http://online.chabotcollege.edu/shildreth/physci/bbphysci15hw1.html

Physical Science 15 Online - Chabot College  - Scott Hildreth

Initial Homework Assignment

Please make your initial post and responses by Thursday, 8/28 at 11:55 PM Pacific Time;

50 points total - 30 for your completing all the tasks, and 10 for replies to at least two other students in either the Biographies or VARK discussions.

Please note: If you have added the class or started late, your post and responses are due ASAP but no later than Sunday , 8/31.  Remember you can use a temporary access userid physci15 and password physci15student to access Blackboard while you are waiting.  Identify yourself in your post, as this ID will be shared by many students.


  1. The most important part of our online class will involve continuous communications between you and I, and among everyone in the class. We'll use the Discussion board a great deal, so learn now how to post and reply to messages.

    TASK
    Within Blackboard, please go to the Discussion area, locate the TEST forum, and post a brief (a couple of lines is fine!) to the following questions:

    What (and where) is your favorite restaurant? What kind of food do they offer, where they are located, and why do you like it?

    Try replying to the postings of others as well. Explore how to use the optional features in the discussion board to search for your messages, or order them by date or author.

  2. In an on-campus class, you can see your classmates, sit near or next to someone you might want to know, and easily get to know them before or after class. Sometimes these folks become study partners and friends, and they certainly can help out in a pinch if you miss a class or lose an assignment.

    In an on-line class, getting to know who you are learning with is just as important - perhaps even more so. So take the time now to post a brief biography and share a bit about yourself.

    TASK
    Go to the "BIOGRAPHIES" Discussion Forum, and post a brief biography ( a paragraph or two is fine) including responses to the following questions:


    a) Your name, and what you would like to be called by us during the course;

    b) Your major, or preferred area of interest if you have one; if you don't yet have one, don't worry.

    c) The other courses you are taking this summer (at Chabot or elsewhere);

    d) Where you live, and where you and your family are from originally. Note that we often have folks in our online class from quite far away; in past years, we had a student in India, another in Sweden, and many across the US taking the class simultaneously.

    e) How many online classes you have taken, and why you chose this online course. If you've had experience with Blackboard, share that (good OR bad! :) too.

    Be sure to reply to the postings of others in the class. If you are an online class veteran, please do share what things have helped YOU succeed in prior classes. Thank you!



  3. How do you learn most effectively? Listening to lectures? Doing Homework Activities with others? Reading? Watching visuals? To succeed in this college science class, it is important for you and I to understand how you seem learn most effectively.

    Everyone has various strengths and preferences when it comes to learning, and often differences between learning sciences rather than non-science courses. The VARK (short for Visual, Aural, Reading, & Kinesthetic) test linked below is one of many possible assessments designed to identify your learning preferences. It is relatively short, and fun to take; there are no "right" or "wrong" answers, and you aren't graded on the results!

    Once you have tried this test, read about the results on the website, and consider whether the results seem to match your impressions of how you learn best.

    TASKS
    1) Go to http://www.vark-learn.com/english/page.asp?p=questionnaire and take the short quiz.

    2) Post your results in the VARK Discussion area, along with a short analysis (perhaps a paragraph or so) of what you learned from the test, and whether you think it matched your learning styles accurately. Reply to the postings of others in class about what they noticed about themselves, and whether you shared some of the same learning preference characteristics.

  4. Have you purchased a textbook yet?  If so, did it come with the required access code to The Physics Place? 
    TASKS
    1) If you have your own Physics Place access code that came with a new book in a blue sleeve, use that code to login to     The Physics Place (available at  http://wps.aw.com/aw_hewitt_cps_4).  You will need an access code to login to the system so that your work can be tracked.  Our Course ID is "cm921914".  You'll need to to enter this ID when you login the first time so that you can get credit for your work.  Explore the system, try to access some of the videoclips, and look at the animated figures and resources.

    2) If you don't have your own Physics Place access code yet, login with the default userid of "physci15" and password of "physci15student".  Please do not modify any information with this userid and password - it is shared by many folks.  You will need your own userid to get credit for the tutorial work.  Be sure to try this so that you know your computer can handle the tutorials and videoclips.  If you have technical problems with the resources running on your browser, check out the help pages!
  5. The last step is to check that you have read the syllabus and that you understand our grading system. Also, you can let me know if you have questions or if you need special assistance of any kind.

    TASK
    Click on  the "Messages from Scott!" link in the navigation bar, and compose a short note to me (be sure to select my name as the instructor in the TO field) that indicates:

    1) You have reached this point!

    2) You have read the syllabus and understand how important it is for your success in our class to participate regularly, by logging in and posting at least twice a week. This will also make the class much, much more interesting for everyone concerned.

    3) You understand that the online tutorials are required, and that you'll need your own physics place access code. 

    4)Whether you have any special needs that I might do my best to address, including any documented learning disabilities.

    5) Whether you have any questions as well.

    That's it! Thanks!

Last updated: 8/20/08 - SH

Back to Chabot College's Home Page

Questions/Comments? email me!