| CRN: 40042 |
| 6 Weeks - Distance Education course |
IMPORTANT NOTICE: You must access your
Citrus College student email account prior to starting the class.
| Students are required to take exams on campus in the Testing Center. |
Greetings! You are either enrolled or are interested in enrolling in Read 099 Distance Ed course. I enjoy teaching this class and I feel that I am here to encourage you to succeed in reading comprehension even when some material might be too difficult. Many college reading textbooks [like in the sciences] are written by people in their fields of expertise and the reading is aimed at a graduate level! “Wait---I am a freshman”---you say---“What do I do?” You will learn techniques to get the meaning from what you read even though you are not in graduate school. I have many techniques that I will share with you throughout the course.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Read 099 is an introduction to the fundamental techniques of college reading designed to develop literal and inferential comprehension while extending critical reading/thinking skills. This course meets the graduation reading competency requirement when a grade of C or better is received.
Required: Placement based on multiple measure assessment that demonstrates placement at the Reading 099 level as defined by the College OR successful completion of Reading 040 or ESL 054 with a C or better.
STUFF YOU SHOULD KNOW
Yes, I KNOW you know how to read---you have had probably 12 years or more of reading. This class is devoted to the comprehension or meaning of what your read. You were probably placed into this class because your reading comprehension needs a little push to handle college level material. This is an interesting class! It's not an easy class. This class makes you think about things that you probably hadn't thought about. It makes you dig into the meaning of what you read and be able to think!
Your grading includes chapter tests, a final, a project, postings, question of the week responses, and your discussion board work.
There are two books for this class.
- A Place to Stand by Jimmy Santiago Baca. © 2001. Begin reading immediately. You can borrow a copy of the book from any library. This book should be read by week ten.
- Textbook- Ten Steps to Advancing College Reading 5th edition, by John Langan.
Your responses to the ‘Questions of the Week’ will be based on your reading from these books. Hopefully you can get a ‘used’ book but BOTH are on reserve in the Citrus Library as well. The textbook has a website that I included on BlackBoard.
E-mail Accounts
You will need to use your Official Citrus College issued email account. Your email is established when you are registered for classes. You must have access to your email account prior to starting the class
Computer Access on Campus: General Access Lab Information on the Web
Headsets won't be available at the Lab. You need to bring your own headsets in order to listen to the course music examples without disturbing other lab users.
BLACKBOARD
Read 099 will utilize Blackboard as our online learning system. Go to the Getting Started page for more information about logging on to Blackboard (your student account will be available the first day of class) or click the logo on the left to go directly to Blackboard. You should plan on logging in during the first 3 days of the first week of class if you are enrolled. If you don’t log in during the first 3 days of the semester, you may be dropped because I’ll assume that you aren’t very eager to participate. If you experience trouble logging in, email me at bvancitters@citruscollege.edu and let me know. You also have two assignments due the first week. Read the syllabus carefully.
WHAT WILL I BE DOING?
You're going to read, watch the PowerPoint presentations on BlackBoard, answer questions on the discussion board and work with an assigned group on BlackBoard. Please make sure you've got a good study schedule set for yourself before you begin class, because semester after semester, people take this class and can get far behind. Keep to the schedule and let me know if I can help. I will also have an online office hour through BlackBoard’s Virtual Chat. My office hours are posted on BlackBoard.
You should be able to: send an email, send an email attachment, access BlackBoard [either from home or from campus] and check your messages daily!
WHAT KIND OF READINGS WILL WE DO?
The readings are all college level and are similar to the reading you do for your college classes. However, you will learn how to help yourself when your attention goes elsewhere and you are bored by the material. College is a choice and a journey----I am on your academic team to help cheer you on so you can get become a more sophisticated reader.
WHAT DO I DO FIRST?
Your first move, (if you're enrolled) is to log in to blackboard DURING THE FIRST THREE DAYS OF CLASSES. That's not the week before. That’s not the weekend after the first week, it’s the FIRST THREE DAYS OF CLASSES! If you don’t log in during the first 3 days, I might drop you and give your spot to the jillions of people who email me begging to add. As soon as possible, get yourself on the blackboard site. I hope that everyone can make it on there during the first week, because your work starts right away.
WHAT IF I CAN'T GET ON BLACKBOARD DURING THE FIRST THREE DAYS?
First, email me and let me know you're having troubles so that I don't drop you. Then make sure you email the web office and let them know you're having trouble. If you're adding late, you have to email them right away because they need to get you put into the system so that you can get going.
I look forward to working with you this semester. Please email me with any questions!
- Your WingSpan ID becomes your Blackboard Username
- Your WingSpan PIN (Personal Identification Number) becomes your Blackboard password
- To change your PIN/password requires, change it in WingSpan
- Data will be transferred from WingSpan to Blackboard on a regular basis
Once you get to the Blackboard welcome page, click on the Reading Skils course link on the right, and you will go to the course site. Familiarize yourself with the course site and if you have any questions please email your instructor with your concerns. Get your textbook and get started with your initial assignments. A major key to your success in this course will be keeping up with both the reading and the other assignments.
If you have a disability documented by a physician or other appropriate professional and wish to discuss academic accommodations, please contact the DSP&S office at (626) 914-8675. Please discuss your accommodations with your instructor by email. Be sure to allow at least one week for appropriate accommodations to be arranged.