Instructor: Michael S. Walker

HCC Office: Donahue 366

Office Hours: By Appointment

Email: mwalker@hcc.edu

Office: (413) 552-3513 (Messages only)

Optional Chat Hours: Wednesdays 9:00 to 10:00 P.M.

Type of Distance Learning:

This kind of distance education is characterized by an emphasis on "learning on demand" or "as-needed communication" between students and faculty from multiple locations at times convenient to participants.  Note, however, that assignments are posted weekly and weekly submissions are mandatory.  Late submissions will not be accepted. 

Course Description:

English 101.66 covers the ability to communicate with others, to think critically, and to comprehend research papers on scholarly topics. Emphasis in this course is on formal, expository writing, the techniques of online database research, and the mechanics of MLA research paper format.  Frequent short writing assignments (WA) and one longer research paper are assigned amounting to a total of approximately three thousand words.  Students will study and become familiar with many chapters of Fred Cooksey’s Quick & Dirty, A Compact Guide to Reading, Writing, and Research (“Q&D”).  Frequent online quizzes and exercises are used to measure student understanding of these chapters.  Clear, concise, and correct written English is paramount. 

Required Textbook & Materials:    

• Access to advanced word processing software compatible with Microsoft Word;

• Reliable backup medium (“flash drive”);

• Fred Cooksey’s Quick & Dirty, A Compact Guide to Reading, Writing, and Research (available at the HCC College Bookstore and some other online sources like www.amazon.com);

• To order online at the Holyoke Community College Bookstore, go to: http://www.ehccbookstore.com/home.aspxl  

Our textbook, Quick & Dirty, is written by Mr. Fred Cooksey, a professor at HCC who has taught English 101 here for many years.  Many of the examples used in the book use the HCC website (www.hcc.edu) and, therefore, are specific to the work you will be doing in this class.  Most students find Q&D interesting, informative, and even fun.  It is also the least expensive style manual I know of.  We will use this book every week.  Please be sure to purchase Q&D by the first day of class.

Course Objectives:

Students will learn to produce college research papers by applying techniques explained in Q&D, completing weekly writing assignments that teach necessary techniques of summarizing, paraphrasing, and quoting research articles culminating in a 1500 word (approximately five pages) research paper that will display the student’s mastery of the following skills:

• proper punctuation, spelling, grammar, and word choice;

• sentence structure;

• titles, introductory paragraphs, topic sentences, and summary sentences;

• paragraph structure;

• Modern Language Association (MLA) in-text citations and works cited entries, as explained in Fred Cooksey’s

Addressing the Problem of Isolation in Online Classes

Although there are many advantages to taking online classes, one disadvantage is that contact among students is severely limited.  According to research and my own experience, students often do not complete online courses because they feel lost and alone in these classes.  Weekly chats and frequent email between a student and a professor are not enough to bridge the gap.  In order to ameliorate this problem, I am experimenting with small group activity in this course.  I will assign students to a group of three, four, or five students.  Each group will complete several Group Writing Assignments and will meet online in a one-hour weekly Group Chat at a mutually acceptable time.  In order to open communications among students, I will not attend these sessions, but will be online on Wednesdays from 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. for an optional Chat, which all students are welcome to attend.  I hope that by working and talking together, students can overcome the isolation that limits the effectiveness of online instruction.

Methods of Instruction: Online – Distance Learning

Students are required to engage in the following interaction(s) for successful completion of this course:

• On time submission of all writing assignments and a research paper;

• On time submission of quizzes on Q&D and other assignments;

• Participation in once-weekly online Group Chats;

• Collaboration and presentation of several Group Writing Assignments.

I expect that students already know how to write, edit, save, submit, and retrieve Microsoft Word files as assignments in WebCT.  In addition, students should have easy access to the Internet for at least two hours per week to complete online exercises and tests.  Students who do not have access to high-end word processing software must purchase (or download) the software.  Low end word processing software, like WordPad, Notepad, or Microsoft Write are unacceptable substitutes.  Computers in HCC’s Computer Labs have Microsoft Word installed. 

Evaluation of Student’s Progress:

• Writing Assignments: 30%

• Research Paper: 50%

• Exercises and Quizzes: 20%

Communications

Private email, a public “Discussion Board”, a required weekly Group Chat Room, and an optional weekly chat room session are our major form of communications.  Please check for messages every weekday.  Weekly chat room sessions are held on Wednesday 9:00 to 10:00 P.M.  Your attendance at these sessions is optional.

The best way to contact me is by sending a private email through our course website.  I will check my email every weekday and occasionally over the weekend.  Leaving messages on my office telephone is the least effective way to contact me.  In case of an important emergency (not just a missed assignment), call my home telephone (413-357-2150).  In-person meetings and telephone interactions are not necessary but are allowable when a situation requires them.  Please contact me by email if you think I can help.

Academic Integrity

It is expected that all of the work that you submit is your own work, not the work of others.  You are encouraged to seek feedback on your written assignments from your group members and by talking with a consultant at the HCC Writing Center or by submitting your papers to e-Tutoring before submitting them to me.  You are also encouraged to use Q&D in any test or writing task. 

Academic integrity is expected of all students.  Any dishonesty in the performance of course work, such as plagiarism or cheating in other forms, will be reported. In the event the student is charged with some form of dishonesty, the Student Discipline Policy will be followed.  The full text of the Academic Integrity Policy and the additional Online Policy can be found at http://webtide.hccdl.org  under Star 3

Withdrawal 

Sometimes it is necessary for a student to withdraw from an online course.  If that should become necessary, please complete the withdrawal form found at http://webtide.hccdl.org under Star 3.  Student who do not log on to the class website at least once in any week may be administratively withdrawn (AW) from the course by the instructor.

A Final Word

I want every student in our class to learn to write college papers.  I believe that I have created course work that will teach you the skills you need achieve that goal.  I have taken great pains to write exact instructions for every assignment, and I stand ready to help you. Completing assignments early and thoroughly will assure your success.