Welcome to Seminar 1 We will begin on time. Meanwhile, enjoy chatting.

1. Welcome to Seminar 1We will begin on time.Meanwhile, enjoy chatting. “Although it may be terrifying to get out of your comfort zone, it’s also exciting to start a new chapter in your life” Katie Couric

2. It’s SHOWTIME !!!!!!! Welcome to our first Composition I seminar! How are all of you?

3. Since this is our first seminar together, let me introduce myself. • My name is JoAnn Funk, and I am your instructor. • I have a doctorate in Education degree with a concentration in Instructional Design of Online Learning and have been teaching composition courses for many years. • You are welcome to call me Dr. Funk, Professor, Prof. • Here I am holding my new grand daughter, Hannah 

4. Why We Have Seminars These seminars offer the opportunity for me to present additional information beyond the web sites and to discuss the assignments. They also offer you the opportunity to discuss any questions you might have.

5. Seminar Rules • You're welcome to use the first few minutes of the seminar to greet each other, but once we begin, let's stick to the lesson. • If you have a question, please type ??? after the question, so that I will see it more easily. If I should fail to answer your question, please email it to me. • Please be respectful of everyone in the class. Writing is a scary thing for many, and we want everyone to feel free to ask questions and not feel intimidated.

6. How many of you are worried about taking composition? How many of you are even dreading it?

7. Take a deep breath, & relax! • This is an easy course, and all of you are capable of not only completing it, but doing well. However, just because the course is easy, does not mean that you will not have to work.

8. How badly do you want your dream? • Most of you have challenges of one kind or another, jobs, families, health issues, etc. Those things can make going to school more difficult, but you do not have to let them stop you from reaching your goals. • As many a coach has asked a team before a game, “How bad do you want it?”

9. You CAN do it!!!!!! • One student wanted her dream so badly that she completed this course from a hospital bed while receiving cancer treatments; another finished her final paper in a local library while living at a women’s shelter. Yet another attended seminars from her car because she did not have Internet access. • Whatever your story, whatever your challenges may be, how badly do you want your dreams?

10. Theme • For this class, you will be using the hero’s journey as a theme. • You are the hero, so take the time to reflect upon your journey. • The idea of the hero’s journey is based upon the book, A Hero with a Thousand Faces, by Joseph Campbell. • Campbell (2008) tells us that “the hero…is the man or woman who has been able to battle past his personal and local historical limitations”(p. 14).

11. The “Hero’s” Journey • Most of us when we think of a hero do not think of ourselves, but a hero lives in each us in the sense that we are all on a journey through life. • This class is part of your individual journey. • Campbell (2008) tells us we are not on the adventure alone because “heroes of all time have gone before us.” The road we are to follow is marked for us, so “we have only to follow the thread of the hero path” (p. 18).

12. The Journey • In the journey, you strive towards some goal, but in the end, you find out that it is not just the goal that is important, but what you learn from the journey itself. • The journey changes you and changes with you!

13. 1st Discussion Question: Introduction • Let’s get to know those with whom we share this journey! Tell us a little about yourself. • By what name do you prefer to be called? • What are your hobbies? • How do you feel about writing? • Share it with us your goal for the class. • Give yourself a compliment and share it with us. • Remember to keep the sharing about writing; you are not being asked to share your personal secrets, just superficial public information.

14. 2nd Discussion Question • Watch the Joseph Campbell interview; then answer the questions. • The video can be found at http://www.mefeedia.com/video/5735204 • Respond to all the main questions in ONE post. • Respond to at least two classmates’ postings or to me. • Remember that this is a writing class, so use your best writing skills. Also, proofread and edit your work so you do not lose points.

15. About the Discussion • Campbell wrote that “We must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us. The old skin has to be shed before the new one can come.” • What will you have to do in order to make this vision a reality? • In other words, what will you have to “shed” to complete your academic journey?

16. Discussion • Include in your post: • What degree do you plan to pursue? How will writing play a role in your course of study? • What types of writing situations do you imagine you’ll encounter in your career? • Are there any stumbling blocks that are of concern to you—any “old skin” you’d like to shed? Remember that this should focus on writing, not your personal life, other than how your personal life affects your academic life.

17. Discussion = 50 Points! • For a high grade, you must respond substantiallyto the topic and to two of your peers. • Grammar and punctuation count! • Use complete sentences, proper grammar and punctuation, and correct spelling. • Use capital letters where necessary, such as for the word "I." • One easier way to do this is by composing your work in Microsoft Word first because Word has grammar as well as spell check.

18. How many of you would like to get an A?

19. Making Online Classes Easier • 1) Ask: When in doubt, lost, or confused, ASK! • Ask right away! Don’t wait two weeks! • 2) Save everything! • Buy a thumb drive (USB drive) to save your work. • 3) READ! • Email every day. • Announcements (Course Home Page). • Readings & returned papers. • 4) Work together. Get a study buddy.Help each other. • 5) Use only Microsoft Word. (.doc or .docx)

20. #1 Tip: Check & Answer Email DAILY! • Check and answer your Kaplan email every day! • Continue to check it until the last day of class. • I had a number of students who almost failed because they stopped checking their email. If there is a problem with the final project, I need to be able to reach you quickly.

21. Tips for Getting Good Grades • #2) Keep Up with Work - - - If you have a problem, please email me. • Also, please feel free to email me questions about your work. • I had a student one term who didn't understand what I had written on her paper, but was embarrassed to ask. I had to go to school to learn all of this stuff, so PLEASE, just ask.

