-LINE
Required Text/Materials:
"Marriages and Families, diversity and change," 5th edition. Schwartz, Mary Ann and Scott, BarBara, Prentice
Hall publishers. (this text may be purchased at the campus bookstore or various online bookstores, i.e.
http://bookstore.scc.losrios.edu/home.aspx , http://www.half.com )
Regular access to the internet and a word processing program, preferably Microsoft Word, also necessary.
Class Description
Sociology 310 / FCS 320 is an introductory course into the study of marriage, partnership, and the
institution of family at the micro and macro social levels.. This course is designed to assist students in
developing a conceptual awareness of the dynamics of the modern family and of various expressions of
intimate lifestyles related to family structures.
Specific Objectives: To facilitate the student in:
** Interpreting the meanings of courtship, marriage, partnership and family as social institutions;
** Exploring the nature of “the individual” vs. “the couple” in contemporary society;
** Interpreting the significance of ethnic variation in the study of partnership, marriage, and family;
** Developing an awareness of intimate and non-marital lifestyles and family structures;
** Comparing family patterns over time and across cultures;
** Investigating the catalysts and implications of divorce and remarriage;
** Gaining an understanding of the impact of gender related role expectations;
** Developing a "sociological imagination" by way of applying the sociological perspective in
understanding historical and recent developments in the family and family systems.
Requirements
This course is offered almost entirely online. Students must have access to a computer with a word
processing program and the Internet, and have basic computer familiarity such as attaching documents,
searching the internet, and basic problem solving ability. Coursework can be done from a computer in the
Instructional Media/Learning Assistance Center (on the first floor of the Learning Resource Center), from the
Learning Resources Open Access Computer Lab (located in the Business building room 153), or from home if
the student has access to the Internet via a private Internet Service Provider. Once registered, students must
attend the first orientation meeting of the semester (as noted in schedule of classes) or risk being dropped
from the class.
A note about online learning….
Learning online is not easier!! In fact, it is often more challenging. Students who succeed in the online
community tend to be self-disciplined (because there is less enforced structure); driven in some way (because
learning over the internet provides less immediate social motivation); in simplest terms, successful students
tend to be emotionally and academically mature. They also tend to be comfortable with technology and with
the internet as a communication medium.
If you think this online class will be easy, if you are looking for a less time-consuming learning method, or if
you fear occasional frustration; if you don't know how to send an attachment or use a word processor, you
should NOT take this class online!! It is very unlikely that you will succeed.
For those of you who decide that this medium will work for you, I expect this semester will be filled with growth. I am
convinced you can learn as much online as face to face if you apply yourself. Because this is a sociology class, it is
imperative that we have interaction -- the last thing we need is more isolation!! The discussions in this class will include
differing opinions and perspectives that will serve as great catalysts of discussion. You will not be alone in this class -- it
is a genuine virtual community!! I am present in it, as is each of you. We will work together. In fact, for many of us, this
class is a step into the outside world, an intellectual and socializing journey beyond our homes or our jobs -- places
where ideas may not be exchanged as freely.
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Class assessment and participation (GRADING!!)
"Assessment" is another way of saying "grading." Your grade for this class will be determined based on an average of
the following criteria:
 Exams: 100 points each (300 points total) – NOTE: these will take place ON CAMPUS!! Location and time/s will be
posted on the Announcements page of the class website
 Web discussion boards: 5 points each (50 points maximum total) NOTE: Participation on 7 discussion boards
minimum required to pass this class without penalty
 Chapter quizzes: 5 points each (75 points total)
 Writing assignments and video review/s (25 points total)
 Total points assigned = 450.
Extra credit – a maximum of 10 points may be accumulated for extra credit. Opportunities for extra credit will be
announced on the “Announcements” page during the semester.
Discussion Boards
There will be a minimum of ten discussion boards available during the semester. Participating on these “boards” is
considered the same as "attending" class and as such is taken Very Seriously!!
You must contribute to at least seven of the discussion boards to receive credit without penalty for this course; NO
exceptions. “Contribute” means to post a carefully considered answer to the question/s presented AND to respond
substantively to at least one other students’ comment. ALSO, your posts MUST BE AT LEAST 24 HOURS
APART!! A "carefully considered" contribution is NOT a one or two line response, like "Yeah, I agree with you," or "I'm
not really sure what I think....," or repeating or paraphrasing another student's post!! THINK!! Contributions must be
unique, in your own words, and have substance!! This is not intended to be idle chatter!! Make it work for all of us by
contributing meaningfully!!
