On this page are the assignments for Monday of Week One. 

DEADLINES: Each week I will post reading and writing assignments by Monday, 7 p.m. and Thursday, 7 p.m.

Each week, you should have the assignments that are posted Monday completed by Thursday, 7 p.m. You should have the assignments posted Thursday completed by Monday, 7 p.m.

No doubt this is a good deal of reading and writing. But by establishing a good, regular online work routine, you should be able to complete the assignments -- and come to grips with important, interesting material.

Those goals are particularly important for the first day online so I'd like to follow that format. 

1) READ SYLLABUS: First, if you haven't read through the various syllabus topics on the class home page, please do that and see if you have any questions. 

Make sure you understand the proper way to register for the course; how assignments will be posted; the importance of regular online conference participation; how you'll be graded and evaluated.

If you have any questions, just email me at jack.lule@lehigh.edu. Your browser may allow you to send email from the Web. If not, just use your usual email method.

2) REGISTER AT DISCUSSION SITE: Next, I would like you to go to our Blackboard/Course Info online discussion area. The URL address is: 

http://bb.lehigh.edu

You will want to bookmark this address if you use one computer regularly. You can also get always get there from the class home page. 

The discussion site is easy and fun, once you get to know it. You will first have to register with Blackboard, if you haven't done so already. You should use your 4-digit Lehigh id as your username (such as jlb5 or bgt6) and also your Lehigh password.

Once you log in, Blackboard will show the Lehigh courses for which you are registered. Click on our course.

Although Blackboard has the capability of hosting syllabi, dropping off papers and things like that, I use my own courses pages and email for that. We will only use the Discussion Board.

Go to the Discussion Board. I will post different topics, usually on our Monday-Thursday schedule. You will see them arranged by date as you scroll down. Click on the day's topic.

You can read any new messages from me or your classmates. You can "Reply" or keep reading the "Next Message."

If you hit "Reply," you will be contributing to that "thread." If you want to create a new thread -- bring up another idea for the day -- you should hit OK at the end of a message and it will bring you back to the Discussion Topic. Then you can click on "Add New Thread."

3) INTRODUCE YOURSELF: Your next assignment for this preliminary first day is simple. Click the Topic that says, "Introductions," I would like you to do just that. Click "Add New Thread" and write to us.

Provide the class with a screen or so of introduction. Tell us who you are, where you're from, where you're taking the class from, your major, your class, your likes and dislikes, the name of your dog, and anything else that seems pertinent. I will do the same.

4) RETURN OFTEN OVER THE NEXT THREE DAYS TO READ OTHER POSTINGS: You should provide your introduction as soon as possible and then before Thursday, 7 p.m. return to the conference often to read about your classmates and me.

You can respond to classmates (although it's not necessary for Introductions) by hitting Respond. This will put your message under theirs, in the same "thread." Or you can hit OK, go to the Topic area and make a new "thread."

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DISCUSSION ISSUE: FILE SHARING & COPYRIGHT

For our first class discussion, I would like to take up one of the important, interesting issues surrounding Internet research.

Many students have already become expert in one particular area of Internet research: finding, sharing and downloading music and films.

As you probably know, such actions are highly controversial. Artists and copyright owners claim they are losing millions of dollars -- and the rights to control their work. Downloaders say that they are only sharing and that information online "wants to be free."

b) I would like you to read some essays about online file sharing. USA Today ran an acclaimed series on downloading that presented both sides of the argument. I have copied articles here:

Summary of arguments

Record Executive: Arrest them

Editorial: Improve Commercial sites

c) Please send me an email message that analyzes the main points of the articles. And then I would like to discuss the issue.

d) Once you have read and thought about these issues, please go to our online discussion area at http://bb.lehigh.edu and talk about them. What do you think of online file sharing? Have you done it? Have you thought about the rightness or wrongness of the act? Which of the essays made sense to you? Why?

Just write a screen or so. Tell us what you think and why. Make reference to the readings if you can. 

GRADING FOR CONFERENCE DISCUSSIONS

To get a solid B grade for your conference discussion, you should post three times over the next three days. You should write once early, on Mondy or Tuesday, responding to the assignment and making reference to the readings. Then. on Wednesday and Thursday, you should post twice more, commenting on one or more of your classmates' postings. If you do less than that, your grade ultimately will suffer.

To get an A, you should be contributing and commenting more frequently. You should be reading and responding regularly to classmates. Some people write 5-10 comments per assignment. This is an online seminar. An ongoing, thoughtful dialogue is our main goal. 

You should know: The bulletin board software keeps track of how often you visit the site, when you visit the site, how many postings you read and how much time you spend reading and writing on the site. You will always get credit for your work.

If you do this well, we will have an in-depth, wide-ranging discussion of the issues. Indeed, I have found written conference discussions to be much more thoughtful and thorough than similar "in-class" talks.

I think you'll find online learning to be interesting and fun. See you in cyberspace. Remember: we never close.

If you have any questions, just email me at jack.lule@lehigh.edu.

And with that, your first few days of online class will be complete. Congratulations!

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