As a creature of habit, I enjoy the various rhythms of college teaching. The first day of a semester is usually the same: I confront four or five classes of students, present them with syllabi, discuss how the course will work, hammer the important points (more on those later), make some incredibly witty and not lame at all jokes, assign the first homework and send the students on their way. During the first few weeks my classes and I are discovering who I am as a teacher and who they are as students. The fall semester offers the promise of relief (eventually) from the summer’s heat and tailgating Thunderwolves’ football games.
Alas, this is 2020, and our normal rhythms are no longer normal. Instead of us meeting in person, we’ll meet virtually and communicate through Blackboard. I’ll still hammer you with important points, but the points are going to be a bit different. It’s important to remember that these points are more difficult in an online class because you’ll be responsible for motivating yourself.
Important Point: Show Up!
Normally, I’d discuss the attendance policy, covering how many absences you’re allowed and what happens when you have too many absences and why you should not miss a class period lightly. However, we don’t have a scheduled class time, as this is an asynchronous online class, meaning we don’t have scheduled remote meetings. Even though we don’t have set meetings, you still need to show up to the course. “Showing up” here means, “Making time in your schedule to review the assignments in Blackboard, perform readings, complete assignments, and be present in our online community.” My suggestion to all of you is to schedule several blocks of time a week as your Eng 101 or 102 “class” time. Follow the traditional class schedule: one hour three times a week, or an hour and a half twice a week. Make the course part of your schedule. Attend to the online work during these times and plan for the work that you don’t complete in these times.
Important Point: Pay Attention!
In the long, long ago time before 2020, I would tell students that simply inhabiting a chair wasn’t fulfilling their course obligation. While they were in that seat, I would say, they needed to be present in the moment, listening to me, to their peers, and offering their own thoughts on the day’s topic. In online courses, you’ll still need to be present, which will mean carefully reading instructions, completing work on time, and learning the course’s rhythm. For example, you’ll have assignments due every Wednesday and Sunday. I’ll announce and post schedules for the larger assignments, such as drafts of the papers, so you’ll need to plan your work time accordingly. Every week, you’ll know your responsibilities and you’ll need to be “in” the class to fulfill your responsibilities. If you have questions, it’s vital that you contact me and ask me those questions. Even in a traditional classroom, sensing student confusion can be difficult, but it’s especially challenging in an online course. If you’re having any problems at all, contact me. I really am here to help you.
Important Point: Do the Work!
This is one point that doesn’t change much from a face to face class to an online class. We will have assignments and those assignments will have due dates. Your success will depend on you staying current with the course work. I am here to help you, guide you, and answer your questions. I will do everything in my power to help you produce your best writing. I take few things seriously, but my responsibility to helping students is one. But for me to be of any help to any of you, you must first do at least some of the work. If things in your life are inhibiting your progress, you can tell me, and we can make a plan for you to complete your work. I can help you refine paper topics. I can help your research process. I can help you improve your drafts. To do any of this, however, requires you to do some work. If you’re worried about the quality of some assignment, don’t. I don’t expect perfection from you; I expect an honest effort. Sometimes you may not be able to devote enough time to an assignment, and that’s okay, too. But to succeed in this, or any, class, you’ll need to do the course work. A good philosophy you might adopt is, “I’m going to do the best work that I’m able to at any given time.” You may not always excel, but you can always pass and more times than not, you’ll succeed.
- Show up–check Blackboard and plan your work every week
- Pay Attention–learn the course rhythm, carefully read assignments, and ASK QUESTIONS
- Do the Work–attempt all assignments, ask for help, do the best that you’re able
Throughout the semester, I will direct you to readings here. Think of these as a kind of lecture: information that you would hear from me in a face to face class. We’ll work together using a variety of tools and this will be one. As I’ll note in the various introductory material, you can learn more about me at http://jsaphara.com. I look forward to working with all of you this semester.
Very organized and informative website. Thank you.
Thank you, Rita. Forgive the long response time; I didn’t have names down yet.