Welcome to N303, Health and Populations. This is a theoretical course with many opportunities for us to share resources and learn from each other. Even though I have taught this class before, I expect this semester to be as unique as you are. I expect that your contributions and ideas will take us in many new directions as we explore the issues and applications of Health and Populations.

If you are new to online instruction, you must first complete the BlackBoard introduction activity, so you will feel comfortable navigating this course site. Once you are familiar with BlackBoard, take time to explore this site. Once you find the syllabus, I recommend printing it out so you have it for easy reference. There you will find my expectations for you in this course as well as a breakdown of the grading policy.

The syllabus also has my contact information and virtual office hours. I am available to you if you have questions or concerns, but I encourage you to seek answers through other channels first.

My policy is Ask 3 Then Me. Before contacting me for assistance of any kind, I expect you to tell me what you did to find answers before coming to me. You would be surprised at how many people might not only share your concerns but have solutions that might work for you. In order to assist you, I have designated discussion board threads for different purposes including tech trouble, socializing, and course business. Post your questions to the appropriate thread. I will check in these threads periodically to clarify any necessary information

In order for us to get to know each other, go to the Gene Pool thread in the Discussion Board and make your introduction using the prompt I have provided.
I look forward to an exciting semester with you.


STRONG POINTS

  • Lays a foundation for and emphasizes the importance of community in the learning process.
  • Directs students to the Syllabus for a details regarding expectations and contact information.
  • Encourages students to problem-solve independently and learn from each other.
  • Provides a means for students to introduce themselves to eachother.

NEEDS WORK

  • What do you think? Are there ways to improve this welcome? Visit the Topic of the Month: Building Community forum to make suggestions.