Orientation
 

Orientation

Blackboard Course SiteThompson Homepage

WELCOME TO POFT-1307
PROOFREADING AND EDITING!
(offered ONLY fall semesters, so plan ahead)

Proofreading and Editing offers you and your professor a unique opportunity to take advantage of the latest technology and techniques in distance learning. This course offers interactive features that will make your experience comparable to that of a traditional classroom student at Collin College.  The course reviews basic grammar and punctuation skills expected in today's workplace and is an important foundation for creating accurate documents.  The course content is especially helpful for English-as-a-Second-Language students and for those designing Web sites.  There is no prerequisite for the course, which should be taken as soon as possible among the sequence of courses.

Proofreading and Editing is an electronic, interactive class with a professor, students, and assignments. This means you will need Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome or Microsoft Internet Explorer.  If you do not have one of these browsers, you can download one from the Internet (or use college computers for your course work).  You will also need access to a scanner, and scanners for student use are available through Collin libraries.  You will access the course through the Internet from a computer at home, work, or on campus--anytime, day or night, that you have access to the Internet. Even this Orientation information is online, and there will be NO face-to-face orientation meeting or any requirement to come to campus.

How do I get started?

Because your course Web site is on Blackboard, you will not have access to your course until classes begin.  Once classes begin, go to CougarWeb and follow the login instructions there for accessing your Blackboard course site.  Once you have Blackboard access, all communications and assignments submission must be within Blackboard for your convenience and privacy.

You should review everything in this Collin Learning Center (eLC) link, which will include a Contact Information link.  Please do take advantage of the tutorials offered there.  If you are an experienced online student, the material should be fairly familiar but include a few new tips and the important contact information.  Be encouraged that many students take this course as their first online learning experience and do well.  Your professor can be more available to you online than within a traditional class that meets on campus only at certain times.

You will be expected to check your Blackboard course often for announcements, discussions, and messages.  Frequent communication between professor and student is important to your success in this course. 

You should know how to access a Web site when given an address (URL) or link, use the features of your Web browser, download files, scan pages as PDF files, perform screen captures, and attach files to email or upload them as instructed in Blackboard.  If you do not yet know about scanning and screen captures, you will be able to get help with those simple processes by posting your questions in Discussions in Blackboard.  Collin libraries have scanners for student use, in case you find that helpful.

TEXTBOOK:  Important:  If you choose to delay acquiring course materials to seek a discount, understand that the academic price will be earning ZEROS for work not completed on schedule.  Also, not having materials does not exempt you from completing startup assignments in Blackboard.

The Gregg Reference Manual--Tribute Edition, 11th Edition, William A. Sabin, Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, 2011. ISBN #978-007-339710-8.  Companion Basic Worksheets will be available on the publisher's website for students to download and print for practice use and for submission of required test survey sheets.

Below is a picture of the textbook (how it should look); the ISBN number would be on the back (not shown).

SUPPLIES:  Pencils with good erasers! Black pen for finalizing answers to be scanned to professor.  Red pen for grading practice work.

EQUIPMENT: In order to do course work from home, you will simply need a good Internet Service Provider (ISP) and access to a scanner that can save files in PDF format.  However, you also have the option of doing all the work for your online course by using equipment provided by the college (at any campus, at your convenience between other classes).  Collin libraries have scanners for student use.

SYSTEM/TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS:*

Review technical information from the Collin Learning Center (eLC) link.  Click the Contact Us link at the top of that page if you have questions or need help with getting your system to work smoothly for your online course.

COURSE FORMAT:  Your online classroom includes a schedule to keep you on track for assignments and guide you concerning how to properly submit assignments through the Blackboard Assignments link.

Your professor will work with you through Blackboard to evaluate your assignments and to help you with questions or problems.  You will be able to monitor your confidential progress through My Grades in Blackboard.  This will allow you opportunity to communicate with your professor concerning any differences between your records and your individual progress  -- before your final course grade is posted.  Most of the course credit depends on your satisfactorily completing and submitting all assignments on schedule.

