* Eastern Maine Community College students.
* EMCC students signed up for an online English course with John Goldfine
* EMCC students who have NOT taken an online course from John Goldfine before.
If you HAVE taken an online course from John Goldfine before, skip everything here except sending him an email with your blog address and your email address and your name. Then go the Wrap-up section below and follow instructions in red.
johngoldfine@gmail.com
Everybody else, press on.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Introduction to online 101/162/262
Are you ready? Because ready or not, next week, here it comes--online English.
If you're taking online ENG, make sure you know what you're getting into:
* An online course does not take less of your time than a live-class course. The time you save not going to class, you then spend by teaching yourself from written lecture material and through trial-and-error.
* Taking a course online does not mean you can do the work whenever you want. Yes, you can do it at 3 in the morning; and, yes, you can do it wearing your pajamas or nothing at all. But, no, you can't let it slide for a week or two and expect the teacher won't notice or worry. That's a little too much 'whenever.'
* Taking a course online is a lonely job. If you need other people to sit next to and chat with in order to get yourself motivated, an online course will be tough sledding.
* Taking a course online means having to deal with the instructor...a lot. If you do best by sitting in the back of the room, keeping your head down, keeping your mouth shut, and never asking questions, you may find yourself hating life online. It's very interactive.
* If you're planning on taking an online course and do not have easy internet access, you're living dangerously.
* If your best method of learning is NOT by reading, you might not want an online course.
Okay, that's the tough stuff. If you're still reading, here's the good news: You have an instructor who's ready, willing, and able to help you. I've taught these courses for many years, and I know the kind of difficulties with writing and with blogs you might be having. I'm patient, I'm (nearly) tireless: we will solve or overcome problems together!
The only time I'm not just an email away is if my ISP has problems. (That occasionally happens.) You're going to write this semester--that's what it's all about--and I'm going to work with you on your writing to make it even better than it is. Okay, so what's next?
If you're taking online ENG, make sure you know what you're getting into:
* An online course does not take less of your time than a live-class course. The time you save not going to class, you then spend by teaching yourself from written lecture material and through trial-and-error.
* Taking a course online does not mean you can do the work whenever you want. Yes, you can do it at 3 in the morning; and, yes, you can do it wearing your pajamas or nothing at all. But, no, you can't let it slide for a week or two and expect the teacher won't notice or worry. That's a little too much 'whenever.'
* Taking a course online is a lonely job. If you need other people to sit next to and chat with in order to get yourself motivated, an online course will be tough sledding.
* Taking a course online means having to deal with the instructor...a lot. If you do best by sitting in the back of the room, keeping your head down, keeping your mouth shut, and never asking questions, you may find yourself hating life online. It's very interactive.
* If you're planning on taking an online course and do not have easy internet access, you're living dangerously.
* If your best method of learning is NOT by reading, you might not want an online course.
Okay, that's the tough stuff. If you're still reading, here's the good news: You have an instructor who's ready, willing, and able to help you. I've taught these courses for many years, and I know the kind of difficulties with writing and with blogs you might be having. I'm patient, I'm (nearly) tireless: we will solve or overcome problems together!
The only time I'm not just an email away is if my ISP has problems. (That occasionally happens.) You're going to write this semester--that's what it's all about--and I'm going to work with you on your writing to make it even better than it is. Okay, so what's next?
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
What is this?
The school requires students (and teachers!) who have not used Blogger as a course platform before to take this combined tutorial/test so it knows and can document that you have the skills necessary to take the online course you have signed up for (ENG 101-95, 162-95, or 262-95.)
Everything you do in the tutorial test will have immediate practical application since these are the exact things you will be doing in the course.
You will work down, doing item by item. So--
Everything you do in the tutorial test will have immediate practical application since these are the exact things you will be doing in the course.
You will work down, doing item by item. So--
What's next? #1
First thing to do: email johngoldfine@gmail.com to tell me you have begun the tutorial/test. Be sure to email from your EMCC Live account.
