1. Course Title: Internet Literacy Anthony Foster, Instructor

2. Course Number: IS577-098, FALL Semester, 2004

3. Credit Hours: 3 ( Meets entirely online)

4. Course Description:

This on-line course, conducted over the Internet with a supplementary CD-ROM, provides an overview of the Internet and instruction in the use of e-mail, mailing lists, UseNet, FTP, discussion groups, telnet, the World Wide Web, and basic home page construction.

5. Course Requirements

Course Prerequisites: Students must have access to an Internet connection including an e-mail account and access to a computer capable of running a CD. You must know the basics of your computer and operating system, as well as how to install software and use a web browser and send and receive e-mail. This is not a computer literacy course. If you have never used e-mail I would not recommend registering for the course.

• Text/CD: The textbook that will be used in this course is available from the campus bookstore. The textbook is (isbn 0-07-029387-2) Internet Literacy by Dr. Fred T. Hofstetter. The publisher is McGraw-Hill.
• Access to an Internet connection.

6. Learning Objectives (goals):

• Students will learn about Internet Service Providers
• Students will learn about Rights and Responsibilities on the net.
• Students will learn to understand Internet jargon and emoticons.
• Students will learn to customize and manipulate an e-mail client and understand its various uses.
• Students will learn to communicate on the net by exploring a variety of communications alternatives- Listserv, e-mail, Discussion Groups and Newsgroups.
• Students will leam to utilize hypermedia including sound and graphics.
• Students will learn to author and publish a webpage and online resume
• Students will report on one Internet related issue or topic.

7. Expected Performance Outcomes (measurable):

• Students will research and provide information on their ISP and use the Internet to determine the biggest provider of Internet services in their area.
• Students will read and report on Rights and Responsibilities on the net.
• Students will research and discuss Internet jargon and emoticons.
• Students will use an e-mail client to post communications weekly to the Instructor and other classmates..
• Students will communicate in class by subscribing to and posting messages to the course Listserv, Discussion Group and a course Newsgroup.
• Students will successfully incorporate sound and graphics in a web publishing assignment.
• Students will author and publish a linked personal webpage and online resume using best practices described in the course.
• Students will research and write a term paper on an Internet related issue or topic of their choice and publish it to the web (html required!- no Word or email submissions!).

8. Minimum Course Requirements

The class is self paced in that you may work ahead or take time off and catch up- up to a point. Class assignments are given about three times a week and then you have up to about two weeks to complete them. Milestone deadlines for specific assignments (like joining the listserv) will be clearly posted on the course website subsequently on the course listserv. There is, of course, a final deadline. All work must be turned in by that date. The date for the Fall session is by 12 Midnight on December 16th. To reiterate: You must complete a few requirements early on in the course such as subscribing to the class listserv. The assignments are dated so that you can have an idea on where you should be. I post all the assignments at the first of the semester on the course website so you can work ahead, and you can even skip around, but some lessons depend on what you have already done.

Learning online carries advantages as far as timing- but for some students that can cause problems if you are not used to this type of format. Your success in this course partially depends on your ability to discipline yourself. Don't procrastinate! In fact, you will enjoy the course and learn much more if you get ahead of the schedule! The DEADLINES are just that- and not just the date of the final. Unlike some online courses, you cannot wait until the last month to turn everything in. Get to know the schedule so you can anticipate the time you need to spend in relation to the weight of the assignment- for instance- you can expect to spend considerable time on the term paper or web page. On the other hand, from time to time (not very often) I will ask you to respond to my emails, complete an exercise or interact some other way- while some of these do not carry weight on the grading scale, participation and completion of them will actually impact how well you are able to complete your assignments- So the answer is, the course is very flexible, but you need to shoot for getting things done in a timely fashion based on the assignment dates. If I see you are getting behind I will advise you to get it in gear ;-)

• Assignments: the weight of each assignment is clearly posted with the assignment.
• Projects: The Webpage and Resume assignment and the term paper will constitute 66 percent of the overall grade..
• Grading

Scale			Assignment weight
			Webpage/Resume	33%
A	90-100		Term Paper	33%
B	80-89		E-mail observation	10%
C	70-79		Listserv /Newsgroup Participation	10%
D	60-69		Audio	4%
F	below 60		Other assignments		10 %

Voicemail : 314-595-2060. Please leave a message by phone or e-mail if you have a problem or miss getting online for the course in any given week.

All students registered in this class have the option of using the computers in the Campus Computing Center Room in the Library .

Office hours: via the web- I will get back to e-mail queries within 48 hours and usually much more quickly unless I tell you otherwise.

The Course website is at http://serf.pbs.org

Instructions for Logging on provided when student submits e-mail address. You must "cash in your ticket" by Midnight September 4, 2000 or you will be purged from the course!

Last Updated August 1, 2000