Course Expectations

To ensure a productive and safe learning environment, it is imperative to be explicit about our classroom policies and expectations.

Please take your time to examine these expectations closely, as you are expected to know and understand them during the course.

To be clear: It’s YOUR task and responsibility to acquaint yourself with my expectations of you during the course.

The following video may be a good help, also for things to avoid in college:

Our expectations

Your communication skills (speaking, reading, and writing) are well-rounded
You will participate in every detail of the course to the best of your ability
We expect you to research in what ways this course’s content may be useful to you
When encountering troubles with assignments or course content, we expect you to seek support from me
We expect you to learn intensively to get good grades

Your (assumed) expectations of us

My teachers are knowledgeable in all the topics they are teaching
My teachers care about my study progress and development
My teachers are available when needed and responsive to any questions I may have
My teachers will challenge me and stimulate growth and academic develop

What to understand when entering this class

Our journey through the study material in this class should be fun, but it is serious and important.
We will answer your questions, discussion postings, and emails timely, usually meaning the same day. However, at times, it may take a bit longer.
In this class, due dates are due dates. If you think you can’t get some work done or an assignment completed, it’s your responsibility to communicate with your teacher before it’s due.
Teachers will not accept late work regardless of your circumstances.
Education is technology-driven. It is recommended you check into your online class daily.
One of the students’ main concerns is receiving feedback on their progress. The teachers will make any effort to provide timely feedback and progress reports.
Please note that mid-term warnings are issued when needed including explanations.

Attendance

Attendance is essential and necessary for students to be successful in school. Attendance provides the opportunity for:

Classroom interaction between students among students and students with instructors.
Contributing opinions and insights, an essential component of academic advancement.
Participating in essential activities and avoiding educational experience loss. That will define your success.
Complying with the curriculum, classroom practices, and institutional and academic policies.
Full credit for attending face-to-face classes is given to students arriving on time and well-prepared. Absences are reported for each session students are absent.
Online attendance means the students participate in online discussions and complete online assignments and quizzes.
Student are considered attendees if addressing at least one required activity during a week.
We have several students who took the GED online as adolescents, and often, they have to get used to these stringent regulations and rules, but many actually outperform high school grads.

Communication

Direct and clear communication is essential for instruction and academic achievement. Please note the following guidelines to meet this goal. Communication should not be casual and conducted professionally and respectful to instructors and fellow students.

Please note that classroom discussions (both online and face-to-face) are considered private and confidential. You should and can not share this outside the classroom environment.

You operate in a learning environment where all people can feely explore and express their opinions, ideas, beliefs, and activities. In this learning environment, you are stimulated to develop a Positive Self Image without any outside distractions.

In-Class and Online Behavior

Your classroom is a professional, but relaxed environment, and it is essential to maintain this standard in activities and conversations, Students are expected to understand that dressing properly and behaving appropriately are part of this standard.

Students are expected to attend class prepared to understand and discuss the material at hand, meaning they must have read the required subject and study material. Failure of this lowers the quality standards and affect their grade.

The students must be ready and willing to to participate in the class. If they had had a long night (meaning they’ll be too sleepy to attend class appropriately), don’t show up in class!

Cell phones must be put on silent and cannot be answered in the class. In case an important call is expected, sit next to the door so there’ll be no class interruption. Text messaging during class is NOT allowed.

Again, all communication, both in-class and online, must be professional and respectful at all times. Everything said in the discussion boards or classrooms STAYS there!