A successful email from the right address to the right address is the first test!
You will need to open your campus Live account which you will find by following this link, sign in, create an email, copy and paste that address underlined above, and write a short message.
I could give much much more detailed instructions for how to send an email, but, honestly, the best advice I have for you with this and all other computer issues is to mess with it a little, noodle around, try stuff, improvise, click here and there and see what happens. You have to ask yourself: if I'm afraid to try figuring out how to send an email, is a computer course for me.
Anyway, that email is the first test.
A successful email from the right address to the right address is the first test!
You will need to open your campus Live account which you will find by following this link, sign in, create an email, copy and paste that address underlined above, and write a short message.
I could give much much more detailed instructions for how to send an email, but, honestly, the best advice I have for you with this and all other computer issues is to mess with it a little, noodle around, try stuff, improvise, click here and there and see what happens. You have to ask yourself: if I'm afraid to try figuring out how to send an email, is a computer course for me.
Anyway, that email is the first test.
Is there more? #2
Next test is to follow a link. You do that by clicking on it--bringing the cursor to the underlined words and clicking.
Here's your link:
Go there and follow instructions.
Here's your link:
Go there and follow instructions.
Maybe you have some questions? #3
There are several ways to get questions answered. You can email me. Or you can go onto the course forum and post questions; when you do that I am notified and will reply within a few hours.
So, where is the forum?
Scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page. There's a little thingie going 'Enter my foruym/Click here.' Go ahead, click there.
Now you're in the forum. Ignore the advertising. Where you see an X in the upper right corner of the ads, click it and the ad disappears.
See where it says 'Start a new post'? Click that.
Type in your name or first name and last initial. 'Anonymous is fine' it says, and that's true during the semester, but not for this test. Type your name in, go to where it says 'Enter message', and type a message.
Then on the lower right, click 'Post message.'
Whew, that's number three done. Come back to this site for # 4
So, where is the forum?
Scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page. There's a little thingie going 'Enter my foruym/Click here.' Go ahead, click there.
Now you're in the forum. Ignore the advertising. Where you see an X in the upper right corner of the ads, click it and the ad disappears.
See where it says 'Start a new post'? Click that.
Type in your name or first name and last initial. 'Anonymous is fine' it says, and that's true during the semester, but not for this test. Type your name in, go to where it says 'Enter message', and type a message.
Then on the lower right, click 'Post message.'
Whew, that's number three done. Come back to this site for # 4
We continue.... #4
Your course will be based on Blogger. You will use a course blog I have created and you will also use a blog of your very own you will create. That's where most of your writing will appear and where I will comment on your writing.
So, time to create your own blog. This is the one you'll actually be using all semester. Go to www.blogger.com.
First you have to create a google account if you don't already have one. If you have one, sign in. If you don't, click 'Create a blog.'
There's a bunch of stuff there to fill out, and I'm going to let you struggle through it on your own. It might be pesky but persevere. Be sure, double sure, to remember the name, email, and password you type in. If you forget those, you will be hating life later.
You are about to create your blog!
Pick a name and address and, again, do not forget the address. Write it down! You can change the name later, but not the address.
Choose a template. That can be changed later so don't agonize.
And there, bingo, you have a blog. *
Click 'Start blogging' and put a message into the box and hit 'Publish Post.'
Now hit 'View Blog'! Pretty darn cool, eh?
You are almost done with # 4. Email me with your name and your blog address which is at the top of your screen. Copy and paste it into your email. (Do that by clicking on the address. It should go all-blue. When it does, right-click your mouse, hit copy, then go to your email, position your cursor, right click again and hit 'paste.'
Mail that to me and you are done with #4!
Now x your blog out so it's gone.
* PS: When your blog is set up, go to settings/comments and make absolutely sure
that 1. 'anyone can comment'
and that 2. comment moderation is never
and that 3. word verification is no.
