This document provides a quick start guide for a humanities course. It outlines the course structure, assignments, grading criteria, and module schedule. The course uses a learning management system called Blackboard for announcements, modules, and submitting assignments. It is organized into 8 modules, with participation worth 26% of the grade. The first module must be completed before the end of the first week or the student risks being dropped from the course. All assignments have deadlines by the last date of each module and late work loses 10% per week.

1. QUICK START GUIDE
AARON J.
LAWLER
alawler@Waubonsee.edu
630.220.9565
630.466. 7900 ext. 2861
VON 227
Blackboard
Announcements
Learning modules
Submit assignments
College email
Attendance
Participation pts awarded each day
Active listening → choose to listen
without interruption (ie. avoid cross-
talk or electronic devices)
Engagement → ask questions, share
ideas, tell stories, be thoughtful
Modules
Course material is broken up into 8
modules → four 1-week modules, and
four 3-week modules
Deadlines → all work is due on the
last day of the module
Latework → 10% down per week
Guidelines
Required studies → each module is
organized by a theme and that theme
is supported by the resources posted
in BlackBoard, the reading
assignments in your textbook, and the
in class activities
Preview, view and review → to best
understand the course material you
will need to be familiar with the
assigned readings and resources, as
well as the class activities
Learning is your responsibility → you
get what you put in; the more you
invest in this course the more
rewarding it will be; and all material is
fair game for the exams and
assessments
Writing guidelines → the difference
between A work from B or C work lies
in the measure of success; C work
meets the requirements where A and
B work demonstrate increasing levels
of mastery
Academic integrity → you will affirm a
promise not to cheat or plagiarize and
you will be held to this promise
Resubmissions → any work that is
submitted on time and earns a C or
higher can be resubmitted for a better
grade
First module
How can I be successful
in this course?
Review the Module Resources →
look over the BlackBoard shell,
the syllabus, and the two
multimedia links: The Humanities
Experience and The Humanities
Matter
Disc 1 → go to the first
discussion and forum and affirm
the academic integrity statement
Disc 2 → go to the second
discussion forum and post an
introduction as well as a picture
of yourself (you will not get credit
if you do not post a picture!)
Quiz → complete the
“Understanding Humanities”
quiz/survey
Warning! If you do not complete
these assignments before the end
of Wk 1, you run the risk of being
dropped from the course!

2. Participation*
26%
Discussions
8%
Journals
9%
Groupwork
15%
Essays
16%
Exams
13%
Quizzes
4%
Leader
3%
PBL
6%
QUICK START GUIDE
approximately
1600 pts
* Class participation typically works out to be about 30pts per week.
However, this is an estimate and points may vary.
Grading criteria Grading scale
A 100% → 90%
B 89% → 80%
C 79% → 70%
D 69% → 60%
F 59% → and below
Module schedule
Dates Assignments
1/17 →
1/20
Module 1
• Required studies
• Disc Post 1 & 2
• Quiz 1
1/23 →
2/10
Module 2
• Required studies
• Disc Post 3
• Journal Entry 1
• Group Activity 1
2/13 →
3/2
Module 3
• Required studies
• Disc Post 4 & 5
• Group Activity 2
• Essay 1
3/6 →
3/10
Module 4
• Required studies
• Midterm Exam
3/20 →
4/7
Module 5
• Required studies
• Disc Post 6
• Journal Entry 2
• Group Activity 3
• Essay 2
4/10 →
4/14
Module 6
• Required studies
• Reflection Survey/Quiz 2
4/17 →
5/5
Module 7
• Required studies
• Disc Post 7
• Journal Entry 3
• Leading the Convo
• Problem Based Learning
5/8 →
5/11
Module 8
• Required studies
• Final exam
3/13 – 3/19 Spring break
First deadline
Module 1 → No latework will be
accepted for Module 1. All work for
Module 1 must be submitted by the
Friday of the Module. Failure to complete
these assignments before the end of Wk
1, you run the risk of being dropped from
the course!
Final deadline
Last day of the course → It is course
policy that all assignments must be turned
in to me by the last date of class
attendance. Assignments turned in after
the final exam will not be accepted or
graded.
When we learn something new, we are all a little like
Don Quixote: "Who reads much and walks much sees
much and knows much." And remember:
don't forget to be awesome!