As I've said, the discussion boards are where the class interaction and discussion take place; they cannot be missed any
more than sessions of a face to face class. Posts will be evaluated: if your response is underdeveloped or off topic (and
this should not be a problem if you take the assignment seriously) you will not receive credit for that week's board. You
are also required to read ALL of the posts on your assigned discussion boards every week – so check in often, and
check in early!! 
How to Post onto the Discussion boards….

Posting a new response (or a first response) -- after reading the question for the board for the week, and after
considering a thoughtful response. I recommend composing it off-line in a word processing program, and then
copying it, and then pasting it to the discussion board by clicking on the assigned discussion board and then clicking
on “+ Thread.” This will bring you to a page that has a text box in which to either paste in or type your original
response to the question posted for that particular board. Remember to type in a “title” to your post in the “Subject”
box!!

To READ other students’ posts, click on the title line (“subject”) of the student’s post (not on the student’s name in
the middle column – this will take you directly to her/his e-mail address, not to the discussion board) and their
comments will open on a new page.

To RESPOND to another student’s post, click on “reply” when you are reading their post.

Remember, 7 are mandatory to pass the class without penalty, regardless of how well you do on assignments and
exams. Completion of fewer than 7 boards may result in a full grade penalty or being dropped from the class. If you
disappear from the boards, you will be dropped or will fail the class!!
Do I Read Every Post?
In theory, yes, though I may miss some and I will not respond to every single comment, any more than I would in a face
to face class; a teacher who butted in between every single student interaction would be a poor class facilitator!! I do,
however, expect to be active on the boards, meaning you should see my name popping up fairly often.
If you wish a response to your post from me, address me by name in the subject line and I will respond as soon as I can.
I expect to respond to the board posts two to three times a week, so you shouldn't have to wait much longer to get your
question answered than in a traditional class. Again, I prefer that you ask a general or technical question on the
Question/Help/Challenges discussion board first so that others who might have the same question can see the response.
Of course, as in a face to face class, one student may answer another student's question in many cases.
(thanks to T. Myers for content assistance)
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Expectations and (n)etiquette
1. I expect you to log into this class at least three times per week. Any less and you are likely to get behind
or miss important announcements, assignments and/or posts to the discussion boards. I also expect you
to read the Announcements page each time you log in!!
2. You can log into our class any time you like. You do NOT need to log in at a certain time, BUT there are
very specific DUE DATES for assignments that will be celebrated!! I recommend that you set a regular
schedule for yourself to “attend” this class as you would any other. This is likely to help in staying current
in your work and assignments in this class.
3. It is perfectly fine for your discussion board posts to be informally worded, more reflective of the way that
you would speak in class. While you will not be graded on spelling and grammar per se, your posts and
communications must be intelligible!! Errors affect clarity!! You may find it helpful to write some of your
posts in a word processing program (i.e. Microsoft Word), spell check it, and then copy and paste it onto
the discussion board.
4. NO OFFENSIVE SLANG, PUT – DOWNS, GRATUITOUS SWEARING OR HATEFUL SPEECH WILL
BE TOLERATED!! As in any class, it is imperative that the learning environment remain supportive,
neutral and respectful. With that said, please think about what you write in the same way you would do so
in a classroom. If your mother wouldn’t approve, it’s unlikely that I will either!! 
For more on (n)ettiquette, see -- http://www.albion.com/netiquette/index.html
Communications….
Sending e-mail
When e-mailing me it is imperative that you write the following in the “subject” space:
Soc. 310 (or FCS 320) online followed by what you are sending, i.e. assignment #1. If you are sending a
question, this is what the subject line should look like: Soc. 310 (or FCS 320) online / question. I will be
teaching at least six classes this semester and will be sorting my e-mail by subject line. This will help ensure
that I receive your work on time, or can respond to your question in a timely fashion!!
