Welcome to the 100% online summer edition of Psychology 101: Introduction to Psychology {Section #83412 & #83413} at College of the Canyons. I am your instructor, Rebecca Shepherd, and I am looking forward to working with you during the Fall 2011 semester.

Please read the entire welcome letter on the pages below before proceeding with the course.  These pages will provide you with important information about required materials and required technology, the "virtual" attendance policy, and an overview of the course.  Understanding more about how this particular online course is designed and of its requirements will help you get off to a strong start.  SO...

Getting Started...
Expect to hit the ground running, so to speak, as we will begin work very quickly. Since this class officially begins on Monday, August 22^nd, 2011, the class will be made available to students in MyPsychLab  (NOT Blackboard) by 9:00 a.m.on this date.

An Access Code card for MyPsychLab is packaged (free-of-charge) with new copies of the textbook available at the COC Bookstore.  This card will direct you to a web site (http://www.mypsychlab.com) used to register with MyPsychLab and includes the necessary Access Code information.  Given this, please purchase your textbook prior to the class start date to ensure you have the necessary information to log into the course.  If you purchase a used book, you will need to purchase a MyPsychLab access code separately through Pearson Publishing.

In making the class available, I will send an e-mail message to all registered students as the class begins (no later than Monday, August 22nd at 9am), providing the Course ID number necessary to enroll into the course in MyPsychLab.  This Course ID number along with the Access Code for MyPsychLab are required to get started.

Important Registration Information:  You may be dropped from the class if you do not log into this course in MyPsychLab by 11:59p.m. (Pacific Time) on Wednesday, August 24^th.  Please note: You are responsible, though, for dropping the class by the official college deadlines if you choose not to complete the course. 

If the class fills before the first day of class, I will not be able to issue add codes until after the first couple of days the class has “met.”  I cannot over enroll a course and must look at how many students have not checked in by August 24^th before I can begin adding any students.  Even students on the official waitlist are not guaranteed spots in the class.  If spots become available to distribute add codes, I must offer them to students in the order they appear on the official waitlist.  Given this, if this class is full with a waitlist at the time you register, I encourage you to find an alternate section of Psych 101 that is open to ensure there is a space available for you to take the course and start it on time.  While I do my best to delay due dates for a couple of days to accommodate any late additions to the class, assignments still have specific due dates and will not be accepted late. 


 

Required Materials and Technology
What materials do I need for this class?
Despite the online nature of the class, you will need to purchase a textbook. The psychology department has adopted a new customized textbook, which has been designed to correspond to student learning outcomes developed by both COC and the American Psychological Association. The book is Psychology: Third Custom Edition for College of the Canyons with MyPsychLab Access Code card and Study Guide (ISBN 1256133809), and, since it is new, is available for purchase only at the COC bookstore. It can be purchased online through the bookstore at http://coc.bncollege.com/. **Having regular access to the textbook and access to MyPsychLab is required for this course.** 

What are the technology requirements for this course?
MyPsychLab functions only when using Internet Explorer (for PCs) or Safari (for Macs) as the browser, so please make sure you have regular access to a computer with Internet Explorer or Safari.  Additionally, as you get started, you will want to allow pop-ups from the MyPsychLab site so you can open assessments and work effectively within the online environment.

In order to participate in this class you must have access to a computer with reliable internet access and a valid e-mail address that you check regularly, and by regularly I mean daily or nearly so.

If your internet connection is dropped because of a faulty connection or you have other difficulties with your computer, it is your responsibility to troubleshoot the problem. The publisher provides Technical Support for students that can assist in troubleshooting problems experienced in MyPsychLab.  **Computer or network failures are not considered excuses for missing any assignment or quiz in this class, nor is missing important announcements because you didn't check your e-mail.**

If you do not have a reliable computer and internet connection elsewhere, you can use the computers on the COC campus in the Tutorial Lab in Bonelli Hall, Room 209 (formerly known as I-209). {Please do not use the computers in the COC library or in the Student Center as the browsers have a higher security setting and you may not be able to access portions of the course successfully.} If you are not local to the COC campus, you might try a public library for internet access, although computers at such places may not be set up in such a way that they will work properly with MyPsychLab and often allow users a very limited amount of time.

Toggling between screens, clicking “enter” or “submit” more than once, experiencing a disruption of your internet connection, or remaining logged in to MyPsychLab for an extended period of time without any activity can contribute to a quiz being recorded as “attempted” by the system whether it was completed or not.  Quizzes are not typically reset for students by the instructor under these conditions, so please don’t log into a quiz until you have read the assigned materials and are prepared to complete it within a relatively short period of time with only MyPsychLab open &/or running.

But, because technical problems do occur on occasion in a class of this nature, I typically make at least a couple of extra credit assignments available during the class to allow students to make-up for a discussion post or quiz missed.  Please complete these extra credit assignments while they are available to ensure you maximize your point total in the class.

