Begin this learning adventure by completing the following steps.
Step 1: Review the Syllabus and become familiar with the expectations for this class. Be sure to especially note:
- Required Texts (order them if needed)
- Required technology and social media
- Course schedule (put the due dates in your calendar)
- Course requirements and grading
- All the course expectations and polices, especially in regards to plagiarism and self-plagiarism
- **While many of us are “techies” and society is promoting paperless offices, I find that printing significant resources, such as a course syllabus, helps to keep the material in front of us, literally. The course schedule contains specific due dates.
Step 2: Review the Assignment Appendix and become familiar with the course assignments. Begin planning the time needed to complete each assignment. It is not wise to wait until the week the assignment is due to complete it. In fact, for some assignments (e.g. Article Critique Grid), it will not be possible for you to complete successfully in one week. Also, be sure to check the course schedule in the syllabus for assignment due dates and enter them into your calendar of choice if you have nit already done so.
Step 3: Make sure your Internet browser is compatible with eCourseware. While the main course webpage is hosted via a WordPress site, we will still use eCourseware, in addition to Google, for all assignment submissions.
Step 4: Review the UM College of Education’s Information Regarding Online Courses.
**Please realize that this is an online lass and you MUST be able to gain FREQUENT access to the Internet. You can do this from your home, a friend’s home, from work, the public library, by visiting one of the many computer labs on the UM campus, etc. Lack of access to the Internet is NOT an acceptable excuse in web-enhanced courses.
Step 5: Go Google if you have not already. See the IDT Orientation: Going Google for more information on how to do this.
- A private Google+ Community was created for the students, instructor of this class, and instructor-invited individuals with expertise in the course content. The community will be the place where all course discussions occur and regular faculty announcements will be made. Request to become a member and join the private, course Google+ community . Then, visit the community regularly for course announcements and to engage in discussions.
- Google+ Hangouts may be used for video conferencing, if needed in the course
- . Google Drive, in addition to eCourseware, will be used for course assignment submissions. All Students should create a drive folder with the name (e.g. Lastname_Firstname) and a subfolder with the course number (e.g. IDT_8100). The personalized folder and its subfolder(s) needs to be shared with dr.rockinsonszapkiw@gmail.com. Do this now!
Step 6: Become familiar with our virtual classroom webpage by exploring the links. Read the Instructor Welcome and then explore the various resources such as the Modules and Resources.
Step 7: Start the Module 1: An Introduction to the Doctoral Journey. All the information and materials needed to complete this module are in the Module 1 unit found on the course site.