Problem Solving and Decision Making Syllabus for 2021-2022
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Instructor Information

Course Information

COVID-19 Protocols

Recording Policy

Disability Statement

If you have a disability (learning, mental, physical) that affects your ability to participate effectively and have access to any program or service at Amarillo College please contact Disability Services at (806) 345-5639 . Our offices are located in the Student Service Center office 112. More information may be found at www.actx.edu/disability.
Disability Services facilitates access to all programs and services according to the ADA, Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, as well as other federal and state laws.

Amarillo College Web Accessibility Policy Statement

Amarillo College is committed to providing equal access to all programs and services, including all working, learning, and service environments that affect equal access for persons with disabilities. This commitment to provide equal access and opportunity for persons with disabilities is in compliance with federal and state law. Amarillo College also strives to provide Electronic and Information Resources (EIR) that are accessible to all authorized users.

If you find you are unable to access material in an accessible format please contact the Disability Services Office at (806) 345-5639 . This office will work in conjunction with other campus resources to address and accommodate your issue in a timely manner.

Statement for Mental Health and Advocacy & Resource Center:

As a student you may experience a range of issues that can cause barriers to learning, such as strained relationships, increased anxiety, alcohol/drug problems, feeling down, difficulty concentrating and/or lack of motivation. These mental health concerns or stressful events may lead to diminished academic performance or reduce a student's ability to participate in daily activities. Amarillo College offers services to assist you with addressing these and other concerns you may be experiencing. If you or someone you know are suffering from any of the aforementioned conditions, you can learn more about the broad range of confidential mental health services available on campus by calling the AC Counseling Center at 806-371-5900. The AC Counseling Center website is https://www.actx.edu/counseling/ . Also, if you are in need of social services (affordable housing, utilities, transportation, food, clothing, childcare, medical/dental/vision, legal), please call the AC Advocacy & Resource Center at 806-371-5439. The AC Advocacy & Resource Center website is https://www.actx.edu/arc

Amarillo College Tutoring for Success Policy:

The Tutoring for Success policy applies to any student whose grade or performance in the course falls below a departmentally determined minimum threshold. In either of those cases, the instructor will direct the student to the appropriate tutoring service, which may be faculty-led, discipline-specific, and/or general. Under this policy, the instructor will follow specific departmental guidelines governing the use, duration, and grade component of the tutoring need.

Administrative Drop Policy

Students who do not attend class on or prior to the census date will be administratively dropped. Effective Fall, 2016

Student Withdrawal Procedures

Students who wish to withdraw from a course must complete all steps indicated on the Academic Withdrawal Request form by the course withdrawal deadline.

NOTE: Students who are attending Texas institutions of higher education, for the first time fall 2007 and later, may not withdraw from more than six courses during their academic career. This withdrawal limitation does not include dual credit or developmental classes (Senate Bill 1231 Rule 4.10.) For more information on Drop and Withdrawal Policies, please visit the Registrar's Office Web site.

Privacy Statement

The Amarillo College Privacy Policy is found at https://www.actx.edu/-amarillo-college-privacy-notice , and applies to all Amarillo College students.  If you have questions about this privacy statement or you believe that your personal information has been released without your consent, send email to humanresources@actx.edu .

Course

BMGT-2303-001 Problem Solving and Decision Making

Prerequisites

Course Description

Decision making and problem solving processes in organizations, utilizing logical and creative problem solving techniques. Application of theory is provided by experiential activities such as small group discussions, case studies and the use of other managerial decision aids.

Student ResourcesStudent Resources Website

Department Expectations

Occupational License Disclaimer

Notice to Students enrolled in an educational program for preparation of issuance of certain occupational licenses:

Students enrolled in an educational program in preparation for obtaining certain occupational licenses are potentially ineligible for such license if the student has been convicted of an offense. For further information, please contact:

Melodie Graves
Justice Involved Advocate
Student Service Center 117
mgraves24@actx.edu
806-371-5995
Make appointment at https://melodiegraves.youcanbook.me

You can also contact the Legal Clinic, or the faculty member in charge of the educational program that you seek to enroll in. The further information you will receive will include notification to you of your right to request a criminal history evaluation letter from the licensing authority in order to clarify your particular situation.

Hours

(3 sem hrs; 3 lec)

Class Type

Online Course

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

No book required

Access to movies will be required.