ABOUT WIRELESS NETWORK CONNECTIONS...:
Many of you may be using laptop computers with wireless internet connections.  In the past couple of semesters, wireless connections have proven unreliable when completing work in MyPsychLab, often resulting in work not being submitted properly.  Therefore, I would recommend that you use a wired internet connection if at all possible.  If you decide to use a wireless connection, please be sure that it is reliable and will not disconnect while you are completing your work.

Are There Any Class Meetings?
That is an excellent question. All work will be done online and there are no face-to-face classroom meetings. However, you will be required to take exams online in our Tutorial Lab (TLC) in Bonelli Hall, Room 209 (formerly known as I-209) on the college's main campus if you live locally in the Santa Clarita, Antelope, or San Fernando Valleys.   Exams are proctored in the TLC to ensure they are completed without the aid of the textbook or outside notes to maintain the academic rigor of this transferable course.  **This means that, even though exams are completed online in MyPsychLab, they are “closed-book”.   NO outside resources of any kind (no textbook, notes, websites, etc.) can be used while completing each exam.**  You must rely on your memory of your understanding of the material to complete each exam (much like you would when completing exams in a regular, lecture-based class).

Each of four exams will be available in the TLC on specific dates listed in the course syllabus.  Please do not wait until the last minute to take each test! You will need to call the TLC in advance to set up an appointment (at 661-362-3349), to verify their hours of operation and so you don't end up coming in to take the exam only to find there is a wait or there are no computers available.

If you do not live within the local service area listed above, or if you will be out of the area during one of the examination dates, you will need to find an authorized, alternate educational facility, such as a local community college or university to take each exam. If this applies to you, please contact a proctoring facility, obtain their contact information and contact the TLC (661-362-3349) and me at least two weeks prior to the exam submission deadline to get everything set up. Since there are a large number of students taking online classes at COC, TLC staff will need some time to verify the status of the facility, and send out each exam.

Again, there are specific dates on which exams must be taken to be accepted for credit. Please make sure you are prepared to take each exam by the deadline listed on the course syllabus.

Quizzes and discussion posts, which you complete online, also have specific submission deadlines to be accepted for credit.  I have done my best to spread the material out across the 15 week semester as much as possible, but we will be moving through the material quickly.  You should plan to log into the class on a regular basis a minimum of 4 days per week. You are always welcome to work ahead in the discussion posts and you can complete quizzes on whichever days they are available in your folder. A little bit of planning may allow you to navigate around some dates that are problematic for you.

Are You Ready for Online Coursework?
As noted above, your work for this class will be completed using MyPsychLab, an online course management system. Although not a requirement, it will be very helpful if you are familiar with using internet browser software (such as Netscape, Internet Explorer, Firefox, etc.), with sending and receiving e-mail, and with attaching a file to an e-mail message. If you are unsure of your skill level and whether or not you are ready to take a class online, you can take an Online Readiness Assessment by visiting the COC Distance Learning website. 

Will This Class be Easy?
If you are already familiar with taking online courses, this class will likely feel comfortable. If this is the first time you have taken an online course, I'd like to point out the differences between the online environment and the traditional classroom. Although online classes have many advantages, including added flexibility, they are unique in several ways and, therefore, may not be for everyone. First, online classes require students to utilize good time management skills and possess a high level of self-motivation, since the instructor is not visible on a daily basis, and "out of sight" can mean "out of mind." Although I make every effort to keep you apprised of deadlines, I will not be visible to you and will not be repeatedly asking you about why you have not completed your assignments. It will be your responsibility to log into the class daily to complete assignments, check for new announcements, and review submission deadlines listed in the course syllabus. Second, online courses require students to learn by reading course material and responding in writing on examinations and assignments. If you enjoy reading and feel that you communicate well in writing, then this format may be for you.

While the field of psychology is fascinating, it involves a number of complex terms and concepts that require time and energy to understand, online classes require as much time and effort as traditional face-to-face classes. To successfully complete this online course, you must read the required textbook, complete discussions and other writing assignments, quizzes and exams at a proctoring facility. There is a significant amount of effort: discussions, writing assignments, &/or quizzes will occur weekly and an exam is scheduled each month. Each of four units will consist of an average of 4 chapters that you will need to read, practice, apply to real-life situations, and understand to perform well on quizzes, discussions and exams.

Because this is an online course, you are required to master the material outside of a classroom setting. During this 15-week semester, it will require approximately 8-10 hours per week of studying in order to complete the reading assignments and other work for this class.  If you are highly motivated, then this is the course for you. This class promises to provide you with a good overview of the field of psychology, as well as the opportunity to interact with a wide variety of students from many different backgrounds.

If you have specific questions about this course, please contact me at rebecca.shepherd@canyons.edu. If you have general questions about distance learning programs at College of the Canyons, you can visit the COC Distance Learning website.

Again, welcome to the class!  I look forward to working with you during the Fall 2011 semester!

Best Regards,

Professor Rebecca Shepherd
Department of Psychology
College of the Canyons
Seco Hall (SCOH)-202E
rebecca.shepherd@canyons.edu
(661)362-3534