Letters of Advice 

Dear Next-At-Bat,
There are a million pieces of advice I could give to you, but some of it would be mere, redundant forays into the self-serving. I doubt that axiomatic finger-shakings like "do not get behind" will make you think I have merely met another obligatory writing assignment. I could proffer the following luminous platitudes all day:

1) Get caught up if you get behind.
2) Don't plagiarize.
3) Littering is bad.
4) Do not try to cut your own hair.

Yet, I think I would be met with the consternation born of preaching to the choir. So I would like to address the Internet itself-since it is the very mechanism that sets this class apart from the standard one. It is also a rather temperamental vehicle-sort of a technological Yugo at this point-it saves gas, but it does so sometimes by not running altogether.

So, since you will e-mailing the bulk of your work to your teacher, please keep in mind that her e-mail box will be taking more hits that Jerry Cooney's face. There will always exist the chance that a file can be lost in the electronic maelstrom, and therefore, I would suggest two things: First, acquire a floppy disc, and divide it into ten, distinct folders. This course is divided as such, and when you write anything-right down to what may seem the most inconsequential e-mail-do it off line, and save it to the folder appropriate to the lesson. Should the occasion arise that the teacher cannot account for a specific assignment, you will be able to produce it easily, without having to write it again.

Second, this is just a theory, but I posit nonetheless. Save your work as a file name that is neither cryptic, nor predictable. The first refers to recall. If you need to track it down again, give yourself a reasonable clue as to what the file is about. The latter is my theoretical thinking as to why I had to resubmit: If you have, say a bibliography from less #2 required, I happen to think that a majority of people will save it as "lesson2bib.doc" or some permutation that is very close. If two people send the same file name, there is a chance that one could cancel out the other on the teacher's hard drive. I realize that there is supposed to be a buffering window that deals with this conflict, but I have never known every computer-oriented check and balance to operate flawlessly. Use your name as part of the file name (i.e., ronbib2.doc).

The rest of this class is just details. Stay organized, and you can do it. It turned out to be easier than I expected.
I wish you all the best, and if you do try to cut your own hair, perhaps the standard class setting would be a better venue.
In mutual struggle,
Ron G.

Dear Future Students:
Prepare yourself for some hard work and interesting articles that you will cover. This course can be very rewarding if you apply yourself and cover the material that is required. You will learn about the vast information that is available on the computer through the college and the Internet.

Mrs. Hanford has the course laid out very nicely and you can contact her for help at any time. Also, make sure that you use the advice of your fellow students and improve your writings with their help. They have a point of view that can be very helpful when writing some of your papers and especially your research paper.

The most important element to be successful in this class is to be organized, stay on task and do not get behind or try and do all of your work at one time. This can be very frustrating and not work at times if there are problems with the computers or Internet providers. You have plenty of time to get your assignments done on time if you schedule your time when you are assigned a lesson.

Good luck with this class and I hope you learn as much from Mrs. Hanford’s class as I did. This class is a good foundation for doing work in other classes. You will learn things in this class that can be used in most classes where there are writing assignments.

Sincerely,

Sue V.

Message to Incoming Students
Welcome to English 1A Online. Having experienced this course myself, I am sure that those of you who really apply yourself will not only succeed in getting a good grade, but will derive satisfaction from enriching your writing skills and perfecting MLA format.

Any of you who might think, for one moment, that an online class will allow you to spend less time doing homework than an on-campus course – think again. Not only does online English 1A require the discipline of working independently, other necessary factors to consider are your ability to schedule, remain organized, and follow written directions. You will only have access to your instructor via e-mail. Therefore, if you are not comfortable with a purely electronic form of communication, this class could be a poor choice for you.

