Online READ 90 FALL 2018

Course Information

This course is conducted entirely online, which means you do not have to be on campus to complete any portion of it. You will participate in the course using the course management system CMS called CANVAS.  Access via myportal.mtsac.edu.

Instructor Information

• Dianne Rowley
• drowley@mtsac.edu 
• Bldg 6, Rm 103
• (909) 274-6223
• Office Hours: Virtual, by CHAT. I will be available for virtual office hours – mornings using CANVAS CHAT, Mondays and Wednesdays from 9:30-11:30 am. Click CHAT in the course navigation links.

Course Objectives

By the end of this course you should be able to:

1. Create, evaluate, and respond to questions that reflect a variety of comprehension levels using college level texts across disciplines.
2. Evaluate and apply appropriate college level textbook reading strategies across disciplines.
3. Evaluate and apply vocabulary strategies in the context of college level texts across disciplines.
4. Analyze connections among a variety of college level texts.
5. Create accurate maps for college level texts and textbook chapters demonstrating summarization and understanding.
6. Analyze structural elements of college level textbooks from a variety of disciplines.

Student Learning Outcomes

This course is designed to develop strategies for college textbook reading. We will work with a variety of materials including, textbooks and articles from various subject areas. Topics covered will include vocabulary enrichment, college-level text analysis, and comprehension. Classroom assignments and activities will foster analytical reading and metacognitive awareness of reading to develop effective skills and help students grow as proficient college-level readers.

• Identifies creates and monitors own schema
• Know how texts are structured
• Use vocabulary strategies appropriate to expository text.
• Recognize connection among ideas in an expository text.
• Analyzes meaning of text through questioning
• Demonstrate awareness of own needs for reading expository text

Instructor Communication Policy

Students may contact me via Canvas Inbox/Conversations. Expect a reply within two days from when the message was sent during the weekdays. You may not receive a reply on weekends or holidays.

Course Requirements

• No textbook is required, but you may need to make copies of a chapter from textbook.
• 6 different colored highlighters (pink, blue, green, orange, purple, yellow)
• USB drive

Computer/Technical Requirements

Access  

• If you do not have access to a computer off campus, there are many computer labs on campus you can use to participate in the course. Most public libraries also have computers with internet access that you can use for free.

Software & Hardware Requirements

• You will need to have an up-to-date internet browser, operating system, and some additional software on your computer to take this class. Check the Distance Education page for hardware & software requirements. Some of the documents in this course will be available to you in PDF form.  If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader software on your computer, you can download it by going to http://get.adobe.com/reader/

Course Communication

Announcements

Announcements will be posted in CANVAS on a regular basis. They will appear on your CANVAS dashboard when you log in and/or will be sent to you directly through your preferred method of notification from CANVAS. Please make certain to check them daily, as they will contain any important information about upcoming projects or class concerns.

Canvas Inbox/Conversations

Check your messages in the CANVAS system. Please check your messages daily. When submitting messages, please do the following:

• Put a subject in the subject box that describes the message content with your name, week and message subject. For example: YOUR NAME WK.2 ASSIGNMENT.
• Send message only to my CANVAS INBOX and not my MT.SAC email account.
• Do not send messages asking general information about the class, please post those in the Question Forum.
• Do not submit your assignments by email.
• Make certain to check your messages in your Canvas Inbox frequently.

Questions

In online courses it is normal to have many questions about things that relate to the course, such as clarification about assignments, course materials, or assessments. Please post these in the Question Forum which you can access by clicking the DISCUSSIONS button in the course navigation links. This is an open forum, and you are encouraged to give answers and help each other. For each clear and comprehensive answer you give, you can receive 1 extra credit point for the course (up to 5 points maximum).

Discussion Forums

Discussion Forums are a way for you to engage with each other about the course content. Each lesson module will have a question that links to a forum. You can also access each forum by clicking on the DISCUSSIONS button in the course navigation links. In order to get full credit for each discussion, you will need to post thoughtful, well-written responses to the question(s) and respond to classmates’ answers.

Assessment & Grading Turnaround/Feedback

During the week (M-F) I will check my Canvas Inbox several times a day. If you have a concern and send me a message, you can expect a response within two days. You will be given grades and/or feedback on assignments and assessments no later than a week from submission date.

Netiquette

When posting on the discussion boards and chat rooms it is important to understand how to interact with one another online, netiquette. You can read more about the rules of netiquette at http://www.albion.com/netiquette/index.html.

Course Participation Policy

Participation is essential to your success in this class. In distance education courses you are required to participate just as if you were in a face-to-face course. This means that in order to get full credit for participation, you will have to complete your discussion assignments, lesson assignments, quizzes and assessment projects on a timely basis. Consistent failure to participate in class will result in being dropped from the course.

