[Plagiarism] : [Assignments] : Week 1 Introduction and class mechanics

[Plagiarism] : [Assignments] : Week 1 Introductions and Class Mechanics

Introductions and Class Mechanics

This week we will complete two activities, first we will post a brief biography and an image to our homepages. Second, we will post our opinions to the class discussion on how the course should work.

Introductions

Biography | Contact Peer
This activity consists of two sections. In the first section, you will edit your homepage and add information about yourself. In the second section, you will learn more about one of your classmates and you will post the result of your exchange to the class discussion board.

Biography

1. Write a brief biography (200 – 400 words) about you. Include information about your background, education, interests, hobbies, plans, ideas, and expectations about this class.

2. Create or select an image that represents you. You may use a computer program to create the image (simple programs include Paint and Irfanview more complex image programs include Photoshop, Illustrator, Fireworks, CorelDraw, etc.). If you prefer, you can use a digital image, photograph, downloaded image, etc.

3. Think about three of your favorite websites to share with the rest of the class.

4. Upload your bio and image to your homepage on the student tools section.
Instructions
Once you have your biography, image and URLs for the websites, login to Blackboard.
Click on the Student Tools button.
On the page that displays click on the Edit Homepage link.
Enter the information you have created/collected in the appropriate sections.
Once you are finished click on the Submit button.

5. Send an email to everybody in the class to let them know that your homepage is ready for viewing.
Instructions
In Blackboard, click on the Communication button (on the left of the screen)
Click on the Send E-mail link.
Click on the All Users link.
Send everyone in the class an email telling them that your Blackboard Homepage is ready for viewing.

Note: As email has become such a prevalent mode of communication, we all receive a good number of emails every day. I would suggest typing “Plagiarism” at the beginning of the email subject line for each email you send to the class. In that way it would be easier for each one of us to identify/organize the emails related to this class.

6. Visit your peers’ homepages
Instructions
In Blackboard, click on the Communication button (on the left of the screen)
Click on the Roster link.
Click on the LIST ALL link
To view a homepage, click on the name of a person.

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Contact Peer

1. Assigned peers
These are the assigned peers for the Contact Peer activity,

Student - Student
Student - Student
Student - Student
Student - Student
Student - Student
Student - Student
Student - Student
Student - Student
Student - Student
Student - Student
Student - Student
Student - Student

2. Contact the person assigned to you for this activity. It may be a good idea to look at his/her homepage first. Using email or any other form of communication you may prefer, learn more about that person. You may ask your peer about their background, culture, interests, experience, opinions, education, ideas about current issues, expectations for this and other courses, etc.
Instructions
You may use your preferred email program or you can use Blackboard to send email to your peer.
In Blackboard, click on the Communication button (on the left of the screen)
Click on the Send E-mail link.
Click on the Select Users link.
Click on the check box next to your peer’s name, enter appropriate information in the Subject line and Message text box.
Click on the Submit button.

3. Using the information you exchanged with your peer, post a description of that person to the class discussion board.
Instructions
In Blackboard, click on the Discussion button.
Click on the Peer Introduction discussion link.
Click on the Add a new thread button to start a new thread.
Enter appropriate information for Subject and Message.
Click on the Submit button.

4. Review the postings of other people in the class. Feel free to respond to any postings in the discussion board.

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Class Mechanics

Now that we all know each other, at least a little bit better than before, lets agree on how the class works.
Read carefully the syllabus section and:
-Make note of any questions you have about how the class works.
-Write down any suggestions you think can make this class better.
-Make sure to give your opinion on the required minimum number of contributions to the discussion board.
-Also do not forget to say what you think about the activities planned for the class.
-Make sure to give your opinion about sharing information posted to the class site with people outside of the course.
This discussion will help us agree on how the class works. This is a topic that affects ALL of the people in the class, therefore everybody’s participation is essential.

Instructor Notes:
Suggest in the discussion something about not being too cautious about grammatical correctness on the discussion board, and perhaps indicate that the discussion board is a “resonating box” where ideas will be bounced around for everybody’s benefit.

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