January 4, 2008
Dear Nicolet Student:
Welcome to the Internet section of English Prep for Post-Secondary Education . One important first note: This is not a self-paced course . This is a structured, full-semester course with weekly due dates. The advantage to you, the student, is that you do not have to drive to campus each week and sit through four hours of class. You can complete course work during the day, evening, night, weekend - whenever it suits your schedule!
You are required to meet with me in my office by January 25. This meeting will take ninety minutes. Please call or email to arrange your appointment, and be specific with your requested day and hour. I hope you can arrange this visit on a day when you will be on campus.
We need to accomplish three tasks during your visit:
Required handbook: Rules for Writers, by Diana Hacker. This book can be purchased at the campus bookstore in the LRC building. The bookstore also has an online service at http://www.nicoletbookstore.com/ from which you can order texts.
Microsoft Word (not Works) is the required word processor for this course. You must submit all your writing assignments as MS Word files! I use Word to embed comments and corrections into your writing. If you use something different, please consider switching as soon as possible. Contact me right away if you have questions about this.
You can access the course site at http:// natcbb.nicoletcollege.edu/ . Click on the Login button, and then enter your Username (the 9-digit student ID number located on your course schedule) and your Password (also your 9-digit student ID number). Once you log in correctly, click on the course title (right side of page) to actually enter the course. If you have questions about navigating within Blackboard, please contact me. (You may also contact technical support at 365-4409 or 1-800-544-3039 ext. 4478. Email help is found through kuckkahn@nicoletcollege or helpdesk@nicoletcollege.edu . If you are a first-time Blackboard user, you might want to attend one of the following Blackboard online orientation dates for students:
Students are assigned a Nicolet email account, which I will use for all correspondence in this course! You should receive information through the U.S. Mail, from our CIT department, on how to access your account. The following address will take you directly to instructions for student email on the Nicolet College web site: http://www.nicoletcollege.edu/exchange/webmail.htm .
Our first activities emphasize (1) learning to navigate through the Blackboard system, (2) getting to know your fellow students and me, and (3) reading introductory material in your handbook. Weekly instructions and assignments are found on the course announcement page. Viewing those weekly announcements is like attending class - expected and required!
Plan to spend several hours (or more!) moving through the course site, becoming familiar with all available tools, and reading course documents. For important documents, save them to your computer desktop, or print them and keep them in a binder for future reference. That way, you can avoid having to go online every time you need to check information.
You must meet with me by January 25, so contact me as soon as possible, even right now during early January! I look forward to meeting you and working together this semester.
Sincerely,
Bruce Cray
Phone: 715-365-4609
1-800-544-3039 (ext. 4609)
Email bcray@nicoletcollege.edu