Supplies

1. Computer/tablet    (Be aware: not all class objectives can be accessed on tablets or smartphones)
2. Ability to access the course on Blackboard through AC Connect to submit assignments.
3. Students MUST have the ability to access the course in Blackboard through AC Connect to submit assignments, take exams, participate in discussion boards and team projects (www.actx.edu)
4. Google Chrome or Firefox web browser (Safari and other internet sources are not compatible with BlackBoard)
5. Grammarly Chrome Extension and Desktop Application - free version available at www.grammarly.com

*If you don't have computer and printer access at home, make sure you locate the computer lab of your choice on campus to complete your assignments on time.

Technical support and assistance to log on to the course:
AC Connect / Blackboard Support Information
For telephone support, call AskACat 371-5000.
For hands-on technical support, visit the Student Help Center.
Also, see the AC Connect Student Resources online help.

Student Performance

1. Compare and contrast the terms problem solving and decision making. SCANS* Information C5

2. Identify and discuss differences in individual, group and organizational decision making process. SCANS* Thinking F7

3. Utilize both logical and creative problem solving techniques to solve managerial problems. SCANS* Thinking F9, Systems C15, Interpersonal C9

4. List and discuss the use of various managerial decision making aids. SCANS* Information C5, Thinking F9

 

*Meets Secretary's Commision on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS*)

Information: Acquires and uses information

Interpersonal: Works with others, serves clients, exercises leadership

Systems: Understands complex interrelationships (evaluates, monitors, improves, social, organizational and technological systems).

Thinking Skills: thinks creatively, makes decisions, solves problems, visualizes, and knows how to learn and reason.

Withdrawal:

Students that fail to physically attend class/lecture during the first week of class will be automatically withdrawn from the course unless a reason is communicated with the instructor before the course census date (available on the master calendar). A student that fails to complete at least one assignment and/or discussion board during the first week will be automatically withdrawn from the course unless a reason is communicated with the instructor before the course census date.

It is the responsibility of the student to initiate drop or withdrawal procedures through the Registrar’s office. Students who stop attending class but do not officially drop or withdraw from this course will receive a grade of F if their average falls below 65. Please communicate with the instructor before the class is dropped to discuss options!  Once the class is dropped, all grade records are deleted in Blackboard and cannot be accessed again.

Students Rights and Responsibilities

Student Rights and Responsibilities

Log in using the AC Connect Portal

In order to receive your AC Connect Email, you must log in through AC Connect at https://acconnect.actx.edu .

If you are an active staff or faculty member according to Human Resources, use "Exchange". All other students, use "AC Connect (Google) Email".

Expected Student Behavior

Take responsibility for your education. There is a common myth among students that because they pay tuition, they deserve to receive credit for the class. This is not true. Instructors are here to create a learning environment. Whether you learn depends on your willingness to listen, ask appropriate questions, and do the work necessary to pass the course. College courses are rigorous and demanding; you may have to work harder and seek more help in order to succeed.

A career in business is a professional career. Professionalism is not only about how you dress. It is about how you act and interact with others. When in meetings or gatherings, professionals pay attention to one another, listen, and actively engage in discussions. They work towards a goal and avoid being distracted and working off-task. Class sessions and meetings outside of class should be approached in the same way.

Students are expected to act professionally in all courses and in their contact with faculty members, other students, and Amarillo College personnel. Faculty and staff members are dedicated to helping students achieve their professional career goals. To accomplish this, it is essential that students respect each other’s right to pursue their education in the most beneficial atmosphere possible. All students are expected to adhere to the following standards of professional behavior.

In the classroom:

1. Arrive on time to class, prepared to engage in the day’s topics,
2. Keep cell phones and other electronic devices turned off during class,
3. Respect your peers by refraining from disruptive behavior, including leaving class before the end and engaging in non-class related activities during the class session,
4. Participate fully in all in-class activities
5. Foster academic honesty.

Outside the classroom:

1. Treat email correspondence as professional communications
2. Be a responsible group member, attending group meetings and fully contributing to the group’s discussions, work products, and presentations
3. Be respectful and gracious when a working professional takes time to interact with you in or out of class
4. Care for the BYRD Business Building and its technologies
5. Honor appointments with employers, advisors, and faculty
6. Dress appropriately when interacting with professionals
7. Foster academic honesty

The Business Department endorses academic honesty as a pillar of integrity crucial to the academic institution. Academic honesty is an important step towards developing an ethical backbone needed in a professional career.

Failure to practice academic honesty is considered academic misconduct. Academic misconduct will be penalized to the fullest extent.

