PHILOSOPHY of RELIGION

Professor Philip A. Pecorino

VIEW:  Welcome Opening

Let's Get Started !!!!!!

Well, congratulations on entering the class site and getting this far.  Now we get into it.  If you got this far you can make it through the rest of this.  I look forward to working with all of you and hope that we will produce successful outcomes for each one of you taking this course.

<<<<< Check out what all the buttons on the left Navigation Bar or Column have in them. Explore the site.

DO NOT PANIC !!!   It may appear to you that all of this information and all the resources on this course site is quite overwhelming .  It may appear that with so much here, then the course must involve so much work, much more than other courses do.  DO NOT PANIC!   The impression of so much information should not lead you to the conclusion that the course has more work to it.  It does not.  Students who overcome the initial reaction of anxiety report very favorable assessments of this course.  It is just that there is so much given to support students as they enter the course and work their way through it.  So much is given to explain the course and its activities and ton support students in their work.  So much is here because students have provided feedback and suggestions over the years this course has been offered that changes have been made to improve the course and student experience of the course.  Much is given to support student success.  Most students who complete the course do very, very well. Check the grades for yourself and see that while too many do not remain in the course , of those who do, there are many A's and B's. So, DO NOT PANIC!!!  Just look over everything and if you are registered and wan tot take this course and do well then begin by completing the first TEN STEPS and you will be on your way to a successful semester.

TEN STEPS TO START OFF

OK, let's get started by having you explore the course site and learn about the requirements and what we will be doing here.  For this first module or learning unit you are expected to do the following TEN things! Yes TEN (10):   For this first few days you are expected to do the following TEN things! Yes TEN (10). I repeated that. Why? It is very important. Why?  Well, by the time you are finished you should know all that you need to know about this class and what is required to do well in it.

1. Read all the documents that are part of COURSE OUTLINE using the link COURSE OUTLINE  Be sure to read How you will be evaluated!   There are a lot of items in the COURSE OUTLINE be sure to read ALL OF THEM.
2. 
<<<<  Check out what all the buttons on the left Navigation Bar or Column have in them.

Check and Print out the CALENDAR - under COURSE OUTLINE or CALENDAR or SCHEDULE ! 

3. ENTER the Blackboard (BB)  class site and Read everything you have not already read in the Course Menu section(Left column) .
4. INTRODUCE YOURSELF --enter the Blackboard (BB)  class site and Introduce yourself and your WEBSITE and/or ePortfolio  to your classmates under the DISCUSSION BOARD (DB) - STUDENT CAFE -CHAT ROOM   HOW? Go to the button marked DISCUSSION BOARD or  marked COMMUNICATION and then click on DISCUSSION BOARD. Click on it and enter the DB.  Click on STUDENT CAFE -CHAT ROOM .  This is an area for you to introduce yourself to the class and where you can go to meet the others that are in this course.  Post an item to start a discussion, or read other students' responses if there are any, and make a response.  

You will find my profile by clicking the Staff Information button in the Opening of the Course. Check this area to meet the others in this course. Since profiles will be posted as people join the course for the first time, you may have to return to this area several times to see the latest entries.

With online courses that use various class sites and programs such as BlackBoard it is a good thing for students to have a Personal site and ePortfolio rather than a course specific site or HOMEPAGE.  So, there are now provisions for personal e-portfolio sites. These are your personal pages or wiki or blog for others to see- you determine who sees what via the Share options.  You can grant access directly to your site to anyone and everyone in the world.  You will have your own internet site.

 ******Let your classmates know the address of your personal ePortfolio/webpage/website******  Post it with your introduction in the BB site under STUDENT CAFE -CHAT ROOM  

My EPSILEN site is http://www.epsilen.com/ppecorino

5.  Create your ePortfolio / Personal Page  use EPSILEN ( at QCC)

Students please set up your eportfolio, if you do not already have one,  and into which you will place some materials from this course including:
  • Your reflections on your learning in each module
  • Your best examples of your written work using the dialectical method of inquiry.

.You may use any eportfolio you already have or your FACEBOOK or MYSPACE of LINKEDIN or any other social network site to which others have access and in which you can place items.

.At QCC l use the  EPSILEN ePortfolio site (free).   http://www.epsilen.com

BASIC INFO SITE:
HOW TO WORK WITHIN YOUR ePORTFOLIO
CREATION of your ACCOUNT
QCC EPSILEN GATEWAY
http://www.epsilen.com/inst/qcccuny

EASIEST just  go to http://www.qcc.cuny.edu/eportfolio/index.htmland click Epsilen Login in the upper right-hand corner. And, once you have created your own account, then you can just bookmark that URL which will look like: http://www.epsilen.com/USERNAME

In your EPSILEN site what you do is create a FOLDER using the title of the course(e.g., PHI 101 or PHI 301) and then inside the folder place the files made available to others that will be labeled

  • PERSONAL REFLECTIONS
  • BEST WORK

create folders on Epsilen:

· On the left hand side of your Epsilen portal select Utilities from the menu.

· Under Utilities click on Files / Folders.

· When you create a new folder it will automatically pop up under your QuickLinks/Shared Objects when you preview your ePortfolio.