I understand the attraction that this course holds for those of you who work full-time and for which on-campus classes are difficult to attend. However, I caution any student who believes that they can complete the lessons assigned on the weekends only. Due to a serious family illness, I once had to complete an entire lesson in one weekend. Not only was it stressful, I spent ten hours completing it and never really felt as if I had a weekend. Being concerned about grades, I was naturally afraid that I had not taken enough time to reflect on my work and to make sure that it was of the quality I expected from myself. I would recommend spending a couple hours two or three nights a week on assignments and three to four hours on the weekend. This schedule seemed to work for me.

As you will soon learn, the discussion board can be a valuable tool for getting information, clarifying directions, and receiving feedback.  At first I was apprehensive about posting any of my work to the discussion forum – for the world to see. After I conquered my initial shyness, I realized that the other students were supportive and extremely helpful. As the course progressed you could tell that fellow students were as concerned with helping me polish my work as with completing their own assignments. The discussion board became a support group which not only provided much needed encouragement, but an objective “eye” to detect any errors and make valuable suggestions. So, please don’t be shy – take full advantage of the discussion forum and build a working relationship with your discussion group. You won’t be sorry. In fact, I am sad to see the course end because I will miss my discussion buddies.

Ms. Hanford is very good about returning e-mail messages if you remember to type “online student question” in the subject line. If you don’t understand the directions or need clarification, please contact her immediately. Being afraid to ask questions in an online format can really hinder your progress. Asking other students for assistance via the discussion board is also a good way to gain information.
I hope that the preceding advice is of help to you in completing this course. I enjoyed the class much more than I anticipated and I wish the same for you.
Sincerely,
Former Student

This assignment has caused me to reflect on my thoughts at the beginning of the course and to re-evaluate my opinions. Luckily, I had prior experience with internet courses and I found that I was not too far off the mark in my perceptions and expectations.

The skill, or habit, that I feel is most necessary for successful completion of this course is discipline. If a student lacks discipline in getting homework assignments completed, reading the required material, and sustaining self motivation, this class will be extremely difficult for them. Making sure that I checked-in on the class site three or four times a week kept me abreast of the postings of my peers and helped me to gauge my progress. Therefore, I really believe that my discipline and my desire to attain an “A” were the driving factors behind my success.

At times I lacked confidence in my work and took exorbitant amounts of time in reviewing my work before posting it to the discussion board for the world to see.   This lack of confidence or worry over the approval of my peers is something that has stifled my creativity and caused undue concern. I used to love to write. In fact, while in high school I wrote for hours at a time for my own enjoyment. Several beginnings of novels lie in a box in my attic – untouched. An experience with a writer who criticized my efforts at the tender age of 18 left me feeling inadequate and embarrassed. The combination of experiencing this course, as well as my new position at work, has given me an excuse to push myself to write again. Overcoming the fear of posting was made easier by the kind and supportive comments and suggestions of my classmates and instructor.

To tell the truth, I thought that this class would be more difficult. I did not expect the level of feedback that I received, which helped immensely. This feedback enabled me to learn a great deal more than I expected. Perhaps the most important thing I have learned is that interpretation of literature is more than just discussing your feelings on a piece. Detecting the voice, tone, point of view, and purpose of the piece can be an enjoyable exercise – sort of a detective game. Reading about the author of a piece also gave me insight into their work. Last, but not least, I learned that writing a research paper is not really all that torturous! Finding a subject that interests you can make writing a formal paper less of a tedious task.
Students who are not serious about excelling in college should not take this course. The Internet based format simply requires more self-motivation than an on campus course. There is no lecture in this course during which to take notes. You must do all the reading yourself and perform all the assignments in order to successfully progress. If you are not a self-motivated, disciplined, and organized individual, this class is not for you. Toni C. Spring 2002

27 April 2002

Dear English 1A Online Student:

I hope you like to work, because you’re in for a semester chocked full of it! You need not have an innate talent for the written word to succeed in this class but rather, a sincere love for rolling up your sleeves and putting your nose to the grindstone will be most helpful in tackling the task before you. Make no mistake about it--this class, online or not, is a very work-intensive one.