Course Assignments and Schedule

Important Assignment Dates

The due dates for your assignments can be found in the CALENDAR in the global navigation links at the very left of your screen. Please review these. In addition, I will post reminders prior to the due dates in the Announcements. Plan to spend the same amount of time on this online course as you would in a in-person course. This would be about at least 3 hours about 2 times a week. More time will be required for readings, assignments, and projects. 

Special Assignments

In addition to your weekly assignments, there will be 2 special assignments for this course:

• P.L.A.N. Assignment. For this assignment you will be implementing the reading/studying strategy, P.L.A.N to learn information from a college-level textbook chapter.
• Final Assignment. For this Final assignment you will choose an effective before, during, and after reading strategy to use to best assist you to learn information gathered related to an academic subject area research question. Strategies should help you learn your researched information well enough be able to teach your classmates about your topic within a presentation.

Additional information about each assignment can be found when they become available under the ASSIGNMENTS button in the course navigation links.

Approximate Course Schedule

WEEK              TOPICS

1                        Introduction – Classmates, Instructor, Course

2-4                    Activating Schema

                          Comprehension Strategies                     

5-7                    Building a Permanent Vocabulary

8-10                  Blooms Taxonomy and Levels of Understanding

                           Levels of Understanding and the essential question 

11-13               Interacting with Text          

                           P.L.A.N - Interacting with Text Assignment

14                      Active reading and effective notetaking strategies                      

                          Research Resources

15-16               Final Assignment

Grading Criteria

Grading Scale

Letter Grade	Percentage
A	90-100%
B	80-89 %
C	70-79 %
D	60-69%
F	59% and below

Rubrics

In order to understand what is expected of you for each assignment, please check out the rubric -- a table that details the requirements of each assignment and the benchmarks for success -- attached to each Assignment for the grading criteria.

Grades

You can view your grades using the GRADES button in the course navigation links. Please check your grades regularly to make certain that I have received all your assignments. If you have a question about a grade, email me through CONVERSATIONS. Please do not post your personal concerns in a discussion forum.

Other Course Policies

Late work

Late work will not be accepted. Assignments will not be available after the deadline. If you have an extenuating circumstance, please contact me by private message before the assignment is due to make alternate arrangements.

Drop

In order to avoid getting an F for the course, it is your responsibility to officially withdraw from the class prior to the deadline.

If you do not complete the course Check-In Activity by the first Wednesday (11:59 PM PST) after this class begins, you will be dropped from class for non-attendance

Students who do not participate in class, that is, who consistently do not complete assignments, quizzes, respond to forums or turn in other work will be dropped from the class for non-participation.

Academic Honesty/Student Conduct

As a student at Mt.SAC, you are expected to follow the College’s guidelines for Academic Honesty/Student Conduct found in the College Catalog. This means that you should not:

• Cheat.
• Plagiarize, that is, use another person’s words or ideas as your own without proper documentation.
• Collaborate with others unless specifically requested in an assignment or discussion.
• Let another student log in to your CMS account.

Failure to follow this policy will result in disciplinary action which can affect your academic standing in the College.

Special Needs

Online courses are required to meet ADA (American’s with Disabilities Act) accessibility guidelines. This means that all aspects of the online learning experience are accessible. Please let me know if you have adaptive software and hardware to assist you with taking this course or if you have any specific needs I should be aware of. The Accessibility Resource Centers for Students (ACCESS) is available to assist you during this course. http://www.mtsac.edu/dsps/index.html

Additional Resources

Tech Support

If you need technical assistance at any time during the orientation or to report a problem you can contact the College Help Desk at 909-274-4357.

It is also helpful if you let me know what kinds of technical difficulties you encounter so I can continue to improve the course. 

Additional Student Resources

There are many services on campus to help you achieve success in your courses. Check out this Student Services Link for information on library services, computer lab hours, research help, and online tutoring.            

Distance Education Website

The Mt. SAC Distance Education Department has resources to help you with your online learning experience. Check out their website at http://www.mtsac.edu/distancelearning/.

Important Course Dates:

SEPTEMBER 2018

• 03 LABOR DAY OBSERVED • Campus Closed / No Classes
• 07 Last day to add a class and drop with refund
• 10 Last day to withdraw without a “W”

NOVEMBER 2017

• 02 Last day to withdraw with a “W”
• 12 VETERAN’S DAY OBSERVED • Campus Closed / No Classes
• 22-23 THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY • Campus Closed / No Classes

 DECEMBER 2017

• 10-14 Final Exam Week