Communication

Important course information will be communicated through Canvas messaging (Announcements). It is important that all students set their cell phones to receive Canvas messages or in some other way ensure that they will receive Canvas messages in a timely manner. 

Structure and Schedule

The course has been structured into instructional modules. Please make sure to view and complete each module in its entirety. This course should take approximately 30 hours to complete and should be completed within a single semester.

Accessibility

Course accessibility statement:

This course provides accessibility through readability in color contrasts, ease of use in navigation and multimedia, alternative means of access to multimedia content, and use of accessible text and images in files, documents, LMS pages, and web pages.  If you are having any issues with accessibility, please contact the instructor.

Canvas Accessibility (Links to an external site.)     Google Accessibility (Links to an external site.)     YouTube Accessibility (Links to an external site.)
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Privacy

Course data and privacy protection statement:

It is your responsibility to protect your data and privacy online.  Be careful and use discretion when using any of the course technologies to complete required learning activities.  If you are unsure about how to protect your data and privacy online, please use the resources provided to understand your responsibility.

101 Data Protection Tips: How To Keep Your Passwords, Financial, and Personal Information Safe (Links to an external site.)

Harper, E. (2018). 9 Simple Ways To Protect Your Privacy (Links to an external site.).  Retrieved from: https://www.techlicious.com/tip/simple-ways-to-protect-your-privacy

Canvas Privacy Policy (Links to an external site.)   Google Privacy Policy (Links to an external site.)   YouTube Policies (Links to an external site.)

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Sexual Harassment Policy Statement

University employees, students, and visitors are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that demonstrates respect for others and does not infringe upon the rights of others. The university is firmly committed to maintaining an environment that is safe for work and education activities. All form of sexual harassment, sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking are strictly prohibited. Retaliation against individuals who report or may report any of these offenses is also strictly prohibited. When these offenses are reported to the university, the university will take prompt action to investigate, convey the availability of support services, end the misconduct, prevent its recurrence, provide resources for those whose rights have been violated, and provide resolution through equitable grievance procedures and appropriate sanctions.

Disability Statement
Utah Tech strives to make learning materials and experiences accessible for all students so If you are a student with a medical, psychological, or learning disability or anticipate physical or academic barriers based on disability, you are welcome to let me know so we can discuss options. Students with documented disabilities are required to contact the Disability Resource Center located in the North Plaza Building, Next to the Testing Center (435-652-7516) to explore eligibility process and reasonable accommodations related to disability.

Title IX Statement:
The university seeks to provide an environment that is free of bias, discrimination, and harassment. 

University Email:
You are required to frequently check your university email account. Important class and university information will be sent to your university email account. 

Email from other addresses (gmail, hotmail, etc.) are not considered official and connected with the student - all information about the class must be through your university account. 

 Online Discussion Expectations

Etiquette and Language

Generally, do not say or do anything in an online discussion that you would not say or do in a classroom discussion.

• Be friendly, positive, and self-reflective: You need to be careful in how you express yourself. Think before you write. When you feel a critique is necessary, say it in a positive tone. Reread what you have written before posting. Also, if somebody replies to your posts or comments, it is courteous to acknowledge their feedback where applicable.
• Use appropriate language and titles: Do not use slang or profanity as it may be offensive to the reader. Refer to your professor and classmates in a respectful way.
• Professionalism: Leave emojis and pop culture abbreviations out. They may be interpreted as childish or too casual. Also, always say please when making requests and thank you when others help you.
• Ask for clarification: If you are unsure of what was said, or the instructor's directive, or are trying to interpret a person's expressions, then ask for clarification. A simple way to do this is to write, "I did not understand...” always keeping the onus for the misunderstanding on yourself.

Content of Posts

It is important that your discussion posts have meaningful content that contributes to the learning experience for yourself and others.

• Contribute your own insights: Do not read and reword other posts. Try to share original thinking that could help others understand the subject from a different perspective. If you share a contrary or opposing viewpoint, do so in a respectful manner.
• Take time to fully develop ideas: Do not stop writing simply because you think you've "done enough". Write as much as needs to be written to clearly communicate your thoughts. On the other hand, remember that your instructor and peers would appreciate and prefer to read concise and well-written posts instead of long, wordy posts.
• Leave meaningful replies: In your replies to others, find connections, ask questions, or contribute additional insight. If you don't have a substantial reply for a student, but would like to express appreciation for their post, use the "Like" button instead of posting a two-word reply.
• Refer to other sources: You should be using the course instructional materials and learning activities as your primary source for information in the discussions, but you may also refer to other sources. Posting links, videos, or article references can enrich and provide for more robust discussion.
• Revise your writing: Usually, the very first thing you write will not be your best. Take time to reread and revise your thoughts before posting. You may consider using a word processor outside of Canvas to write, and then copy and paste your writing when you're ready to post.

Discussion Tips

Before beginning the course, review the following notes about discussions:

• Go to Account >> Notification >> Discussions and turn on the Discussion Post setting to receive a daily summary. 
• When responding to others, begin your comment with their name so that it is clear who you are addressing and they can quickly see in their notifications that the comment was directed to them.
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Computer and Digital Literacy Skills

Students are expected to have the following computer skills:

• basic typing proficiency
• using email, web browsers, and basic Canvas functions
• collaborating with others on Google Apps

Students are also expected to have the following digital literacy skills:

• effectively searching for information on the Internet
• determining the reliability of Internet sources

Instructor Response Expectations

You can expect to hear from the instructor weekly in announcements and through feedback on graded assignments.  In addition, if the instructor notices that you are struggling in any way, you can expect the instructor to reach out to you directly and offer any support necessary for you to be successful.  If you contact the instructor through Canvas messaging, email, or phone, you can expect a response within 48 hours with the exception of holidays and weekends.

Technology Requirements

To be successful in this course, you will need a reliable computer and Internet connection.  A phone will not work for doing your assignments, exams, etc.  If you do not have a reliable computer or Internet connection please contact the university help desk:

• Call: (435) 879-4357
• Email: helpdesk@dixie.edu
• Live Chat  (Links to an external site.)
• Walk-in: Holland Centennial Commons building, 2nd Level main entrance
• Visit the helpdesk website (Links to an external site.) (Links to an external site.)for hours of operation and How-To guides.