COURSE LEARNING ACTIVITIES :
The course is divided into 15
Modules, and each module contains 1 chapter from the textbook or online material in the module. Modules may last one week.The following
learning activities apply to each module:1.
Read the assigned textbook material.2. Respond to discussion questions submitted by the instructor.
3. Create and submit a discussion question about the material.
At least one in each module.4. Respond publicly
to some or all of the questions submitted by other students.5.
Reply to students who respond to your question and responses.6. Submit a written assignment for that module.
Additional Activities:
7. participate in a project or one group activity doing research on a topic
Virtual Seminars/Discussions
In every module you will find a DIscussion. Here, for each module and topic, you are expected to reply to questions from the instructor, you will ask a question about some topic in the module, get responses from other students, and reply to those responses. Here too, you will answer the questions posed by other students, and they will reply to your answers. You are welcome to keep up this "virtual discussion" as long as you wish. The idea here is for each student to join in and to lead a discussion with the other students about some important issue introduced in the chapter.
This is the
heart of this course as far as your instructor is concerned. This is the component of this online course that fosters a LEARNING COMMUNITY in which you will each assist one another with the mastery of the course materials and confrontation with the issues of this class on Death and Dying.Written Assignments:
Upon completion of each module there is a written assignment. These assignments are my way of assessing how well you are dealing with the materials and issues of this class. You should submit or post your assignments during the 2-day "window" that is established for submissions, not before. Unlike your responses to the discussion questions posed by me and the other students, you will submit your essays just to me, not to the whole class. You need to consider these assignments as requiring well-organized, thorough responses. Most of the assignments can be answered by quoting the materials directly. Be sure to use quotations or citations to avoid PLAGIARISM. You are expected to demonstrate an awareness of the key principles or issues as were presented in the textbook or the instructor's written materials.
There are three types of assignments topics:
Talk with the Professor
In the DISCUSSION BOARD there is a "Talk with the Professor" area. Here you may ask me questions, which I will respond to. Most often, I expect these questions (mine and yours) will be related to the discussions or the textbook - but nothing is "off-limits." When you post a question to this area it creates a discussion thread that the professor and other students can participate in. It is the equivalent of "raising your hand" in the classroom.
GRADING REQUIREMENTS:
1. Class Participation/Discussion: 15 modules @ 2 points each= 30%
2. Written Assignments -Questions/Essays: 15 modules @ 4 points each= 60%
3. Project: 10%
BONUS WORK: Final Culminating Survey and Essay: 5%
TOTAL: 105 %
WORKLOAD:
In a fifteen-week semester (Spring and Fall) the workload for this course would be 12 to 15 hours per week. This includes all the reading, writing, and dialogue with your instructor and fellow students.
In the SUMMER SESSION with only 8 weeks from May 29th to July 25rd the workload in effect is double that of the regular 15-week semester. It requires 24 to 30 hours per week to successfully complete this online course.
This requires a serious commitment on the part of the learner. You can access the course at any time from any computer with an Internet connection. However, you must put in the effort, the labor, the work needed to meet the course requirements and obtain a passing grade.
The course can prove to be a lot of fun for those who take it seriously and keep up with the workload. For those who are unable to put in the time and fall behind the course could prove to be quite horrible.
You may ask me a private question at any time using my email. Treat what you place in the E-mail and as as a private office visit.
I welcome your comments and feedback, too.