University of Arkansas at Little Rock

Evaluate Your Experience

If you attended the 2009 ASAP Workshop, please complete a survey and give us your opinion about how well we met your needs. Prospective students can check back in the spring for details about the 2010 ASAP Workshop.

---

Where do I go from here?

We know how much your life changes when you enter college.

That’s why we schedule orientation sessions for all new and returning students. We suggest that you check out the online orientation from the comfort of your home - and then attend a session on campus to get all your questions and concerns answered.

You can join us August 9th, 2009!
Give yourself a great start at UALR by attending the ASAP New Adult Student Workshop to supplement your orientation. The session begins at 2:00 p.m. in DSC room C. Call 569-3370 or email asap@ualr.edu to register. It is designed specifically with your needs in mind.

Come on and:

• Learn about campus resources and services before you begin — Don’t wait to utilize what’s here for you.
• Receive a packet of campus publications and materials — It’s good to know what’s expected of you and what you can expect from UALR.
• Meet some faculty and staff members — You’ll get answers to your questions and discuss any concerns you may have.

New students ask: How are courses scheduled?

The days of the week are represented by M, T, W, F, & S for Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, & Saturday - but Thursday is R and Sunday is U. TBA means to be announced.

When the word Staff appears instead of an instructor’s name, it just means that the department has yet to assign the instructor. Section numbers that begin with 99 designate an online course. For more information about the course entries, see the Guide to UALR section of the undergraduate catalog.

The length of a standard 3 credit-hour class is defined by a University-wide administrative memorandum (#635.1 updated in 2006) as 50 minutes of instruction that will take place 45 times in a regular term. In order to meet student needs, there are variations that make up UALR scheduling options. Typically, MWF classes meet for 50 minutes while MW or TR classes meet for 75 minutes (1 hr. & 15 min.). Once a week evening classes are about 150 minutes (2 hr. & 30 min.).

Most online course instructors at UALR will require that a specific number of discussion messages be posted.  Here are some hints (not rules) to help you respond and communicate effectively.

• Focus on the instructions. Be sure to follow the directions in the instructor’s prompt or syllabus closely.
• Work to respond with something that adds value to the discussion. Online does not mean easy, and you need to let your instructor know that you take the class seriously.
• Expand on the topic.
• Provide a story that helps to illustrate the main idea.
• Offer a different perspective to increase discussion.
• Provide an online resource relevant to the topic and include a hyperlink.
• Treat others with respect even when you disagree, and acknowledge those who respond to you.
• Don’t send “Me too” or “I agree” posts; they waste everyone’s time and don’t contribute to the discussion. Make your posts substantial and communicative.
• Post early. You’ll get more response and become more engaged in conversation.
• Offer a learning method you’ve used or experienced in a different course.
• Provide a summary of the ideas others have posted so far.  This kind of recap is good when you join the conversation late.
• Ask a specific question but avoid those with yes/no answers.
• Ask an open ended question that relates to the current topic.
• Avoid doing all of your posting at the end of the week, term, or topic deadline. You miss out on interaction and cause yourself more work.
• When using direct quotations from the text, include the name of the text and page number to avoid confusion.
• Use emoticons to clarify any use of humor so that your readers understand the spirit of the communication.
  

Adapted from an article by Dennis O’Connor (wiredinstructor.net)             http://www.sloanconsortium.org/node/1421                1/23/2009