ACADEMIC SUPPORT
ONLINE CAMPUS
Gus Martin
Online Campus Director
gusmartin@southern.edu
423.236.2083
Greg Merchant
eClass & Classroom Technology Support
eclasshelp@southern.edu
423.236.2086
Polina Kadatska
Curriculum Development Specialist
kadatskap@southern.edu
423.236.2084
Deanna Walker
Online Coach/Course Development Manager
online@southern.edu
IT COMPUTER SUPPORT
it-helpdesk@southern.edu
LIBRARY SERVICES
Sonja Fordham
Director of Writing Center, McKee Library
sfordham@southern.edu
423.236.2384
Jessica Spears
Embedded Librarian
jspears@southern.edu/423.236.2000
*for all courses except School of Nursing courses
Donald Martin
Embedded Librarian
dvmartin@southern.edu/423.236.2013
*for all courses within the School of Nursing
COURSE AND UNIVERSITY POLICIES
DISABILITIES AND ACCOMMODATIONS
FALL & WINTER: |
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| In keeping with the University’s policy, if you are a student who believes you may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability or learning challenge (i.e. physical, learning, psychological, ADHD or other type), you are strongly encouraged to contact Disability Support Services (DSS) at 423-236-2544 or stop by Lynn Wood Hall, Room 1082. Please note that accommodations are not retroactive and cannot be implemented until faculty or staff members have received the official Letter of Accommodation from DSS. Specific details of disabilities remain confidential between students and DSS unless a student chooses to disclose or there is a legitimate academic need for disclosure, which is on a case-by-case basis. For further details, visit the Disability Support Services website. | |
SUMMER: |
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| During short summer sessions, in keeping with university policy, any student who believes they may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability or learning challenge should contact Disability Support Services at 423-236-2544 or stop by Lynn Wood Hall, room 1082 as soon as possible to arrange a confidential appointment with the Disability Services Director. Please note that accommodations are not retroactive and cannot be implemented until faculty or staff members have received the official Letter of Accommodation from DSS. Specific details of disabilities remain confidential between students and DSS unless a student chooses to disclose or there is a legitimate academic need for disclosure, which is on a case-by-case basis. For further details, visit the Disability Support Services website. | |
ACADEMIC HONESTY
Southern Adventist University is committed to honesty in all things, including academics.
Always give credit to any sources you use in your work. Presenting someone else’s
work as your own is dishonest, and will have consequences ranging from a zero on the
assignment to a failing grade or even expulsion. Please reference the current catalog for a full explanation of the procedures followed in dealing with infractions in
this arena.
TURNITIN
Turnitin is a company Southern Adventist University contracts with that provides resources
for students and a service for professors who may need to verify the academic integrity
with which papers or projects have been prepared and submitted. While the use of Turnitin
may not be initially required on all assignments, the professor may submit your work
to Turnitin or require that you do so.
ADD/DROP POLICY
| Prior to the deadline date, students not completing the course for any reason are required to complete the requirements for dropping the course. | |
| Before the add/drop date, on-campus students, online degree students, and teacher certification students cann add or drop a course via MyAccess. Dual enrollment students need to email Online Campus. | |
| After the add/drop date, all students wishing to drop a course must complete the add/drop e-form. |
TRANSCRIPTS
It is your responsibility to request a transcript to be sent to your parent institution
and/or your union registrar. You may access more information at http://www.southern.edu/administration/records/transcripts.html
PROFILE PICTURE POLICY
All students enrolled in an online class at Southern Adventist University must upload
a profile picture of themselves to the learning management system (LMS) used by Southern:
eClass. The purpose of this is so that students and professors can better connect
with the individual they will be working with over the course of the semester. Students
who do not comply may not be able to register for future online courses. Please keep
in mind when uploading your profile picture, that it must meet the following guidelines:
(1)The photo should be a full face likeness, similar to a passport photo or driver’s
license photo. No variations permitted. (2)Attire worn in the photo should adhere
to the Southern Adventist University dress code. (3)The photo should show only you;
there should be no distractions such as additional people or pets in the photo.
STUDENT AUTHENTICATION
| The Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 [viewable here; see p. 3325] requires Southern Adventist University to authenticate the identity of all students who enroll in distance education courses offered by the university. Southern requires students enrolled in an online course or program to authenticate their identity at the time of initial registration in their first semester at Southern in order to ensure that a student who is enrolled is the same student who completes and submits work and assignments in that course or program. This process helps protect the integrity of the education provided by Southern Adventist University. | |
| The student should authenticate their identity by using ONE of the following options: (1)Authenticate in person at Southern Adventist University. (2)Authenticate online with a secure identity verification partner chosen by Southern Adventist University. | |
| Students who do not authenticate their identity during their first semester in which they are enrolled in online classes will receive an incomplete in these course(s). If they do not complete their authentication by the end of the following semester, their final grade will automatically convert into an F. The student will not be allowed to register for further online classes until the authentication process is completed. In addition, non-compliance with the authentication policy may make the student subject to discipline according to the Procedures for Handling Academic Dishonesty in the Southern Adventist University Graduate Catalog. |
SABBATH HOURS
Southern Adventist University, including Online Campus, share the belief in honoring
the seventh-day Sabbath as a day of rest, worship, and freedom from academic pursuits.
