Astronomy 20: An Introduction to Stars and the Universe
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Astronomy 20 Online
Chabot College, Autumn 2008
Scott Hildreth
Hello! Welcome to the Astronomy 20 Online Courses!
Questions & Answers (or What do I do first!??!)
Online classes can be very intimidating! Here you'll find answers to many of your questions, and if you have other questions, email me! I'm registered! What do I do first?, When does class start?, Do I have to come on campus at all? How can I ADD this class!?, What do I do if I have problems?, Can I come on-campus and learn how to use the course system with you?How do I Access the Course Website? How do I access Mastering Astronomy? How do I get credit for the online tutorials?
Online classes can be very intimidating! Here you'll find answers to many of your questions, and if you have other questions, email me!
How will this course work??
This class is in some ways the same, and other ways very different than a traditional on-campus class. Here you'll find information about: Introduction & Expectations, Technology & Participation Requirements, Accessibility Issues for Students with Special Learning Needs or Physical Disabilities, Required Online Course Materials, How Online Exams will work, Options to Switch to On-Campus Sections, and The complete Online Course Syllabus!
This class is in some ways the same, and other ways very different than a traditional on-campus class. Here you'll find information about:
But is Online Learning Right for ME?
OK, maybe you are still not sure online learning will be right for you, let alone any fun! Well, here I have some collected some great links to help you decide, including my personal observations for success based on years of teaching this class online, my hints for success, and some great online diagnostic tests you can try to see whether online learning "feels" like it might be workable for you.
How will this course work?
Introduction to Astronomy ONLINE
In addition to normal on-campus classes, this term Chabot College also offers Astronomy 20 entirely online, with NO required on-campus class meetings.
A fully-online course is very different from traditional on-campus sections:
Because on-campus review sections and all traditional face-to-face instruction will be optional, online students may find the course even more difficult than the normal on-campus classes. Students who do well in fully online classes typically have very good study skills, are very self-directed, able to create and stick to a firm study schedule. If you find it hard to learn on your own, or find you really need to learn with others in a group setting, or know that you learn best with lectures and going to on-campus office hours, the fully online section may not be for you.
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Technology & Participation Requirements
Accessibility Issues.
Astronomy is largely a visible science; the textbook, online animations, optional video tapes, and the BLACKBOARD course system itself are all filled with wonderful images. But students who rely on text readers and/or audible resources for their learning will find this online Astronomy 20 course rich and accommodating. In particular:
All "key concept" web pages that I have created are checked with Bobby, (http://www.cast.org/bobby/) and are at least Level 1 accessible. There are text equivalents for all images and multimedia such as animations, audio, and video. Information conveyed with color is also available without color, headers for data tables are identified where required to make line-by-line reading sensible for layout tables; summaries of graphs and charts are provided. All document language throughout the course is English, no language changes are made. In addition:
If you want more information about accessibility features or course design, please contact me; if you have special requirements that I can address to help you learn this subject even more successfully, please don't hesitate to call or email, or talk with Karen Allen at Chabot's Disabled Student Resource Center, (Building 2400, Phone: (510)723-6725, E-mail: kallen@chabotcollege.edu)
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Required Texts & Materials:
1) Textbook
The preferred textbook for our course is Bennett's The Essential Cosmic Perspective 4th. edition (2007) from Addison Wesley-Benjamin Cummings, ISBN: 0-805-39392-7, available directly from the publisher ($108.33 as of 8/08/07 plus shipping) or from the Chabot College Bookstore bundled with other materials.
To save money, you might also look for last year's combined Astro 10/Astro 20 version, The Essential Cosmic Perspective (3rd edition) by the same authors, ISBN: 0-805-38956-3, published in 2005. That book will be acceptable, and you might be able to find a used copy online for much less (check out Amazon.com) Another acceptable version would be The Cosmic Perspective: Stars & Galaxies (3rd or 4th edition). Note that used books will NOT have the additional bundled books and online access code.
