August 10, 2003

Dear English 223 Online Student:

Welcome to English 223 Online! I’m writing to give you some information about our online class. First of all, you’re probably wondering whether we will meet on campus for orientation.  Our orientation will be optional; I have posted an online orientation with a "virtual tour" of the  course site, so it really isn't necessary for you to come to orientation.  However, if you've never taken an online course before and you're free the evening of August 21st, you might want to attend the orientation session; see the Distance Learning Web Page for details on rooms and times.  Again, you’re not required to be there; the online orientation should take care of any questions that you might have.  But if you do encounter a problem, remember that you can always call or e-mail me once the semester begins…

Secondly, you’ll probably want to get your textbooks as soon as possible.  This semester, we will use Essentials of Children's Literature by Carl Tomlimson, as well as the following tradebooks:   Charlotte's Web (White), Bridge to Terebithia (Paterson), Speak (Anderson), The Giver (Lowry), Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Rowling), Out of the Dust (Hesse), and Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry (Taylor).   And by the way, the PG Bookstore is online! Their address is www.pgccbookstore.com ; if you have trouble making it to campus to buy your books, you might want to check out the website!

Thirdly, you are probably wondering about how you will access the course-site. The course site will be accessible by the evening of August 21, in time for online orientaton.  If you have trouble logging in (and you know that you registered at least two days prior to your attempt), please let me know so that I can find out what’s keeping you from getting into the course. 

Once you get into our course, I think you’ll find that Blackboard – the course platform we will use – is actually quite user-friendly. You will find instructions on how to log on and get started on the Prince George’s Community College Distance Learning Web Page at http://www.pgcconline.com.

When you first enter the course, you’ll find the previously-mentioned "orientation" announcement giving you a "tour" of our course site. As you take this "tour," you’ll discover the course syllabus (in the Course Information area) and the first assignments (in the Assignments area).  The very first thing you should do after you "take" the virtual tour on the orientation announcement is to print a copy of the syllabus and read it very carefully… It’s long, but I wanted to do my best to make sure that you understand exactly what is required of you in this online class.  

My e-mail address is baldwibe@pgcc.edu; if you have any questions or problems getting into the course site, let me know so I can help! If you need to call me, leave voicemail at (301) 322-0564, and I will get back to you as soon as I can. My office is Marlboro 3071; if you’re on campus, drop by! I always enjoy meeting my online students in person!

I’m looking forward to a rewarding semester! And please, do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about the course-site or the course itself. If you’re taking your first online class this semester, trust me: although it can seem overwhelming in the beginning, soon you’ll find it quite easy to "get around" in our course-site!

Sincerely,

Beth Baldwin
Associate Professor of English
Prince George’s Community College