Welcome to your online class with Professor Brad Reynolds.
Everything you need to know about your class is located at this website under the name of your class. You can also find information about your class at Canvas which you can access through the COC website at www.canyons.edu.
If you ever have any questions about the class you can contact Dr. Reynolds directly at [email protected]. (If your email bounces back to you then try [email protected], but please DO NOT send the same email to both addresses at the same time. Thanks!) If you do not get a response within 48 hours then please send your email again on the third day.
In your class you will be taking three multiple choice exams to test your specific knowledge about the class material. You will also look for articles currently in the news about topics related to the primary material covered in your class between 1866 and 1999 so you can see the relationship of what you are studying to the present. In addition, you will do ten history projects related to the primary material of your class so that you see there are many ways to learn and enjoy the history you will be learning! And last, you will answer one essay question that addresses the student learning outcomes for the class. If you ever do not understand something about your class, then please contact Dr. Reynolds via email at [email protected].
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)
Several students have asked questions about the class. Since you may have some of the same questions, their questions are listed below.
WHERE DO I SUBMIT MY WORK?
All work, except for the multiple choice exams, must be submitted directly to Professor Reynolds via his email address at [email protected]. Please cut and paste your work directly into the emails you send (do NOT send attachments) and please send all work in separate emails. Please also always put your name, the class name, and class section number in the subject area of your emails.
WHERE DO I GET THE BOOKS FOR THIS CLASS?
You can purchase the class texts from the book store at College of the Canyons or from various online sites like amazon.com. If you do not live in the area of the college you can have the book store send the book to you by calling them, or you can send an email to them at [email protected]. Their address is Book Store, College of the Canyons, 26455 Rockwell Canyon, Valencia, CA 91355. As with everything else, you should contact Professor Reynolds if you have a problem with the COC Book Store.
WHAT BOOKS ARE REQUIRED FOR THIS CLASS?
The texts for your class are listed in the Syllabus for your course which you can access at this website.
HOW DO I KNOW WHAT TO READ FOR THE CLASS?
You will find what chapters to read for each exam in your course Syllabus under "COURSE READING ASSIGNMENTS".
ARE THERE ANY FACE TO FACE MEETINGS FOR THIS CLASS?
No, since you are taking a 100 percent online class.
HOW SOON WILL I KNOW IF THE WORK I SUBMITTED WAS RECEIVED AND GRADED?
You should always get an email back from Professor Reynolds within 48 hours after you send your work. It will likely say "Accepted" or "Not Accepted". If you do not hear back in 48 hours, then please resend your original email on the third day. (This is why you need to put all your work directly into an email as opposed to sending it as an attachment, so it can more easily verify that your work was sent on time. And please don't forget to send all work in separate emails.)
WHERE ARE MY GRADES POSTED?
The multiple choice exam grades will be posted at your Canvas account. Otherwise, you are expected to keep track of your grades just as you would in a face to face class. But, if you ever lose track of your grades, you are always welcome to send an email to Professor Reynolds requesting them.
WILL I BE TAKING THE EXAMS ONLINE IN A TIMED PERIOD?
Yes. You multiple choice exams will be posted online at Canvas and they will be timed, so pay close attention to those requirements which are detailed in your course Syllabus. Check the Calendar section of the course Syllabus to see the examination dates.
WHAT IF I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO TAKE THE EXAM?
The expectation is that you will study for your exams well ahead of time in this online class, just as you would in a face to face class. Specifically, you should review the multiple choice questions in your American History book. If you do, you will not have too many surprises on the day of exam and you should have plenty of time to complete your test.
WHAT DO I DO IF THE TEST IS HAVING TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES?