 

Plagiarism, Cheating and Individual Work Ethic:

1. Amarillo College policies and Code of Student Conduct is strictly adhered to when dealing with plagiarism, cheating, and duplication of work product. Any evidence of plagiarism, cheating, or duplication of work product will result in a zero on the work in question.
2. It is the students' responsibility to check the assignment preview to make sure the assignment uploaded correctly according to the assignment directions and before the deadline
3. In the event of a discrepancy, the instructor reserves the right to ask for an assignment confirmation number that is generated by BlackBoard, and is sent to the student’s email after the assignment is submitted.
4. If an assignment needs to be resubmitted, it will be reopened up in Blackboard for submission, or the instructor will provide an alternative submission procedure.
5. If an assignment is uploaded as a blank document and appears as a blank document on the submission screen, it will be graded accordingly. It is the student’s responsibility to review the assignment submission.
6. As instructors honor the code of confidentiality in terms of student communication and records, students are also expected to demonstrate confidentiality. Do not share confidential emails, grading feedback, or other communication unless permission is given by the instructor. If there is a concern regarding an instructors behavior, any confidential documents should be shared directly with the Program Coordinator, after discussing concerns directly with the instructor.
7. Assignments (including directions), discussion board topics, exam questions, and course content is considered intellectual property of the instructor, the department, and Amarillo College. Sharing any information outside of the class (including posting assignments to third party websites) is considered theft. Students who choose to post their completed work to a third party website (Course Hero, Quizlet, etc) will face consequences as outlined in the Student Rights and Responsibilities. 
8. A complete statement regarding scholastic dishonesty can be found in the Student Code of Conduct in the Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook at http://catalog.actx.edu/content.php?catoid=12&navoid=426

Electronic Device Policy:

Electronic devices include cell phones (including smartphones/smartwatches), computers (laptops, notebooks, netbooks, and handheld devices), MP3 and other digital audio and video players/recorders.

1. A student may not use an electronic device during a class without the express permission of the teacher. The use of cell phones / smartphones during class hours is strictly prohibited, as is leaving the room to receive or make calls unless there is an emergency. If you have a situation that requires you to be available (children, job, etc.) please express this concern to the instructor, while also being mindful of the impact your phone/texts have on the class.  
2. A student with a diagnosed disability must provide the course instructor with relevant documents from Disability Services in order to prepare a precaution for the use of electronic devices that would otherwise be prohibited.
3. In all cases where an instructor has given permission to use an electronic device in the classroom, the student must use that device only in a manner appropriate to course work and avoid distractions or interruptions to peers or the instructor, including leaving the space to use such a device.
4. The instructor reserves the right to revoke the consent previously granted for the use of an electronic device, individually or in bulk, if, in the instructor’s best judgment, the continued use of said device affects the effectiveness of the learning environment in the classroom.
5. Students are expected to remain attentive and engaged in the classroom while operating their devices. Distractions such as texts, social media, and non-academic internet searching are discouraged and prohibited.

Communication Protocols and Expectations:

Business Management Students are expected to practice professional communication standards. This includes using proper titles in all communication during the course (Dr. Mr. Mrs.). Students need to recognize their communication standards will need to be elevated and more formal than everyday, casual communication.

Best Communication Channel: Face to Face and Phone

Most instructors encourage students to stop by during office hours or talk for a few minutes after class. Students who take advantage of these opportunities feel more comfortable in a college and connected to campus.

1. Students who communicate with their instructors often receive valuable feedback, gain insight into how course work is performed, and generally go home with more confidence.
2. Research shows that students who feel connected enough to communicate with their university faculty and staff are more likely to continue their studies and graduate with a degree.
3. Conversations with professors are a valuable way to learn about an academic field. Most professors will provide you with information and insight into your choice of major or possible future careers in your field.
4. If you know some of your instructors, you are in an ideal position to request a referral or recommendation letter in the future.
5. An instructor who knows you is a valuable part of your network. Networking is very important for future job searches and other opportunities. In fact, most jobs are found through networks, not classified ads or online job postings.
6. Remember to use office hours as your opportunity to address concerns with your instructor. Additionally, you can call your instructor during office hours using their posted office phone number.

