ENG 7 - Critical Thinking/Writing
Instructor: Debra Stevens
Email Instructor
Course Description
Develops critical thinking, reading, and writing skills as they apply to the textual analysis of primary and secondary book-length works from a range of academic and cultural contexts. Emphasis on the techniques and principles of effective written argument in research-based writing across disciplines. Prerequisite: English 1A with a grade of "C" or higher.
To take this class, you must have daily access to a computer with an Internet connection, an email account, and experience using a web browser. You will also need to update your email address in CLASS-Web when you register.
Check the college catalog for CSU/UC transferability and to see if this course meets AA/AS degree requirements.
This class begins Aug 20 and ends Dec 23.
On-Campus Meetings
There are no required on-campus meetings for this class. You can attend an OPTIONAL, on-campus orientation to Online Learning on either Aug. 13 from 7-8:30 p.m. in Room 2420, Aug. 14 from 1-2:30 p.m. in Room 2420, and Aug. 21 from 7-8:30 p.m. in Room 2420. Learn more about these orientations, which are NOT course-specific.
How This Class Operates
This is not a self-paced class; there are due dates throughout the semester that you are expected to meet, just like in a traditional, face-to-face class.
Assignments
Twenty assignments from the textbook Making Sense, A Guide
to Sound Reasoning and Critical Thinking, 5th edition only, which must
be bought new, are required. Six Supplementary assignments are
required. Two of these are questions applying critical thinking to
two films students rent from their local video stores or obtain from
the library. Two are Discussion Board postings based on questions
calling for analysis of events and characters in the only other
required text, 1984 by George Orwell.
Each week, students will upload answers to assignments. All students must become familiar with uploading assignments and essays SAVED AS RTF or HTM. During the FIRST WEEK of the semester, ALL students will submit a Practice Assignment to ensure that they are familiar with the course website and can indeed save, attach and upload a document.
Chat Room
Students should become familiar with using the chatroom
during the first week of class. It is used for virtual office hours and on an
as-needed, by-appointment basis in order to tutor or guide a student
needing help with specific lessons. Students also use chat with the
instructor and each other for quiz preparation. It is sort of a group oral
exam with each student taking turns explaining a concept and giving
examples.
Email
The instructor must have a connection
to each student. Emails are sometimes sent to announce changes or
suggest research procedures on current events material. Each student
must therefore enter the email address he/she wishes to use for this class.
Class Activities
Discussion Board posts
The Discussion Board is used for four reasons: students can post
responses to questions concerning current assignments; students can
have discussions about current issues; students can communicate about
reading material they are studying; students can help one another
locate research material useful for essay supports. Only assignment
responses are graded but all receive teacher feedback via the Discussion
Board, chat or email. There are six required posts during the
semester.
How Students are Graded
Students are graded according to their abilities to apply the learning/tools from the main text to the texts and films they will study as supplementary material. Making connections between texts and then between texts and films, analyzing and thinking critically is expected after the students complete the first of three chapters in the main text, Making Sense: A Guide to Sound Reasoning and Critical Thinking. Each unit or chapter has a correlative assignment. Students are graded on assignment answers to questions in the workbook, Making Sense.
Four essays are completed over the semester, graded for their evident ability to apply critical thinking tools learned up to a given point. These grades, likewise, are based on knowledge of texts, or films, and the ability to apply critical thinking tools to analyze and evaluate logic and reasoning.
One quiz will be given during the semester. A practice quiz will be required one week before the test date to ensure students understand what is required for successfully completing a quiz online.
The final, online exam will be given on Dec. 19.
Succeeding in an Online Course
Students who succeed in online courses tend to be independent, self-motivated learners with good computer skills. If you are a procrastinator who relies heavily on the instructor for motivation, can't use a computer too well, have taken less than 21 units of college credit in your lifetime, and/or have a grade-point-average under 2.0, you should probably consider enrolling in a face-to-face course instead.
Also, don't enroll in this class if you believe the myth that learning online requires less effort than learning face-to-face. This course covers the same content and has similar activities as the face-to-face version of the course; only the method of delivery changes.
LPC offers a tutorial called "Succeeding in an online course" that will not only tell you if you are a good fit for online learning, but it also offers many strategies -- among other pertinent information -- that will help you succeed online. Please complete the tutorial.
Blackboard
This course will use the Blackboard course management system as its virtual classroom. To learn how to log in to Blackboard, go to the Blackboard Login Procedures page. Once you enroll, you will not be able to log in until the first day of class.