Dear Internet Capstone Student,

Summer 2008

Welcome to Capstone (COL 299 N1/N2), on the Web! By enrolling in this class, you have made a commitment to higher education that requires self-motivation and discipline beyond that which is demanded by traditional classroom instruction. Your success in this class is largely dependent on honoring this commitment. See the profile for successful Internet students via the campus web page.

This COL 299 requires that you log on regularly at least every T and R during of every week during the semester. You will be required to post journal assignments and essays on a designated schedule. This is not an independent study course. COL 299 is the equivalent of our on-site Capstone course, with the added demands of online education.

This course will focus on assembling your Capstone Portfolio for General Education purposes. I will facilitate the course. You will be attending events chosen from those posted on the college Capstone Web site. You will be writing:

• at least three short journal entries (1 – 2 pp. typed, double spaced, 12 pt. font),
• a longer research project (5-7 pp. typed, double spaced, 12 pt. font),
• and a reflection essay (2 pp. typed, double spaced, 12 pt. font).

From these assignments you will be given points that will determine your final grade. This course has an added level of difficulty because it is offered online; more is demanded of your writing skills and independent learning process. On the other hand, you will have greater flexibility regarding the time during each day/week that you work on this course.

The section in which you have enrolled will require online orientation. The course will be "open" approximately five working days before classes start for the spring.

First, go to the link for WebCT from the SCC homepage. Before you log into the course, go to the "Getting Started" and "Student Guide" for WebCT, and review how this course delivery system works. Be sure you have a correct login and password to WebCT/Blackboard.

Next, go to the home page for this course in WebCT/Blackboard and click on the icon for Online Orientation. Follow all of those instructions. This material should be completed during the first week of classes. If you have problems with the login, passwords, or technology for the course, contact the Tech support staff (see phone number to the right). If you have trouble with the concepts of the Capstone course itself, contact me (see e-mail and phone numbers below

The class will follow a schedule similar to an on-site course. Be sure to log on at least every T and R of every week during the semester (this is a form of attendance) and keep up with class assignments. You will post assignments and interact with other students through the Internet site. I encourage you to post your questions to the discussion board and contact your fellow students regularly for questions and optional peer editing! The course outline of dates is on the posted syllabus and calendar. We expect that both your writing skills and your computer literacy will improve during the course of the semester; however, you must have some basic computer skills in order to work successfully in this class.

Remember, this is not a regular class! This is a portfolio project for assessment, and you are to demonstrate the skills you have learned during your courses at SCC. Please use your MLA handbooks to look up correct MLA format, as well as to review concepts about grammar and mechanics. There is also material on these topics available in the ACE center on campus and the library. We will also have a course librarian available to answer questions that you have about research.

I will be posting tips, reminders, handouts and examples, but I do not "teach" the skills required for this class. I support you in the class and facilitate the process of putting this portfolio together online. You are, however, expected to work very independently.

You will be posting near final drafts of the assignments in this course almost every week to assemble the portfolio gradually over the course of the less than 8 week summer session. Be sure to save all material in a digital file on your computer before you send me the assignments to your Peer Editor and me. You will also be submitting the assignments in a digital format (on CD) when you turn in the hard copy of your portfolio at the end of the semester.

WebCT/Blackboard courses will not be available to students until 5 working days prior to the start of the semester.

Keep in touch! A good "virtual classroom" will help with any problems along the way!

Sincerely,
Professor D. Van Mierlo
SSB 1104 I
Phone: 636-922-8253
Campus email: dvanmierlo@stchas.edu
*use the campus e-mail only if there are problems with WebCT/Blackboard.