LT 511 Writing Across The Curriculum

Dr. CA TolchinskyE-mail: CTolchinsky@Kaplan.edu

AIM: doctolchinskyOffice Hours: Mondays, 12:00-1:00pm EST

Welcome to Unit 1Communication

When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen.-Ernest Hemingway

There is more than a verbal tie between the words common, community, and

communication.... Try the experiment of communicating, with fullness and

accuracy, some experience to another, especially if it be somewhat complicated,

and you will find your own attitude toward your experience changing.-John Dewey

Introduction to the Course:

*Introduction and Online Communication*Basic Seminar Rules*Methods of Communication with me*Some Helpful Grading Information*Unit 1 Assignments*Grading Scale/Late Policies*Writing Center*Internet Etiquette: Netiquette*Academic Success Center*Other Important Information*Reminders to Students*Tips & Tricks*Any questions?

Unit 1: Introduction and Online Communication

In this unit, you have the opportunity

to introduce yourself to yourinstructor and classmates,

review thesyllabus (your guide to the

course),and learn how to navigate thedifferent components of the

course. Rest assured you are not alone in

thisprocess. You are in a course full

ofnervous students just like you

andwith an instructor who cares

deeplyabout making the classroomexperience both valuable andenjoyable for all. Most students

reportthey start feeling more

comfortablewith the online learning

experiencewithin one or two weeks. Be

patientand give yourself the time you

needto process all of this new

information.It WILL happen.

Basic Seminar RulesBasic Seminar Rules:Stay on Topic- If you want to talk toanother student about something,

pleaseemail him or her later. If we seem to be getting off track or toomuch is going on at once, then I will askeveryone to BREAK. That is your cue tostop typing so that we can refocus. Ifseminar is crowded, it can be hard to

keepup. All seminars are recorded so that

you canread the transcripts at another time.

This isuseful if you miss something or if you

missa live seminar and listen to it later. Remember your netiquette- respecteveryone! You should prepare for liveseminar ahead of time, by clicking on

theseminar link under the unit and reading

theSeminar questions.

Any questions so far?

Methods of communication with me:

11) CTolchinsky@kaplan.edu 2) Seminars are held on Wednesdays – either

at 12:00-1:00pm EST or 9:00-10:00pm EST. We will alternate the times and decide on a weekly basis.

3) AIM – doctolchinsky during my office hours Mondays from 12:00-1:00 pm EST or any other time that you see me on. If you need to meet on AIM at another time, please let me know so that we can make arrangements.

4) When you e-mail me PLEASE write the course number you are in the subject line (LT 511)

This will make it much easier for me to get back to you quickly.

5) In seminar, you can messenger me privately by

clicking on my name at the left hand side of the

seminar screen. I have turned off the ability for you

to messenger other students privately, as that seems

to be distracting. You can always email other students and ask for their AIM names so that

youcan contact each other.

You should read the course announcements EVERY TIME

you enter the classroom. This is where I post the weekly

unit information and review, any changes or up-to-date information, tips, etc…

Some Helpful Grading Information

First, courses are presented in weekly Units. The weekly attendance period begins Wednesdays at 12:00 AM, ET and ends on Tuesdays at 11:59 PM, ET.

Second…I do NOT give grades. You EARN grades. Sometimes, people believe that you start at 100% and then lose points, which is not true. A student earns points based on meeting the key criteria listed in the grading rubrics (please see your syllabus). It’s a good idea to review the rubrics before you begin each activity so that you know what I’ll be looking for.

Unit 1 Assignments

Introduce Yourself Reading Discussion Questions

Unit 1 Assignments:

Introduce Yourself to your classmates.Throughout this course, many discussion opportunities occur where you need to respond to other people’s opinions and comments.   Please take this opportunity to introduce yourself to your professor and classmates and to learn something about each other.  

In your introduction, be sure to include at least the following information:

Your name. What is your career goal? Are you engaged in this occupation now, or are you making a change by going back to school? What is your most important reason for going back to school? What is the one strength you bring to college you know will help you succeed at Kaplan University? What is your greatest fear about taking classes in an online environment? What else can you share, such as hobbies, interests, a funny story or favorite book, that will help your instructor and classmates get to know you? 