The most important piece of advice I can offer a student about to embark on this journey is to use the discussion boards, and use them often. The discussion boards have immeasurable value when it comes to a bad case of writer’s block because you can always resort to looking at the work of your fellow classmates to get ideas if you get stuck.

I have prepared a list of helpful hints (based on my experience) for you to consider:

The Do’s and Don’ts of Discussion Board Decorum

Do – get to know your fellow students through the use of the discussion boards. They are not only a wealth of knowledge just waiting to be accessed, but they are also very sympathetic, because you’re all in the same boat—they feel your pain.

Do – post your assignments early. This gives you plenty of time to make revisions suggested by your classmates.

Do – comment on your classmates’ work often. This will build up your social capital with the class and if you ever need them to do you a favor, they will step up to the plate in great numbers.

Do – proofread and spell check your work before posting. There is nothing more irritating than having to review the work of a classmate who has failed to do this.

Do – use proper decorum and courtesy at all times.

Don’t – let your frustration get the better of you and post anything on the discussion board that you will later regret. Once something has been posted (I found this out the hard way) there is no way to un-post it.

Don’t – make your classmates wait for comments. Make it a practice to do all of your posting well before the due date.

Having said that, I wish you all a wonderful semester, and I hope everyone has eaten their Wheaties! Good luck and Godspeed.
Dawn D. Spring 2002
 

 Dear Students,

After just finishing up the English 1A class online all I can say is thank goodness. I enjoyed the class a lot and would recommend it to anyone who is thinking about doing it. You just have to make sure that you can be dedicated to your computer when it comes time for those assignments that require a lot of time. It is important that you allow yourself enough time to finish the entire lesson by the deadline. Don’t wait until the day the assignments are due because you will become very frustrated and won’t turn in your best work. I would recommend starting the lessons as soon as you can after they are posted. The more you stay caught up on your work the happier and less stressed out you will be with your grade in the class.

Another reason you want to get your assignments done early is so that you can give your classmates time to respond to your work and help you with any corrections and/or additions it might need. Your classmates are very helpful when it comes to questions or concerns about an assignment so don’t be afraid to ask them for help. Mz. Hanford is also very great with responding quickly to any questions or concerns that you might have so e-mail her and I’m sure she will have an excellent response to you as quickly as possible.

With this letter I have given you the best advice that I can for this class, don’t procrastinate, get the assignments started early and turned in and also don’t be afraid to ask classmates or Mz. Hanford for help. This class ended up being great for me with my busy schedule because I was able to do it at home when I had time at night or on the weekends. It was an awesome class that taught me a lot and I would recommend that you give it a try.

Jamie S.
 

Dear Online Students,
You are about to embark on the hardest, yet most rewarding class of the semester. This English class takes a lot of time, about twenty hours a week. Once it is over you can be really proud of yourselves and know that you accomplished something. Whatever grade you receive you will know that you earned it.
The most important thing to succeed in this class is to work a little everyday. Don’t get behind, or wait to do the assignments until the day it’s due. That might make it too hard to catch up. Another important thing is to be aware of where the writing center is at the college and to use the Purdue University Website. Don’t rely on anyone but yourself. If you get stuck on something take action and don’t be scared to ask for help.

This English Class was my favorite class of the semester, despite how hard it was. I hope you have a good time with it, and don’t get discouraged. Think of it as a challenge that you can overcome. The first three weeks are pretty rough, but after that I think you will get into the swing of things. Good Luck!
Julie W.

