FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions!

Do I need an Online Handbook?
How do I register for the online courses?
Where can I find the line and course numbers?
What is the cost?
Where can I find course and network support?
Who is the Instructor?
When does the course begin and end ?
When will I take my exams?
What is the honor system?
How will my final grade be determined?
Are provisions made for students with special conditions?
How can I communicate with my instructor?
How do I begin?
What are the standards for the assignments?
Do I need textbooks?
How can I obtain extra credit?

Do I need an online handbook?

No, the courses are complete in themselves with the exception of required textbooks, computer, standardized tests, and laboratory materials. The instructor offers in classroom instruction, if desired, in using the Internet online courses and provides computer network support at no extra charge.

How do I Register for online courses ?

URL http:/www.greenriver.edu

Call Green River Community College at 253-833-9111- in Auburn, 253-464-6133 from the Eastside, or 253-924-0189 from Tacoma and Puyallup, extension 2500 or 2513.
Ask for a application for admission form to register for online courses or, call instructor Robert Brehm at 253-833-9111 EX 4307, or call his Voice Message Center at 206-718-2908 .

Frequently requested online course information for Summer Quarter 2003.

Line # [0771] Career Exploration ( Behavioral Science ) Course BEHSC 107 DE ( Distance Education) 5 credits
Line #[0787] Stress Management ( Behavioral Science) Course BEHSC 190 DE ( Distance Education) 5 credits
Line # [0767] Interpersonal Relations ( Behavioral Science) Course BEHSC 103 DE ( Distance Education ) 5 credits

Where can I find course and network support... ?

E-mail rbrehm@msn.com. Call Pager number 206-718-2908 and listen to the voice message center and leave a message. For immediate assistance call cell phone 206-930-4197

Who is the Instructor... ?

Your instructor is a full- time tenured faculty member at Green River Community College. See his resume on his home page.

What is the cost...

Part time students and Washington State Residents pay $63.05 per credit hour.,- i.e.,$315.25. plus distant learning and testing fee. No charge for full time students ( 10-18 credit hours ) from Green River Community College except for testing fees and books. Check with Green River Community College directly for special distant learning fees .(* See any recent changes in fees listed in the college schedule.)

When does the course begin and end ?

See the time line dates of the courses. You must complete the course by the dates indicated in order to receive full credit. Click here for a course outline with dates mandated for completing assignments. You may change the schedule and dates to meet your needs with instructor permission before you begin the course. If you need more time, you should make a special request. It has been my experience that students who do their work daily can easily finish within the quarter they registered and are most likely to succeed.

You may have a tendency in Distant Learning courses to procrastinate, as the freedom to finish may be used as an avoidance in completing the work. It may seem great not to go to class but it requires self-discipline and self motivation to finish Distant Learning classes. Ask your instructor for assistance when you feel the need, as he is understanding and will support you in completing the work successfully.

When will I take my exams?

You may finish your take home final exam anytime you wish, as it is available online .You may email ,or call your instructor, to receive your user name, password, and the hyperlink to the Website for the administration of the standardized testing. If there is a special project, it may also be completed on your own time line. The textbooks and additional tapes can be purchased at the Green River College book store.

Am I bound by the honor system when completing my work?

Yes. It is assumed that you will do your own work. You may work with others but your work should represent your own work. Any attempt to present work, either assignments or on exams, that is not honestly performed will not be acceptable and will be regarded as a serious offense. If proof of academic misconduct is established, you may receive a failing grade in the course. Please note that any work downloaded from the Internet, or electronically produced from any Webs site is subject to copyright laws.

How will my final course grade be determined?

Your grade is obtained on a grading system by achieving points. See the abbreviated assignment sheet. Your total accumulated points equates to your grade point average, i.e., 300 points is equal to a 3.00 grade, 400 points is equivalent to a 4.00 etc.
. You are advised to keep a copy of your work, even though your instructor will keep an electronically controlled database. You can look at the abbreviated assignments for any given lesson and see the accumulated assignments points which are computed in the far right column..

You can determine your grade at any given time by noting the accumulated points and by comparing your total points with the percent necessary to obtain a particular letter grade. Take the following example:

If you have completed 5 lessons and the total accumulated points is 30 points, then to obtain your letter grade, multiply the percent times 30 and you will have your approximate letter grade equivalent. For example, if you multiply .95 times 30, then you would have 27 points which would be equal to an A+ grade. If you multiply .79 times 30 you would have 23 points which would be equal to a C. If you multiply .73 times 30 you would have 21 points which would be approximately equal to a C. etc. If you had a total of 21-24 points you would have the equivalent to a C letter grade.

You may substitute other assignments with the instructor permission. Bonus points[5-20] may be earned by replying to the instructors articles posted to the threaded Discussion Group and may be substituted for regular assignment points.

Are special provisions made for students with disabilities?

Yes, you may receive special assistance, as needed and reasonable accommodations will be made to increase your success. Call or email your instructor for details. Off campus office 253-852-0220 or Cell phone 206-930-4197 for immediate assistance.

How can I communicate with my instructor?

You may communicate with your instructor through the telephone, Instant Messenger, or e-mail. You may also request a audio video conference meeting. If you have Internet Explorer and Microsoft Instant Messenger, it is easy to arrange the conference. If you do not, you may download the files free from www.microsoft.com. You need to down load the Microsoft Instant Messenger File. If you have any difficulties, call your instructor and he will assist you.