Unit 1 Assignments:

Reading Assignments:

1) Announcements on the Course Home page.

2) Syllabus under Course Home. This is the guide to the class. It lists the course policies, procedures, and expectations.

3) Read the Online Communication Guidelines under Course Home.

Unit 1 Assignments: Discussion Question:

1. Share your personal background and answer both Parts I and II.

2. Make sure that your discussion board posts are significant and clearly understood by

your classmates Post to 2 classmates.

To earn your full 30 points in discussion, answer the discussion question for each unit on time. Also your responses should meet the following criteria:

Responses are posted on topic, original, and contribute to the discussion.Responses posted to all required discussion questions.Responses address all parts of each discussion question. Responses make frequent references to unit materials.Responses are clearly written with minor grammatical and/or spelling errors. Responses meet the posted length requirement. Responses to classmates add value by advancing the discussion. Minimum of two responses to classmates in each discussion.

Major Assignments

To earn full points on the projects: Follow the grading criteria listed in the syllabus for each assignment and complete the assignment on time. Grades for assignments focus on content, language, format, and structure.

The Grading Scale/Late Policies

The Grading Scale is listed in your syllabus.

To earn an A, you must score between 900-1000 points. Detailed grading criteria is also

listed for each assignment, and discussion questions. Make sure

to read these thoroughly. While somegrading might be completed earlier, allgrading will definitely be completed by theSunday following the end of the unit. Forexample, if unit 2 ends on Tuesday,

September22nd then all grading will be completed by Sunday , September 29th

Late Policies: Please contact me ASAP ifyou think you may not be able tocomplete your work on time- the soonerthe better. You do not have to describe indetail any personal issues, but at least letme know in general what the problem is. If you are going to be late because you donot understand the material, are having ahard time keeping up, or for any otherschool related issues, please be morespecific so that I can try to help you.

Late PoliciesExtenuating Circumstances: If you have extenuating circumstances

that preventyou from completing assignments, seminars or participating in the

class,please contact the instructor to make alternative arrangements.

The possibility ofalternative arrangements is at the discretion of the instructor. Activecommunication is the key to overcoming any hurdles you may

encounter during the term. It is your responsibility to inform the instructor (ahead of time, whenever possible) of extenuating circumstances that mightprevent you from completing work by the assigned deadline. In those

situations,we will work together to come up with a mutually acceptable

alternative. Priornotification does not automatically result in a waiver of the late

penalties. Pleasenote that evaluation of extenuating circumstances is at the discretion of

theinstructor and documentation may be required for verification of theextenuating circumstance. Examples of extenuating circumstances may

includebut are not limited to: personal/family member hospitalization, death in

thefamily, weather/environmental evacuation due to fire/hurricane, or

activemilitary assignment where internet connectivity is unavailable for a

limited timeperiod. Computer-related issues, internet connectivity issues,

and clinicalblocks are not considered extenuating circumstances.

Late Policies con’t.

Without Extenuating Circumstances: Up to one week late 20% deduction in pointsAfter one week late 30% deduction in pointsNo work will be accepted more than two (2)weeks after the due date.

Writing Center*How do you get to the writing center? First, you should see a link to it on the right hand side of the Kaplan homepage,

underAcademic Support. Just click on writing center.In addition, it is under the Academic Success Center link located under the

Academic Support Tab. *What are their hours? To speak to a writing center tutor live, the hours

are:*Sunday - Tuesday: 6:00 pm to 11:00 pm ET*Closed all other days, including official University holidays.*You can also submit a paper to the writing center for review. When you submit a

paperfor review, a Kaplan University professor will assess your writing and provide

feedbackwithin 48 hours. Tutors will provide suggestions for writing improvement,

especially interms of grammar, mechanics, and organization. Rather than editing or rewriting

yourpaper, tutors will provide you with a better understanding of areas that needimprovement or development.*Papers must be submitted as an attached Microsoft Word .doc or .rtf file.*If you are using Microsoft Office 2007, make sure you read

MS Word 2007™ SavingGuidelines. *Provide your name, email address, and course and section number with everysubmission.*Students are allowed to submit five projects per term for review by our tutors.*To submit a paper for review, attach it to an email message and send it from your

KaplanUniversity email account to KUWC@kaplan.edu.*Note: The 48-hour turnaround time does not apply to essays submitted during

officialUniversity holidays. Please be sure to plan accordingly during these times.

