Ann Tippett, Assistant Professor of English
Monroe Community College, Rochester, NY

Course Information Sheet English 250 On-Line: Professional Communication WR (Writing Intensive)

How To Succeed In This Class

Understand On-Line Learning! Go to http://sln.suny.edu. There’s a wealth of information available to you there. On-line learning is not for everyone.

Understand Learning Styles! Know that everyone learns in certain ways and the way this course is structured favors those who learn best by reading and writing and those who are self-directed and disciplined. If that method does not work best for you, then this kind of course will be a frustrating experience. Don't know what your learning style is? It's easy to find information on the Web that will help you determine your learning style.

Understand Technology! This is not the time to become computer literate. MCC offers other classes for that. Being computer literate and Internet savvy is almost mandatory to successfully complete this course. Do not wait for the first day of class to "unbox" your computer. The sooner you get into your course the better. If you start having problems with your own computer and Internet access, get it fixed or go to the public library or MCC Learning Center in Building 11 and access the class from there. Use the Help Desk. If you are having problems with accessing this class, contact the SUNY LearnNet Help Desk immediately by either clicking on the question mark on the left side of this course map or call 1-800-875-6269. Consistent breakdowns of your equipment or your inability to consistently access the class can not be an excuse for not completing work.

Understand the "Classroom!" You are responsible for taking the SLN Student Orientation; to succeed you must understand how the "classroom" works before you start That includes understanding how to send in your work. Please submit all of your formal writing assignments using, if possible, Microsoft Word, saving and sending as a doc. file. If you are using another word processing program, you still need to save and send as a .rtf file. Either click on the question mark on the left side of this course map or call 1-800-875-6269 if you have any questions.

Understand Work Load! This is not a "blow off" course; it is not an easier course because you never have to go to class, it's just a more flexible way of taking a class. Many successful students feel that this course is actually harder. Why? Because all the information traditionally delivered in the classroom must now be assimilated purely through reading, both online and from the textbook. And you have to motivate yourself to keep up with the work. It's easier said than done, believe me. Like the traditional class, this class requires commitment throughout the whole semester; assignments are paced and the course is laid out over 15 weeks.

Participate! "Wisdom doesn't come from study. Knowledge does. Wisdom comes from showing up for life." Have the wisdom to show up for this part of your life. Learning online means motivating yourself to participate actively in the discussion and to log on regularly. I recommend logging in three times a week for an hour at a time to work within the "classroom" besides budgeting six to nine hours a week for homework.

Meet Deadlines! With this kind of class, (as with deadliness in your job!) you'll need to keep up with the work; most modules will be open approximately two - three weeks which gives you enough time to complete the work.. If you haven't finished your assignments by the due date, you'll lose those points. All the work sent to me has a time and date on it so I'll know if you made the deadline or not. This is not a self-paced course; there are deadlines that need to be met so we can move on as a class. Some times during the course, 2 or 3 modules may be open at once and you'll be expected to follow the work in all open modules.

Complete Final Oral Presentation! You are required to complete the final oral presentation. Too many students have successfully completed everything else in the course then decide at the end not to do the oral presentation. Bad choice. They failed the class.

Proofread Your Work! This is a professional communication class and more importantly, it is a very writing- intensive class due to the nature of communicating online. I expect all formal written assignments to be practically error free. More than three serious grammatical errors (spelling/typos, incomplete sentences etc.) in graded assignments will result in a failing grade. With the informal writing in discussion, quizzes etc. I expect that you will take care with your work; we all need to be able to read it. If you insist on not proofing this work, and I and your classmates have a hard time understanding you, then I won't be able to give you full credit.
Note that I do allow you to revise up to three major writing assignments (over 5 points) as long as they were turned in on time. Any late assignments are ineligible for a rewrite.

Show Respect! I practice the Golden Rule with my classes. In all discussion and communication, please be courteous and polite. If you chose to address myself or any classmate with disrespect, I will warn you once; then, if it persists, I will drop you from the class. You are, after all, practicing to be a successful professional communicator.

Practice Academic Honesty. Academic honesty means that all the work you submit as your own is your own work and was not done by someone else; it a basic requirement to succeed in any class at MCC. You may review that policy in the MCC Catalog & Student Handbook. Should you not have a copy of that catalog, you may contact our Admissions Office at 585.292.2200 and they will send you one, or you may request one from the college's web site at www.monroecc.edu.