Dear Future English 1A Student,

I suspect English 1A, with Mz. Hanford, will be like no other class you will take while at Shasta College, with the exception of maybe Anatomy. This class is an internet class that allows for some flexibility in the sense that you do all your work at your convenience, day or night. The class is structured where you have a group of assignments that are due approximately every ten days. The object is, don’t get behind, set up a schedule of time frames that work for you, and adhere to them. The beauty of an on-line class is that everyone is working on something, just not at the same exact time.
 The class involves a lot of writing, but is structured in a way that you are always learning something. The use of the WebCT in communicating with your fellow classmates is extremely helpful. The individuals in your particular group or even students in other groups can be extremely helpful, anything from an encouraging word, to advice on content or punctuation, or even style of a particular paper.
I believe you must have a fairly good understanding of the internet. I would strongly suggest that you post all homework as you finish each individual paper. I had a terrible experience where I lost the equivalent to a weeks work. This can be extremely stressing if you’re taking more than one class.
I am an extreme procrastinator, this class forced me to be organized and confront this and I am proud to say the days of procrastinating are over. I would recommend that anyone that is serious about their education and achieving their goals take this class.
Angela T. 
 

Dear Online Student:

The following are a few suggestions on how to succeed in this class.

1. Be prepared to devote a minimum of 12 hours each week.
2. Do not get behind on assignments; keep current.
3. Don’t be afraid to ask for help; I found that my instructor and fellow students were very willing to help and encourage me.
4. Use the CD. It’s fun and very helpful. The activities, videos and audios on it are a nice break from the textbook.
5. Download your work often in case of a computer crash…it’s a real bummer to lose work you may have spent hours preparing.
6. Get familiar with your Internet service provider. Learn all the facets of using their e-mail service. Also, become familiar with the college library before class starts.
7. Consider purchasing the book, Internet for Dummies. It’s a great reference book.

This will be one of the most productive and valuable classes you will take at Shasta College. It can be a guide for all your future writing assignments, no matter what classes you take. You will also become pretty comfortable with the Internet.

It can be frustrating at times, but perseverance pays off making it an added benefit of this class.

One thing I did not expect to happen in this class was getting to know my fellow students. This is probably because of the small class size. I realized this week that I know more about the students in this class (even though I have never met them face to face) than the students I see every day at the college.

Again, while this is a challenging class it is very rewarding. Not only are you studying English rules, you are also acquiring computer skills. It’s really two classes in one. So….you could look at it as "two" for the price of "one!" Keep in mind this Chinese proverb: "It’s not what you know when you start but what you learn and put to good use."

Good Luck,

Sandy F.

11 December 2000

Dear Students,

Hello and welcome to the spring semester of English 1A online. As a student who just completed this course under the instruction of Mz. Hanford, I believe that I have a wealth of information to share with you. Taking an online English class allows each student a great deal of freedom.  However, with this freedom comes a great deal of responsibility. If you are a self-motivated person, then this class is for you, and success will follow.

The most important aspect of this class is communication with your classmates, and instructor via the Internet, and e-mail. If you have questions about an assignment, ask your classmates and instructor, but remember that not everyone will be on the computer at the same time, and your answer may be delayed. Also, keep in mind that taking an online English class, may be a new experience for you as well as the other students, and communication with them through the WebCT, will help you to build a working relationship with everyone in the class. Your instructor this semester will be Mz. Hanford. She is there to teach, so take advantage of her knowledge.

In order to be successful in the online English 1A class, you'll need to complete all your assignments to the best of your ability by the completion date. It is advisable to post each assignment as you complete it, to the class bulletin board in order for the other students to read and respond to your work. Sometimes, they see errors that you may have missed, and their comments will help you perfect your work before you e-mail your assignments, to Mz. Hanford for a final grade. One of thing that you should know, is that Mz. Hanford likes the assignments turned in on time, and she doesn't like getting excuses for late papers that contain a lot of blood and death. So, if your assignment is going to be late, please be honest about the reason. Better still, turn your assignments in on time! This goal can be accomplished by eliminating the act of procrastination.

It is equally important to have fun with each assignment. Pick topics that appeal to you, this will make the writing lesson much easier and enjoyable. Refer to your book and CD often for information on writing summaries, paraphrases, and quality essays. When writing an essay be sure to check the validity of your sources, keep in mind that not all information that you can get online is correct or current. This is especially important when gathering information for your term paper. Don't be afraid to collect data from several different sources, just be careful that the information you choose is correct and can be backed up by other sources.

