I know you have a lot of responsibilities to juggle. Balancing a job, education, and family can sometimes feel overwhelming.

 You are thisclose to your degree!! But first…

Whether you are new to the online learning environment, or a seasoned veteran, I am sure you will find some helpful information in this presentation that will assist you in making this semester a successful one.

This is nothing to lose sleep over. Following are some simple hints you can follow to increase your chances for success.

You must have a clear understanding of what online learning involves.

On the following slides, you will learn some helpful hints to make it easier to move through your first course in in human services.

When a project is due? When are my instructor’s office hours? All this information (and a lot more!) is contained in the course syllabus.

 Remember that your DB posts will account for 36% of your grade…so even if you do everything else perfectly, your final grade would be a 64%

Quality DB posts will: -be written in complete sentences with punctuation, correct spelling, etc. -reference the week’s reading/topic(s)—it’s time to show what you know! -be 100 words (initial response) **responses to peers: words

 There are three projects for the term: -Unit 3, worth 150 points -Unit 6, worth 150 points -Unit 9 (Final Project), worth 250 points

 All work is due by 11:59p.m. EST for that week’s unit. For example, your Unit 1 DB posts are due on Tuesday, February 14 th by 11:59p.m. EST.  All work is due by Saturday of Unit 10, no later than______. (fill in the blank)  Refer to the syllabus for additional details regarding this policy and other policies.

Netiquette (Net Etiquette) Here are three quick reminders about etiquette on the Discussion Board and for seminar: 1. Please do not type in all caps. THIS LOOKS LIKE SCREAMING TO SOME PEOPLE AND MAY BE OFFENSIVE. 2. Avoid using acronyms whenever possible, unless you clarify what they stand for. For example, “DB” stands for Discussion Board to us, but it could be a number of things to other people—Defensive Back in football, data base, decibel, David Bowie, date before…see what I mean? 3. Avoid the use of curse words and other offensive language.

How can I do well this class? 1. Read the recommended readings for the week. 2. Develop a time management plan—it will be imperative that you learn to juggle life and education successfully. 3. Communicate with me. If you are experiencing a family emergency or something else, let me know! I will do what I can to work with you. I can’t help if you don’t let me know! 4. Refer to your syllabus for grading expectations. Use the grading rubric as a guide to ensure that you’ve included all important information in your submissions.

After I state your name, please tell us if you have a preferred nickname, where you currently reside, a little about your life, and your career plans after you finish your degree.

From your syllabus: “This capstone course is the culminating experience for the Associate of Applied Science in Human Services. This course builds on the concepts of all the courses students have taken within the program of study. The capstone course provides students with the opportunity to integrate and synthesize the knowledge and skills acquired throughout their coursework in an original comprehensive project and to assess their level of mastery of the stated outcomes of their degree program.” In other words…lots of vignettes, lots of exploration of your local resources, and lots of conversation about what you’ve learned while in your program and that information’s real world application.

Describe some of the great resources you have in your community. Describe the gaps between services in your community—what do you not have that is missing? Which populations are not being served?

Questions about the week’s readings? Questions about the course?