Professor Robert Goldberg

Spring 2012

Dear EGL2430 Online Student,

NOTE: The semester will officially begin on January 23!

Welcome to EGL2430, Survey of Science Fiction Literature. This course will go beyond simply reading and enjoying some great literature. It will help you to understand the literature in terms of its purpose, its history, and its role in society.

You will learn about various approaches to reading and analyzing the literature and you will gain an appreciation for the variety of sub-genres (alien encounters, time travel, space travel, robots, and more).

I will provide you with lecture notes for the concepts as well as for the stories you will read. In addition, I may provide short video clips from television episodes and movies, and I will recommend certain full-length episodes and movies for your viewing pleasure and for possible writing assignments.

You will demonstrate your understanding of the material through Discussion Board postings, reading quizzes, a midterm exam, a final exam, and two essays (one will be research-supported).

To begin the course, in Blackboard click on the Course Menu (sidebar) item, "Start Here." This will give you more detailed information about the course, Blackboard, and how to navigate through the Blackboard environment. It will also provide "How to" tips, such as how to post assignments, how to visit me during my online office hour, and more. In addition, this section will give you instructions on some initial assignments that you must complete, though they are not directly tied to course content. In particular, pay attention to the "To Do" list, which will get you started through Week 1 of the class. (This will include introducing yourselves to your classmates.)

The second thing you should do is to get familiar with all of the items in the sidebar by clicking on each menu item and exploring the contents within each section.

If you have any questions related to the course, post them in the Discussion Board forum entitled "10-Forward Class Café." If your questions are of a more personal nature, send me an email at goldberj@pgcc.edu.

Course Materials

You will be able to access course materials beginning on or about January 19.

The URL for this course is:  http://pgcconline.blackboard.com

You will need your Owl Link username and password to "Log In" to Blackboard, our Course Management System (CSM). If you would like information about Blackboard, go to: http://www.blackboard.com

Please use the following guidelines when sending e-mail to me. I will use email for all personal and confidential correspondence. I will not accept any assignments, except as specifically noted, via email! All assignments, except as noted, will be submitted via the "Assignment" function within Blackboard. Be sure that you send e-mail only from your PGCC Owl Mail account (this e-mail address is already entered in Blackboard).

1. In the subject area, enter EGL2430-DL01, and clearly identify the topic of your message.

2. I will check my e-mail every business day (Monday through Friday), and sometimes during the weekend.

3. I will respond as soon as possible, usually within 24-48 hours. If your e-mail is a quick question or comment, I will generally respond within one business day.

Let's have a great semester.

Professor Goldberg
English Department
Prince George's Community College