Composition I Online Orientation

Dr. Codrina Cozma

South Georgia College

Douglas, GA

 

Dear Students:

 

Here are the steps you should take to ensure your success in this online course:

  1. Make sure you have your D2L username and password, so you can log into the course.  If you used GeorgiaView before, for D2L, your current GeorgiaVIEW username will remain the same. Your D2L username is the part of student email address prior to the @ sign. If necessary, go to Self-Service Banner to obtain your student email address. Go to https://sgsc.view.usg.edu/ to log into D2L. From the D2L logon screen, click on the “Forgot Password?” link. You’ll be asked to enter your username, and then click Submit. There will now be a note about sending your reset information to your student email account. Check your student email after two or three minutes for the reset link. Return to D2L and login. If the above info does not help you to retrieve your D2L login info, please click on http://www.sgsc.edu/help  to submit a Trouble Ticket describing your problem(s) to the SGSC IT Department.

 

  1. Once you have your D2L login info, you may log into your online course.  The most direct way to get to the D2L Login Page is by clicking on the following link (or by copying and pasting it into your browser address box): https://sgsc.view.usg.edu/

 

  1. If this is the computer you are going to use to post your assignments, before you fill in the Username and Password boxes, click on the link please click here for a System Check before you log in. under Welcome on the right of the page.  This will check if your computer has everything it needs to use D2L.  If you see a green Yes to the left margin of a checked feature, that means your computer already has it, and that is alright.  If you see a red recommendation to install something to the left margin of a feature, please follow that link to download whatever is required.

 

  1. Once you have prepared your computer for D2L, you may now log into D2L by filling in your Username and Password (which you obtained following Step 1).  You will then see a list of courses you are enrolled in this semester.  Click on this particular course.

 

  1. On the course home page, you will see under News - Class Documents, several documents you will need to read for this class: Syllabus, Lecture Notes, D2L Instructions, this Orientation document, an MLA Handout, and a Verb Tenses Handout.  Save them on your own computer and read them thoroughly. Your Syllabus contains a description of the course policies, grading scales, assignments description, and a calendar with all the assigned weekly readings and written assignments, so follow this calendar for weekly assignments due dates.  You will have to read weekly the Lecture Notes to help you understand the readings and for additional explanations on how to do your homework.  Read the D2L Instructions document to understand how to use the functions of these learning platform (Email, posting Discussions, uploading assignments in the Dropbox, and taking Quizzes).  It is a good idea to print these documents at the beginning of the semester, so that you can consult them even if you lose access to D2L.  Please keep in mind that you can also find these documents under ONLINE COURSES on your teacher’s SGSC website which you can access directly at http://faculty.sgc.edu/ccozma/ or by going to http://www.sgsc.edu – Academics – Faculty Web Pages – Codrina Cozma.

 

  1. Note that on top of your course home page, you will also find a link called Grades, where you can go to view all your grades.  Feedback comments to your assignments will be posted only on the actual assignments links on the graded versions of your papers that will be uploaded there by your teacher; you will not receive these explanations of your errors and grades by email or on the Gradebook.

 

  1. The other links on the top of the course home page, Discussions and Dropbox contain assignments you will have to complete during this semester.  You will have to follow the Assignments Calendar on the Syllabus to see when each assignment is due.  All you have to do is click on an assignment and follow the instructions; you will find there explanations for both the required content of the assignment and for the way you should submit it.  However, you may find additional directions regarding the content of the assignment on the Syllabus and the Lecture Notes for the week in which the assignment is due.  When submitting the Discussion assignments (D1, D2, etc.) in the Discussions, you must click on D1, for example, then click on Compose, then type your answers in the message box (or you can write them first in Word on your computer, and then copy and paste them in).  The Assignments (Essay and Research Project) will have to be submitted as attachments and are due later in the semester.  Your Syllabus contains detailed information about the required format and submission guidelines of the assignments that are to be submitted as attachments.

 

No work on paper or via email will be accepted except for one late assignments per semester that may be submitted using the D2L email!

 

  1. The Quizzes (also a link on the top of the course home page) are timed assessments for which you will have to select the correct answers.  While taking them, you will be able to see the remaining time on the top right of your window.  You only have one attempt for each of them, and you will be shut out once the time is out, so do not attempt to take a look at them and go in before you are ready to take them.  You will be able to see your grade immediately after submission.

 

  1. Here are some GOLDEN RULES for success in this online course:

 

A.       When you commit to an online class, you commit to resort to any computer in the world that has Word and Internet access.  Therefore, since your home computer is not the only computer in the world, you cannot use its malfunctioning as an excuse for lateness.

B.       This course does not provide any computer training, so if you are not familiar with using Word, Email, or the Internet, this course is not your best option.     

C.       Always read first what is required for each week, and then do your homework

D.       Always have a backup of all your work

E.        Don’t wait until the last minute to submit your work; late assignments won’t be accepted under any circumstances.  The only way you can make up for missed or late assignments is by taking the Extra-Credit Test, but that is worth only 7% of your final grade in the course, so only a small fraction of what you missed can be made up for.   

F.        After you submit your work, always go back to that assignment link and check if it has been posted in the required format, and whether or not the assignment you posted is THE ONE you meant to post.  Please follow the verification steps described on pages 4-5 of your Syllabus.

G.       For technical difficulties, please contact the IT Department at South Georgia College (see Step 1), and not the teacher.  Technical difficulties are not an acceptable excuse for lateness (see Rule A).

   

Best wishes,

 

Dr. Codrina Cozma