Methods to Achieve Success:

If you were taking this class in the traditional face-to-face format, your class would meet in a lecture room for four hours per week, and each student spends about eight hours per week outside of class on homework assignments. Online students should be prepared to spend 12 to 15 hours per week on this course since it may be necessary to account for communication delays and hardware problems in addition to the equivalent class time. Remember: This course may require more time than a traditional face-to-face class. Taking a course online requires both self discipline and time management skills. Your course is set up with a completion schedule. It is imperative that you adhere to the schedule in order to maintain a steady pace and to complete the course successfully.

Attendance
Attendance in our online classroom environment is required for successful completion of this course.? Campus students are required to physically attend and participate in class.? Online students are required to attend class as specified below.

On-line courses are the perfect solution for the busy student wishing to take a course from home or the office.  All work for this course will be done on-line. 

An on-line class is different from an on campus class only in the way you attend class. On campus you would arrive one or two times a week, sit through a lecture, do some lab assignments and then go home. You would schedule additional time during the week to go back to the campus to do your lab homework assignments.

In an on-line class you are not required to sit in a classroom; instead, you schedule your class and additional homework time around your personal schedule. You must still put in the same amount of time each week, but when you do it is up to you. All of your class lectures, assignments, and instructions are located at our course Web site. In addition, you will receive E-mail from your instructor and classmates. 

Attendance in an on-line class is accomplished by visiting the class Web site, reading the materials found on the class Web site, reading E-mail received from the instructor and other class members, sending E-mail to the instructor and other class members, participating in class discussions and technology experiments, and completing and turning in assignments on time.  You are expected to participate in the above activities on a regular basis, just like you would in an on campus class.

You must check in with me via E-mail before or during the first week of class to receive an ID and Password to enter the class (See Note to Online Students.)

Because we do not have a set class meeting time, you are expected to check your E-mail on a daily basis if at all possible, but no less than four times a week.  You are expected to ask for help from your instructor and classmates and provide help to your classmates. You are also expected to check in with your instructor on a weekly basis to advise of your progress with the class materials or by way of assignments completed.

You may turn assignments in early, thus completing the course materials in less time, but you are still expected to participate with the class in technology experiments, E-mail, cooperative learning activities and other discussions.  Communication in an on-line class is critical for successful completion of the class.

Some helpful hints:

 Review all course materials very thoroughly before beginning the course.  Then review  periodically as the course progresses.

 Print your course schedule/calendar and follow it closely.

 When you encounter a difficult problem, post a question on the Discussion Board.

 Check the Discussion Board everyday. Respond to the questions of other students. You can also learn by discussing    problems with
 others.

 Review your notes before taking an examination or turning in an assignment..

 Do not fall behind!  Schedule a couple of hours everyday for this course and allow sufficient time to complete your assignments. 

 Plan ahead in case your computer or E-mail or internet access is not working.  Find a friend, neighbor, or relative with a computer that you can use in an emergency situation.  You may also use the FCCJ campus computer labs. 
 

Academic Integrity
Students in this class must know, observe, and not compromise the principles of academic integrity.  It is not permissible to cheat, to fabricate, or falsify information, to submit the same academic work in more than one course without prior permission, to plagiarize, or to otherwise abuse accepted practices for handling and documenting information. Every student comes to college with the solid understanding that any work turned in must reflect his or her own research and writing, technical skills, and creative abilities.  The grade for this course includes the judgment that the student's work is free from academic dishonesty of any type. Violations or infractions will be reported and may lead to failure of the course and other sanctions imposed by the College.   Students are bound by the FCCJ Honor Code. Students found cheating on tests or examinations will receive an F grade for the course and procedures for expulsion from the college may also be initiated. Cheating includes (among other things) copying another individual's work (or allowing someone to copy your work), using unauthorized references (cheat sheets or programmed information) on a test or examination, or allowing another individual to take a test or examination for you.  For this class, it is permissible to assist classmates in general discussions of computing techniques. General advice and interaction are encouraged. Each person, however, must develop his or her own solutions to the assigned projects, assignments, and tasks. In other words, students may not "work together" on individual graded assignments. Such collaboration constitutes cheating. A student may not use or copy (by any means) another's work (or portions of it) and represent it as his/her own.
See FCCJ's College Catalog for further information.
 

Technical Difficulties:

Expect slowdowns on the Internet especially during peak "traffic" times. The "server" may be down unexpectedly. Use these unscheduled moments to do work on your labs, study for tests, and/or review your notes. Do not spend these hours doing nothing. If you do encounter technical difficulties in using WebCT, contact FCCJ's Technical Support Team immediately - E-mail: helpdesk@fccj.edu, Phone: 904-632-3151.

Additional Information:

Below are some phone numbers, E-mail addresses, and current links you may find helpful.