Last Updated: 9/5/03
Link back to course Welcome...

Web.Edu Agenda 1
for class on September 6, 2003

1. Introductions
   1. Instructor: David Bowen
   2. Turn your computer on and go to the course web site
      1. Turn the computer on
      2. If you are not sitting in the front row, log in with your AccessID and Password.
      3. Start the web browser of your choice (Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator or Communicator) by double-clicking on the icon
      4. Type the URL in the line at the top of the window:
         http://www.is.wayne.edu/drbowen/WebEduF03
   3. Pictures for a class photo album - this is not a course requirement
2. Course Overview
   1. Parts of Internet Courses
      1. Fairly common
         1. Textbook
            here: Distance Learning Online for Dummies
         2. Web Site for course documents and information distribution
            here: http://www.is.wayne.edu/drbowen/WebEduF02 with a WSU Blackboard site later in the semester
            All course information and links are on the course web site
         3. Electronic discussion forum
            here: the IS Computer Conferencing System, with a ListServ (email) and WSU Blackboard conference later in the semester
         4. Electronic method for submitting and receiving homework
            here: Email, with a WSU Blackboard system later in the semester
      2. May or may not be present
         1. Online web-based tests, reports and/or forms
            here: Information, signin and weekly report forms
         2. "Real" (in-person) tests and/or exams
            here: Final exam is in-person
         3. Student web pages
         4. Online reading
            here: Some web pages assigned as part of the course
         5. Online workgroups
         6. Online Student Evaluation of Teaching (SET)
         7. Internet multimedia (video and audio)
         8. Required course meetings
            here: ten required meetings
   2. What you need to know about the Internet
      1. The URL or "web address" for the course web site - starts with "http://"
      2. Going to a web site by typing in the URL
      3. Following (clicking on) links
      4. Sending and receiving email, often with attachments for homework
   3. Autonomy and responsibility
      1. You and the class will have more influence on what is covered and emphasized, and may start new topics
      2. You will need to put time aside for the course and stick to it
         1. Benefits of a college education: income, health, satisfaction with life and family, etc.
         2. Having a good college experience: meet the faculty on a personal level
   4. While faculty and students feel ahead of time that the primary problems will be computer-related, in fact the issues of autonomy and responsibility cause much more trouble
      1. Required course meetings have been the most successful feature of getting students through online courses

   NOTE: Some people have assumed that they can blow off a one credit course, say during their last semester before graduation. There is not more than one credit-hour of work for this course, but there is that one credit-hour. I have nothing against giving out As - I don't have a quota, for instance - but the best way to do well is to keep up to date and participate both on line and face-to-face.

3. Syllabus
   1. Schedule
   2. Textbook
   3. Topics
   4. Assignments
   5. Grades
4. Computer conference. Follow the link on the course web site. On this system you create your own account (User Name and Password). You will also have to fill in an information form. After that, I have to add you to the conference. I will do that during the week, and we will go over using the conference next Saturday.
   NOTE: While many people think that a computer conference will be dry and uninteresting, for those who jump in and participate, it is almost always the "star" of an online class, so give this a good shot. Here are some of the reasons people give for this:
   1. People who are shy or unsure of the material find they can participate freely.
   2. People get to express their own opinions and feelings, to review them on the screen before making them public, and even to change them afterwards.
   3. People get to known the rest of the class, both personally, and intellectually.
5. Assignments due next class (from the assignment schedule on the Syllabus - get used to reviewing that)
   1. Get the textbook and read Chapter 1
   2. Register for the course computer conference online
   3. Read the web page "Taking an online course"