Title: 8. Your Guidelines for How to Be Successful
Course: Open ELT106 Fundamentals of DC/AC

What You May Have Heard

Contrary to what you may have heard about online/hybrid classes, this is a regular college course. I expect the same commitment to time and quality as I do in an on campus class. However, the difference between online courses and live courses is that this course is more student-centered than instructor-centered. This means that I provide you with the guidelines and then you are responsible for your own learning and your own success by following the guidelines I set up for you. In other words, you choose your level of success in the course.

Because this is a college course, you will be extremely busy! You have approximately 15 weeks to learn the material in each module and complete all of the quizzes, assignments, and discussions associated with those modules. I strongly advise that you print out the Course Calendar and Assignment Schedule and hang it by your computer. This course is available to you 24 hours a day, seven days a week but there are strict due dates and I do not accept late assignments. Since all of the course requirements have a due date, pace your online and on campus activities accordingly. If you do not keep up, you cannot catch up!

What I Expect from You

During the semester, I expect you to spend at least 10 hours, (2 hours 5 times a week) on this course that would be the minimum amount of time necessary to pass the course with a C. (10 hours). This may seem a bit much to you, however, remember that a live classroom-based course requires at least 45 hours of "sitting-in-class time" per semester as well as 90 to 120 hours of "outside-class time" per semester to read and complete work plus the time you will spend face-to-face, on field trips, or lab time. By doing the math, it is a lot of time either way!

I expect you to log on to our class at least three times a week. I will check attendance by the Activity log report available to me in Canvas. Although attendance in an online/hybrid class does not necessarily assigned a grade, online and face-to-face attendance is a major factor for success in this course. As part of the time you spend on the class each week I also expect:

- you to spend at least two hours per week reading each chapter in your textbook(s) as well as the lectures which correspond to each module.
- to apply the information from the textbook and/or my lectures in your answers on the assignments and discussion participation
- to use proper writing skills when completing assignments or participating in online discussions.
- Understand the difference between this college-level course and electronically chatting with your family and friends. Little "i" and not using caps at the beginning of sentences are two examples of chat that should NOT be used in any college writing except within technologies such as instant messaging.
- to be respectful, courteous, and considerate of other people's feelings when participating in the online discussions because your submissions will be seen by me as well as your classmates. I am sure that you would not like anyone degrading or making fun of you. Thus, do not be derogatory, disrespectful, nor inconsiderate toward your classmates. If someone does that to you, I will not tolerate it and I will put a stop to it immediately! If you are unfamiliar with how to interact properly on the Internet please read the core rules of netiquette at this website.
- to not use profanity when you are completing assignments or participating in the online discussions. Profanity is repulsive, demonstrates ignorance, and is inappropriate when discussing material within a college-level course.

What You Can Expect From Me

You can expect me to log on at least 3 times a week to participate in the class by addressing your questions, evaluating assignments and keeping  lessons up-to-date. I will also

- initiate some discussions and join others as I deem necessary but I will read and rate every post.
- try to communicate your ratings to you through comments and messages so that you have a chance to improve your discussion grade as the course progresses.
- return graded assignments to you within one week.
- respond to your questions as soon as possible
- do everything I can to help you be successful

Please don't expect me to be available 24/7! If I was teaching you on campus, you know you would not have round-the-clock access to me, so realize that I won't be checking in during working hours and on most weekends.  Like many of you, I have a regular day job and small children at home.  If you need me 'outside" of class, you should leave a call back message or send me a  Canvas message with a good subject line like Help! Call Me ASAP, then leave a number and time where I can reach you. I will call you ASAP but it may be the next day.

Finally, don't be afraid to ask questions- if you don't ask, you may never know!