Submitting Written Assignments
Any written assignments that are submitted to me MUST BE SAVED AS RTF DOCUMENTS!! I use a
Macintosh computer and am currently using Microsoft Word (2000). You do not need use the same type of
computer, or even the same type of word processing software -- but for me to read your work, it needs to be
saved as a "Rich Text Document "(RTF). To do this, go to “File,” then go to “Save As,” then to “Save File As
Type” and pull down to “Rich Text Format” or “RTF”. This is the only way that I will be able to open your work
when you send it as an attachment!! Submit the assignment by following the directions online.
How To Reach Me
Communicating with me is not hard, even though we may only see each other face to face a few times during
the semester. The Questions discussion board is a good place to start. You can also leave a message on
my voicemail (916-558-2159) or to my e-mail at sociologyrocks@hotmail.com (please make sure to write "soc.
310 (or FCS 320) online" in the subject box!!).
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Sociology 310 / Family and Consumer Science 320: Marriage and the Family
Assignment schedule (tentative -- please see website for any changes or announcements; also see specific
assignment folder for reading assignments and additional details).
In general, our "week" will run from Monday to Monday (with the possible exception of testing weeks). Discussion board
participation requires reading to have been completed and considered; no credit will be given to those post that do not
evidence careful consideration of the assigned material. Multiple choice quizzes are assigned each week as well, and
may be found in each of the weekly “Assignment” folders.
A minimum of two posts are required for each assigned discussion board. One of these must be an original
response to the question posed, along with at least one substantive response to another student's post/s. At
least two of these posts must be at least 24 hours apart!!
Make sure to check the discussion boards regularly, and get on them early in the week!! Leaving this to the last minute
will definitely hinder your success in this class as you will not have time to read and consider the contributions posted
before responding!!
Reading assignments: Each week there will be a brief (hopefully  ) lecture and readings assigned from the text
Marriages and Families, diversity and change (4th edition) AND readings assigned from the internet. Directions will be
posted in the weekly “assignments” folders; lectures will also be located in each of these folders. Due dates for
discussion boards will be posted on each board; details and due date/s for group project will be posted on the
Announcements page.
Week
dates
topics and dates
#1.
8/27 - 9/3
Marriages and Families Over Time (chapter 1 + any internet readings)
Class orientation, discussion board introductions, and class site exploration
#2.
9/3 - 9/10:
Theory and research methods (chapter 2+ any internet readings)
#3.
9/10 - 9/17:
Influence of gender on relationships (chapter 3+ any internet readings)
#4.
9/17 - 9/24:
Love, Love, Love!! (chapter 4+ any internet readings)
#5.
9/24 – 10/1:
Courtship and partner selection (chapter 5+ any internet readings)
#6.
10/1:
MIDTERM!! On campus!! Details will be posted on the Announcements page!!
#7.
10/1 - 10/8:
Sexuality and intimate relationships (chapter 6+ any internet readings)
#8.
10/8 - 10/15:
Alternative (non-marital) lifestyles (chapter 7+ any internet readings)
#9.
10/15 - 10/22:
Marriage!! (chapter 8+ any internet readings)
#10.
10/22 – 10/29: Parenting (chapter 9+ any internet readings)
#11.
10/29 - 11/5:
Work and family structures (chapter 10+ any internet readings)
#12.
11/5:
MIDTERM!! On campus!! Details will be posted on the Announcements page!!
#13.
11/5 - 11/12:
Domestic and intimate violence (chapter 11+ any internet readings)
#14.
11/12 - 11/19:
Divorce and uncoupling (chapter 12+ any internet readings)
#15.
11/19 - 12/3:
Remarriage and reorganization (chapter 13+ any internet readings)
#16.
12/3 - 12/10:
Marriages and families in later life (chapter 14+ any internet readings)
#17.
12/10 - 12/17
U.S. and world trends in marriages and families (chapter 15+ any internet readings)
#18.
12/17:
Final exam!! On campus!! Details will be posted on the Announcements page!!
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Technical Assistance
For technical assistance with the Los Rios Online system, e-mail your question using the following
e-mail address: scconline@go.losrios.edu
For telephone assistance, call the Learning Resources Center: 916-558-2062
For course content based questions (note: we are in the process of identifying tutors for this specific class, as
such please check back during the semester if you do not find this class listed on your initial try), please go to
the following site: http://host.cvc4.org/saccity/duresky/online_tutoring.htm
To reach me and my extremely limited technical knowledge that is limited to hit and miss with the Macintosh,
call my office: 916-558-2159.
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