Welcome to English 0482 online, Approaches to
College Reading II. This course will explore a
variety of content area reading in order to prepare students for the challenges of reading
college-level texts.
We’re going to start with a review of the course syllabus to provide you with a road map or
snapshot of what this course is all about. The
online syllabus is posted all semester and you can refer to it anytime day or night. The syllabus
outlines due dates, expectations, policies and
resources offered at College of DuPage; the syllabus will give you a clear sense of how to
succeed in this course. If you have a question or
concern about the course, refer to your syllabus first, as it is a contract between a student and
teacher. A syllabus is one of the most important
documents in the course because it a communication tool essential in creating a
successful experience throughout the semester.
Let’s get started! When you click on the link to open your English
0482 course online, first, you will see a menu
located on the far left side of the screen. This menu lists several options including a link called
“Syllabus.” Click on the link called “Syllabus” and
we’re ready to go. The first box you will see in the syllabus is labeled
Course Details The course detail box lists all of
the housekeeping details or nuts and bolts – what
is the name of your instructor? How many credit
hours is this course? When does the course start and when does the semester end? Are there any prerequisites?
English 0482 is a placement course. In other
words, before registering for this course, students take the English Pre-Course Test , a
multiple choice computer adapted or paper-pencil
version of the test, and earn a test score. If a student’s test score is below a 75 (on the
computer test) or below a 16 (on the paper-pencil
test), students are required to register for English 0482. Some students also enroll in English 0481
(4 credit hours) before enrolling in English 0482. The good news is that taking English 0482 will
provide students with active reading strategies to
critically read and evaluate a variety of texts, especially in college.
Let’s move on to the next section, “Important
Course Information In this section you’ll find some very important
requirements that apply directly to online
students in English 0482. See the bold faced words and yellow highlighted sections? Wow!
That information must be important – this
instructor took time to style the page and make these items jump out!
This course REQUIRES students to physically
come to campus twice during the course of the semester. Not only will we experience each other
virtually online, but we will also have the
opportunity to meet each other face to face, in person. I am looking forward to it! If you are not
able to come to campus twice this semester
during the required days and times once at the beginning of the semester and once at the end of
the semester, I strongly encourage you to drop
this online course and explore alternatives. In other words, in order to pass the course, you
must come to campus twice, no ifs ands or buts
about it. The rest of the course is online and does not require face to face meetings.
The first required face-to-face meeting involves
logging into My Reading Lab, a software program we will use throughout the semester as part of
your required course materials. We will meet
once together as a class to go through the log in process.
The other required meeting involves taking the
Reading Exit Exam. The Exit Exam is scheduled toward the end of the semester (check due
dates) and is offered either on campus or at one
of our COD satellite testing centers. The course provides a lot of information and
practice before students take the Exit Exam, but if
you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to ask your instructor.
Onto the next section, Students with Disabilities.
If you have documentation of a disability and would like to contact our support services for
recommendations for accommodations, College
of DuPage offers the Office of Student Special Services. Support services are available for any
student with a documented learning and/or
physical disability. Student Services provides a variety of assistance including tape recorders,
alternative testing, adaptive equipment, audio
textbooks and other axiliary services. Tutoring is also available for all students through
the College of DuPage Academic Support Center
both in person and online. Click this link Are you ready to move to the next area? It’s
called “Course Description, and Course
Objectives and Topical Outline.” What does all of this mean? Basically these ideas spell out, in
detail, exactly what the course is about. Take
some time to read through this material and get a general feel for what we’ll be doing over the next
several weeks. You’ll walk away with so much
valuable from this course, I guarantee it! Scrolling down to the next section, “Instructor
Information” is where you can find your teacher
on campus and during “virtual hours” online. What are his or her office hours? E-mail
address? Phone number? Office location? Get
to know your instructor – e-mail, call, stop by in person. Don’t hesitate to ask questions. We’re
here to help!
Moving to the next section, “Required Textbooks and Materials,” this is where students can see
what they need to buy for this course and where
it is available. The College of DuPage Bookstore is the first stop shop. These materials will also be
available on reserve at the College of DuPage
Library. Of course students must have access to the Internet in order to take an online course.
Many of you may be wondering, “What do I need
to do to earn an ‘A’ in this class?” That’s an excellent question. The next section,
“Coursework and Evaluation” provides an
overview of all the grades and assignments in the entire course. There are no pop quizzes or
surprises here. And because we’ll cover so much
ground, there’s no extra credit offered. Students will have plenty of opportunities for
credit as we progress through the semester.
If you’re wondering about the time commitment and expectations in taking an online course, this
next section, “Course Guidelines” is a good one
to read. For example, submitting late assignments is acceptable, but comes with a
penalty. Read this section carefully. Remember,
it’s easier to keep up than to catch up! Let’s scroll to the next important are of the
syllabus, “Orientation to Using Blackboard and
English 0482 Online.” We will use Blackboard as our platform for this online course. Students
have a login and password for Blackboard and
are encouraged to go online at least once a day to work on the course. We will use Blackboard to
centrally store, share and collaborate ideas
about reading. There are 11 links described in this area that will help you tremendously. Click
the links for more information.
Speaking of computers, students will use the Discussion Board featured in the next section,
“Discussion Board: Expectations and Examples.”
This section will give students an idea of what the teacher will look for in a valuable
Discussion Board exchange. How is the
Discussion Board graded? How often do I need to post?
The next four sections, “Submission of Work,”
“Return of Work, “Deadlines” and “Late Assignments Policy” are important to read. How
do I electronically turn in my assignments? When
are assignments due? What happens if I’m not on time turning in work? Please review
this section carefully. It’s important in planning
and organizing for the semester. The next two sections “Student Email” and
“Computer Responsibilities” are also worth a
look. If students have technical difficulties logging in or request other trouble shooting with
the computer, these sections will provide answers
and contacts. Plagiarism is defined and referenced in our
College of DuPage Catalog. The next section,
“Plagiarism,” discusses citing source material when appropriate.
Need help? College of DuPage offers a myriad
of services for students. Click on the several links listed in this next section “Student
Assistance,” for details. We’re here for you!
If you’re curious about what an Incomplete grade (“I” grade) or Withdraw (“W” grade) or
Satisfactory/Fail grade options are, please read
this next section, “Course Policies” to find out more.
Finally, have some fun while you’re here. The
next section, “What’s Happening at COD” is a link to one of my favorites, “That Beepin’ Show.” Sit
back and enjoy the humor and information about
our beloved campus. Beep, beep Whew! We’ve walked through the course
syllabus for English 0482 together. The syllabus
is your touchstone or road map in English 0482. It is essential to know what is expected during the
course of the semester and where help is
available. Consult the syllabus often. Read and re-read the information. If you have any
questions or concerns about the syllabus,
contact the instructor. Best wishes on a terrific online experience!