Second Choice: Email

Approach writing an email as you would any other form of professional communication. The following are some guidelines for sending emails to your instructors:

1. Use your Amarillo College email account to write and receive emails.
2. Use the subject line to label your message effectively by including your course and section number.
3. Address email messages as you do a letter, beginning “Dear Mrs. Stovall”
4. Communications should be in full sentences with correctly spelled words and reasonable grammar.
5. Get to your point quickly and concisely.
6. Don’t use capital letters to emphasize. All caps look like SHOUTING.
7. Avoid abbreviations, nonstandard spelling, slang, and emoticons like smiley faces.
8. When you reply to a message, leave the original message within yours. Your instructor may need to recall what he or she said in the original message.
9. Be polite. End the message with a “Thank you” or something similar.
10. Include your full name after your closing.
11. Proofread your message before sending it. Grammar, capitalization, spelling, and punctuation are reflective of your professionalism.
12. Remember that standard email response time is 24 hours and within the traditional 5-day work week. Weekends usually result in a slower response time.
13. Provide your instructor with all of the information required to assist you. Email should not be back and forth, multiple times, trying to gather additional information. Your goal is to send one email and receive one email.

Unacceptable Email:

What’s up, Professor!I am in your class and haven’t logged into Blackboard in a while because I was busy. Did I miss anything important? Can u send me a list of assignments I missed RIGHT AWAY so I can work on them?

BTW, here is the assignment from the first week of class, you will accept it for full credit even though it is a few weeks late, right? :-) !!

MK

Acceptable Email:

SUBJECT: BMGT-1305-003, Chapter 1 Question   

Dear Mrs. Stovall,

I am unable to attend class tomorrow, October 1, due to attending a koi fish funeral. Based on the syllabus and course calendar I am working on the Chapter 1 assignment and Week 1 discussion board. On the Chapter 1 Assignment, is question 3 asking for a specific example or a simple reflection? Thank you for your help in this matter.

Sincerely,

Michael Scott 

Grading Criteria

Accessing Grades Online

To view your current course grades:

1. Go to www.actx.edu, click on AC Connect and log in using your ACNetID and password
2. Click on BUSG-2309
3. Click on My Grades on the menu to the left.
4. To view your final course grades:
5. Go to www.actx.edu, click on AC Connect and log in using your ACNetID and password
6. Scroll down to Self Service on the bottom right of the page, and click on Current Student.
7. Under current student, click on Academic Profile and click on Grades.

GRADING SCALE:

            90 - 100%         =          A          Excellent

            80 -   89%         =          B          Above Average, Very Good

            70 -   79%         =          C          Average, Good

            60 -   69%         =          D          Poor, but passing

            Below 60%        =          F          Failing

The instructor reserves the right to subjectively influence the final grade relative to class attendance, participation, and attitude.

Weighted Total:

40% Assignments

40% Final Project Paper and Diagram

20% Discussion Boards

100% Total Grade

Plagiarism, Cheating and Individual Work Ethic:

1. Amarillo College policies and Code of Student Conduct is strictly adhered to when dealing with plagiarism, cheating, and duplication of work product. Any evidence of plagiarism, cheating, or duplication of work product will result in a zero on the work in question.
2. It is the students' responsibility to check the assignment preview to make sure the assignment uploaded correctly according to the assignment directions and before the deadline
3. In the event of a discrepancy, the instructor reserves the right to ask for an assignment confirmation number that is generated by BlackBoard and is sent to the student’s email after the assignment is submitted.
4. If an assignment needs to be resubmitted, it will be reopened up in Blackboard for submission, or the instructor will provide an alternative submission procedure.
5. If an assignment is uploaded as a blank document and appears as a blank document on the submission screen, it will be graded accordingly. It is the student’s responsibility to review the assignment submission.
6. A complete statement regarding scholastic dishonesty can be found in the Student Code of Conduct in the Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook at http://catalog.actx.edu/content.php?catoid=12&navoid=426

Discussion Board Expectations and Best Practices:

