HED 130: Contemporary Health Issues
Thank you for your interest in HED 130. The following information is intended to help you understand the course expectations and requirements of this course before class begins on January 14, 2013
This is a critical thinking course requiring students to write weekly essays on various topics in health education, participate in discussion forums, complete assigned readings, and take assessments. This course will include, but not be limited to, the study of physical and psychological health, creating healthy relationships, avoiding and overcoming harmful habits, prevention of disease, and developing healthy lifestyles. Specific topics may include managing stress, birth control, pregnancy, childbirth, sexually transmitted diseases including AIDS, drug, alcohol and tobacco use and abuse, nutrition and fitness, aging, environmental health, and consumerism.
Access Requirements
No mandatory campus visits are required to take this course. The course, however, is not a self-paced course but an online community of learners working through a 17-week semester. Each week there will be essays, quizzes and discussion topics with the whole class participating. This is not an independent study course. You do have to log on at least 3 days a week to work in the course, but you can pick whichever days and times suit you. A new week of course content with assignments is released each Tuesday and due the following Tuesday.
Students should always access the class web site in Moodle via MyCOM. For information about getting a MyCOM account, read the FAQ's on the MyCOM Portal login page. #6 on the Portal login page explains how to get to Moodle
Students will be asked to create a twitter account as a backup communication system. Details and directions will be posted on the course website.
First Day of Class Instructions
All enrolled students are required to login to the class Moodle website by 6 pm Wednesday, January 16, 2013 to hold their spot in the class. If a registered student does not login and post an introduction to the class by this time, his or her spot may be given to a student on the waitlist. (The waitlist is long and there is a shortage of class spots to meet the demand; so know that I will honor the waitlist if you do not confirm your spot and begin the course as required.)
Waitlist & Add Codes
If you are on the waitlist check your mycom portal email often for notices from COM Admissions. They will contact you if a spot has opened up. You will have 72 hrs to move your name form the wait list to the roster. Be aware that if you do not accept that spot your name will be removed from the wait list. I typically accept about 10 students from the waitlist. When contacting me regarding an add code please include your name, the section number of the class you wish to add, and your COM Student ID (if you have one) in your email. I do honor the official waitlist, adding students in the order they appear on the waitlist.
Course Materials
Required: An Invitation to Health(2010-2011), Brief 7th edition
Author : Diane Hales
Publisher : Cengage
Edition/Year : 2010
ISBN : 10: 1111425426
Here is a link for textbook options:
http://www.cengage.com/search/productOverview.do?Ntt=Dianne%20Hales||9781111425425&Ntk=all||P_Isbn13&N=+16
Book Purchases
Students may purchase their books online by visiting COM's online bookstore, or students may buy the books at the COM campus. There may be limited availability via the COM bookstore due to the publication of a new edition. I recommend searching a used bookstore website such as Amazon. Please purchase the edition listed as quizzes and assignments are linked to this edition. This is not a course where you can get by without reading the assigned text.
What To Do When You First Access The Course Online
Be advised that Moodle works best with Firefox. Not all features function with Safari for Mac users. If you run into any technical problems, check your browser using the helpful information at the following link: http://ilearn.csumb.edu/BrowserTestFiles/index.php
Take some time to familiarize yourself with these 2 helpful Moodle FAQs for students and bookmark them for future reference:
http://www.marin.edu/DE/faq.html
http://docs.moodle.org/20/en/Student_FAQ
Finally, there is an important note that you should read and heed at the top right of your Moodle home screen: "Closing this browser does not end your session. In order to end a session you must click on Logout (top right side of browser window). If you do not log out, your session will remain active. The next person to use this computer will have full access to your account."
I hope this information clears up any concerns or questions you may have. If you have others, please email me and include HED 130 in the subject line. I look forward to guiding you on your journey to better health and hope to make the online experience a rewarding adventure.
Kathleen Smyth
Physical Education/Health Education
kathleen.smyth@marin.edu
