Saturday, November 9, 2013

Week 8 Notes from Sister Bowen


 
 
Dear Class,
Here are the things you need to know to do well this week:
  1. To submit an excellent final synthesis paper by the end of the week, make sure you: A) print out and understand everything on the Synthesis Guidelines sheet; B) review the rubric for the synthesis essay, with my insights embedded in red (attached below)--you may want to print it out as well; C) review the Synthesis Sample Essay; D) Immediately after reading the student sample, watch this video to see my feedback on the essay; E) Return to your synthesis draft and make necessary changes.
  2. The partner assignments are posted in the Synthesis Paper--Revised Discussion boards. You are required to spend at least 25 minutes reviewing your partner's essay and providing feedback. I suggest posting your feedback on the actual essay itself, and then attaching the essay, with your feedback on it, as a reply to your partner in the discussion board. Posting feedback like, "There are a few punctuation errors in your paper" is so much less helpful than pointing your partner to the exact punctuation errors in the essay. Serve as well as you can. Say a prayer before reading your partner's work so the spirit can help you help your partner. Also, make sure you complete everything in #1 above before peer reviewing. You will be much more useful to your partner if you are well-informed. (In Lesson 23, you are invited to meet via phone or skype, etc., instead of providing written feedback. Just make a note in the discussion board that you met, and mention what you discussed so I don't assume you did nothing to help your partner.)
  3. In Lesson 24, we move into the third unit of our class: the Researched Argument. Be prepared for some heavy reading in our Arguments textbook, and some personal reflection: What do you want to learn about and write about for the next several weeks?
Good luck, and know that I am praying for you! You can do great things!
 
Love,
Sister Bowen

Saturday, November 2, 2013

All Graded

Dear Class,
 
I just wanted to let you know that I have graded everything you have submitted so far in our class. Please go review your grades and my feedback--particularly the rubric and video feedback for your analysis essay.
 
It was a very cerebral experience to devote hours to your analysis essays each day, trying to see how to help each of you move forward so you write as well as you can in your future essays. If you have any questions about my feedback, please let me know. If you would like to see a student Analysis essay demonstrating how to achieve the various requirements according to the rubric, I'd be happy to send that along. Some students don't like models, but others appreciate them. Just let me know what I can do to help you. Don't forget the extra credit pledge opportunity (see my last email).
 
You are such a bright group, and I look forward to seeing your future work.
 
Finally, I'm looking at ways to make it so you have no homework due during Thanksgiving Break. How do you all feel about having you Thanksgiving week homework all due the next Monday, December 2nd? I know it may seem daunting to get that much work done by Monday night, but I wanted to get your thoughts. I'll also look for ways to lessen the load for that Monday.
 
Thanks so much for your hard work.
 
Love,
Sister Bowen

Thursday, October 31, 2013

Understanding Lesson 19, and an Extra Credit Pledge

Dear Class,
Some of the directions on the Lesson 19 page are confusing. Please allow me to explain a few things to help you out:
 
During Lesson 19, you will:
  1. Read the Lesson 19 directions and submission page.
  2. Check out the Orwell vs. Huxley sheet.
  3. Review my Synthesis PowerPoint from Lesson 6 Notes from Sister Bowen / Q&A, if you haven't already gone through it.
  4. Read the Synthesis Assignment sheet (found in the Required Papers folder)
  5. Select two articles from among all the articles we have read for class to use in your synthesis paper. The only requirement is that you do not select the article you wrote about in your analysis essay as one of the two articles. Any other articles we have read for class are fair game.
  6. Once you have selected the two articles you will write about in your synthesis essay, you will begin drafting your synthesis essay. You should write summaries for both articles. (If you already wrote a summary for one or both of the articles for previous lessons, these summaries can serve as drafts.) Just make sure that you follow summary conventions (introducing the author, author credentials, title, and main point of the essay in the first sentence and maintaining third person voice throughout your summaries, keeping your summaries short--each under 250 words).
  7. After summarizing the two texts, you are asked to analyze them. The Lesson 19 directions say you can look to the discussion boards about the various writings for inspiration. But you are told not to be as expansive in your analysis for the synthesis essay as you were in the analysis essay--you can focus on just one appeal in each text, if you like. You don't need to cover the logos, ethos, and pathos of both of your articles. Of course, provide source support from your texts to demonstrate your claims.
  8. Then, you outline your synthesis points: you don't need to write this section in paragraph form yet. You can note similarities between the texts you are addressing, as well as differences. Contemplate your synthesis question: what are you hoping to answer in your synthesis essay? What do the texts say that relates to your question? What do the texts inspire you to do? What specific passages inspire you?
  9. Post your very rough synthesis draft (including the summaries, analysis sections and synthesis points) in Synthesis Paper - Drafts.
  10. Complete the mid-course evaluation.
I realize many of you may feel overwhelmed about the work you need to do in this lesson, but remember that you're getting a chance to show off your ability to summarize, analyze, and synthesize. You're using great skills!
 