Once you have decided on the materials you will be using, study the information, so that you will have a good understanding of the contents. This will help you to write a better paper. Make sure you use correct formatting, Mz. Hanford will have you use MLA, and sometimes she'll also ask for a work-cited page. The use of correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation are equally important to your success in this class, not to mention what it will say to potential readers about you as a person. Remember to have fun, laugh a lot - even when you feel like screaming, and that this class will be over in May. However, the information that you'll receive in this class will remain with you through out you life. Gook Luck and enjoy. 

Julie S.

December 7, 2000

Dear Fellow Students,

You are about to embark on a difficult challenge. This is the hardest class I have ever taken. I had more assignments and spent more time on this class which is four units than I did on my five-unit chemistry class with a lab. You will have many writing assignments, on-line activities to complete and assignments from the accompanying books. This size workload will encompass almost every week of the semester.

In order to succeed in this class you need to be able to teach yourself and work well by yourself. Ms. Hanford will help you with anything that you are having trouble with, but you are still basically on your own.

Now that you are more informed about what kind of class this is going to be you should know how to succeed in it.  I can only let you know that if you do not understand how to do an assignment, ask Ms. Hanford for help as soon as possible. Do not wait until the last minute, or you will have to work your buns off to get it in on time. You will have to post most of your assignments on the discussion for peer review. Make sure that you do it in a timely matter so as to give your classmates time to give constructive criticism. It is very important and part of your grade to make sure that you respond to others and offer them help if you can. It is to your advantage to do this. You may be able to avoid some costly mistakes. You can also use the discussion board for help on finding a topic to research and write about. It is nice to just talk or compare notes also. Remember, you are not in this alone.

Reading other student’s papers can be time consuming, however, I found many of their works very interesting. I have discovered new interests and learned useful information. 

Some words of caution: keep up on your assignments and have a backup system ready. Several times this past semester I encountered problems with my home computer. Luckily, I had a nice neighbor to call on. I live a good distance from the college so it is not easy for me to just run down to their library and use the school computers. 

Another mechanical problem to be aware of is your internet service. I had to switch services because Interstar was extremely unreliable. The day one of our major assignments was due we had a power outage for 12 hours. In cases like that, it is nice to have a laptop with a backup battery. Remember to keep your battery charged in case this happens to you.

I wish you the best of luck on this difficult and challenging journey.

Jennifer S.

Dear Prospective Student,

I feel compelled to share with you how I survived my English 1A Internet course. Initially, I attempted to sign up for English 1A in the classroom, but classes were full. I then decided to take English 1A on the Internet. I rationalized that taking the course on the Internet would allow me freedom to work during convenient hours. Also, I thought that taking an Internet course would teach me more about the Internet and using my computer. I have learned a lot over the course of this Internet class. People say you learn from your mistakes, and I agree that is true.

There are a couple of things I would suggest to anyone taking an Internet class. First and most important is being organized. What worked for me was to print out every lesson that was on file as it was posted. I put these lessons together in a binder creating my own "English Book." From this book I was able to go through and work on my assignments, and check off the completed ones, turned in ones, and track my grades from each assignment. From this I was also able to tell when I was behind in my work, and how soon a deadline was coming up to submit work.

Next most importantly is time management. I went into this feeling that I would have all the time in the world to complete my assignments and could work at my own rate; however, I quickly learned that if you put things off too long, or wait until the last minute to do an assignment, you can fall behind very quickly. On a positive note, by having my class on-line, I could work at any hour during the day or night. I could do several assignments, or break it up into parts as my time schedule allowed. By having access to the Internet for research, one has 24/7 access to an abundance of information, whereas before, one was restricted to the hours the library was open.

In the long run, this was a positive experience for me and I enjoyed this class. I would recommend this class format to anyone who is limited in time, or has transportation difficulties. A person will learn a lot about their computer and become more familiar with the Internet.

