The following represent the most frequently asked questions by students in traditional classroom and Web courses. I think that you will find these to be informative. Please contact me with other questions which you may have as the semester progresses.
·
I procrastinate
occasionally and do not complete assignments on time. Do you grant extensions?
Withdraw from the course immediately.
·
I will be delayed
getting the book for this course, what do you suggest?
The book is critical for our course and you do not need to get behind from the
beginning. Students assume responsibility for reading the book and completing
assignments on time when enrolling in a course. There is a copy on reserve in
the library which you can use in the interim. Additionally, there are many
study aides that complement and correlate with the book which you can begin
using in the NS Online portion of our course.
·
Is it easier to take
a Web course compared with a traditional classroom course?
No. In fact, it may be more difficult unless you are proficient at independent
learning and have good time-management skills. This is especially true of the
economics courses. You have the primary responsibility for completing the work
and mastering the concepts. You may always contact me for help.
Six facts about online
courses...
·
I work and have
family responsibilities in addition to school. How much time should I plan to
devote to this course each week?
The answer will vary depending on the course
and the student. Some courses are more challenging, economics for example, and
will require more time and effort. Additionally, some students have a
propensity for certain subjects and not for others. A "rule of thumb"
is that a student should expect to devote at least one hour studying outside of
class for each hour in class; therefore, a course that is three credit hours
will require at least six hours of effort per week.
·
Can I proceed at my
own pace?
I encourage you to work ahead of the dates in the semester calendar, and all
assignments are available on the first day of the semester. You must complete
all assignments no later than the due dates.
·
What are the basic
requirements in this course?
Read the book, work through the course materials on the Web, complete the tests
and exams, and submit all required assignments. These are the minimum
requirements to complete the course. I trust that you will do more to get the
full advantage from this course... this is a mark of scholarship! (See the next
question)
·
Am I required to
submit any of the review/discussion questions, Internet exercises, cases or
homework assignments in the text or on the Web?
All of these are for you to use as you wish to develop mastery of the subject.
You do not have to submit responses to them. If you put forth minimal effort in
this course, you can expect minimal results. If you want to get the most from
this course, you will need to "get your hands dirty" and do quite a
bit of work. Learning requires hard work! (See the previous question)
·
When can I log in
and begin my course?
The NS Online content, including tests and exams, will be available by
the first day of classes. I encourage you to begin reading the textbook
assignments before then if possible.
·
Will I be okay with
dial-up access to the Internet?
Yes, that will work but you may experience a slow response with some of
the Internet activities. Broadband (cable and DSL) will provide a much faster
experience.
·
What strategy do you
recommend to learn the material?
This approach has always worked for me: 1) scan the chapter to get a sense of
what it is about; 2) read it very thoroughly and patiently for understanding,
item by item; and, 3) review the chapter to be certain that I understand
everything. Finally, I would work through all available study aides such as:
lecture notes, study suggestions, PowerPoint presentations, practice tests,
etc. Scholarship requires hard work, diligent effort and patience. Click this link for extensive suggestions from Eric
Jensen’s book, Brain-Based Learning.
·
Can I communicate
with other class members?
Yes. Each course has an NS Online component with an email utility and a discussion area for
communications. I have created discussion topics for each of the tests and
exams where students can post information, questions and answers for other
class members.
·
What are the tests
and exams like?
You must have a thorough understanding of the theories, concepts, and
principles presented in the material and how to apply them. Most questions are
application oriented. There may be a few definitions, terms and memory-work
questions but not many. The practice tests are a good indicator of what to
expect.
·
Can I begin an
online test or exam, leave it and come back to finish it at a later time?
Do not begin an online test or exam unless you are prepared to complete it at
that time. The tests and exams are timed and the electronic timer begins to run
when a test or exam is started, continues to run, and is stopped only by: a)
submitting the test for grading within the allocated time; or b) the allocated
time expires before the test is submitted for grading. You will not be able to
submit a test for grading after the allocated time has expired.
·
Are the practice tests
worth my efforts?
Yes! You should do well on the tests and exams IF you master each practice test
question.
·
What if I do not
complete the test or exam by the date published in the semester calendar?
The dates published in the semester calendar are
not the due dates, they are the last opportunity
to complete a test or exam. I expect that students will not wait until the last
opportunity but some always do and often run into unexpected complications. The
usual last-minute difficulties each semester include: computer malfunction, had
to work late, illness, car troubles, read the calendar date wrong, etc. Believe me, something will happen if you wait until the
last day and I do not approve extensions! Tests and exams will not be available
after the date published in the semester calendar. The lowest test grade for
the semester will be substituted for the first missed test. Subsequent missed
tests will receive a score of zero. Missed exams will receive a score of zero.
Clearly, this is to encourage you not to procrastinate until the deadline.
·
Do I have to go to
the
You may take the tests (not exams) online wherever you
have Internet access. The Mid-Term and Final Exams are required to be completed
either in the
·
How do I get my test
and exam grades when I complete them online?
The test or exam will be graded electronically and available for you to review
immediately after you submit it.
·
Can I access a
completed test or exam for review?
Yes. Start the Respondus LockDown Browser, log in to our course, click Tests
& Exams, click the submission icon (a question mark) to the right of the
test or exam you wish to review, and then click the attempt. You can use any
browser to access the practice tests.
·
Why can't I print
the completed test/exam for review?
I had to disable printing and copy/paste for security reasons. I did not like
to do that but I was experiencing quite a few security problems. I have
attempted to find some middle ground between not making them available at all,
as some professors do, and trying to maintain a degree of integrity for the
tests and exams. I trust that you will understand. You can print and copy/paste
the practice tests.
·
What if I have a
question or wish to discuss an answer for a test question?
I am available to help with any questions which you may have about questions
and answers from any of the tests (required and practice) and exams. Please
post your question along with the complete test question and answer (or a
specific reference where I can find the question) in the discussion forum
related to the particular test or exam. I will explain answers to questions
from the required tests/exams in the appropriate forum after the deadline for
the test or exam has passed.
·
What if I earn a low
score on one test and have high scores on the others, can I earn extra credit
to compensate?
Yes, you have an opportunity to earn extra credit and improve your grade for
the semester. Please see the course syllabus for details.
·
Can I find out how I
am progressing compared with the other class members?
I will send an email message after each test and exam which will provide the
results for the entire class.
·
Am I required to
contact you periodically during the semester?
I only ask that you contact me when you need assistance with some aspect of the
course. Of course, I always like to hear from students!
·
What is the best way
to contact you?
I am available via the NS Online email program (Quenton.Pulliam@nscc.edu if NS
Online is unavailable), telephone (615.353.3424), or in my office (C-232E) on
campus. Email is the quickest method for us to get in touch. I check
email periodically from early morning to early evening (until 7 p.m.) during
the week and periodically during weekends. Please send a telephone number and a
couple of convenient times for me to call if you wish. I am usually in my
office on Tuesday and Thursday mornings during the fall and spring semesters
and Tuesday mornings during the summer. Please contact me for an appointment if
you wish to meet in my office.
·
Do I need a parking
permit when I come to campus?
Yes, either a temporary or an annual permit is required to park on campus.
Parking permits are available from the Security Office and you will need your
license plate number. Annual parking permits are recommended if you plan to
visit the campus frequently.