Finally, I'm offering an extra credit opportunity that runs from today through next Saturday (so it will span 9 days). After A) reviewing your analysis essay score (using the rubric to understand the assessment); B) watching my video feedback on your essay; and C) reviewing your analysis essay one more time, with the feedback in mind; D) please write a pledge. In your pledge, please detail what you will do to make your next essay, the synthesis essay, as strong as it can be. What have you learned from the writing process so far in class, and what will you strengthen for this next essay? I cannot wait to read your pledge!
 
Just email your pledge to me before next Saturday night and I will award you 5 extra points on your Lesson 19 submission. These 5 points can make up for a missed assignment, or several points missed on previous assignments, or they can give you a little boost as we embark in a new unit in class.
 
I am growing from reading your work, and I look forward to seeing what you will write next! I plan to be done grading analysis essays by Saturday morning. Will you please email me if you have any questions or concerns, or post in the Q&A space? I really want to help you succeed.
 
Love,

Welcome to Week 6!

Dear Class,
Week 6 has started out with a bang for me. It is my 5-year-old's birthday, and a lot has happened: she woke up earlier than usual; we let her have friends over, and then took her to McDonald's to have a lunch date with her dad--she cried at McDonald's when two girls told her she couldn't play with them on the slide; my two-year-old had a tantrum in the library; my son got a "ticket" in school for mooning his friends (Where did he learn that?!); and I have quite a bit of schoolwork to wedge into nap times and bed times this week. Each of my children has cried during the past 4 hours--this really is an extraordinary day! Does anyone else have some crazy Monday or weekend stories? I'd love to hear them!
 
This week, as you'll know from reading my Notes from Sister Bowen / Q&A, will start off gently enough, but Lesson 19 will be brutal. Make sure you get started on your work today so you have enough time to get all the writing done in Lesson 19.
 
A final academic note: I have graded everything you have submitted other than your analysis essays, and I have offered feedback on everything. Some of you persist in using first person writing in your summaries, and others still inject personal commentaries into the summary text. I will keep docking points for stepping outside the bounds of good summary writing every time I catch it because I want you to become excellent writers who can modify writing to suit specific guidelines. To review excellent summary writing, go to my Lesson 4 Notes from Sister Bowen / Q&A and click on the attachment regarding summary writing.
 
I have been pondering what to share with you as I have reviewed the General Conference talks throughout the last several days. The quote that keeps coming back to me is "What e'er thou art, act well thy part." As we are all working and striving through our BYU-I experience, we need divine help to reach our potential.
 
When you signed up for this class, you essentially said, "Yes! I can do this! And I will do it as well as I can!" Good luck as you do your very best, and know that I am working hard right along with you, expecting your very best in every lesson. Enjoy this video about the "Whate'er thou art" stone and its meaning. I talk about it in the Notes from Sister Bowen / Q&A this week.
 
Love,
Sister Bowen

Friday, October 25, 2013

Are You Ready to Submit???

Dear Class,
Remember that you need to submit your final analysis essay by tomorrow (Saturday) night, before 11:59 pm. Directions regarding how to submit your essay can be found in Lesson 16. You will also post your Lesson 16 submission by Saturday night. So what can you do to make sure your essay is ready?
1) Pray for inspiration to know how to make your essay as strong as possible.
2) Be sure to read the Analysis paper guidelines
3) Review the rubric I emailed you at midweek, which shows how I will score your essay.
4) Run your essay through WriteClick.
5) Read your essay aloud.
6) If you still feel worried about your essay, let one more person read through it to identify any last minute fixes that need to be made.
I am proud of you, and of your hard work. I look forward to seeing what you wrote. I will grade your analysis essays by NEXT Saturday night.
Love,
Sister Bowen

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Midweek Email Regarding Rubric and Sample Feedback