1. 4 post required unless otherwise stated. 1 Original and 3 Peer responses.
2. Original post is due by Friday of each week before 11:59 pm. Peer responses are due by Sunday of each week by 11:59 pm. Unless other deadline stated (Week 8)
3. Characteristics considered to be part of excellent discussion contributions are outlined below. I will consider these characteristics when assessing the quality and level of student participation.
4. Posts and responses should be thorough and thoughtful. Just posting an "I agree" or "Good ideas" will not be considered adequate. Support statements with examples, experiences, or references. Be brief — keep each post and response to one or two short paragraphs. Keep in mind that fellow learners will be reading and responding to you, too.
5. Posts should be minimum of 150 words.
6. Make certain that all posts and responses address the question, problem, or situation as presented for discussion. This does not mean you should not extend the topic, but do not stray from the topic.
7. Discussions occur when there is dialogue; therefore, you need to build upon the posts and responses of other learners to create discussion threads. Make sure to revisit the discussion forum and respond (if necessary) to what other learners have posted to your initial responses.
8. When relevant, add to the discussion by including prior knowledge, work experiences, references, websites, resources, etc. (giving credit when appropriate).
9. Contributions to the discussions (posts and responses) should be complete and free of grammatical or structural errors.
10. Post directly into the discussion board thread, do not upload and attach a document as other students are not likely to download it and interact with your post.
11. Blackboard has released a feature that allows faculty to set the Discussion Board to Post-First. This setting will prevent students from reading other students' threads until they have posted their own threads. Do not bypass the directions and post a blank thread in order to access other students’ posts. This is considered cheating.

 

Be aware that the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (as amended) does not permit instructors to disclose information regarding grades over the phone, via email, or to a third party. Therefore, if you need to discuss your grades, you must do so in person.

Attendance

Students must arrive on time and be present for all scheduled classes. Students who are late do not have to be admitted by the instructor. If students add or enroll in classes after the first day of class, the students are counted as absent from any missed class meetings.

Classes with a scheduled meeting time (traditional/hybrid): 

1. attendance is required and expected
2. students are aware of the course meeting times prior to registering for the class and agree to the posted schedule. By registering for this course students are accepting the schedule as written, this includes consideration of work schedules, child care, and other responsibilities. 
3. the student is entering the course agreeing to attend all classes as scheduled unless an extreme emergency prevents them from attending. Extreme (rare) circumstances will be communicated to the instructor within 24 hours of class meeting time.
4. excused absences will only be considered at the discretion of the instructor and if communicated before the class meeting occurs 
5. students are expected to attend the entire class session without leaving early unless dismissed

Scheduled Meeting Days	Total Class Meeting	Grade A Minimum	Grade B Minimum	Grade C Minimum	Grade D Minimum	Grade F Minimum
Once per Week	8	7	6	5	4	3
Twice per Week	16	14	12	10	8	6

Classes without a scheduled meeting time (online):

1. Student attendance is determined by the instructor and requires substantial participation in the course content, such as working on assignments or participating in a course discussion throughout the week, versus the final hours before a deadline
2. Students are expected to log in to BlackBoard within the first 48 hours of the weekly module being available. Example: course modules open on Monday at 12:01 am, students are expected to log in, review and submit at least one item (discussion board, assignment, quiz) before Wednesday at 12:01 am.
3. Students are expected to address any concerns or questions before Fridays at 5:00 pm

Technical obstacles including internet disruptions, personal computers issues, or failure, do not excuse participation in the class. Amarillo College provides resources to students needing assistance in these areas (see STUDENT RESOURCES).
 

Calendar

Additional Information

Accommodations/Modifications beyond Disability Services:

Instructor policy: As your instructor, I will provide any accommodations required by Disability Services upon receipt of the Student Accommodation Plan. Please know that I am here to support you to the best of my ability and can provide additional tools and resources that specifically support this course and its objectives (some are listed below). Disability Services works closely with each instructor to support student success, however, Disability Services is limited on the options they can provide through the accommodation plan. It is important to know that we all work better when we work as a team. Disability Services cannot disclose your disability to the instructor without your consent, just as the instructor cannot disclose your course grade/status without your consent. If you are comfortable discussing your specific disability or concern with the instructor, we are able to better formulate a strategy for success - together.

As a student, it is your responsibility to visit Disability Services and find out if its services and accommodations are suitable for your specific needs. It is not necessary to inform the school of your specific needs and it is completely voluntary. However, if you want the school and instructor to make school adjustments for you, you will need to inform Disability Services of your disability and, most likely, provide evidence of your disability.

1. Amarillo College has several computers equipped with text-to-speech, speech-to-text, and graphics organizing programs to assist students with learning disabilities. The Disabilities Coordinator is available to work with students, individually or in small groups, who have problems with organization, time management, or study skills. These services are open to all students, with the use of assistive technology and learning skills prioritizing students with documented learning disabilities.
2. Required Tool for all students:
   1. GRAMMARLY is a third-party, automated grammar, proofreading, and writing revision tool for academic writing. Grammarly will not fix your writing for you; it is up to you to incorporate Grammarly's feedback and decide what suggestions are most appropriate.