Joe G.

To the Spring of 2001 English 1A Class,

My intent with this letter is to help you with a few little hints that might make your internet English class more enjoyable. My first helpful hint would be to always find out what your assignments are as soon as they are posted. This means that you have to check your email everyday. If you don't own your own PC this can get difficult. If you have any classes on campus, the computers in the library are always available (at least a few, usually). They are the least busy early in the morning, before 9 am when everyone else arrives on campus.

Once you have your assignments, print them out and keep them in a binder to refer back to as necessary. I checked off the assignments as I completed them and kept track of my scores as I received them. This was an especially easy way to keep track of the online quizzes that you will take.

Next, the most important step, is to start on your assignments as early as possible. This way you will get into the habit of being done with your assignments early and can get more feedback when you are posting the assignments to your bulletin. This way your classmates can give you comments and help with your papers and you will still have time to correct them and then turn them in to Ms. Hanford.

One other thing that is very important, is to ask for help early on and don't be afraid to admit that you are lost or misunderstanding or that you simply don't know something. This is a feeling that all of the classmates have experienced and we all learned more by asking questions and helping each other get through each task as they came up.

The last piece of advice is to not give up, even when you get frustrated and overwhelmed, just stick with it and keep going. We all have felt this at some time, so don't give in.

Jessica

December 12, 2000

Dear Student,

What I found most challenging about writing for this particular class was trying to narrow down the subject matter. For example, when we began our research paper, there were so many avenues that I could have taken, and to pinpoint just one main idea and to stay within the narrow limits of the one subject matter was difficult for me.

An especially arduous time was when I began sorting through all of the paper that I accumulated from my research. Just trying to compile the information together in a fashion that made sense was very difficult. The process reminded me of doing a huge jigsaw puzzle. At first glance, the pieces look all confusing and haphazard, however, as I concentrated on my main idea, as you would one color at a time on a puzzle, ideas began to flow together and mesh. Though it was trying, I found myself fascinated by the process. I would wake up in the middle of the night, with an idea of how to tie two areas of thought together to make the transition easier for the reader.

The assignment became exciting as I got closer to completing it. Part of the excitement was due to just finishing; however, most of it was due to the feeling of accomplishment. The research paper assignment was a huge undertaking, I feel good about the fact that I rose to the occasion, and completed the assignment.

The easiest writing assignments were when I could just let it go without thought to composition or content. I really enjoyed the assignment when I could type the words as they were formulating in my mind. I would get a hot cup of tea and pretend that I was sitting across from a friend and just talking. Those assignments were a breeze for me, and I finished quickly.

My grammar has improved; however, I do not feel that I have learned enough about grammar to be comfortable with it yet. When we covered that particular material in class, I worried more about completing the assignments on time, than concentrating on my deficits. I blame myself for that, because we did cover the material. I will review the grammar a little more in depth on my own in the summer, until I am comfortable with it.

I have learned to say "however" in the place of "but". Now that I look back at some of my previous writing, I wonder how I ever managed so long without using "however". I have learned a lot about the fundamentals of writing in this class. I now have resources that I did not know existed before. I will use them in the future.

When I knew that I would be taking this English class, I wondered if the class would cause me to analyze my writing so closely that it would take all of the enjoyment out of it. Now that I have completed this class, I do not feel that it will cause me to scrutinize my writing any further than I have in the past. In addition, the content of my writing will now be of a better quality. I have learned through this class that there are better choice words I can use in writing and now know how to apply them. I have gained knowledge about writing that I would not have gained in an "easier" class. This new gained knowledge has made it easier for me to communicate my thoughts on paper. I will need the skills that I have learned in this class for my future in the nursing program.

Though I am getting a late start, I want to continue with my education until I have a BSN. I am grateful to you Mz H, and I would like to say, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for your encouragement and bringing your sense of humor when I forgot mine.

Aleeta R.

This page was last updated on Friday, May 12, 2006 09:48:52 PM.