Welcome to English 201A English Composition!
I'm Colleen Harmon. If you're reading this, you're considering taking my class or have already enrolled. So you'd probably like to learn a bit more about it. In addition to general information, I've included information for those of you who have enrolled in the class about when to log in and why that first entry into the course is important below, at the bottom of the page.
But first, here's some important information:
Dates and Weekly Participation
This course starts October 17th and finishes December 17th . It's a condensed, nine-week online course. There are no face-to-face meetings; instead, you will complete reading, writing, and other assignments entirely online. The times you sign into the course are flexible but, of course, assignments have due dates. On top of that, you and I will be part of a community in our online course, so it helps if you join us three or four times a week to participate.
You'll have regular discussions to respond to and reply to peers about various issues and ideas that come up during the week. When an initial response and peer reply is part of the discussion assignment, you'll need to post your response earlier in the week so your peers have time to respond to you. As much as possible, that will occur on a Wednesday and Sunday pattern, where you respond with your idea by Wednesday and reply to peers by Sunday. These discussions will not be your cookie-cutter one response-two replies type of discussions. They'll be opportunities for you to practice your thinking out loud--just like you'd do in a classroom.
Okay, that's the gist of how the course will work. But you might be curious about the nature of the course itself.
Type of Coursework
Besides writing essays, you'll be participating in discussion forums, exchanging ideas, peer reviewing, researching, creating multimedia presentations, asking questions and providing answers.
If you're worried about writing college essays, keep in mind that the course starts out slowly and you'll get to practice a couple of basic skills before you move to writing an entire essay. Each essay allows you to focus on and practice a key concept or two, building up to the final essay at the end of the course. The essays you write are based on mini writing assignments from earlier in the week, so you will almost always have something already written that you can build into an entire essay. This approach is intended to make writing an essay a lot easier for you.
I also have a special collaboration project lined up for you where you can learn and practice important research and writing skills while making a contribution to an online knowledge repository.
Contacting Me
The best way to contact me is to use the Canvas Inbox (on the far left), which looks like a letter being dropped in a mailbox:
In the Canvas Inbox, click the pencil icon
If you're not in Canvas, you can also reach me by Cuesta email at colleen_harmon@cuesta.edu.
Course Environment
This online course uses Canvas. Canvas contains the course content, and you can maintain your own file collection in Canvas. (Click your account and then files.) Canvas also offers discussions and groups in which to collaborate. We'll be using those in this class.
Accessing Your Course
Prior to the Monday that classes start, you will receive an email at your my.Cuesta.edu address with a reminder that the class will be starting along with log in procedures for Canvas. You can access Canvas by signing into MyCuestaLinks to an external site. , then clicking on the Resources Tab, and then clicking on Canvas in the Online Learning Channel, or by typing the Canvas address (https://cuesta.instructure.com/ ) into your browser’s address bar.
If you are not familiar with logging into Canvas, please refer to the Canvas Quick Reference GuideLinks to an external site. . Once you’ve signed into Canvas, you will see your courses listed. When you click on your English course, you'll land on the course home page for week one.
If you are having difficulty logging into Canvas and need assistance, please email me or technical support immediately at this email address: support@instructure.com . It's important to sign into the course at the beginning of the term to keep your spot in class.
Students who don't sign into the course on the first day may be dropped to allow other students on the wait list into the class.
Online Learning
Part of taking an online class is the convenience it provides: you can log in at any time of day and access your course wherever you are as long as you have Internet access. The downside is that there's no professor at the front of the class reminding you of due dates and assignment submissions. So it takes a certain amount of self-discipline and a generous portion of attention management to be successful in an online learning environment.
If you have never taken an online class or this is your first experience with Canvas, it's a good idea to review Cuesta’s orientation to CanvasLinks to an external site. videos and Canvas student tutorialsLinks to an external site. .
Think that online courses are easier? Or that you can work your way through the course at your own pace? These are a couple of myths about online learning. To learn more about such myths and how to work around them, I encourage you to watch this ten-minute video below. It covers the ups and downs of online learning and discusses ways for you to be successful:
VIDEO
For different file formats of the video, visit Introduction to Online Learning text, video, and audio versions .
Attention Management
Online learning is different than sitting in a classroom. In a classroom, you'd have me and your peers together with you, and all of us would be focused on learning about a particular concept together. You'd be talking about the concept, and then one of your peers would respond to your idea, and then I might interject a question about your take on the concept. You'd have no time to check your phone, to text or surf, or to "zone out." There's no one from your workplace, circle of friends, or family to interrupt you.
Not so in an online class!
In an online class, you don't have the external influences found in a classroom to help keep you focused on the concept you're learning or practicing. You just have you. Now, granted, that's more than enough. All you need is you and a computer. But the temptation to be distracted by your phone, a text, or to zone out or surf the web, or the need to deal with work-, friend-, or family-related issues while you're studying may impose on your learning. Sometimes, this can't be avoided and you have to deal with situations that come up. That's life, and it's fine! The key is to gather your attention again when you can and come back to your coursework with a focused mind.
That's attention management. Regardless of the time of day or what's going on around you, you'll need to find the physical and mental space where you can focus your attention on the coursework.
Regular Effective Contact Policy
This course requires regular and effective contact among all students and the instructor for the full period of the course. We will achieve this level of interaction and participation in the following ways:
weekly class discussion and homework forums
weekly readings and written responses
interactive writing workshops
viewing of short video lectures and content
assignment submissions, announcements, and assignment feedback
writing and assessment of a series of essays
quizzes and surveys
Course Description
The official course description states: English 201A provides a study of and practice in the use of language and writing of argumentative and analytical essays and research papers. It is acceptable for credit at CSU and UC. This course is four units.