Internet Etiquette: Netiquette

Do's:

Post at least within the suggested length guidelines, 100 words (7-10 sentences). “I agree,” is not a sufficient answer.

Be careful using humor. Since your readers can’t see your facial expressions, they might not know you're joking.

If you disagree with the opinion of a classmate or your instructor, be respectful in your response.  Focus on the issue, not the person.  Just because you can - doesn't mean you should! Think before you react. Inappropriate discussion posts will not receive credit.

Use appropriate language. Treat a message as if you were participating in a live classroom. Respect for your instructor and fellow students is expected.

Use spell-check. One of the advantages to posting a message to a discussion area is that you have time to come up with a thoughtful response. Make sureit is written in proper format and that you've checked the spelling.

Sign your name to your postings. Sometimes your user name does not correspond to the name you would like your fellow students or instructor to use.   

Netiquette continued….Don'ts

* Rush to judgment and flame (be angry with) another poster. Everyone makes mistakes. If someone does post something that pushes one of your “buttons.” Give them the benefit of the doubt or give them constructive feedback on what to do next time. For some people, this will be their first experience online.

* Don’t use Internet slang in your posts.  Many students are not familiar with

the acronyms, and using them will make your posts difficult to read. For example: AFAIK it is easy to ROTFL at all the UA. But FYI that's just MHO. (translation = As far as I know it is easy to roll on the floor laughing at all the useless acronyms. But for your information, that’s just my humble opinion)

* Don't use all capital letters when writing messages. It is the equivalent of shouting on the Internet. You can capitalize single words to make a point but make sure your cap lock button is off before sending a message.

* Be careful to maintain Kaplan University’s Academic Integrity policy. Copyright laws apply everywhere, including the Discussion area. Don't copy something without citing your source.

(Provided by D. Brien – permission given to use in discussion, seminar, or announcements)Resources:

http://www.albion.com/netiquette/http://www.learnthenet.com/english/html/09netiqt.htm

Where can you find the Academic Success Center?

You can click on the Academic Support Tab at the top of your Kaplan homepage. You then click on the Academic Success Center link. Under this link, you will find the writing center, Library, Math Center, and Study Tips and Tools.

Dictionaries and Encyclopedias Merriam-Webster Online: Get electronic

access to the online dictionary and thesaurus.

HighBeam Encyclopedia: Search an online index of 57,000 frequently updated articles from the Columbia Encyclopedia.

MSN Encarta: Access all of MSN Encarta's reference tools, including a dictionary, encyclopedia, and world atlas.

OneLook: Look up definitions in Chinese, English, French, Spanish, German, and Italian.

WhatIs.com: Explore a searchable encyclopedia of technology and IT terms.

Webopedia: Access a comprehensive dictionary of computer and Internet terms.

Searching the Web MagPortal: Search an index of free

magazine articles available online. Refdesk.com: Access an index of

resources and search engines. "Searching with Savvy": Learn how to

search the Web for academic research.

Computer Resources W3 Schools: Learn basic computer skills in everything from HTML to Visual Basic. Illustrated Computer Literacy 101: Get an introduction to computer basics. CNET: Connect to the latest information about hardware, software, and programming

developments. Web Monkey:  Access terrific tutorials for HTML, JavaScript, and more. Educational Resources Yahoo Education: Find informational articles and reference resources at Yahoo’s

education portal. Education Newsletters and Journals: Access newsletters and journals related to

education provided by the SCRE Centre at the University of Glasgow. Wannalearn.com: Review a great collection of resources for learning about everything

from study skills to personal investing.

