How to Get Started

Let's get started!

This course is a fully online course and will utilize this Canvas site as our learning environment. The term is divided into weeks.  Each week will begin on  Monday and will run through the week until Sunday, 11:59 PM.  Your first course module is now available and is located further down the main list of modules. Your course will continue each week with new modules of learning. Check your syllabus calendar each week for information on reading requirements and deadlines for assignments.

You will have different assignments/engagement activities and other task deadlines throughout each week, so you will need to access Canvas frequently. As the course progresses, new modules and activities will appear each Monday morning.

If you have any questions, please feel free to submit your non-private concerns under "Questions for Dr. Evans" or your private concerns by e-mail to me at rrevans@uab.edu. I will make every effort to respond to your messages within 48 hours Monday (8 AM) - Friday (5 PM).

You will find a site map in the list of materials in this module to help you navigate this course. Remember - all the buttons described in the site map may not currently be available, but they will be as they become links to part of the engagement in the course...so become familiar with their functions.

So, to get started, review everything in the "Getting Started" module; also read over the syllabus carefully as it will answer many of your questions. Contained at the end of the syllabus, is the syllabus course calendar; this contains all due dates. Print if off and follow it carefully. Then, complete the following tasks:

  • Order your textbook asap (see syllabus). The text has an online component and must be ordered with the text. You can purchase your textbook through BlazerNET. Note: You will need access to the MindTap web component of the text to complete all quizzes.
  • After you have purchased your online textbook, go to "Course Connections" and read through the resources on how to register and use your textbook and access MindTap.
  • Go the end of the syllabus and cut/paste the "student agreement statement" from your syllabus into the canvas link entitled "Submit student agreement statement here". You will find this link in the "Getting Started" module. This is due by Sunday, of week one. All due dates are 11:59pm.
  • Review the Course Netiquette Expectations, listed under the "Getting Started" module; email me saying that you have read and understand the Netiquette expectations. This is due by Sunday, of week one. All due dates are 11:59pm.
  • Introduce yourself in the "virtual cafe" discussion thread, posted under course connections. The discussion requires that you post the answers to some questions, as well as responding to at least two classmates. This is due by Sunday of week one. All due dates are 11:59pm.
  • Begin work on week 1; it is recommended that you first take the chapter pretest(s), then read the chapter, and view the powerpoint slides; next get started on the weekly discussion and lastly complete the weekly chapter post test(s) and video quizzes.  This should be repeated for each week of learning.

A few reminders:

1.  Communicate with me via email about any questions/issues that arise about the class. Please allow 48 hours for an email response.

2. Contained in your syllabus is the course calendar. All due dates for this course are listed on the course calendar - print it off and review it every week.

3.  It is your responsibility to check your grades well BEFORE the end of the semester. You have 72 hours to discuss/dispute a grade once it has been posted in the gradebook. This means you cannot come back at the end of the term to discuss/dispute an assignment, quiz or exam.

I am looking forward to working with each of you this semester. I hope you are as excited and motivated to make this a great semester as I am!  Have a wonderful first week!

See you online!

Dr Evans