English 201A Distance Education Course

Pre-Enrollment Information for CRNs 30062, 32413, 30063, and 30070

Welcome to English 201A. My name is Stacy Pointer Kimmey, and I look forward to meeting you.

Welcome to the world of online learning:

I’m presuming this is a new experience for the majority of you, so please read on to determine whether a DE course is right for you!

Please click here to learn more about online learning in Canvas and to learn about how to log in to Canvas.

 You will also want to click on the “FAQs: Technical” info to find out what kind of system requirements you’ll need (for your computer) to succeed in a Distance education course.

First Order of Business:

This 18-week distance education course begins on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2020. I take my regular break from work between semesters and, therefore, do not answer emails. I will check my email starting the Friday before the semester begins....and I will "open" the course on Sunday night, Jan. 19th.

Required Texts

• 50 Essays. 5^th edition by Samuel Cohen.
• The Tattooed Soldier by Hector Tobar.

Computer Requirements

THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT

For success in this course, you must have access to a reliable computer, an email account, and a functioning Internet connection (sorry, but the mobile app for Canvas does not allow you to submit assignments! Most students find the app extremely confusing—so avoid it completely).  You should also have a backup plan should your system or your Internet provider fail. You should also know how to activate your myCuesta email account and/or route all Cuesta email you receive to your personal email account.

If you do not log into the Canvas course for 201A by Friday, Jan. 24th,  you will be dropped so that someone else can add the course!

For more information about computer requirements, please see the FAQs above. Also, do not bookmark/favorite the Canvas site after you login, or you will get an error message the next time you try to log in. Finally, if you’re having an issue while you’re in Canvas (something will not submit, etc), please log out and log back in on a different browser (i.e., if you use Chrome, please log out and open a different browser like Opera--then log in to Canvas as usual).

Course Description:

 You will do a lot of reading and writing, so be prepared to spend the required “2 hours of study time for every 1 hour of class time.” And please note that this requirement only applies to “study time,” not the extra time required in a distance education course to navigate the technology, to respond to online discussions and/or to contribute to our online assignments. Please note: failure to log in each week to Canvas and participate in the weekly lessons means you will not pass the class!

Your success in the course means you will want to read and follow the weekly checklists and stay connected to me and the course content; I will open the weekly content/module on Sundays nights at 8:00 p.m. For the most part, your assignments, discussion posts, and quizzes will be due every Sunday night at midnight. There will be an occasional exception to this rule—which is why the checklists are so important. Please make sure to read and review the syllabus (posted in the first module) for more information about deadlines.

Accommodation for Students with Disabilities

If you are a student with a verified disability—or you need information about our DSPS program, please contact the DSPS program at 546-3148 (SLO campus) or 591-6215 (North County campus). You will also want to get in touch with me the first or second week of the semester about your disability so that I may assist you.

 Thank you, and I look forward to getting to know you. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you need something.