Welcome to CIEE 213-81 Teaching in a Global Technological World I'm Professor Lynn DiMatteo and the best way to reach me is by e-mail: dimatteol@wpunj.edu. I can be reached at any time on my cell at 201-247-8740. Please do not hesitate to contact me anytime you have a question or concern. All sessions will be online through Blackboard at http://bb.wpunj.edu. The course on Blackboard will be made available to you on September 1. Please login to note introductions and your first session. Please note carefully all directions on the Announcement Board to help get you started. We will not be covering basic computer applications such as Word, Excel and Power Point, however you will be expected to complete assignments using these programs. Although I do offer tip sheets and tutorials online to help you with these applications, free workshops are available on a drop-in basis from IRT (see http://www.wpunj.edu/stc/services/softwaretrainingworkshops.htm for more details). NOTE: In CIEE 213 you will be using the Blackboard content and e-portfolio system . You will not have to purchase anything (this is part of Blackboard). In-person eportfolio workshops will be scheduled for the fall semester ed-tech courses to acquaint you with the use of Blackboard eportfolio. I strongly encourage you to take one of these offered courses. The dates for these sessions will be announced to you on the first day of class through the Announcement page of our Blackboard class. A link will be provided for you to register. GROUND RULES: All students are required to have a WPU e-mail account and the ability to access it regularly. The address is http://student.wpunj.edu/ and you can access it using the same credentials you use to access Bb. If you need help with your email account, please contact the Help Desk, help@wpunj.edu or 973.720.help. Note that the AOL browser does not work well with Blackboard. It is recommended that you use MS Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox instead. (If you must connect to the Internet using AOL, please minimize the AOL browser and use MS Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox). Check for new announcements regularly: It is your responsibility to read all of the weekly announcements posted on the Blackboard system, in order to keep up with new information regarding the course. Read the provided materials every week (There is no required textbook for this class, but you are expected to read provided articles, websites, etc.) You can read ahead and/or start on any assignment ahead of time, with the exception of session discussions. Starting assignments ahead of time will prevent the last-minute crunch and will also give you a chance to ask clarifying questions if you need to. The successful self-regulated learner will not start on assignments the night before the due date, but rather, will give him/herself time to deal with any pedagogical misunderstandings or technical glitches that may arise. You are expected to complete all weekly and major assignments (found on the assignment section of Blackboard) by the due date and submit them via Blackboard. You will receive one point off for every two days that the assignment is posted after the due date. Active participation in all online discussions is required. You can see the weekly discussion topics in the “Assignment” section on Blackboard. The due date for your weekly discussion assignments will always be by Wednesday, 11:59 pm (EST). Ask for help at any time! Never be afraid to ask questions, express concerns, or send out an SOS. I am here to help in any way I can. Sometimes a simple problem requires a simple email to straighten it out. I check my WPU account (dimatteol@wpunj.edu) frequently during the day and Blackboard at least once each evening. You should be sure to check both daily, too. Please manage your time well. If you fall behind, you will become overwhelmed. Stay in touch with me if you are having difficulty keeping up. Our only communication is through email and Blackboard, so please keep me informed of any problems. If you find any links that are not working properly, please let me know immediately so I may correct it. I have checked everything carefully, but sometimes glitches appear. Be creative, imaginative, and have fun. Using technology in our classrooms motivates students, makes learning fun and teaches an important life skill. Question, question, question when you are unclear about something. You will do just fine, but sometimes clarification helps. I look forward to our semester in cyberspace together. Please be sure to contact me at any time if you have any questions. Professor DiMatteo