My take on it: Who doesn't like a good argument now and then? In this class, we'll take a closer look at how and why we argue--not from the psychological perspective. That's a different course! (Hint : Psyc 201.) But from the perspective of persuasion, also known as rhetoric. You'll learn more about what makes a great argument by reading and analyzing a variety of texts, thinking critically, evaluating sources, performing research, and developing your own argumentative and analytical essays. If you're wondering what exactly is an argumentative or analytical essay and what's the difference, you've come to the right place; enroll in my course and find out more.
Most importantly, it’s imperative that you be willing to look at various issues from more than one side and that you’re willing to question your own ideas as much as those of others. This will enable you to strengthen your critical thinking skills and to articulate your ideas more clearly and credibly, and it is the only way to learn.
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completing this course successfully, according to the Course Outline of Record, the Student Learning Outcomes state that you should be able to:
Write a fair and persuasive argument that takes a clear position and incorporates differing viewpoints.
Write an essay that is effectively and clearly organized.
Find necessary information, assess its value, and use it in a research paper.
Integrate and document sources clearly and ethically.
Write clear, grammatical sentences with few errors.
Diversity and an Open Mind Matter
In this course, you’ll be reading and discussing texts written from different perspectives and writing about controversial topics, and you’ll have opportunities to share ideas about these topics in discussions, peer feedback, and in other assignments. It’s important to treat each other with respect when sharing ideas and providing feedback. Respectful communication helps to lay the foundation for a welcoming, diverse learning community. Diversity allows us to learn from each other and find the best answer to the challenges our society faces—and to find the best way to tackle a topic in an essay. I hope you feel welcome in this course to participate fully, sharing your ideas and learning from your peers. If you ever feel not welcome, let me know either directly, using Canvas Inbox, or anonymously using one of the course’s surveys.
Textbooks and Software
There are no required textbooks for this course. Except for the texts you choose for upcoming assignments, all of the required readings are provided online.
You read that right: zero textbook costs!
However, you couldn’t go wrong with a good college writer’s handbook, such as The Little Seagull HandbookLinks to an external site. written by Richard Bullock and published by Norton.
Software Needed
The software you will need on your computer includes:
And either Office Word or access to Google Docs and Slides. Note that you may export your Mac Pages documents into a Word document format before submitting your assignments.
Technical Support
Cuesta students are encouraged to direct all technical support inquiries to support@instructure.com . If you are having issues with Canvas, you should contact the Canvas Support Hotline at (877) 921-7680 or click on the help button in the Canvas menu
If you are having difficulty viewing the course or logging in, it may be because you are not using the correct url (https://cuesta.instructure.com ) or you are using your phone or using an unsupported browser.
This online learning environment is best accessed from a desktop or laptop computer using Firefox or Chrome. Please review the browser requirements and minimum computer specificationsLinks to an external site. for more information.
Access and Accommodations
It's important for this course to be accessible to you. If there's some part of the course that is confusing or inaccessible, please let me know as soon as possible.
This course is designed using an accessible Learning Management System, and course materials have been created with ADA compliance in mind. If you have a disability and might need accommodations in this class, please contact me immediately at colleen_harmon@cuesta.edu and Cuesta DSPSLinks to an external site. at dspsinfo@cuesta.edu or (805) 546-3148.
Course and College Policies
Please note all students attending San Luis Obispo County Community College District at any district site, including online, and when representing Cuesta College in any off-campus activity, assume an obligation to conduct themselves in an acceptable manner compatible with the Student Code of conduct. Please review the Cuesta College Student Code of conductLinks to an external site. .
Academic Honesty
Please review the Cuesta College Student Code of ConductLinks to an external site. for the policy governing academic honesty, including the consequences of plagiarism.
Add and Drop Policies
Please review the Cuesta policy for adding and dropping courses.
Attendance
Attendance in an online course is achieved by participating in the course, contributing to discussions, asking questions, proposing answers, submitting assignments, and collaborating with your peers. You'll have many opportunities to participate in the course. Sometimes, you'll be posting a reply to a discussion topic; other times, you'll be uploading an essay, audio file, or maybe even a video. In-between, you'll be reading and researching. The time of day you participate in the course is open, but there are due dates for most assignments.
If I see a lack of participation for a few days, I'll send out the search team (not really). I'll email you. If you go AWOL and don't participate in a couple of discussions or assignments, that counts as an absence. A couple of those will mean that you're no longer interested in continuing with the course, and I may drop you. But do not rely on me to drop you; it's your responsibility to drop the course. If something comes up that keeps you from participating, please contact me right away and let me know. If we can find a way to keep you progressing in the course, it's worth exploring.
Waitlist Policy
Please review Cuesta’s waitlist procedure and instructionsLinks to an external site. .
Additional Policies
Recommended Skills
Because this is an online course, it’s important that you have some basic computer skills. These include the following:
Know how to create a document in Word, Google Docs, PowerPoint, and Slides. If you're on a Mac and creating documents with Pages, you'll need to download them as Word documents in order to submit them to Canvas assignments.
Know how to use a browser. Chrome is recommended. If you're on a mobile device and using the Canvas app to access your course, some features won't be available to you, such as viewing prior discussions. So even if you're using a mobile device, it's best to access your Canvas course using a browser, such as Safari.
If you have reviewed this information and registered for this course, please log into the course no later than Tuesday, October 19th at 10 p.m. (PST). This will keep your spot in the course and help me to add other students if space allows. Cheers!
icons at the top right corner of the subsection.