Whether or not you actually meet your instructor, he will review your material and send you a personal response regarding each lesson you submit for grading. You may also call cell phone for immediate assistance 206-930-4197 at any time if you have questions.
If you are in the physical vicinity you may visit your instructor when he is on campus. If you are off campus, out of town, or out of the state, you may even arrange a live audio/ video conference call with your instructor. Just arrange a NetMeeting conference with him with any computer which has audio video compatibility with Microsoft Instant Messenger of NetMeeting. If you have questions, or difficulty, call or email your instructor.

How Do I begin?

Since this is an online course, you need a computer and /or computer access capability. Although some lessons may be accepted, up to 10% or 40 points by facsimile, you must use email via the Internet for most assignments in order to receive credit.
You begin by looking at the individual assignments and sending the individual lessons to the instructor. You may choose to go by the dates or send your instructor your revised timeline.

As soon as you have completed all of the lessons, you will have completed the course. Your instructor will grade your individual assignments, as soon as possible, usually within few hours form when they are sent, and he will send you the results of each individual assignments.

Standards regarding lesson assignments:

In order to assure that you have answered all of the parts of the questions correctly so that you may receive full credit, copy the lesson questions, the lesson number, and provide your real name and the course you are enrolled in, as well as the email address. The due date is the last day an assignment receives full credit. Thereafter, the assignment is worth one point less per day. For example a five point assignment would be worth 0 points if it were late more than five days from the due date.
Send, the copied questions along with your answered questions, [via email] so that you and the instructor can be sure you answered all of the points in the questions. In general do not use attachment files, at it takes too long to open and close them, which limits the time your instructor has to read and comment on your work. You may use attachment files if the argument is too lengthy to copy and paste in the regular email composition frame, or if you are sending graphs, or other pictorial drawing.

Hints: To receive full credit for your assignments send e-mail in complete standard English sentences, provide operational definitions of words, illustrate by example, cite sources used in your answers, and provide reasoning when giving your own opinion and support it with your own experience and examples. Do not copy articles without permission and please summarize in your own words and indicate what you have learned from them.

Indicate the assumptions that you are making, if you intend the opinion to represent anyone, or anything, other than yourself, or your own experience. Indicate any supporting data that you have in making your assumptions and what experimentation would be necessary in order to strengthen the argument or your claim. If you present information as fact, please indicate the source and the method used to establish the fact. If you are using a theoretical hypothesis, please state it and the method used for the examination or proof of it. If you are stating an apriori assumption, or affirming a commonly held "belief system", please limit your discussion to your own experience and indicate how you apply it successfully to yourself. Please include an opposing argument to your affirmed " belief system" and indicate with your reasoning as to how it is not as applicable to you as is your own belief system.

If for some reason, you do not receive full credit for the assignment, you may opt to do the assignment over before you progress to the next assignment. If you progress to the next assignment before doing the lesson over, you lose the option to do the previous work over and must accept the original work as completed. Pay particular attention to your instructor comments so that you may receive full credit for the assignment. You may opt to substitute any assignment, with prior instructor permission, for credit. Please keep a file of your lessons and accumulated daily points, in order to corroborate them with your instructor. Your instructor keeps a database and an electronic file of your material submitted to him and you may wish to compare your points with his at any time.
Please note that the instructor reserves the right to change any assignment, number of points, or modify the course at anytime. Most changes will be modifications that will make the course more enjoyable and more user friendly for you.

If you have questions, please call him at GRCC 253-833-9111 Voice Mail 4307, or dial his voice mail number 206-718-2908. If you wish to email your instructor, then you may use the following e-mail: rbrehm@msn.com

Do I need textbooks?

Most students ask, "Do I need a textbook?" The answer is both yes and no. If you are a typical student that has always used textbooks with assignments directly referenced in a text book, then you may feel more comfortable using a text. However, there are no specific assignment readings, as the course is designed to explore the search engines to browse the Internet for information. You may find it easier to purchase the texts because much information may be helpful in answering the questions. If you are a student that is used to the independent education of most higher education institutions, then you would probably not need a textbook per se.

The course is intended to utilize the Internet Search engines for information and most information you need is found in the lessons themselves. The course textbooks are also available at the GRCC library reserve desk. You may use GRCC, library reserve desk to use the textbooks in the library or you may request a library loan if the books are available. If you wish to purchase the books and tapes, you can order them from the GRCC book store or from an online book store. If you have additional questions, ask your instructor.

How can I obtain extra credit?

You may participate in chat rooms, the threaded discussion groups., attend on campus meetings, or submit extra projects for bonus credit.
As previously mentioned, you may substitute other assignments with the instructor permission. Bonus points[5-20] may be earned by posting articles to the threaded Discussion Group and may be substituted for regular assignment points. See suggested online inventories which may be taken and substituted for regular assignments at 5 points each accumulative up to 50 points. You may also search the Internet and provide valuable links to enhance the accessibility to information. If your link is used, you can received bonus credit of 5 points per link, accumulative up to 50 points. You must list the hyperlink, provide a summary of the content, and indicate what you learned that is relevant to the course in order to receive credit for the link.

You may look at the threaded discussion group and post an investigative question or one of personal interest. You may read the instructor's thread, or others. The threaded discussion group should be treated much like a class discussion. Don't just post information, invite an inquiry which you think will encourage the reader to want to read your thread and to continue it. Since anyone may post a thread, the quality of answer will vary. In cases of exemplary note, the instructor will join in on the thread. If you have posted one and wish his answer, just email him to note and respond. Credit may vary from 0-20 points depending on the quality of the question and answers.
Contact your instructor to request permission for any substitution of assignments and request the amount of points you may obtain, if the individual assignment does already contain the necessary information.