Orientation - Introduction - Week 1
Course Orientation
Our objective this first week is to get to know a little about each other, discover how to navigate the classroom, and begin our journey into Excel.
Let's begin by watching two short videos...
This first video is a welcome message from Dr. Beyer with a brief overview of what you can expect in this course.
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This second video shows you how to get around in this course. If you took the Course Resources Module tour, then you have probably already seen this one :)
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Now, let's go over some important information about this course...
Again, if you went through the Syllabus review, you will have seen this information already, but a review never really hurts :) However, if you feel confident enough to pass the syllabus quiz and don't want to review, just scroll to the bottom and hit the Next button to continue.
There are four ways to communicate with me during the course, and please do not hesitate to use them :)
Communicating with the Professor
You can email me at ebeyer@avc.edu, or use the Canvas messaging feature by clicking on the Inbox link on the main menu; this is my preferred method of contacting me. Always include your name inside the email and please be sure to spell my name correctly. NOTE: Only .edu email may be used to send emails to me. I will not respond to non-EDU email addresses. When you do email me, I will respond within 24-36 hours, but realistically, it will be a lot sooner than that as I am on my computer way too much :)
Ask the Professor
There is a discussion forum labeled Ask the Professor. When you post a question, an email is sent to me automatically so I can respond quickly. Use this forum to post questions about the class in general. If I am not on the computer when you post your question, I will respond within 24-36 hours, as stated above. If your question is of a personal nature, please use one of the other contact options as everyone in the class can read the Ask the Professor postings and I do not like discussing student issues in front of the entire class :)
Telephone
My phone number is 661-722-6300 x6374. Since I am always on campus every day, it may be a couple of days or more before I return your call, so don't use this method for urgent issues. When I do get your message, I will return your call that day. If it is urgent, you could always leave a message, then send me an email so I will know there is a voice message waiting for me.
Office Hours
Here are my office hours. Feel free to stop by BE 225 in the Business Education building and say hi or to ask for help. No appointments are necessary during my posted office hours.
Tuesday and Thursday: 8:15 - 9:15 a.m.
Tuesday and Thursday: 11:00 - 12:30 p.m
Appointments may be arranged for non-office hours
Feedback for Students
Throughout this course, you will be completing multiple projects, reading chapters from the text, and participating in critical thinking discussion forums. All of which will be scored and entered into the gradebook. Feedback for these assignments varies, so here is a breakout of what to expect.
Assignment Availability
Projects, Skill Reviews, and Critical Thinking Discussions are made available one week early, however only the Projects and Skill Reviews remain available one week after the due date, as assignments may be turned in up to one week late for half credit. Although discussion forums may continue to be read, participation in a discussion is not available after the due date. Exams and quizzes become available the week assigned and are no longer available after the due date.
Projects and Skill Reviews
These are due on Mondays at 11:30 p.m. On the day after the due date, I will begin scoring the submissions. All scoring for assignments submitted before the due date should be updated in the grade book by the following Monday. I will provide any comments or feedback I may have on the assignment in the comments area of the grade.
Quizzes and Exams
Quizzes and exams are scored automatically and you will immediately receive your score when you submit the quiz or exam. At the end of a quiz or exam, you will see which questions you may have missed. I do not show you the correct answer for any incorrect answers as I want you to research the question to find the correct answer. However, if you are unable to find the correct answer, let me know and I will help you find it.
Discussion Forums
Discussion forums have two due dates. The first due date is listed at the bottom of the area where the discussion topic is presented. The second due date is on the following Monday at 11:30 p.m. Discussion forums are graded using the rubric posted in the Course Resources module and listed in the syllabus. Click on the How Discussions Are Scored link in the Course Resources module to view the rubric. Similar to the assignments, discussions will be scored during the week following the due date and will be updated in the grade book by the following Monday. I will provide any comments or feedback I may have on the discussion postings in the comments area of the grade.
Technology Support
For AVC related technical problems, contact myAVC Student Technical Assistance by:
- emailing a help request to help@avc.edu
- calling the help desk at 661.722.6300 ext 6605
For Canvas related technical problems, click on the Help link to the left to see a list of options including a Student Support Hotline, Canvas Guides, and even a link to ask me a question (but you can also use the Ask the Professor links in this course).
As a computer teacher, I am often able to solve a lot of the problems you might encounter in an online course, so don't forget, or be afraid, to ask me! I have, and use, both PCs and Macs! Also, if you are using a laptop and want to bring it by my office, we can fix problems together :)
No matter what the problem, remember that the campus computer labs located in the Business building rooms BE 317 and BE 320, and, just for Business and Computer Studies students, there is also BE 319. The labs have all the necessary software for completing this course. So, if your computer is down or in the shop, the campus computer labs are there to save the day. Just remember to bring your student ID! The lab hours vary but are usually open throughout the day. When the lab hours are distributed, they will be posted in the Course Resources module.
Course Policies
Academic Violations
The Student Code of Conduct states,
Violation of the Academic Honesty Policy: Dishonesty, including but not limited to, cheating, or plagiarism. Plagiarism – from the Latin word for “kidnap” – involves using another’s work without giving proper credit, whether done accidentally or on purpose. This includes not only words and ideas, but also graphs, artwork, music, maps, statistics, diagrams, scientific data, software, films, videos, and the like.
Plagiarism is plagiarism whether the material is from published or unpublished sources. It does not matter whether ideas are stolen, bought, downloaded from the Internet, or written for the student by someone else – it is still plagiarism. Even if only bits and pieces of other sources are used, or outside sources reworded, they must still be cited. To avoid problems, students should cite any source(s) and check with the instructor before submitting an assignment or project. Students are always responsible for any plagiarism in their work. An instructor who determines that a student has cheated or plagiarized has the right to give an “F” grade for the assignment or examination.
Want to learn more about plagiarism? Visit the Writing Center located within the Learning Center on campus, or stop by my office and we can work together.
Reasonable Accommodation
If you have a legally protected disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or California discrimination law, and you believe you need reasonable accommodation to participate fully in this class, please make an appointment to see me during my private office hours to discuss your need.
Office for Students with Disabilities Links to an external site. Web site
Online Participation Policy
[extracted from the college catalog]
Online students are subject to the same attendance policy as are on-ground students; refer to the Attendance Policy in the current catalog. Student attendance in online courses is defined as “active participation” in the course, as described in the instructor’s course syllabus. Active participation is typically defined as submitting an assignment (such as an exam, exercise, or project element), participating in the discussion forums, or by engagement in other academic events that indicate an online presence within a specified timeframe.
Online courses at minimum will have weekly mechanisms that will determine a student’s active participation. Instructors will identify specific activities that must be completed during the first week of the course. A student’s failure to complete the specific activities by the posted due date will be dropped as a NO SHOW unless the student has made prior arrangements with the instructor. Student participation will be monitored throughout the course by the instructor. Students who fail to maintain active participation in the online course, as defined in the course syllabus, may be dropped from the course.
Active participation in this course is equated to consistently submitting weekly activity projects, skills review projects, completing exams and quizzes, and participating in the required discussion forums.
After watching the Welcome and Navigation videos, checkout the syllabus by clicking on the syllabus link. Spoiler Alert! There will be an Orientation and Syllabus quiz :) But first, let's introduce ourselves. By clicking the Next button, you will be taken to the Introduction disucssion forum. When you have completed your introduction, click the Next button again to get to the Orientation and Syllabus quiz.
Remember...Don't Wait! Don't Procrastinate!
Okay then... when you are ready to begin your journey, click the Next button.