Course Protocols

Communication

How should I contact the course instructor?
There are two instructors for this course: Dr. Michelle Mentzer (mmentze5@jhu.edu) and Kristin Wyatt, MA (kwyatt4@jhu.edu).

Contact your instructor via email with comments, questions, and concerns. You can expect receive a response within 24-48 hours.  Note: only you and the instructor have access to your Individual Discussion Forum. This is also a good place to share questions and concerns.

Whom should I contact if I am having technical difficulties?
Direct all ELC technical questions to techsupport@mail.cte.jhu.edu or 410-516-9856.  Responses will be provided during normal business hours.

How will I know about changes to the course?
Frequently, you will find new announcements posted in the ELC which contain information about current learning activities that you are working on and any changes to the course. Please check announcements every time that you log into the ELC.

How should I communicate with others in this course?
You should communicate often with your classmates and with your instructor. The majority of communication will take place within the ELC discussion forums. When you have a question about an assignment or a question about the course, please contact your instructor, or post your question in the course’s Q&A forum.
 

Are there any requirements for sending e-mail messages?
When you send an e-mail message to the instructor or to another participant in the course, please observe the following guidelines:

• Include the title of the course in the subject field (e.g., JHU Research course).
• Keep messages concise and check spelling and grammar.
• Send longer messages as attachments.
• Use a positive tone and stay mindful of how your message could be interpreted.

Assignments

How should assignments be submitted?
The weekly directions will indicate where assignments will be posted -- either in a whole group discussion forum, your team discussion forum, your individual discussion forum, or the Gradebook. If submitting to a forum, please specify the assignment name in the discussion thread and/or the document title. When creating files, include your name and the name of the assignment in the file title. Also, please be sure to only include one period in file names. The period should be between the file name and the extension. For example: kwinter_Matrix.doc.
 

When will assignments be due?
Assignment and activity due dates are listed in the weekly checklists. Assignment due dates can also be found on the Syllabus page.  Changes will be announced by the instructor via an announcement in the ELC. Some larger assignments will be completed over several weeks. In these cases, you will be prompted to complete portions of the assignment each week.
 

When will completed assignments be returned?
The instructor will aim to return assignments to you within 5-7 days following the due date, depending on the length of the assignment. You will receive feedback in either the Gradebook, team space, or your individual discussion forum.

What is the policy for late assignments?
You are expected to contact your instructor in advance if you think you cannot meet an assignment deadline. However, if an assignment is late and prior arrangements have not been made with the instructor, the assignment score may be affected.

What happens if I cannot participate in a synchronous session?
If you cannot attend a synchronous session, it is your responsibility to contact the instructor ahead of time for an alternate assignment.

Time Management Expectations

What is the time demand and schedule of the course?
Because this is a graduate-level course that is offered in an online format, the rigor and time commitment is higher than a traditional 15-week semester course. It is expected that you look ahead to schedule your time. Plan to complete coursework across several days of the week rather than all in one day. Be sure to consider how team activities impact your schedule as well.

Some assignments require that you work on them for multiple weeks. Be sure to review the assignment directions at the beginning of the course so that you can plan your time accordingly.

Please seek help before becoming frustrated and spending a significant amount of time to resolve an issue.

Participation

What are the participation requirements?
You are expected to log into the ELC at least three times a week, though a daily check-in is recommended. It is your responsibility to read all announcements and discussion postings within your assigned forums. Submit your first posting to a discussion by Friday of the given week. You should revisit the discussion multiple times over the week to contribute to the dialogue.
 

What are the requirements for working in a team?
You are expected to work equitably within your team to complete collaborative team activities. At different points in the course, you will have an opportunity to privately rate your own participation and that of your teammates.

Please refer to the Course Engagement assignment directions and scoring document, located on the Syllabus page in the Overview section, for more specific information about individual and team participation in this course.