2. A Mastering Astronomy PIN access code
IF YOU PURCHASE THE BOOK NEW in the bookstore or online, you will receive the required Mastering Astronomy online access code (PIN) FREE. If you purchase a used book online, or borrow a book, you will still need the online Blackboard/Mastering Astronomy PIN code, which you can purchase from the publisher online for $27 at http://session.masteringastronomy.com/myct?productID=bennett_e4.
Please Note! The Access code IS NOT refundable. The Access code IS required. If you are trying to add this class, do not purchase the code until you know that you can get in. If you take the class, purchase the access code, and later withdraw, you cannot return the code for a refund. You will have to purchase a new access code for another future section -- they do not carry over from term to term.
3) A Star Locator
You will need ONE "Star & Planet Locator", also known as a "Planisphere," available at the bookstore and numerous stores, for about $3-11. The syllabus has more details.
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Optional for Online Students:
Universe: The Infinite Frontier video series, available from Chabot College Library. The tapes are fairly new (recorded in 1995), and full of interesting examples of astronomy and astronomers, from all backgrounds and all areas of the science. Each episode is 26 minutes, and they match our textbook perfectly. Much of the text information is already included on the website, but if you find you learn better via TV, or that you want to share your learning with your family, please consider watching the videos in addition to reading the text or using the web resources.
Note that if you do decide to take this class, and you are also taking other on-campus courses at Chabot, you might consider whether to attend on-campus meetings in the Planetarium, if that will help you succeed! In Autumn, 2007, I also teach an on-campus Astro 20 class (T-Th mornings 10:30-11:45 AM) and an Astro 10 class (T-Th afternoons, 1:30 - 2:45 PM) Check the schedule of classes for this semester's astronomy program, and let me know which class(es) you could and would like to attend. I'll be happy to contact the instructors and inquire whether there might be space available for you to sit in. Typically, classes are full for the first 3-4 weeks, but after that time, there is often some space available.
Online Exams and Quizzes
The midterm and final exams will be offered online. Each lasts for about 90 minutes, and may be taken once anytime within a one-week "window", depending upon your own schedule and preferences.
Exams will include short essays and a selection of multiple choice questions from the chapter reading quizzes.
Options to Switch Between Online and On-campus sections
Online students always have the chance to resume attending on-campus meetings if that delivery format is preferred. You will be give a pro-rated grade and credit for all assignments turned in on-time. We want you to be successful, and if you find your learning preferences are better addressed by on-campus instruction, we'll do what we can to help you find an on-campus section. Please check the main page for the current class times and dates, and contact me if you need more information or help getting into another class. I teach a Tuesday-Thursday 10:30 AM - 11:50 AM section of the same class, using the same book, assignments, tutorials, and exams.
Questions? What do I do first!??!
I'm pre-registered! What do I do first?
When does class start?
Class starts officially Wednesday 8/20/2008. You should email me (scroll down to see the link to the "verify" page) ASAP, and then logon and post your first messages in the first week, by Sunday, 8/24/08. You should learn how to use the system for taking quizzes and submitting homework by Sunday, 8/31/08.
IF YOU ARE PRE-REGISTERED for the course, but do not log in by the first week of class, (Wednesday, 8/27/08), AND you do not contact me by email, I will drop you from the course - consider this equivalent to missing the first day(s) of a normal on-campus class. (Chabot College policy requires that pre-registered students who don't show up in a class where others are trying to add must be dropped if they miss either of the first two days.)
Do I have to come on campus?
No! The class is offered totally online -- you are never required to come on campus, even for tests! But of course you are *welcome* to come on campus and see me, or see our great planetarium, if you live or work in the neighborhood, or you already are taking other on-campus classes.
How can I ADD this class!?
If you are interested in adding to the class, please email me at your earliest convenience, AND fill out the online form to let me know of your interest. If you want to check out the online section, go to the course website at http://clpccd.blackboard.com and use a temporary userid of: "onlineastro" and temporary password of "astrostudent". If you post any messages to the discussion while using this ID, you must identify yourself by name; otherwise, I'll delete the messages immediately (not knowing who might have sent them!) If you want to check out the Mastering Astronomy site use a default userid of "chabotstudent" and password of "fall2008". Again, these are shared for the entire class, and cannot be changed or used for any assessments. You'll need to purchase your own PIN code for Mastering Astronomy to participate in our course.