Additional Tools and Support Options:

1. EVERNOTE* is an app designed for productivity that can be extremely helpful for individuals with ADHD, concentration issues, and memory issues. It offers note taking and organization features and allows for a variety of fonts, colors, and highlighting to make those notes very easy to interpret.
2. ANDROID ACCESSIBILITY SUITE* formerly known as Google Talkback, provides users of Android devices with a host of accessibility options, making smartphones more useful and usable for those with disabilities. It comes equipped with a screenreader, allows for use of switches and physical keyboards, and can identify most objects by pointing the phone's camera at them. 
3. IPHONE ACCESSIBILITY FEATURES* included in iPhones and other iOS devices are the counterpart to Android's Accessibility Suite. It includes voice controls, screenreaders, interfacing with hearing aids, reader settings to minimize on-screen distractions, and more. Accessibility features should be preinstalled as part of iOS.
4. EPICWIN* This is a to-do list app. But it’s unlike anything you’ve ever seen before. EpicWin brings an element of a role-playing game into your everyday life. So, instead of just completing your chores and other tasks, you’ll be getting actual rewards with this app. You have a character that you’ll have to improve and develop using the experience points.
5. MINDNODE* This is an app for mind mapping. And the process of creating mind maps becomes much easier with the help of MindNode. Visual representations of your thoughts created in this app are going to be the most accurate because you’ll be able to make them amazingly quick. And they’re going to look appealing. In the end, there won’t be any struggles with poor design or flawed functionality—only your thoughts and ideas in a neatly organized form.

*Information and app descriptions provided by their respective websites.

 

Technology Requirements and Expectations:

This course requires the use of technology. While students are not expected to have any specific technology for this course, they will need to use technology to access course content, complete and submit assignments, communicate with the instructor and other students outside of scheduled class times.

The university has provided each student with an Amarillo College ID to access institutional resources. Electronic communication with students is expected to take place through the Amarillo College ID and Amarillo College email system.

1. Your Amarillo College ID and password are your primary resources for accessing Amarillo College systems.  Password Self Service systems allow university network students, teachers, and employees to reset their own network passwords quickly and independently. Course materials are provided through the BlackBoard Learning Management System.
2. Students are expected to use their Amarillo College ID and password to access and submit assignments and other courses through the BlackBoard system.
3. This course may include online activities such as live (synchronous) or outside of scheduled class time (asynchronous) activities.
4. For online activities, the instructor may require the use of computers with webcams and microphones. For these types of activities, students are expected to have access to and set up the necessary equipment before the online class. For more information on technology support for online course activities, see (STUDENT RESOURCES).
5. Student Technical Services manages and maintains a number of computer labs and services for multimedia and digital media at the various Amarillo College campus locations. Students can visit the labs to test different technologies, get tips, and access different types of training for the courses.
6. While the instructor provides access to certain technologies and course materials within the BlackBoard learning management system, students may require additional technical assistance. The Information Technology Services (ITS) helpdesk provides general technical support. Please note that the ITS help desk offers extended support times, but it is not a 24-hour service.
7. Students new to BlackBoard are expected to take advantage of the BlackBoard Student Tools and Tutorials available within the course shell.

Expectations

To successfully take an online/hybrid course, you must have access to the Internet and be familiar with a computer. Online courses are not the place to learn how to use a computer! You should have these resources and skills before starting an online/hybrid course. These resources and skills include:

1. You need access to a reliable computer and a stable Internet connection; smartphones will not adequately perform the requirements of this course.
2. As an online/hybrid student, you should have a backup plan in case you encounter technical problems with your main computer.
3. Requires technical problem-solving skills.
4. Instructors are experts in their fields, not tech experts. As an online/hybrid student, you may need to troubleshoot technology yourself or contact technical support if a problem arises. Technical support may not be available 24/7.
5. Problems must be handled methodically and rationally.
6. As an online/hybrid student, you should try to troubleshoot before contacting your teacher and /or technical support. Have you checked your browser? Looking for a file in the right place? Have you checked the start and finish dates for a specific task? Are there tutorials or how-to files?
7. Basic knowledge of computers and the Internet is required.
8. As an online student, you should be able to: upload, download, name, and save files correctly; use word processing, spreadsheet, and/or presentation software; download and install software; use a web browser, browse and search the Internet; and send an email with an attachment. You should also be familiar with navigating and using BlackBoard Learning Software.
9. Standard file formats are .doc, .docx, .pdf, .ppt. It is the student’s responsibility to learn about different file formats and practice document conversion.