Dear Class,
 
I wanted to provide a few resources to help you:
1) I have attached the analysis rubric, with my notes in red serving as reminders in each category.
2) I have attached a student analysis with feedback on it. While some of you have provided detailed feedback in your peer reviews, other have only provided a few quick sentences and encouragement. Remember that it should take you about 25 minutes to provide meaningful feedback for your partner. It took 25 minutes for me to provide feedback on the sample essay.
Let me know if you have any questions. I am here to help, and I want you to succeed!
Love,
Sister Bowen

Week 5 Lesson Notes

Notes from Instructor - Week 5

 
 Dear Class,
Here are somethings to keep in mind as you work throughout the week:
 
Lesson 14:
  • A few of you have expressed confusion about the differences between the abstract, introduction, and conclusion. For some extra help distinguishing sections, please click on Purdue OWL's APA formatting website here. I use this website constantly, and it can help you differentiate the different parts of an essay formatted in APA.
  • Your partner assignments are posted on your Analysis Paper - Revised discussion board.(Well, they will be before Monday morning. I won't assign partners until after the Saturday night deadline to post essay drafts.)
  • Really do plan on spending at least 25 minutes evaluating your partner's paper. You are tasked with helping your partner make his/her paper as great as it can be, so be thorough.
  • On the submission page, please be specific about your concerns. If you say "No concerns at this time," that is fine. But if you're really worried about your abstract and want me to take a look at it, just ask! I am happy to help you, especially when you want specific feedback.
Lesson 15:
  • Remember that I will be in my virtual office at 2 pm MT on Wednesday, and I would love to help you in my office. Click here to join me. If you would like to set up a meeting at another time, please email me or post below in the Q&A board, and we can set up an alternate meeting time.
  • Personally, I like to end one task and THEN move to the next. If you feel like your analysis paper is ready for submission, submit it now (directions regarding how to submit your essay are on the Lesson 16 main page). Then, you can spend time doing the rest of the work for this lesson in the Arguments text.
Lesson 16:
  • I'm still deciding whether or not to put you in small groups for this D-board work. I like having you have access to all of your classmates' contributions, but I don't want you to feel like you have absolutely nothing to contribute if you are one of the last students to post. Any preferences--just post below in the Q&A. I'll decide by Monday night.
I love you and appreciate you. Keep working hard, and walking the talk!
Love,
Sister Bowen

Saturday, October 12, 2013

Week 4 Lesson Notes


Notes from Instructor - Week 4

Dear Class,
You survived a very grueling Week 3 in our class! As you will remember, this class material is very new--only two sections of students--50 students and 1 teacher--have ever worked through this material before. It is exciting to complete all the readings and see your submissions and peer reviews--to see what we are being exposed to in this class, and see how we do with what we're being presented. This is a "true" college course, and it requires our time and attention.
I am including some documents here for your review, which will help you as you keep working to strengthen your Analysis essay. First, go here to view the student sample Analysis. Second, please review the Writing a Summary PowerPoint (attached below), and see how it helps you strengthen your own summary. Third, refer back to my Logos, Ethos, Pathos Presentation, which I posted in your discussion board last week (also attached below). Are you on track????
After working through those materials, let's proceed to the Week 4 work ahead:
Lesson 11:
Regarding the discussion board work: A few students have mentioned in their lesson submissions that they have a hard time providing 150 words of feedback--and their peers aren't providing that much feedback. Here's my response: don't sweat the 150 words--work to serve each peer, honoring the golden rule. What kind of feedback would help you the most? Offer, with love and care, the best kind of feedback you can give. If you want to set your watch timer for 5 minutes as you provide feedback--so you know you give your classmate your time--go for it. But the word count matters less than your effort to serve your brother or sister. When you are asked on the submission page whether you gave a 150 word response, say "Yes" if you read your peer's work carefully, and gave your classmate your time and care in a thoughtful response.
Here is a video I created showing you how to download and use WriteClick. It looks like a great tool!
Lesson 12:
The instructions in Lesson 12 invite you to go to your Arguments textbook and click on Handbook 5. When you click on our Arguments text, Handbook 5 is found in the folder called "5 Editing For Style." It's on pages 682-691.
The APA chapter mentioned in this lesson is found in the Arguments table of contents labelled "59 APA Documentation and Formatting".
Stand by for more help contacting the tutors through MyLab.
Lesson 13:
The editing checklist is thorough. I looked up widow line (a single line of a paragraph at the bottom of a page or column) and orphan line (same thing) (http://www.youthedesigner.com/2007/09/22/design-terms/). Also, remember to post your very best version of your draft in the Analysis--Revised discussion board. Whereas you were grouped alphabetically for previous lessons, you are now grouped round-robin to ensure that you are with a partner who has never before seen your work. Remember to post your draft as an attachment, and double check that your attachment opens easily.
That's all I have for now. I have never seen a college class that allows so much time--and requires so much attention to detail--to prepare an essay, and I am excited to see the resulting papers!
Love,
Sister Bowen

Q&A

Students may use this space to post questions or comments about things relevant to this week's lessons.

