Getting Started
Well, this is a new semester and we are all ready to go! This is LITE 105–Introduction to Literature.
For some of you, this will be your first on-line class experience. Others are familiar with all the technology. It doesn’t matter. One of the learning outcomes for the course is to get everyone comfortable with uses of the computer in the writing environment. To do this, we will be working together to create a successful semester.
A few reminders about this class: it is NOT a self-paced class. While other on-line classes allow students to finish up assignments and submit them at any time during the semester, many of our activities are group-based for discussions and the interaction of students with their peers is a key component to critical reading and analysis of literature. You will be posting both short and longer writings and receiving feedback from your replies as you attempt to determine the meaning(s) of different texts. So, do not expect to stay up for three days, crank out the papers for the class and be done. The weekly due dates on the course calendar are firm. While you should work ahead as much as you wish, do not turn in assignments before the day the assignment is due. You have a full 24 hours (deadlines are at Friday, midnight of each week), so you should be able to turn it in sometime/anytime during that period.
The top box on the class site (titled General in the navigation bar) has the basic information about the course (syllabus, contact information) and an announcement forum, and this is used for communication from the instructor to the class as a whole. New announcements are posted here. Always look at this area whenever you log in to the class. Current comments from me as well as information about any changes to the class or the grade book will be here, and you are responsible for this information. Go ahead and click on the hyperlinks for the announcements that will begin the class: “Hello and Welcome” and “Getting Started”.
After reading these, come back here.
Getting Started
I will wait for you to return. . . . . . . .
Ok, now that you have seen the opening comments, what is next?
Start with the syllabus–read it fully. Then, go to the Course Calendar. There are reading assignments that can be started today.
The class is not a “solo” class–you will need to interact with your peers. The reading analysis assignments are about sharing ideas about the readings and getting an understanding through practice of how to interpret literature. Because of this, you will need to read and reply to others. To make this easy, plan on getting our reply to the prompt in early during the week and then adding your replies as the week progresses. Feel free to reply to replies–get a conversation going!
Remember, this is a fast semester! If you take a few days to get started, the first paper will already be due.