Mineral Area College-

Early Child Development  

Orientation to On-Line Courses

Internet Web Address: www.gatewayccc.org

User Name: First initial of name and last name-all lower case.

Pass Word: same as above.

Changing password: Follow prompts to change password. It is recommended NOT to use your social security number.

Each week:

• Check emails on a daily basis. The instructor communicates through the “Private Mail” system. If the instructor needs to contact the student/students, an email will be sent by 5:00pm each day. The students’ work is also sent by the student, reviewed by the instructor, and a response on the assignment will be returned to the student. Saturday is the deadline date for ALL weekly assignments. The instructor will grade and respond to the student by Wednesday of the following week. ALL correspondence for the course will be done through the Gateway Private Mail system. 

• Home Page: Check calendar icon for the weekly assignment. If for some reason the instructor needs to extend the time period on an assignment or quiz date, it will be noted on the calendar AND there will be an email sent to ALL students enrolled in the web course. 

Home Page:  

• Each week, the assignments are posted under weeks 1,2,3,4, etc. under the icon, “Weekly Assignments”. Each weekly assignment includes the weekly chapter reading, discussion topic, and most of the courses include a weekly quiz.  
• Additional assignments include the “Featured Weekly Assignment”. The assignments are the focus of the week’s work and emphasize the main focus of the chapter. The assignment is varied week to week.  The assignment is the only thing that is sent to the instructor each week through the Private Mail system.
• Each weekly assignment home page includes icons needed that week to complete the assignment and (some) of the discussion topics. It also includes the “private Mail” icon to email assignments to the instructor. Another icon on the page is the “Discussion” icon. Students can post discussions without leaving the Weekly Assignment page.
• Research web addresses are “embedded” in the assignment. If for some reason the web page is down and cannot be accessed, it is the student’s responsibility to complete the research on their own. Read the topic assigned for the research, find key terms in the text’s chapter reading, and type the key words in “Search” window.
• Most of the courses include journal assignments which are recorded in the text booklet, Write It Down. The same booklet is used to journal for all of the courses- the student only purchases it one time. The icon, “Write It Down journal assignment” is also found on the Weekly Assignment page. The assignments for journal writings are assigned according to the topics being studied. It is recommended that the student complete the observation for the journal writing when it is assigned. The student must record the place, time, and contact information in the journal. The observation site needs to be approved by the instructor BEFORE any observations are completed.
• Note: The journal is to be mailed or delivered to the instructor one week before the on-campus final (see calendar).

Grades:

• The student can access the grades on the quiz, weekly discussion and assignments on the Home Page icon, “My Grades”. As stated earlier, grades are generally posted by the following Wednesday by the instructor. The quizzes are automatically graded by the web-ct program. The instructor does not grade the quizzes, and has no control or information on tests questions.
• Resource Notebook:
• Each week the student is to reference the Featured Weekly Assignment in the “Table of Contents”. The work is to be tabbed according to the type of assignment, and printed/copied and placed the notebook (see icon, “Course Information-Resource Notebook” for more detailed information). The notebook is to be mailed or delivered to the instructor one week before the on-campus final (see calendar). 

Course Structure:

• The on-line courses are designed for the student’s interaction with the computer, instructor, and other class members to be a self-guided experience. It is important for the student to establish their own schedule in order to accommodate their work and personal schedule. The student should allow six hours per week for each three hour course in order to study and complete assignments. Remember, the student does not spend any time commuting to and from class. The course work is designed to deliver the required contact minutes and study or preparation time for the class. The only restriction to the course work is the weekly work occurs in a seven day time frame. The week always begins on Sunday at midnight and ends the following Saturday at midnight.
• Success and the learning process are always the main concern and focus for the student by the instructor. If the student is struggling or having difficulty in the course, they are encouraged to share that concern with the instructor. Counseling and advising can be done via phone, email, or an arranged meeting at the college with the instructor.