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Week 3 Notes



Notes from Sister Bowen - Week 3

Dear Class,
Welcome to Week 3! Please read through all of my notes at the start of the week, and then jump back in for a refresher, if necessary, at the start of each lesson.
Regarding Lesson 8 (Logos):
  •  Make sure to read "Love is a Fallacy" before viewing the Logical Fallacies PowerPoint. It's clever and funny, but it also grounds you in logical reasoning as well as any dry text book ever could. This version may be a bit more readable than the version in The Way of Wisdom.
  • Also, power through your Lesson 5 reading in Arguments. I recommend reading it sitting up:).
  • Examine the submission page when you begin Lesson 8, so there are no surprises. For example, you are graded on whether or not you read all the articles your group mates examined. Knowing expectations will help you complete this lesson well.
Regarding Lesson 9 (Ethos):
Here is an "Ethos" passage from our Arguments text that is music to my English ears: "Ethos is often conveyed. . . through the tone and style of the message, and even through the message's professional appearance on paper or screen, including correct grammar, flawless proofreading, and appropriate formats for citations and bibliography" (p. 60). When I read your work, I look to see how much care and preparation you put in. The grammar, proofreading, and formatting all show me how much you care about your work. Make sure all of your essays show your care.

Regarding Lesson 10 (Pathos):
The thesis statement material in the grammar section is a good starting point, but you could spend hours studying effective thesis statements. For more help regarding thesis statements, go to Student Resources>Writing>The Writing Process>Developing a Working Thesis. After you have spent more time researching and writing, you'll be ready to refine your thesis. For now, let it grow naturally out of the things you are learning. 
 
On to more general points:
You may have noticed that I did not grade materials as quickly during the last week. I was out of town from Wednesday until Sunday, on my very first trip to Disneyland and Sea World. But I am back now, and eager to catch up on grading. I hope to complete all grading by Wednesday of this week.

Love,
Sister Bowen</

Regarding Summary Writing, and My Office Hour

Dear Class, As I have graded Lesson 5 submissions, I have seen that many students did not write their summaries according to the guidelines in the Writing a Summary PowerPoint in Lesson 5. If you already submitted your Lesson 5 work and received a less than perfect score, you may email me a revised summary by Tuesday evening for more credit. You will need to become masterful at summarizing, so it is a great idea to perfect the craft now. Also, I am hosting my office hour tomorrow at 1 pm, MT, in my virtual office, rather than on Wednesday at 2, MT. This is because I will be in a car driving to California during my regular office hour! To come visit me and ask questions or share concerns, click here and you will be invited to click that you are a guest, type your full name, and click "Enter Room." I'll be there! I'm pleased with the good work you have done so far. I hope this class is stretching you and helping you grow. I'd love hear about it in the Q & A discussion board this week! Love, Sister Bowen

Monday, September 30, 2013

Welcome to Week 2!

Dear Class, I'm delighted to keep working with you. I loved looking in the gradebook this morning and seeing that almost everyone had submitted their Lesson 4 work. Let's shoot for everyone getting their work done this week in Lessons 5, 6, and 7. I've provided extra guidance in my Notes from Sister Bowen / Q&A this week, so make sure you start the week off in my Notes. Then, I hope you dive right into Lesson 5 and look for what you can find of value in the lesson. I am thankful for our course content for helping to keep me on my "intellectual" toes! In the Q & A part of my notes this week, I would love to hear how this course is helping you grow as a person. I posted my own thread on this topic here, discussing how love and covenant keeping are related to this class for me, and I would love to hear your insights. I sure appreciate you, and I pray for you every day. Please email/call/text me with any concerns! Love, Sister Bowen

