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Dear Psychology 101 Student,

Welcome to the hybrid edition of Psychology 101: Introduction to Psychology at College of the Canyons. My name is Rick Howe and I am your instructor.  Please read this entire letter for details about the course and the amount of work required.  If you have any further questions that this letter does not answer, please send me an e-mail at rick.howe@canyons.edu.  I will do my best to get back to you within 24 hours.

When do we start?
 This course is a hybrid class, meaning we will meet half the time in person and half the time online.  Full details of the course structure will be provided at the mandatory orientation meeting (also known as the first day of class) on Tuesday, January 3 at 2:00pm in Mentry Hall 247.  You will be dropped from the class if you do not attend this first day orientation meeting on Tuesday, January 3.

Is everything for this class done online from the comfort of my own home?
 The short answer is no.  Since this course is a hybrid, some of the work, for example reading the textbook and other course materials, completing some course homework, participating in some discussions, and some quizzes will be completed from your home or wherever your internet connection is located.  However, we will also be meeting every Tuesday and Thursday in person, at which time there may be any of the above types of assignments as well as lecture and other activities.  Exams will also take place during our in-person meetings.

 
Required Materials and Technology
You will need to purchase a textbook for this class. I would recommend purchasing the textbook prior to the beginning date of the course as class work will begin immediately thereafter. We will be using Psychology: Third Custom Edition for College of the Canyons (ISBN: 9781256411741), available while supplies last in the COC bookstore.  If you purchase your textbook package new at the COC bookstore, you also receive a free study guide for your educational pleasure and an access code for MyPsychLab.  Neither the study guide nor MyPsychLab is required for the course, but may be helpful, particularly the MyPsychLab component.

Given that half of this course is online, you must have:

1) a reliable computer with reliable internet access;

2) a valid e-mail address that you check regularly, preferably daily; and

3) a good browser.  I recommend that you use Mozilla Firefox as your browser software.  If you would prefer you can also use Internet Explorer, Safari, Chrome, or Opera.  Note that some functions in Blackboard do not work well with the iPad/iPhone or other mobile devices.

 

Am I Ready for Online Coursework?
Homework assignments and many quizzes for this course will be completed using Blackboard, an online course management system.  Although not a requirement, it will be very helpful if you are familiar with using internet browser software, with sending and receiving e-mail, and with participating in online discussion boards.  If you are unsure of your skill level and whether or not you are ready to take a class online, you should consider enrolling in COUNS 070 Becoming a Successful Distance Learning Student.

 
If You Think This Class Will Be Easy…
If you are already familiar with taking online courses, the online portions of 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. The most important point to be made is that learning in the online world requires good time management skills and a consistently high level of self-motivation.  Since I will not always be visible to you in a classroom, it is possible that you may forget about the work required for success in this course. There is a significant amount of effort required, including discussion boards, chapter quizzes, assignments, and exams.  Because of the accelerated 5-week format, we will cover approximately three chapters per week, so expect to spend about 15-20 hours per week completing the reading assignments and other work for this class, including the 6 hours per week we will meet in class. If this sounds like more than you can manage without external prompting, perhaps a more traditional class is for you. If you are highly motivated, then this is the course for you.

 
If you have questions about this course you may contact me by phone at (661) 362-5906 or e-mail at rick.howe@canyons.edu. If you have general questions about distance learning at College of the Canyons, please visit the COC Distance Learning Web Site.

 
Sincerely, 

Professor Rick Howe, M.A.
Psychology Department
College of the Canyons