Course Description

Welcome to your online class with me, Dr. Brad Reynolds!

Everything you need to know about your class is at your Course Web Site which you can access at http://bradreynolds1.pageout.net on the first day of your class if not sooner. You do NOT need any passwords or logins to enter your Course Web Site. (Please note that the info at the Course Web Site is not "official" until the first day of your class so don't make a copy of it until then. Please also note that WE WILL NOT BE USING BLACKBOARD! Everything you need for your class is or will be located at the Course Web Site at www.bradreynolds1.pageout.net!)

If you ever have any questions about the class you can contact me directly anytime at brad.reynolds@canyons.edu. (If your email bounces back to you then try breynolds1@ymail.com OR drbradreynolds@gmail.com, but please DO NOT send the same email to all three addresses at the same time. Thanks!) If you do not get a response within two days then please send your email again on the third day since you should always hear back from me within two days whenever you send an email to me.

In your class you might take some essay exams (to test your general knowledge about your class material) and/or some multiple choice exams (to test your specific knowlege about the class material). You may also be asked to look for ten articles currently in the news about topics related to your class so you can see the relationship of what you are studying to the present, and/or you may be asked to do ten projects related to your class material so that you see there are many ways to learn and enjoy the material in your class! If at any time you don't understand something about your class, then please contact Dr. Reynolds via email at brad.reynolds@canyons.edu!

Several students have asked me questions about the class and, since you may have some of the same questions, I have listed them below. (You should also read the "Online FAQs" located at www.bradreynolds1.pageout.net).

Are we using Blackboard?

No, I am NOT using Blackboard for your class. I am using a different delivery system called Pageout which is a product of the McGraw-Hill publishing company. Like Blackboard, you will have the opportunity through Pageout to post information to a discussion area and correspond with the other students in your class. You should also use the Discussion Area to ask me questions since other students may have the same questions and this will help them as well, but if you ever have a personal question for me, like something regarding your grade, you should send an email directly to me at brad.reynolds@canyons.edu.

Do I need a password or user name to access the Course Web Site?

No. All you need to do is look at the web site you are currently viewing and click on your class.

Do I need a password or user name to access the Discussion Area?

Yes. You can register for the Discussion Area by going to your Course Web Site at www.bradreynolds1.pageout.net and then clicking on "Student Registration" located on the top left side of the page.

Do I need a password or user name to access GradeBook

Yes. You can register to enter GradeBook by going to your Course Web Site and then clicking on "Student Registration" located on the top left side of the page. (If you registered for the Discussion Area then you are already registered for Gradebook as well and visa versa.)

I don't see GradeBook listed on at my Course Web Site. How do I get to it?

Your course will not have GradeBook listed if you are not taking any exams through the web site. If you do have exams through the web site then look at the top left of the page you are viewing after you open your Course Web Site.

Where do I get the text(s) for the class?

You can purchase the class text(s) from the book store at College of the Canyons. If you do not live in the area of the college you can have the book store ship the book to you by calling 1-661-362-3255, or you can send an email to them at bookstore@canyons.edu. Their address is Book Store, College of the Canyons, 26455 Rockwell Canyon, Valencia, CA 91355. As with everything else, you should contact me if you have a problem. Below are the likely texts for the class(es) you are taking with me. Be sure to check your class syllabus on the first day of class to verify your assigned texts. If you are taking the political science online class then your likely texts are Benjamin Ginsberg, et.al., We the People, An Introduction to American Politics, Seventh Edition (New York: W.W. Norton, 2009), ISBN 978-0-393-93372-7; and J. Theodore Anagnoson, et.al., Governing California in the Twenty-First Century, Second Edition (New York: W.W. Norton, 2009), ISBN 978-0-393-93291-1. If you are taking History 111, your likely texts are Bradley Reynolds, American History, An Overview to 1877, Fifth Edition (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2009), ISBN 0-07-338835-1, and A Patriot's History of the United States by Larry Schweikart and Michael Allen (New York: Sentinel, 2007), ISBN 978-1-59523-023-4. If you are taking History 112 then your likely texts are Bradley Reynolds, American History, An Overview Since 1865, Seventh Edition (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2009), ISBN 0-07-353883-3, and A Patriot's History of the United States by Larry Schweikart and Michael Allen (New York: Sentinel, 2007), ISBN 978-1-59523-023-4. And if you are taking History 102 your liklely text is Whitaker Chambers, et.al., The Western Experience, Volume II, Since the Sixteenth Century, Tenth Edition (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010), ISBN 978-007-729-1167.

Are there any face to face meetings for this class?

No, but if you want to meet face to face with me that can be arranged. I am often at College of the Canyons so send an email directly to me and we will arrange a meeting.

Where do I send my work?

You should send your work directly to me via email at brad.reynolds@canyons.edu, unless you are taking a test online through your class web site via GradeBook. When you send your work to me by email, the easiest thing for me is to have you cut and paste your work directly into the email, but if you prefer to add an attachment then that should work too.

How soon will I know if the work was received and graded?

You should always get a grade back from me within 48 hours of your having sent your work. If you don't, then please resend your original email. And if you ever lose track of your grades, you are always welcome to send an email to me requesting them since I do not have grades posted somewhere on the net. Instead, I expect you to keep track of your grades just as you would in a face to face class.

Will I be taking the exams online in a timed period?

If your class includes multiple choice exams then you will be taking those online through the Course Web Site via GradeBook. There you will also take your Student Learning Outcome Exam (or SLO Exam) if your course has one. Those exams will have specific due dates and times which are discussed at your Course Web Site in the Syllabus section, so pay close attention to those requirements. The essay exams and other assignments (like the projects and news articles) will be submitted through email to brad.reynolds@canyons.edu.

Are there any sample essays I can look at to get an idea about what I need to write?

No, I don't have written sample essays for you to look at, but all your essay questions are given to you in the syllabus section of your Course Web Site so you should have ample time to prepare for the exams. (Do NOT wait until the exam is posted to study for the essay question! The expectation is that you will prepare for all the essays prior to the exam's posting, just like you would in a face to face class!) You should also go to www.bradreynolds1.pageout.net and click on “Tips for Writing Essays” where you will find a list of the common mistakes students make on their essays and you will find pointers on how to write an "A" essay. That should help. And if you want to turn in an outline of an essay at least 72 hours prior to its due date then I will be happy to tell you if you are on the right track.

How much do I need to write for the essays?

You will be graded on quality and not quantity but you want to make sure that you answer all the parts of the question you select and that you use specific information from your text(s) in your response. So the final length of your essay will vary according to your writing skills and the question you select, but when students take exams in class they usually need to fill a small examination book to get an A, which translates as 5 to 7 pages typed.

Where do I find the Project worksheets?

Go to www.bradreynolds1.pageout.net and scroll down to Projects. Open that and you will see the worksheets.

Just a few final points:

Be sure to check your Course Web Site on the first official day of your class to make sure nothing has changed (if the syllabus was posted early). What is listed at the Course Web Site on the first official day of class IS what you are required to know and do for your class!

Make sure you adhere to all deadlines for homework and exams! These are strictly enforced! So try and submit all work more than 72 hours prior to its due date in case something needs to be redone or in case you have a computer problem!

Welcome to your class!

Dr. Brad Reynolds

brad.reynolds@canyons.edu

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