Course Outline and Requirements

Attendance:

Attendance is required.

BASIC IDEA: Excessive absences (more than 15%) may result in a lowered grade or a "W".

TRADITIONAL CLASSES: Attendance is taken by having students sign an attendance sheet.

ONLINE CLASSES:  The Course Management Program (BlackBoard) keeps a record of when a person enters the class and of all the postings.  That record is used for attendance.  Those participating in the class should make every effort to enter the course space program at least 3 to 5 times (different days!!!!) each week and to spend several hours there each time.  Four absences of four days in a row will result in a final grade of WU.

ONLINE  SUMMER SESSION: You are required to enter the discussions and post on 2 of every 3 days for the 7 weeks.  Three absences of three days in the summer session will result in a final grade of WU.

EXCUSED ABSENCES:  Absences may be excused if the student sends an email to the instructor with an explanation of the absence and the exact dates of those absences.

HOLIDAYS: There are no observances of Holidays or HOLY DAYS in the construction of the online course. Any person may take off on any day for any reason. The class goes on. Observe the due dates. Plan accordingly if you are taking certain days off for whatever reasons. REMEMBER : You must INTERACT in the discussions and so you must post on at least THREE different days each week.

VACATIONS:

There are no vacation periods in the design of the online class. There is a week in the middle of the semester to be used for evaluations and corrections and you may use it to catch up on reading or for the revisions of assignments. It is place in the middle for pedagogic reasons. It has no relation to whenever Thanksgiving or Easter or spring break or any HOLY DAY or HOLIDAY may fall.

If you are going away on a vacation at any point during the semester the class will go on and you are expected to continue to participate. Why did you choose to have a vacation in the middle of a semester? The class will go on and you are expected to continue to participate. INTERNET ACCESS is available around the world. You may use libraries, internet cafes or commercial locations such as Kinko's all over the USA.

MID SEMESTER BREAK:


There is a week placed in the middle of each semester for mid semester Course Evaluations and Changes.  This week of activities is for FEEDBACK to help the instructor and classmates improve on the class for the last half of the semester. You are NOT REQUIRED to participate but it is very appreciated if you would provide feedback.  During this week you may catch up on reading, revise written assignments, etc...


SPRING BREAK:


Spring break may or may not fall at the same time as the MID SEMESTER BREAK.  When it does then follow what is described above concerning the mid semester module for feedback.
Q: When the SPRING BREAK does not coincide with MID SEMESTER BREAK what do you do? 
A: Well you should do your best to keep up with the work of each module. 
Q: What if you can not do so? 
A: Well you were informed as to the course schedule from the very beginning of the class.
Q: No really.  What if you are out of the country or at sea and there is no internet access?
A: Well you were informed as to the course schedule from the very beginning of the class.
Q: No really. I am serious. What if there is no internet access possible for a week?
A: Well, you were informed as to the course schedule from the very beginning of the class.
Q: No really. I am very serious. What if there is absolutely no internet access possible for a week?
A: Well, do the best you can and remember that you were informed as to the course schedule from the very beginning of the class.
Q: Well, why don't you schedule MID SEMESTER BREAK at the same time as SPRING BREAK?
A: Well, the SPRING BREAK moves each year and can come as early as the fourth week out of 15 and as late as the 12th out of 15. MID SEMESTER BREAK is scheduled for pedagogic reasons each semester.  Those reasons are not well served by scheduling the break early or late in the semester.  By the way there is not Spring Break in the Fall Semester but there is the MID SEMESTER BREAK..
Q: OK I am serious. What if there is no internet access possible for a week?
A: Well, you were informed as to the course schedule from the very beginning of the class. Now you need to make plans to complete the class assignments.
Q: I am going to have some serious party time during SPRING BREAK and I should not be expected to do academic work.
A: Well, you were informed as to the course schedule from the very beginning of the class.

 
return to outline topics index