So, time to create your own blog. This is the one you'll actually be using all semester. Go to www.blogger.com.
First you have to create a google account if you don't already have one. If you have one, sign in. If you don't, click 'Create a blog.'
There's a bunch of stuff there to fill out, and I'm going to let you struggle through it on your own. It might be pesky but persevere. Be sure, double sure, to remember the name, email, and password you type in. If you forget those, you will be hating life later.
You are about to create your blog!
Pick a name and address and, again, do not forget the address. Write it down! You can change the name later, but not the address.
Choose a template. That can be changed later so don't agonize.
And there, bingo, you have a blog. *
Click 'Start blogging' and put a message into the box and hit 'Publish Post.'
Now hit 'View Blog'! Pretty darn cool, eh?
You are almost done with # 4. Email me with your name and your blog address which is at the top of your screen. Copy and paste it into your email. (Do that by clicking on the address. It should go all-blue. When it does, right-click your mouse, hit copy, then go to your email, position your cursor, right click again and hit 'paste.'
Mail that to me and you are done with #4!
Now x your blog out so it's gone.
* PS: When your blog is set up, go to settings/comments and make absolutely sure
that 1. 'anyone can comment'
and that 2. comment moderation is never
and that 3. word verification is no.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Wrap-up
At this point, you have demonstrated the ability to create emails, to navigate web pages, to create a blog and navigate around your own new website. Everything you have done has your name or name and initial on it, proof that you are ready to go.
Exhausting as all this may have been, the time will come--soon!--when it will all seem natural, automatic, and easy.
This is not a computer course. It's a writing course offered online using computers. The hard part is the writing, and that will begin soon.
* If you are taking ENG 162-95, go here and get started! You'll find the first week's writing.
http://fromswanvilletoyou.blogspot.com/
* If you are taking ENG 101-95, go here and get started--you'll find lecture materials and a link to all the semester's work.
http://hoganroad.blogspot.com/
* If you are taking ENG 262, go here for the first week's materials.
http://aeruiyawer.blogspot.com/
Exhausting as all this may have been, the time will come--soon!--when it will all seem natural, automatic, and easy.
This is not a computer course. It's a writing course offered online using computers. The hard part is the writing, and that will begin soon.
* If you are taking ENG 162-95, go here and get started! You'll find the first week's writing.
http://fromswanvilletoyou.blogspot.com/
* If you are taking ENG 101-95, go here and get started--you'll find lecture materials and a link to all the semester's work.
http://hoganroad.blogspot.com/
* If you are taking ENG 262, go here for the first week's materials.
http://aeruiyawer.blogspot.com/
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Student Live email accounts
Email will be provided by Microsoft Live accounts. Student email accounts will be created by August 27, 2010. The accounts will be created as follows: firstname.lastname@student.emcc.edu
Your password: first initial and last initial then the last 4 of the student ID.
For example: John Smith with ID of 123456 would have a password of js3456. Please note that the password will be lower case.
PS: Students will use their new email address as their username for logging onto campus computers. The passwords will be first initial and last initial then the last 4 of the student ID
Special characters in people’s names will be handled as follows: If you have a hyphen in your first name (for example Rose-Marie) your user name will be only be the first part of your name (Rose). If you have a hyphen in your last name (Smith-Jones) it will only be the last part of your name (Jones). Apostrophes in your first or last name will be omitted (O’Kane will be okane)
Your password: first initial and last initial then the last 4 of the student ID.
For example: John Smith with ID of 123456 would have a password of js3456. Please note that the password will be lower case.
PS: Students will use their new email address as their username for logging onto campus computers. The passwords will be first initial and last initial then the last 4 of the student ID
Special characters in people’s names will be handled as follows: If you have a hyphen in your first name (for example Rose-Marie) your user name will be only be the first part of your name (Rose). If you have a hyphen in your last name (Smith-Jones) it will only be the last part of your name (Jones). Apostrophes in your first or last name will be omitted (O’Kane will be okane)
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