Class Policy for WOST 111, Fall 1999
USC Women's Studies Program
WOST J111 Frequently Asked Questions
These FAQ are just general information about the online course. They're not very current, but I wanted to leave them up for any students with broad general questions about the course. If you're enrolled in the course, you can go ahead and log into Blackboard using these directions.
What is WOST J111?
What requirements will WOST J111 fill for my
degree program?
What is a web-based course?
When does this course meet?
How will I attend class?
Where will I get my books?
What computer capabilities do I need to take
this course?
What will we be studying?
Who will my professor be?
How do I sign up for this class?
Back to the WOST J111 Home Page
WOST 111, Women in Culture, is a course studying a humanistic perspective
of the images, roles and contributions of women in historical, literary,
religious, social, political, philosophical, and artistic contexts.
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What requirements will WOST J111 fill for my degree program?
This course is required for Women's Studies majors and minors. WOST
111 may be counted for Humanities credit in the College of Liberal Arts,
Music, and Science and Mathematics. It may be counted for elective credit
in the College of Business Administration, Criminal Justice, Journalism,
and Nursing. Check with your advisor about the specifics of your program
to be sure it will meet your needs if you're unsure. BAIS students need
15 hours of Columbia-based courses, and this course can apply as one of
those while fulfilling part of that requirement.
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What is a web-based course?
A web based course is one that may meet in part or totally online, in
discussion forums or chat rooms. This course meets completely online, with
no need to meet in person. This course is asynchronous, which means you
can log in to the class to do your work at whatever time is convenient
for you; this option is great for students unable to take a traditional
class for family or work reasons.
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When does this course meet?
Anytime, and no time in particular. A current catch phrase in distance
education is 24/7—twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week—and that's
when this class meets. In other words, you decide when will be the best
time for you to log in and do your work.
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How will I attend class?
When you're ready to work, you'll log into the class web site (which
will be available soon), where you'll find announcements and assignments
that will give you instructions on what you need to do, and a date and
time by which the assignments need to be completed. The course web site
will use Blackboard CourseInfo, which offers an easy interface for the
student and faculty member to communicate and exchange papers and assignments.
You should plan to spend at least three hours a week online working, as
if you were attending a traditional class, but you decide when you'd like
that time to be. You'll have out of class assignments as well—again, just
as in a traditional classroom. The difference is that we'll have our discussions
online and through email. You may post a response to a question, and then
check back a few days later to see what response has been added since then.
These kind of asynchronous discussions—a discussion which takes place over
time—are an ideal way of building a classroom community and allowing students
a truly participatory learning environment, while still providing flexibility
for students with families or full work schedules.
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Where will I get my books?
As soon as the course web page is available, the announcements section
will indicate what books you need to order. You can then order your books
through a local bookstore or online. While I can't make specific recommendations
about what online bookstore to use, links to many are available through
portal sites like Yahoo or Altavista. You could use either a general online
bookstore, or a site that specializes in college textbooks.
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What computer capabilities do I need to take this course?
All the USC campuses provide computer access to students that will enable
you to take this class using the labs. To work from your home or office,
at a minimum, you will need a computer with Windows 3.1 or higher, an Internet
browser, a modem, and an ISP (Internet Service Provider); often you can
get Internet service through your local phone company.
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What will we be studying?
We'll be spending a great deal of time talking about expectations that our culture has for women and men—what does it mean to be a woman? a man? We'll do that through history, literature, art—we'll touch at least briefly on each of the humanistic disciplines listed in the course description above. If you'd like to see a syllabus for the last time I taught this class, follow the links below; the syllabus has links within to some of our readings, and to all the major assignments for that class. While this one will be a little different, these materials should still give you a good idea of what we'll be discussing in the upcoming Fall semester. Please note that these pages are considerably out of date, however.
Who will my professor be?
I am Lisa Rashley, an English and Women's Studies professor at the University
of South Carolina Lancaster. I received my Ph.D. from the University of
Alabama. You can find my phone number and email address at the top of this
page—please contact me if you have other questions than these answered
here.
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How do I sign up for this class?
Your advisor can place you in this class, just like any other class.
The course is listed in the distance education course information section
of your schedule of classes; it's WOST J111, course code 520580.
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