Introduce yourself

Next class we're going to jump right into our discussions-- both online and in our seminar. To make sure you get off to a good start, begin by posting an introductory paragraph about yourself. This should be about 5-7 sentences.

Don't worry, we'll get to know each other a little better later on. This is just to make sure that you've gotten an account and understand the basics of posting online. As always, be sure to read the directions and welcome before you begin.

AF

Assignment Schedule for January/February

The assignment schedule can now be found below the header "Basic English 3" as a dedicated page to make it easier for you to find the info you need!

Welcome

Dear students:

Welcome to Spring 2011. We will be using our blog as a forum for written communication and as resource for course-related information. You will find information such as a general outline of what is taking place in class/what will be due in the upcoming weeks, PDFs and links of select handouts and extra materials of interest to you, as well as the course syllabus should you lose it. Please check this site frequently, as it is updated regularly. 

I recommend the following:

• A Gmail account to make it easier for you to interact with and sign on to our blog, which is powered by Google. 
• That you save your log in and password somewhere accessible so you are not delayed when assignments are given if you forget your information. 
• That you "follow" the blog. It will make it easier for you to find the link.
• That you write the web address accurately in your notebook for use at home. (Note: http:// without the "www") 
• That you copy, cut and paste information from Word into the comment field of our blog just in case there is a problem. (Students have sometimes run into glitches and lost their carefully thought out responses. Don't let this happen to you!) 
• That you read your comments for coherence, spelling and logic, making sure it applies to the questions asked. 

In addition, you may wish to sign up for a Twitter account and follow me. This will be another source of info for you to stay in the loop if I am running late, cancel class or just to receive links to short readings or thoughts that may be of interest to you. My Twitter SN is AferranteHCCC. You can see Twitter updates on the right hand side of the blog and the link will bring you directly to my page.

Wishing all you a successful semester,
Angela Ferrante

Read These Directions First: Online discourse

So here is how this will work: I will get the online discussion started by positing a consideration, offering an opinion, or posing a set of questions based on an article.

Each of you will not only respond to me first, but to at least three students after your first comment. We'll keep the language professional and academic, as is the case for your homework and in-class assignments. As for a minimum response, let's begin with an "oversized" paragraph of 5-7 sentences per response per individual.
Be sure you are answering the question fully and completely.

Remember to:

• Proofread your work before you hit that "Publish" button.
• Create at the appropriate number comments (each between 5-7 sentences)—to me and to your peers.
• Keep the language professional, academic, and on-point.
• Sign your full name at the bottom of each response you make.
• Choose a screen name that is appropriate and allows you and your work to be easily identified by everyone in class. You want credit for your work! I suggest your full name, first name/last initial, or first initial/last name.
• Comment within the appropriate post.

*Tip- you may find it helpful to work in Word so that you can spell check your response and as a precautionary measure against losing your response should something "happen" during the publishing process.


Reminders:

• Do not use IM language (e.g., ";-)," "u r kewl," "4", "lol," "brb," etc.)--this is a college-level discussion, not a private conversation. 
• Do not use slang; Again, this is a college environment where people use professional and academic language. 
• Do not state an opinion without stating why you think/feel the way you do.
• Do not re-phrase someone's comment or just agree with him in order to have something to say--"Think before you type" means exactly that. 
• Do a self-check for potentially offensive ideas or language. 

This is what a typical student comment should look like:

Response to Alba: So in other words you're saying that people who are not beautiful have no opportunity in life to succeed because of the way we judge them. I think that is wrong. Children are very sensitive and they can sense when adults make fun of them or treat them differently because of their look. Those children are the same people, that when the grow up, they also become ugly from inside, as a result of the way they were treated when they were child. That is still one of the biggest taboo that we have, judge someone for their look, before we even give them a chance to talk.-- Yuleina Mac Donald

Lastly, the ideas presented in your responses should be your own, or you should be adding something new to the discussion. Hopefully, this weblog will grow as your skills grow and this will also serve to put a new spin on an old "tried and true" method of collegiate discussion.

Participation on this blog counts as an assignment. Inappropriate, rude, or offensive language is unacceptable and will be removed from our blog. Three such offenses during the semester will result in questionable comments being submitted on paper to me, a NC for each offense, and could also result in failure for the course.

Comments that do not meet the minimum requirements will be deleted.