22. Tips: #3) Answer Discussion Questions • Posting is a large part of your grade, so don't throw away grade points!!!! • Completely and thoroughly answer every question. I look for completeness of the answer AND the number of words. • Comment twice in each question to a minimum of two other students. • The discussion will lock at the end of the unit, so late discussions must be emailed.

23. Tips: #4) Come to Seminar • Kaplan now has given you a choice of seminars • Check your syllabus for seminar days and times. Instructions for entering seminar are posted in doc sharing. • You will receive a weekly invitation to each seminar.

24. If You Miss Seminar…. • To get a grade, complete Option 2 as a WORD document attached in that dropbox • Review the transcript of one of the current week’s seminars & summarize the main points, or summarize the slides that I will post in doc sharing each week after seminar. • The summary must be at least 200 words.

25. Late Policy • All unit assignments are due by midnight Tuesday ET of the unit assigned. • Late work is accepted, but there are restrictions and there may be a penalty. • If a grade has already been posted, such as a zero, it can be changed when your work is received. • The complete late policy can be found in the syllabus.

26. Highlights of the Late Policy • Assignments submitted three units late will not be accepted. • Late discussions will be accepted via email, but only the main post. • Late final projects will not be accepted without prior approval. • If you are experiencing difficulties, please email me.

27. Computer Problems • The information stated on the next slide is not because I am mean or heartless. All of us who work or learn online have this problem. Hurricanes, tornados or earthquakes happen, so always have a Plan B! You need to develop alternative strategies.

28. What to do if you have computer problems • Having computer problems or not having Internet access is not an acceptable excuse for late work of more than a day or two, except for extraordinary circumstances. • There are computers and Internet access in most public and community college libraries. • There are Internet cafes, coffee houses, bookstores with coffee houses, and hotel lobbies with wireless access (in fact, often you can sign on from your car).

29. Grade Points • The grades for this class total 1000 points. • Seminars = 10 points each = 90 pts. • Discussions = 50 pts. each = 450 pts. • Projects • Unit 3 Project = 100 points • Unit 6 Project = 170 points • Final Project = 210 points • If you fall behind, complete the work with the most points FIRST!

30. The Final Project • 750 word (minimum), double-spaced essay in 12-point Times New Roman font. • You’ll be writing as if your were a life-coach. • You will be asked to choose a person who can benefit from the lessons of the hero’s journey and then apply those steps for the person’s betterment.

31. The Writing Center 1) At the top of your Kaplan Desktop, click on “My Studies,” then “Academic Support Center.” 2) Scroll down to bottom of page and click on “Writing Reference Library.” 3) Scroll down and click on “Writing Mechanics” for help with punctuation and grammar. Many other types of help are also available through the Writing Center, including live tutors at certain times!

32. The Price of Poor Writing • Poor writing costs you and me a lot of tax dollars. • According to a 2004 report, states spend $221 million annually on remedial writing classes. • Poor writing confuses citizens and slows down the government work because employees can’t decipher unclear instructions and poorly written work has to be redone.

33. Do you want to get a good job? • According to the same survey • Two-thirds of companies said writing was an important responsibility for workers. • 100% of the states agreed that writing was important. • More than 75% of those responding said they take writing skills into account when hiring. • 42% of employers complain about the basic writing skills of applicants.

34. Clear, concise writing can save companies time and money. • Example: Ground-operation manuals revised in plain language saved Federal Express an estimated $400,000 in the very first year.

35. Writing in the Digital World • Writing is very important because it is possible to have business associates know only through e-mail. • 70% of today’s business writing involves e-mail. • The words you write give impressions of yourself and your company.

36. What impression does this e-mail give? • What did you mean by what the highlights of  sites that we chose.?  I thought that i did that. what part of the apa format did i not folow?

37. Are you willing to learn? • Today's writing include the challenges of writing for the Internet. • Web sites must be clearly written, user friendly, and motivate customers to buy. • Mistake filled writing drives people away. • Potential customers look at the writing and ask themselves: “If the company can not hire people who can write well, can they deliver quality products and services?”

38. Bad Habits from Email & Texting • Here's an another example of the type of email that I often receive: • "did the three points with modes think i e-mailed them to you all the projects am working on db” • WHAT WOULD YOUR BOSS THINK OF THIS EMAIL?

39. Practice Professional Writing! • Get in the habitof using professional writing in your communications. This includes capital letters, spelling out words, and punctuation. Practicing this will help you to succeed in life.

40. Writing • Writing is a form of communication. • Writing has a purpose: the message. • The writer is trying to get a message to the reader. • We write to inform, to persuade, to entertain, and/or to express an opinion.

41. Why We Study Writing • We study writing to learn to write clearly. • When I speak, my message comes across through my words, my tone of voice, my gestures, and my body language. If you don't understand, you can ask me questions. • When I write, you have only the words that I have written, and you may not be able to ask me questions regarding what it means. • I want to make sure that what I write has ONE meaning and ONLY ONE! Most of us do not write that clearly naturally.

42. Writing Is the Key • If you wanted to learn to play the piano, what would you do? You would take lessons and practice. • That is what you will be doing in this class. • Anyone can learn to write. • Learning to write simply requires lessons and practice. • Writing is a skill you will need for every class you take and for your career. Writing well is the key to getting a great job, keeping it, and being promoted.

43. Thanks for coming & have a great week!