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F re u ntly A ske
    qe           d
      Qu stio
          e ns
       ______

F orO nline students
Physical Geography
         with

    Kimberly Olson



        *For Online Students
• 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.
• 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).
• 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
It is a violation of college policy to plagiarize or
to recycle work.



 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.
Answer: NO
• 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: 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. 
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.
Answer: Online, not in a classroom.

                      • 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: 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.
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.
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). 
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.
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
• Another section of the orientation will demonstrate some of the
  online tools that we’ll use for the course.

• You can read the written instructions or watch the video
  demonstrations.

• Online links
   • Try our FREE sample class
        http://d2lresources.losrios.edu/free_sample_class.htm
   • Overview of Desire2Learn at Los Rios eLearning
        http://d2lresources.losrios.edu/index.htm
   • Login to Desire2Learn at Los Rios eLearning
        https://d2l.losrios.edu/