Biol2404 Online Orientation

1. Go to the TC Distance Education Webpage that can be accessed from the
      TC mainpage.
         Read the "Tips"
         Complete the "Survey"
         Assess your learning style from the "Your Style" link

2. Attend a D2L workshop to learn how to use D2L.

3. Complete the orientation assignment (see below) and then use it to fill out
     the Orientation Quiz that can be found under 'Quizzes' in D2L.
     Orientation can be completed by reading:
         - the TC Distance Education Webpage described above
         - the Syllabus
         - the FAQ
         - the Calendar

4. Do Assignments at D2L by the end of the first week of class.
            On D2L
                 - Read the D2L FAQ on the D2L main webpage. Scan through the list
                   of topics under the two main headings.
                          PLEASE!!! Use these two areas to help you troubleshoot problems
                          you are experiencing on D2L, PRIOR to asking for help :-)

                - Go to the Discussion Tab,
                      - find the "Distance Education Technical Support Forum" and
                      - read the description of that forum and
                      - read especially the suggestions for How to Write a Post.

                         PLEASE!!! Use these suggestions when you are writing
                          discussion posts AND when sending emails to other folks,
                          too. Following these guidelines will greatly enhance your
                          communication skills and make you look GOOD to your employer!

5. Login to D2L and complete an 'Introduce yourself' post to the Introduce Yourself
        Discussion Board - deadline is the Sunday at 12, midnight, at the end of the
        first week of the semester.

I recommend that the student copy and paste the Orientation questions to a word processor file, complete each question, and then, when D2L is available, use that file to answer the questions on the Orientation Quiz

Failure to complete this orientation assignment by the 2nd class day and/or the assignments on D2L by the end of the first week of classes MAY result in the student being dropped from the class.

The course is 90% self-paced.
- LECTURE QUIZZES: The student must study the material (20 chapters) and complete
     the 20 online tests by the end of the semester. This is 90% of the time requirement of
     the course.

   - LAB: The lab quizzes are ONLINE at D2L under the 'Quizzes' tab.

   - NOTE: The last day to take the online exams will be the Tuesday of Finals
        Week - by 2:00 pm. I will download the grades after 2:00 pm - any grades NOT
        complete will be scored '0' (zero) and averaged into the semester score.

Requirements for success in this class:

1. The student MUST be computer and internet literate. I.e. the student must know how to
use a computer and perform simple internet activities.

- enter URLs in the address bar and 'go to' a specific website
- Register and Login to websites
- be familiar with the Temple College Main Web Page and how to locate the
instructor's TC webpage.
- perform 'Cut and Paste' operations
- other computer based operations

2. The student is responsible for creating a schedule for completing the online tests by the
end of the semester. (There is a suggested schedule at the 'calendar' link in the green
vertical bar on the left side of this page.)

This course requires between 9 and 15 (+ !!) hours of study per week, depending on the student's background in the sciences. Ideally these hours would be 2-hour or 3-hour blocks, spread over 4-7 days.

If the student is working full time, has a family, is taking 3 other classes AND this course - DROP THIS COURSE NOW! The student will NOT be successful in the course.
If the student is working full time, then the student has time ONLY for 1 class - this class requires a lot of time.

The student must have the TIME to study, as well as the opportunity to study.

I strongly suggest that the student follow the appropriate schedule on the calendar page, as closely as possible. This is the schedule that I use for the classroom class.

NOTE: if you want the bonus points for completing exams by
   the respective dates, the be sure you know when those dates are :-)

There are 20 (twenty!) chapters to be completed, with Lecture and Lab Quizzes. Divide 20 by the number of weeks in the semester in which the class is being taken - that is the number of chapters the student should strive to complete each week.
          Take a look at a calendar...
                How many 'holidays' are there?
                When is finals week?
                How does this affect the total number of weeks that you ACTUALLY
                   have to finish this course? PLAN that into your schedule!!!

**** if you are graduating in the current semester - and must have a 'grade' submitted to your school prior to the actual end date for this course - you MUST complete all the online tests prior to the date your school needs the 'grade' from me.   I will not submit an incomplete grade.

3. The student must have a text book for the course.

The student will:
   - study the online class notes for the Internet Biology 2404 class that are located
       on D2L BIOL 2404 Intro to Anatomy and Physiology Hicks
         [the class notes are also available at the instructor's TC webpage
          (BUT may not be updated regularly).]
   - study diagrams and illustrations in the text to better understand the class notes.
   - study diagrams and illustrations in the text to learn the Laboratory materials
   - go to a computer, Login to D2L and take the test for each chapter. The student
        may take as many or as few tests per login as meets her/his needs.

Assignment:

To complete the Orientation, do the following to Verify that you have received and understood the TC Distance Education webpage, the Syllabus, Calendar, and FAQ by completing the Orientation Quiz on D2L:

"Cut and Paste" the following questions into a word processor document -and answer them

THEN, when D2L is available, login, go to the 'Quizzes' tab, locate the Orientation Quiz and complete the quiz. You may use your word document for the answers.

1. What is the format I want you to use for the subject line in emails? Use YOUR name and

     substitute 'verify orientation' for 'your subject'.

2. What is the TC mainpage web address?

3. Which of your email accounts must you use for this course?

4. Do you HAVE to go to a testing center to take the exams?

6. Where are my class notes located? Give the URL for my TC webpage, as well as the
     location of the class notes in D2L.

7. Describe the primary communication method for the course.

8. Describe the primary CLASS communication method that will be used once the

    course begins.

9. Paraphrase NOTE 6 in the syllabus.

10. Where are the LAB assignments located?

11. How do you get credit for Attendance?

12. What are the deadlines for completing the orientation quiz and the assignments at D2L?

13. How many weeks are there in the semester that you are taking this course? And,
       describe your proposed method for completing the course within the required time

       period. (is this the 'official' number of weeks? or the number that YOU count?)

14. How many hours are suggested for studying the nervous system.
        (see the Calendar page).

15. What is question #20 on the FAQ?

16. What is YOUR final deadline for completing this course?

17. What is the 'updated' date listed in the top left hand corner of the FAQ?

18. What is your learning style?

19. From the TC Distance Education webpage Tips link: what type of interaction do
        some students 'miss' when taking a distance learning course?

20. From the TC Distance Education webpage Survey link: What is question #1?

21. What is the LAST day of the semester in which you are enrolled?

22. You attended a D2L workshop to learn how to use D2L - true or false.

23. List the 6 steps for writing a post or email that includes sufficient information to allow
       the reader/receiver to effectively and efficiently respond to the message or to
       troubleshoot problems.

24. List the two main sections of the D2L FAQ.

25. Where can you find information on 'How to' - check your grade, or take a quiz...

26. Where can you find Tech Support information on "How to use D2L"?

You will be able to course quizzes after you complete the Orientation Quiz on D2L.

TC Home | Biology | Faculty | Ralph Hicks