Communication is the foundation for any successful relationship, and it the key to succeeding in online classes, as well as in other aspects in life. I expect my students to communicate with me throughout the semester. There are plenty of opportunities to interact with me through course discussions and activities, but if the student, at any point, needs further help to successfully meet a specific learning objective in the class, it is his or her responsibility to email me and let me know.
I am actively engaged in our online class throughout the semester. I post announcements and inform students of related events around campus and the local community regularly. It is important that the student communicate with me if he or she is struggling with an assignment because it is difficult to gauge how well each student is grasping the material every step of the way. Students should send me an email after a learning unit has wrapped up, if he or she is unable to successfully achieve each learning objective listed in the unit. I am committed to helping my students achieve success.
I also hold regular "office hours" each week (see syllabus). During these hours I am available via e-mail, phone, Skype,or by a scheduled meeting on campus.
E-mails
I get receive a plethora of daily e-mails and it is important for me to be able to prioritize them effectively to ensure I can respond quickly to my students' questions. Please be sure to include your class (ex: Eng 061, Eng 101, etc.) and your first initial and last name in the subject line of the email. A proper subject line looks like this:
Eng 101 J Smith
In addition, please include your full name at the conclusion of the e-mail, as sometimes e-mail addresses alone do not specifically identify a student's first and last name.
My e-mail address is carey_jennifer@sac.edu
How quickly will I respond?
During the week (Mon-Fri), I will reply to each e-mail I receive within 24 hours after 7:00 PM. If I do not reply to your e-mail within 24 hours during the work week, assume I did not receive it and resend it or follow up with a phone call. Ensuring that I have received a student's e-mail communication is his or her responsibility. I usually reply to e-mails over the weekend but this is not guaranteed.
Phone
As a secondary method of communication, students may contact me through my Google Voice number at:
714-494-6783.
Skype
I hold virtual office hours on Tuesday nights from 7:00 to 9:00 PM. Students may also contact me through Skype. However, students should e-mail me with a time that they wish to Skype beforehand so that I can make sure that I am available. My Skype address is:
jcareyinstructor.