HELP DESK for EPSILEN sites  http://www.qcc.cuny.edu/eportfolio/  to check the Open ePortfolio Lab Schedule. 14 open – walk-in - no appointment necessary – hours staffed by Student ePortfolio Mentors. Call 718 631 6624 Mon -Fri 9 to 5.

************At the CUNY Online BA Program . **********************

Use a DIGICATION site if you have one or FACEBOOK or MYSPACE  if you have one or an EPSILEN ePortfolio site (free).  http://www.epsilen.com

.In your ePortfolio site what you do is create a FOLDER using the title of the course (e.g.,PHI 101 or PHI 301) and then inside the folder place the files made available to others that will be labeled

  • PERSONAL REFLECTIONS
  • BEST WORK

6. COPY and PASTE PRACTICE. Create a question or answer in a word processor and copy and paste it into the DISCUSSION BOARD under  SUGGESTIONS and QUESTIONS for the  PROFESSOR   HOW? Go to the button marked DISCUSSION BOARD or  marked COMMUNICATION and then click on DISCUSSION BOARD. Select an item under  SUGGESTIONS and QUESTIONS for the  PROFESSOR to which you wish to reply. Then minimize the internet browser (IE) and open the word processor WORD or some other that you use. Keyboard your response or question for the discussion. Copy and paste all the material there into the space for discussion concerning the first discussion item that you selected and then submit it.

REMEMBER to SPELL CHECK FIRST!!

 

7. MANDATORY Email  PRACTICE re  Academic Integrity Statement and Policy  

****NO GRADES WILL BE GIVEN TO STUDENTS WHO DO NOT AGREE TO ABIDE BY THE ACADEMIC INTEGRITY POLICY of the COLLEGE. ***********

Prepare a word processed document with a paraphrase of what you read about Academic Integrity Statement and Policy     at your college and send it through Email  to your instructor.  You must use the CUNY email address supplied by this college!!!!!!

1. Paraphrase of the
Academic Integrity Statement and Policy  

2. the statement:

I, ____________,have read and understand the Academic Integrity Policy for this course and agree to abide by it.

Save your word processed file (document) as a WORD or a  DOC or TXT file. Then send the EMAIL  to  ppecorino@qcc.cuny.edu   Do not send attachments!!!   Copy and paste your text from the word processor directly into the message window of the email. 

INSTRUCTIONS FOR EMAIL

As a CUNY student You must use the CUNY email address supplied by this college!!!!!!  Each and every registered student has an email account.

If you do not have an address acceptable to this instructor you will have 10 days to get and use the college supplied email address and notify the instructor from the new address.

When sending email ALWAYS In the subject line put: first name , last name, class number PHI 301, section, ASSIGNMENT# or QUESTION or HELP

After an assignment has been received, it will be graded and the feedback shared with you either by E-mail or by the use of an on-line grade book WebPages found by clicking on
GRADES..

8. READ the Student Reviews and Comments about this class.

9. ENTER the Blackboard (BB)  class site and go to the STUDENT CAFE -CHAT ROOM   in the DISCUSSION BOARD area of the BB Course Site. 

This is a discussion area for our class outside the context of a particular course module. Just as you have the opportunity to talk or chat with each other or with the instructor when taking a conventional classroom course, you should also have the opportunity to do the same in a web course. The STUDENT CAFÉ is available only to students enrolled in this class to post and/or read messages and respond. These can include questions or comments to other students about course material, assignments, readings, etc. It is also a place where you can go to socialize and have open discussion on subjects of your interests.

You will find the STUDENT CAFE in the DISCUSSION BOARD section of the Course. `

10.  RELAX It looks like it is a lot but it is no more than any other class only just made more accessible and convenient and more is explained in text at the start.

Oh and what it comes down to is this:  The following learning activities apply to each module:

  1. Read the assigned textbook material.

  2. Participate in the Discussions- post a minimum of 3 different days each week (Summer session 2days of every 3)

  3. Respond to discussion questions submitted by the instructor.

  4. Create and submit a discussion Student Led Discussion question about the material. At least one in each module.

  5. Respond publicly to some or all of the questions submitted by other students and any responses from the instructor.

  6. Reply to students who respond to your question and responses.

  7. Participate in the Group Activity each module if there are groups assigned.

  8. Submit the written assignment each module.

Have a great semester and your efforts will be rewarded with a well earned good grade.

REMEMBER above all >>>SPECIAL NOTE:   DO NOT PANIC !!!!!

If for some reason you can not get access to the Blackboard Program PLEASE understand that all materials for this course except for the DISCUSSION BOARD are located in two sites outside of BlackBoard and you can access them directly at any time.  That means that the online textbook is available at the two sites as well.  There is no reason why you can not proceed with all work with this course should one course site not be available.  There will be a second discussion board site as well should the first program not be accessible for any significant length of time. Remember DO NOT PANIC  !!!   You will not be penalized for the failures of the university's system.

CUNY SITE:

http://www.qcc.cuny.edu/SocialSciences/ppecorino/SS620/default.htm

SUNY  CUNY Site

http://www2.sunysuffolk.edu/pecorip/SCCCWEB/SS620/default.htm

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