When can I come on-campus and learn how to use the course system with you?
I understand that you might want to walk through the online course with me and other students, especially if this is the first time you have ever tried an online course. Please email me if you want some extra one-on-one time, and we'll set up a meeting. Check out my office hours first to identify a time that might fit, but let me know if you can only attend at times outside of my office hours, and we'll see what we can do. This is NOT mandatory (I don't expect folks in New York to fly here! :) Please email me if you will can stop by.
What do I do if I have problems?
First, don't worry! We have loads of support for you as an online learner! Be sure you take a thorough look around on this webpage, the online class syllabus, and other links from these pages. Maybe your question is already answered. But if not, please email me with your question, or stop by my office if you are on-campus. My office hours for Autumn 2008 are: Mon-Wed 10:45 - 11:45 AM; Wed 2:00 - 3:00 PM, Tue-Thu 10:00-10:30 AM; 1:00-1:30 PM and Mon 5:30 - 6:30 PM before Astro 30 Lab.
Second, if you need help immediately, and already visit the campus regularly, and cannot wait for an email response from me, please
- visit the Blackboard on-campus face-to-face help center in the upstairs library computer center, building 100..
Third, if you have problems with the Blackboard login to our course, please: - visit the Chabot College Blackboard Support webpages - notify Chabot College Blackboard support by filling out the form at http://www.chabotcollege.edu/DistanceEd/help/ . Include your name, that you are enrolled in my Astronomy 20 Online Course at Chabot College (Section ON1, CRN 22176). Email replies to Blackboard inquiries can be expected Monday through Thursday 8:30am to 4:30pm and Friday 8:30am to 1pm. Be sure you email me as well so that I can ensure your name and password were entered correctly.
Please note! If you *call* me with your problems, at (510) 723-7468, you'll get my voicemail, and you may not get a call back quickly. I am usually in class when I'm on-campus, and rarely at my phone; I actually respond to email much, much faster, since I can access it from any room with a computer. And as a prospective online student, you'll need to use email to communicate with me anyway. So if you have a problem with email, you'll no doubt have a major problem taking this class!
How do I access Mastering Astronomy?
Check out the helpful instructions about accessing Mastering Astronomy. And you can always login to the Mastering Astronomy site with a default userid of "chabotstudent" and password of "fall2008". Note you cannot use this ID for the course, and you cannot change the password or user information for this ID - it is set up solely for students to use to check out the system.
How do I get credit for the online tutorials?
Check out the helpful instructions about accessing Mastering Astronomy. Note that if you do the tutorials in the study area, you won't get credit, but you can practice!
In addition to my observations for student success in online classes, and my hints for the class, here are some links to good online diagnostic tests you should consider!
What Makes a Successful Online Student? by Illinois Online Network, University of Illinois, IL. This site explains ten qualities that an online student should possess. http://www.ion.uillinois.edu/resources/tutorials/pedagogy/StudentProfile.asp
Is Online Learning for Me? by Online Learning.net, Los Angeles, CA. This site helps you to find out instantly if you are the kind of person who will do well in an online course. It consists of a Quiz with four parts, and helps by making a decent prediction. http://www.onlinelearning.net/ole/holwselfassess.html?s=522.201032027.171p517570
Is Distance Education for me? by University of Maryland University College, Adelphi, Maryland. This page has a self-assessment quiz that will help you decide whether distance education is the right choice for you. The results of your evaluation will be displayed for you as soon as you complete the quiz and click on the submit button. http://www.umuc.edu/distance/de_orien/mod1_frm.html
Astronomy 20 Online Course Enrollment Check
If you are registered in the class, or you have received an OK from me, please complete the following online verification form; upon completion, you'll be taken to the page with our course website address http:clpccd.blackboard.com where you can login and begin!
SH - 8/08