The Sabbath, as it is celebrated on the Southern Adventist University campus, begins
at sundown on Friday and ends at sundown on Saturday each week. Southern’s Online
Campus respects the personal beliefs of each student enrolled in online courses, and
the freedom to make personal choices about when and how to worship. Please know, however,
that your faculty honor the Sabbath and will not be responding to student emails and
concerns during this time.
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES/METHODOLOGY
ECLASS ACCESS
The website for course access is eclass.e.southern.edu. Here you will find an electronic
version of the syllabus, descriptions of course activities and projects, and links
to a variety of resources, including Southern Adventist University webmail, McKee
Library, Campus Bookstore, and tutorials. This is also where you will access course
grades. There are two ways that you can login to your online course. (1)The course
will appear as a link on your Southern Access account. (2)You can put eclass.e.southern.edu
into your browser and enter your username and password. If one method does not work,
try the other method.
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
LEARNING COLLABORATIVELY
Due to the nature of online coursework, this course seeks to foster a collegial teaching/learning
modality, in which the function of the professor is primarily that of guide and facilitator.
The instructional context seeks to attain the highest level of critical thinking and
scholarly synthesis possible. This course will utilize the following instructional
methods, among others: presentation of core concepts and methodologies via media-enhanced
lectures and video presentations, full class discussions in eClass, based on professional
experiences, readings undertaken, and assigned projects, and group and individual
projects specifically designed to assimilate real-life scenarios.
LEARNING ONLINE
| In online courses, students must actively participate in learning experiences through
various technology media and to prepare quality work. Basic competencies in word processing,
Web browsing, email, and a compatible operating system are required as course entry
points. This course will employ the following instructional methodologies, among others: |
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| *Weekly learning goals | |
| *Select readings from scripture, Ellen White, and other experts | |
| *Integration of core values into daily thought processes | |
| *Video lectures | |
| *Web-based reference materials and resources | |
| *Group discussion forums | |
| *Live video-conferencing sessions | |
| Your participation in this class is vitally important to the learning process. Access your course several times weekly. Actively participate in all required activities, assignments, and assessments. Complete all reading assignments. Credit will be given based on the quality and consistency of each student’s work. Carefully read the course schedule that concludes this syllabus. | |
| Course assignments are to be submitted electronically to the course site, unless specifically indicated otherwise. All assignments are due on or before the dates specified in the course schedule. It is your responsibility to plan ahead and deliver a professional product in a timely manner. Other arrangements must be made with the course professor in advance. If you do experience atypical circumstances that impede your progress, please contact the professor immediately. | |
| We suggest that you backup all projects in at least two locations (e.g., your server space, on the cloud, or on a USB drive). All course components must be completed before a final grade is given. |
LIVE SESSIONS
| In this course, we will be having live sessions using Zoom. You will join the live session by clicking on the link provided in eClass. The link may also be provided at the beginning of the syllabus. We recommend that you use a computer with a microphone and webcam or at a minimum that you purchase a headset with a built-in microphone that has either a stereo jack or a USB plug in, depending on your specific computer. Students without these headsets can struggle to participate fully in live sessions and may experience echoing or other issues when attempting to speak into their computer’s microphone. Background noise is also minimized with the use of a headset. | |
| When you use Zoom for the first time, you may be prompted to download the software. Follow the prompts to allow this download and to allow the program to run. This process should not take more than a few moments on a high speed connection. You will not need to download the software each time, since after the first time, it will load automatically. It is advised that you attempt to log in to the meeting room for the first time in advance of the scheduled meeting to allow time for you to download and launch the software. Troubleshooting suggestions: If you do not see a prompt and the online meeting room does not load, disable your pop-up blocker. | |
| Students may use mobile devices for live sessions and will need to download the meeting room app from their app store. Alternatively, you may use your device to go into eClass where you should click the meeting room link provided in Course Resources and follow the prompts for downloading the app. If you plan on using this approach, please ensure that you go through this process well in advance of the live session in order to have time for troubleshooting and acclimating to the way Zoom navigates on a mobile device. | |
| If you’re having trouble connecting to the live session, please contact eClasshelp@southern.edu for assistance. You may also click on the Tech Support Icon in eClass and fill out a technical support ticket. | |
| These live sessions will benefit you by providing the opportunity for you to interact in real time with your professor and fellow students. During live sessions you will be able to ask questions about projects or papers as well as course content. While points may not be given in this course for live session attendance, students are expected to attend. Those who have a scheduling conflict and are unable to attend are expected to view the recording of the live session as soon as possible. If you are aware in advance that you cannot attend a live session, you are urged to submit your questions in advance to the professor via email or in the course Q&A forum. During the live session, your questions will be answered for you, and you can watch the recording at your convenience. Please see the course schedule for the tentative day/time of your live sessions. If a live session must be canceled, your professor will post an announcement in the eClass News Forum as soon in advance as possible. |
FORUMS
An announcement forum can be found at the top of eClass in the support icon bar. Any
postings in this forum will come automatically to your Southern email. This forum
contains important information from your professor, and/or course manager, regarding
due dates, live sessions, changes in the schedule, etc.
