Online Courses

Information for Students Interested in Dr. Utgaard's Online History Courses

 

HIST 100 and 101 online are interactive, reading- and writing-intensive courses. The courses will take place on the Blackboard Online Platform. Before enrolling in a course, please consider the following questions to determine if a course is right for you.

• Do you work well alone and are you motivated to keep up with reading and writing assignments?
• Are you proactive in seeking help when you need it?
• Do you have a reliable internet connection at home and a working e-mail account? If not, do you have regular access to an internet connection at the college, a public library, or somewhere else?
• Do you have strong reading and writing skills?

If you answer "no" to any of the above questions, you should not take an online class. If you tend to answer "yes" to the above questions, this could be a great course for you.

 

How do the courses work?

The courses are arranged in modules that coincide with the academic calendar. In addition to reading assignments, each module includes an attendance discussion board and some type of graded assignment ranging from research papers, to exams, or map exams. Students will be able to access their own grades. Taking more than one online history course per semester is not recommended.

 

How do I enroll?

You enroll in the course the same way you enroll in any other Cuyamaca College course. You will need be enrolled in the course before you can access the course Blackboard site.

 

Orientation to Dr. Utgaard's Online Courses (Follow these steps exactly!)

1. Enroll in the course.
2. Buy the textbooks at the campus bookstore or from another source. You will need the books immediately! (See the college bookstore for the required books.)
3. After enrolling in the course, you will be entered into the Canvas system. You will be able to access the class on the day the semester begins. In the event that there is still space in the course and you are attempting to add late, you must contact me for an add code.
4. How do I login?
   1. Go to https://gcccd.instructure.com// 
   2. For Username enter your name as firstname.lastname (all lower case with dot between firstname and lastname).
   3. For Password enter your 8-digit birthday (mmddyyyy).
   4. Click Log in and click the card for your course.
   5. If you cannot login successfully, STOP and contact the Help Desk at 619-660-4395. Some of you will have a problem with this, but do not panic.
5. Now that you have logged in, welcome to the course! Familiarize yourself with the course site. Much of the course will take place in the Discussion area. This is where weekly attendance postings will be made. Exams will be posted in the Exams area. We will also be using the Lecture area and many other features of the Blackboard platform.
6. The system will enter your college e-mail address by default. If you use a different e-mail address, be sure to go to the Personal Information area and make changes so you will receive course e-mails.
7. Go to the Syllabus area. If you have not already done so, print a copy of the syllabus and read it over very carefully.
8. Go back to step 7. Be sure to read the syllabus!
9. Follow the directions for Lesson One. Begin reading and post your first assignment on the Weekly Analysis Discussion Board as instructed.