Other Important Info. Where is the KU Library located? What

are their hours? The online Library is open 24/7. You can

search for materials at any time. To ask a Librarian, Send your question by clicking on “To ask a Librarian” and click email to fill out the email form. Please allow 24 hrs. for a response. Open Monday - Friday, 9:00am - 4:00pm Central.

Where can you find the Career Services?

Under support services on the left hand side of your Kaplan homepage, click career services.

What services do they provide for students?

Industry information – They can assist you in obtaining up-to-date industry profiles to help you identify the skills required for the profession you are seeking.

Job searches– They offer you support during your search for a new job, whether you want to stay in your present field or make a career change.

Resumes and cover letters – The resume development tool, Optimal Resume, can help improve your resume, offer suggestions and examples of resumes, and help you create a personal resume website.

Interview techniques and etiquette – Career Services offers you tips on successful interviewing techniques, sample interview questions, practice interviews, and post-interview follow ups.

Additional services – Click on the “Resources” link to find additional job resources, sample cover letters, and Career Services FAQs

More Important Info. How do you check your Kaplan email? To log into your account, go to the left hand side of

the page under “Mail Center,” place your curser on “Go to inbox,” and click your mouse. Here you can check your email messages and send emails as well. Your email address is yourusername@student.kaplan.edu.

If you miss a seminar, how can you I get a copy of the transcript?

Log into seminar as you normally would only at a different time than your seminar time. A window called “class archives” will appear. Choose the date of the seminar that you want transcripts for and click load seminar. The seminar will appear. If you want to save a copy of the transcripts, then right click and choose select all. Right click again and choose copy. You can now copy this into a MS word document and save it to your computer.

What should you include in an email to your instructor?

Your Name Course Number and section A detailed description of your issue or what you need

from your instructor Use professional language and remember netiquette If you have additional questions or issues, remember

to stay in contact with me. If you don’t keep me informed throughout the term, I can’t help you.

See you on the discussion board!

Reminders to students Responding to classmates When responding to classmates, make sure that

your post is at least 50 words in length (about 3 to 4 sentences). You can share an experience, refer to unit materials, offer a suggestion, post a resource, and/or offer support and encouragement. These posts need to show your instructor that you understand the unit material. You can post longer responses if you choose. You are required to post to at least 2 classmates per discussion question, but you are welcome to post more. Class discussion is a large component of the learning process. Make sure to check back to see if classmates or your instructor has responded to you.

Writing Emails to your instructors Writing an email to your instructor- Provide your

name, course number and section (i.e. CS119-21), and state exactly what you need from the instructor.

Appropriate email to instructor Hi Professor Harmon, This is Casey Alexander from your CS119-21

course. I missed our live seminar last night due to a storm in our area. I will listen to the transcript. Is there anything else that I need to do?

Thank You, Casey Alexander Middletown County Schools Mountain Time Zone*Remember emails are professional communications between

you and your instructors or other KU professionals.

Tips and Tricks Good resource for students new to word Working with Microsoft Word:

Technology Tips for Kaplan University Students

http://kucampus.kaplan.edu/Platform/AcademicSupport/AcademicSuccess/PeerTutoring/Writing/Resources/resource18.aspx

Personal Communication Styles http://www.serenityonlinetherapy.com/asserti

veness.htm

This website lists the 4 components of assertive communication: Passive, Aggressive, Passive/Aggressive, and Assertive. There is information on this site about how each style will communicate, the impact of that pattern, and sample quotes from the communicator.

The Humanetrics website discusses four factors that are relevant to communication styles: Communication, Conflict, Resistance to Influence, and Coping with Criticism.

http://www.humanmetrics.com These websites allow students to take short

quizzes that measure assertiveness. http://stress.about.com/library/assertiveness_

quiz/bl_assertiveness_quiz.htm This site also contains many links to good

information about the benefits of assertiveness, stress relievers, tips to communicating better in relationships, and many more.

Another assertiveness quiz: http://www.oaktreecounseling.com/assrtquz.htm

Any Questions??

I know that the online experience can be overwhelming, and I am here to help you in any way you need. If you have questions at any time, please don’t hesitate to ask!

CTolchinsky@Kaplan.edu AIM:

doctolchinsky