Saturday, September 28, 2013

Lesson 4 Due Today, Student Sample, and all Graded

Dear Class, Remember that your Lesson 4 submission is due today. A few people haven't correctly addressed the Issue/Claim/Opposing Claim "because" questions in Lessons 3 and 4, so I'm providing a student sample to bring you back on track. On the lesson 3 submission page, Rebekah Cockrell provided this demonstration regarding the issue: "Should The Giver, by Lois Lowry, be taught in high school?: "My Claim: “The Giver” should be read in every high school because… It shows that creativity is essential in every persons life The “Perfect” society is not the ideal society It teaches that beings should make choices on their own to learn the best It teaches that love is an important part of every person’s life and that lives can be changed by pure love It teaches the morals and virtues should be upheld and that one must always do what is right The Opposing Claim: “The Giver” should not be read in high school because… It teaches disobedience against the ruling force whether it be school leaders, government officials, or parents It shows negative light on unity or similarities within a nation It develops the idea that one cannot control ones urges and feelings Make sure you provide the issue, thesis claim, and oppositional thesis claim on your Lesson 4 Submission page. Thanks to Rebekah for providing a clear sample. Also, I am pleased to announce that I have graded everything anyone has submitted for class. Please check your grades, and look to see my additional feedback as well. I am finishing up next week's lessons, and should have my notes for next week completed in the next few hours. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns about class so far. I am praying for you, and cheering you on every step of the way. Love, Sister Bowen

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Intro Assignment Feedback and Lesson 2 Work Due Today

Dear Class, I have graded all the Intro assignments, and provided a little note for you to go along with your score. (If you have permission from me to submit your Intro assignment by this evening, because you added the class late, look for my feedback on your work by tomorrow night.) If you don't know how to check feedback from instructors, please view this tutorial. It helps you identify when I've left feedback, and it teaches you how to access the feedback. Thanks for all your hard work so far. Remember that your Lesson 2 work must be submitted before 11:58 pm tonight. I'm already grading the Lesson 2 work, and hope to be done grading it by Wednesday evening.
Love, Sister Bowen

Monday, September 23, 2013

Review Teacher Feedback Video

Remember to post this for students this week: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7CuqQ2Yf-8&feature=youtu.be so they can see how to view my feedback.

Welcome to Week 1 Email/Announcement

Dear Class,
Good morning, wonderful brothers and sisters! You made it through the Introductory Week, and we're ready to launch into a typical work week in our class, wherein you will complete three lessons. The lessons are due on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday (by 11:58 pm), so you will want to begin working on the lessons for this week right away. I am so pleased that everyone completed their Introductory Lesson work last week (with the exception of two students who added late, and who may turn their Intro work in by this evening).
Make sure to submit all your work on time for the rest of the semester. Remember, the late work policy for our class states that, "Late work is not accepted on the 38 lessons or the final assessment." You will submit three major papers during this class, and they will receive a 10% late penalty per day after the specified deadline. The late policy is fairly strict, but it will enable you to stay on track with the rest of the class.
Finally, I would love to share a spiritual experience with you to help you start the work week off right. I loved the Devotional on Tuesday, wherein President Clark talked about how learning is hard work (and I have posted a link to the devotional in Notes from Sister Bowen / Q&A this week, if you missed the devotional and would like to watch it).
Last week, as I was doing my homework for this class, I felt a little sorry for myself. I would have liked to hang out with my husband or read "Rilla of Ingleside" during my down time, but I knew I had work to do. I settled down to read, and loved that I ultimately achieved all my work goals last week (staying one week ahead of the class on assignments). Watching the devotional reminded me that "Who [I am] becoming has everything to do with the details of [my] life" and spending time on my homework will help me "increase in power to know, to do, and to become." I believe, like President Clark, that hard work and humility allow the Holy Ghost to teach us. I am so, SO glad we have a chance to learn so much in our class. I would love to hear your thoughts on the devotional in the Q & A section of my Notes from Sister Bowen this week.
I am with you every step of the way, I am here to help you, and I am praying for your success and happiness.
Love,
Sister Bowen

Friday in Introductory Week Email/Announcement

Dear Class,
This is just a reminder to complete all your Introductory Week work before 11:59 pm on Saturday evening. You need to complete all the work in the Lessons: Introductory Week folder, and make sure to submit your Submission page answers (which include fill-in-the-blank and short answer prompts) before the deadline. Remember that the deadlines in this class are firm. 18 of you have already enrolled in MyLab so far, so I know most of you are already heading in the right direction. To the rest of you: please catch up. (If you haven't responded to my welcome letter, please do so right away!)
 
Next week, you will be completing Lessons 2, 3, and 4. I'll post my Notes from Sister Bowen in Lessons: Week 1 by Monday morning.
 
I hope you have a wonderful weekend, and get your homework out of the way soon so it can be relatively stress-free! I get to go up to Island Park and freeze a little bit, so stay warm for me. I am looking forward to going on a gorgeous run among the lodge pole pines tomorrow afternoon.
 