Don't panic! Canvas sometimes moves slowly. Be patient. You should have enough time to complete the exam if you studied ahead of time. Do NOT hit refresh or any other button since that will submit your exam. DO make sure you have a good internet connection, DO use a trusted browser, DO take the test on a trusted device, and DO try to take the exam early (the test will usually post at 12:01 a.m. and always before noon on the scheduled test dates). If you still experience a problem, then send an email to Dr. Reynolds. Do NOT contact the college! Contact Dr. Reynolds and he will get back to you within 24 hours with a solution to your problem. WHERE DO I FIND THE PROJECT WORKSHEETS?
Go to the website bradleyreynolds.weebly.com and click on "Projects".
DO I HAVE TO DO THE PROJECTS IN THE ORDER THEY ARE LISTED?
No. You can do the projects in any order and turn them in early if you want.
DO I HAVE TO ANSWER ALL THE QUESTIONS LISTED FOR EACH PROJECT?
No. You can either cut and paste the questions into the body of an email and answer them and then send them, or you can make up your own questions. The important thing is that you state how your project relates to the primary history of your class (U.S. history between 1866 and 1999), you explain what you needed to know about the primary history of your class to complete the project, and you state what you learned about the primary history of your class by doing the project.
HOW MANY OF A PARTICULAR TYPE OF PROJECT CAN I DO?
You can do two of any type of project, so two movie reviews, two website reviews, and so on. But note that at least one of your projects MUST be a historical document.
DO THE PROJECTS AND ARTICLES I SUBMIT HAVE TO RELATE TO WHAT I AM CURRENTLY READING?
No, you do not have to do a project or article that relates to what you are currently reading. The projects and articles can come from any time period covered in your class between 1866 and 1999.
HOW DO I WRITE AN ARTICLE ABOUT SOMETHING I HAVEN'T REACHED YET IN THE ASSIGNED READING?
If you find an article that covers a topic that you have not yet read about in your assigned reading, then you can go to that section of your assigned texts to get the information you need to do the assignment, and/or you can do a Web search for information on the topic so you can complete the assignment.
WHAT EXACTLY DO I NEED TO DO TO COMPLETE THE ARTICLES?
Read a major news source like the LA Times, or CNN online, or Fox News, to find an article that specifically references some aspect of the primary history of your class (U.S. history between 1866 and 1999). Then write a review of the article in which you state how the article talks about the primary history of your class, what you needed to know about the primary history of your class to understand the article, and what you learned about the primary history of your class from reading and researching the information in your article. There are articles everyday in every major newspaper and news source that specifically mention the primary history of your class. Start reading and you will find plenty of articles!
CAN I SEND MY WORK IN AN ATTACHMENT?
No, work cannot be sent in an attachment. All work needs to appear in the body of your email with a link to your article or project.
CAN I SEND ALL MY WEEKLY WORK IN A SINGLE EMAIL?
No, all work needs to be sent in in the body of your email and sent in separate emails. Yes, it is a bit more work but it will make our going back and tracking any missing work a lot easier. If multiple work is sent in the same email, only the first item will be graded.
JUST A FEW FINAL POINTS:
Be sure to check the website of your course on the first official day of your class to make sure nothing has changed in your course Syllabus. What is listed on the Syllabus on the first official day of class IS what you are required to know and do for your class!
Make sure you adhere to all deadlines for homework and exams! Deadlines are strictly enforced! So, try to submit all work more than 72 hours prior to its due date in case something needs to be redone or in case you have a computer problem! Note that even work you redo must be received by the due deadline! Make sure you sign into the Discussions area of Canvas or the Discussion Area at your class website by the required date so you don't get dropped from your class.
Take all multiple choice exams early on the day of their availability so that you will have time to retake the exam in case you have any technical difficulties. You are NOT guaranteed an opportunity to retake the exam if you have technical difficulties after 9 p.m. COC time on the day of an exam.
Make sure your articles and projects mention the PRIMARY content of your class which is U.S. history between 1866 and 1999.
If you have any other questions about the class then remember you can send an email anytime to Professor Reynolds at [email protected]. Welcome to the class!