Students are required to participate weekly through "self-analysis" reports in their own words, keyed in the comments section when submitting work in the Assignments link.  Weekly comments should include what was learned and how it will be applied for personal and/or career benefit.

This class requires the use of Mozilla Firefox, Chrome, Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Internet Explorer.  If you do not have one of these browsers, you can download one from the Internet.

You will need access to a scanner that allows saving in PDF format. Files are to be scanned as PDF documents and then uploaded through the Blackboard Assignments link.  Students may use computers, scanners, and Internet access available in the college libraries, if desired.

How do I access the POFT-1307 Proofreading and Editing class?

First, you must be officially enrolled.  Once classes begin, go to CougarWeb and follow the login instructions there for accessing your Blackboard course site.  Your username should be your Cougarmail username, and your password should be the last six digits of your CWID (college-wide identification number). 

Once classes begin, you will be expected to check your Blackboard Discussions and Mail often.  Frequent communication between professor and student is important to your success in this course.

What is the POFT-1307 Proofreading and Editing course like?

Everything is online for your convenience.  You will never be required to come to campus, unless you elect to do so for tutoring.  Once classes begin, you will have Blackboard access to Proofreading and Editing.  You must purchase the required course materials.  The Assignment Schedule will guide you week to week during the semester. Your online classroom contains lectures/notes, practice assignments, and tests.

Your professor will work with you through Blackboard to evaluate your assignments and to help you with questions or problems.  All course communications are to be within Blackboard.  However, general questions and advising inquiries should be sent to Professor Thompson at LThompson@collin.edu, with an email subject line that identifies the message content.

After registering for the class and purchasing the text (spiral-bound manual), you will:

• communicate through Blackboard Discussions, Assignments, Mail.
• study the information on the Blackboard course site.
• compose weekly self-analysis reports in your own words in the comments window in Blackboard Assignments when submitting weekly assignments.
• study the text Preface and practice looking things up in the manual.
• study the online Lectures and Notes information (the professor's primary "teaching" feature).
• download and print the practice worksheets from the Web to complete and check them against the online answer keys to worksheets (This is the IMPORTANT part of the learning process that will result in better test performance.) Submit self-graded (in red ink) practice worksheets as scanned PDF files through the Blackboard Assignments link.  Collin libraries provide scanners for student use.
• complete the specified Worksheet Editing Surveys (count as open-book tests) and submit as PDF files in the Blackboard Assignments link according to specified deadlines (generally allowed one week per test).
• submit scanned final survey as a PDF file through Blackboard Assignments by the specified deadline.

YOU are responsible for scheduling your study time, completing your assignments, and taking tests. You are also responsible for keeping up to date with the course schedule, marking the course weeks on your calendar, and keeping a record of the assignments you have submitted. Your professor is available to help you through the course; please do not hesitate to contact your professor, who acts as a facilitator to help you master the course goals. Remember to include an identifying subject line when asking questions.  However, it is very important to learn to use the manual to answer your questions, since that is how you will find answers on the job once the course is completed.  Successful completion of this course, resulting in effective use of the manual, has often resulted in career advancement.  It is recommended that you keep the manual as a reference for career use.

Realize that this course requires YOUR motivation, commitment, organization, and self-discipline. YOU must supply those success factors. Effective learning results only when students become active participants in control of their learning and take the initiative to do what is necessary.

POFT-1307 Proofreading and Editing is a competency-based course. You are expected to meet certain performance objectives, which are found in the course syllabus. The generic syllabus (containing objectives) is posted at http://iws.collin.edu/syllabus.  Your professor's syllabus (including how you will be graded) will be posted on the Blackboard course site.  Your final grade will be based upon your participation and performance.  Following instructions accurately and submitting assignments in a timely manner will be important aspects of course success.

Begin studying your materials, and please do "enjoy" this class!