Love,
Sister Bowen

First Day of Class Email

Dear Class,
I am so excited to begin working with you! Several of you have already responded to my "Welcome Letter" and I hope to hear back from the rest of you today and tomorrow. I pasted the welcome letter here, so you can respond to it now if you have not yet already.
 
This will be our easiest week of class, which is nice when so many of you are getting adjusted to several new classes. You will want to jump into class today and begin working through it--to get a sense of what is expected this week and throughout the semester. Make sure you begin your course work in Lessons: Introductory Week, and work through each folder and activity therein.
 
At the start of each week, I'll send you an email including a spiritual thought. This week, my spiritual thought is a video entitled "His Hands". I have seen it before, but I rediscovered it while preparing my "Sharing Time" lesson for primary last week. It inspires me to do my best with my life. I love that everything we choose to do here on earth is part of our preparation to meet God, and that we can serve God the whole time by meeting our divine potential and serving.  I hope you will take the time to view the video, and contemplate how you can apply the message into our classroom experience together. Good luck this week, and I will certainly be in touch!
Love,
Sister Bowen

My Welcome Letter to the Class, Before Class Began

Dear Class,
I am Sister Tara Bowen, and I am delighted to work with you, pray for you, and cheer for you during this fall semester as your Foundations English 201 teacher. I love reading and writing, and I love helping students discover and develop their writing skills. This semester, a new version of our course is launching for all FD-ENG 201 students and teachers working online. This means I will literally be working right along with you, reading everything you read, and setting aside extra time to work a bit ahead of you so I can help you catch the vision of our course.
I have a testimony that this is the Lord's university, and that He cares about your learning and growth. He will help you make the most of the learning opportunities in our class as you strive for knowledge and seek inspiration.  

Now for some business items...
Access and Getting Started: If you have taken an online class before now, you know the basic drill: Log in to I-learn every day, and keep up with the lessons, paying close attention to deadlines.  The class is online, so you have a great deal of flexibility regarding what time of day (or night) you log on to do your work; however, this is not a "go-at-your-own-pace" course. In fact, it is a very fast-paced course. After the first week of class, you will have a lesson due every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Each lesson will take about 3-4 hours and will give you opportunities to read, write, and discuss with your peers.  The total time commitment each week will vary depending on the week--and the speed at which you read and write. But students who devote 9-12 hours every week to this course should get the most learning and enjoyment out of the experience. You only get out what you put in, right? When the class opens up this weekend, feel free to jump in to I-learn and start exploring. Class officially starts on Monday (September 16), and your first lesson is due on Saturday (September 21).  
Textbook Access: We will be using two electronic textbooks for this course. The Way of Wisdom is a collection of essays (an anthology) that is provided for you for free within I-Learn. The second textbook, Arguments, is a custom textbook published by Pearson, and you can find it in MyLab. To register for MyLab, enter our FD-ENG 201 course and scroll down to the last folder on the left side of the screen, called MyLab/Mastering. Click on “Registration Instructions” to get started. You’ll need our Course ID, which is bowen30248. (Finding your way around both I-Learn and MyLab may be a bit intimidating, so look for some videos on how to navigate the two early next week.)
Explorer, Chrome, Safari, or Firefox?: I have always encouraged students to use the Internet browser Mozilla Firefox, rather than Internet Explorer, in I-learn. Chrome is good as well. No matter what browser you opt to use, if you click on a menu item in I-learn and the page comes up blank, that content is being blocked and you are missing essential information; there are no blank pages in our classroom! This video shows how to view insecure content if you would like to stick with Firefox or Chrome (I still do not recommend Explorer): http://youtu.be/XCOP5asLr9g.
Communication: If you have a question or concern, please voice it! We have a weekly Q&A discussion board attached to my "Notes from Sister Bowen". This is a great place to post your questions and answer your peers' questions if you know the answers. I check our Q&A daily during the work week. I am also available to help on an individual basis via email, call, or text. You can reach me at bowent@byui.edu and #208-241-2889. Please note that I don't always work on Saturdays, and I never work on Sundays. This means that you may send me an email on Friday night that I won't read until Monday morning. For this reason, texting or calling me is probably preferable on Saturdays. Please don't ever hesitate to reach out. In fact, please respond to this letter to let me know:
1) your cell number (in case BYU-I email isn't working),
2) whether or not you receive texts, and
3) how you are feeling about taking this class.
I look forward to hearing from you!
Love,
Sister Bowen
p.s. You may post your responses to questions below, if you don't mind other students potentially seeing your answers.