Great reading for this week. It really go me thinking about our digital world. I know that no one could imagine how the www (Happy 25th)/internet and technology has so radically changed our society and has impacted education. I really wish that we, as a society had had more time to think this over before jumping in, but there was too much money to be made. All I can say is that I have mixed feelings about my cell phone.

The NY Times article, “Growing Up Digital” was very informative. The complex world of Vishal and his attempts to balance his social media life, his school work, and his real goal of making movies was fascinating. I can see that there is a lot to keep in mind when designing an online class. We see our online class and its internal organization meeting our goals and learning objectives, but how would a Vishal, or other “connected” students perceive the online classroom and its components? The article, “College Students on the Web” had some good insights concerning that question.

I looked at the survey tools and found that -unless you want to pay the money- Google Forms is much better that SurveyMonkey. I’ve been using surveys in Blackboard for years to find out what my students think about the class. I’ll ask them about the topics I addressed in lectures, their assignments, Blackboard, their textbooks, class organization, etc. I collect the data together once a year to analyze. As a result of their comments I have changed themes that I emphasize in my world history courses, lectures, and even textbooks. I like that the surveys are anonymous which encourages students to say what they want.

I’m sold on having a FAQ page on my Blackboard site. I’ll also have an open discussion forum to address any questions which were not found in the FAQ page.
Here are my FAQs for my Middle Eastern History Course:

How can I contact you?

There are various ways that I can be contacted. The easiest way to get a quick response from me is to e-mail me at rbond@miracosta.edu. If you e-mail me,  you can expect a response within a day. The only exception to this is the weekend. If you e-mail me on a Friday, expect a response by Monday. I’m also available for office hours on Mondays and Wednesdays from 4 to 6pm in the Cafeteria. Please feel free to come by with any questions or concerns.

What do I need to bring to class each week?

Because our class is strongly focused on class discussion, you should always bring your textbook and primary source reader to class. Be sure to have completed the assigned reading for that day and be prepared to discuss the material in class.

We have a geography quiz on the Middle East. How do I prepare for the quiz?

The study guide and blank maps are available for the geography quiz on Blackboard. See “Quizzes” and “Geography Quiz” on the Course Menu to find it. The quiz will test your knowledge of Middle East countries and their capitals, bodies of water, mountains, and other significant geographical and geological features. I would strongly suggest purchasing the optional Hammond Atlas of the Middle East for the class, but you can also find many maps of the Middle East at the Perry-Castaneda Map Library: http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/  and on Google. These two sites: http://www.ilike2learn.com/ilike2learn/geography.asp) and http://lizardpoint.com/geography/index.ph) have many Middle East specific practice quizzes.

What is my current grade?

The total points you have earned for the class can be found on Blackboard under “My Grades”. Remember that the grade scale found in the syllabus is only for the course grade at the end of the semester. You will have to adjust the total points based on the assignments that you have attempted and have received grades for. Please contact me if you have any additional questions concerning your grade. I will provide a grade report upon receiving an e-mailed request.

This class will examine some issues for which you or your classmates might have very strong opinions. Remember that this class will look at these issues with civility and objectivity. I will take every opportunity to discuss both sides of every issue –so much so that you might start to ask “Doesn’t he believe in anything?”