TECHNOLOGY USED IN ONLINE COURSES
Online courses utilize a variety of technology tools. These tools may include, but
are not limited to, the following: Panopto, Zoom, Turnitin, PowerPoint, Excel Spreadsheets,
Web 2.0 tools (Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, etc.) mobile device apps, etc. For most
online courses, you must have a webcam and a headset with a microphone. Such a headset
can be found on Amazon or in your local stores. Many laptops have a built-in webcam,
but if yours does not, you may be asked to purchase an external one.
SAFE ENVIRONMENT TO LEARN
| Students in online courses must recognize that the online classroom is a classroom with expectations for behavior that make the classroom a safe and healthy environment to learn. | |
| When communicating within the online classroom, it is important to keep in mind the following guidelines: | |
| *Treat the instructor with respect, even in email or in any other online communication. | |
| *Always use your professors’ proper title: Dr. or Prof., or if doubt use Mr. or Ms. Unless specifically invited, don’t refer to them by first name. | |
| *Use clear and concise language. | |
| *Remember that all college level communication should have correct spelling and grammar. | |
| *Avoid slang terms such as “wassup?” and texting abbreviations such as “u” instead of “you”. | |
| *Use standard fonts such as Times New Roman and use a size 12 or 14 pt. Font. | |
| *Avoid using the caps lock feature AS IT CAN BE INTERPRETED AS YELLING. | |
| *Limit and possibly avoid the use of emoticons like :) . | |
| *Be cautious when using humor or sarcasm as tone is sometimes lost in an email or discussion post and your message might be taken seriously or offensive. | |
| *Be careful with personal information (both yours and others’). | |
| *Do not send confidential information via email. | |
| When emailing the instructor or others within the class, please keep in mind the following guidelines: | |
| *Use a descriptive subject line | |
| *Be brief | |
| *Avoid attachments unless you are sure your recipients can open them | |
| *Avoid HTML in favor of plain text | |
| *Sign your message with your name and return email address | |
| *Think before you send the email to more than one person. Does everyone really need to see your message? | |
| *Be sure you REALLY want everyone to receive your response when you click, “reply all” | |
| *Be sure that the message author intended for the information to be passed along before you click the “forward” button | |
| When posting in an online discussion forum, please keep in mind the following guidelines: | |
| *Make posts that are on topic and within the scope of the course material | |
| *Take your posts seriously and review and edit your posts before sending | |
| *Be as brief as possible while still making a thorough comment | |
| *Always give proper credit when referencing or quoting another source | |
| *Be sure to read all messages in a thread before replying | |
| *Don’t repeat someone else’s post without adding something of your own to it | |
| *Avoid short, generic replies such as, “I agree.” You should include why you agree or add to the previous point | |
| *Always be respectful of others’ opinions even when they differ from your own | |
| *When you disagree with someone, you should express your differing opinion in a respectful, non-critical way | |
| *Do not make personal or insulting remarks | |
| *Be open-minded |
COURSE EVALUATION
| Southern requires all students enrolled in courses, on campus or online, to complete course evaluations as part of the ongoing process of improving course delivery and academic standards. As an online student, you are encouraged to fill out the course evaluation. A few minutes of your time and your honest feedback will assist your professor in shaping the course for future semesters and will provide academic administration additional information regarding the professor’s qualification when his or her professional portfolio is reviewed. The faculty welcome your feedback and would like to strongly encourage you to add your own comments, both telling them how you were positively impacted and if you have any suggestions for improvement. | |
| You may access the course evaluation at http://myaccess.southern.edu/apps/courseevaluation. | |
| *Log in using your Southern username and password. | |
| *Choose the professor and class you wish to evaluate from the list you see. | |
| If you have problems with, or questions regarding this online course evaluation, please contact Pilar Anderson at pilaranderson@southern.edu. | |
| All comments and evaluations are completely anonymous and the results are made available to the professor only after grades are submitted to the Records Office. |
STUDENT ACTIVITY WITHIN A COURSE
Student activity will be monitored each week by online coaches and reported to professors
and to the Online Campus office. If a student has not been active in the course for
more than 7 days, (s)he can expect to be contacted by the professor and/or online
coach in the course. It is important that, just as in a face to face class, students
“attend” to their class several times a week if not daily. When a student is “absent”
from an online course, attempts will be made to reach him/her about this.