Written Assignment Unit 1

Submission phase

Workshop timeline with 5 phasesSkip to current tasks

Setup phase
Submission phase

Current phase

 Task to do Submit your work

 Task info Open for submissions from Thursday, 31 January 2019, 8:05 AM
(yesterday)
 Task info Submissions deadline: Thursday, 7 February 2019, 7:55 AM (6 days
left)

Assessment phase

 Task info Open for assessment from Thursday, 7 February 2019, 8:05 AM (6 days
left)
 Task info Assessment deadline: Thursday, 14 February 2019, 7:55 AM (13 days
left)

Grading evaluation phase

Closed

Instructions for submission

Why do you want to go to college? This is the main question for your Written Assignment. You
will write one paragraph (three or four sentences) on this topic.

This Written Assignment will be peer assessed (next week), based upon the following criteria.
Please note, in your other courses, you will likely not be provided with Assessment Form criteria
before and during assignment submission periods.

1. Did the student answer the question? Please provide one or two sentences on why you
think the student did or did not answer the question. Is it a full (three or four sentence)
paragraph?

2. Is what the student submitted a full (three or four sentence) paragraph? Are there spelling
or grammar issues?

3. Is this a mostly original work or did the student use cited source material? Note—if the
student used un-cited source material (as per APA style rules) then this is plagiarism.
 4. Are there spelling or grammar issues? If the student has more than two errors, please
point out what a few of the more common errors are and how to fix them.

5. Is the paragraph a coherent structure that flows well? Please provide one or two sentences
on why you think the student's paragraph is or is not a coherent structure.

Discussion Assignment Unit 1

by Diana Bowman (Instructor) - Wednesday, 30 January 2019, 12:43 AM

For your first Discussion Assignment, you will write an ice-breaker statement. An ice-breaker
statement is one that introduces yourself to the class. This can be a few (two or three sentences)
on your own background and why you've decided to enroll into the UoPeople.

You are also responsible for replying with two or three sentences to three different students and
rating their main posts from 1 (poor) to 10 (excellent) in the Rate box provided.

Learning Journal Unit 1

For this Unit's Learning Journal, you will write a small two or three sentence paragraph on your
expectations for this course. If you are stuck on what to say, just ask yourself the question,
‘What would I teach in this course if I were instructor?’

The Learning Journal is seen only by the instructor and will never be peer reviewed by the other
students. This is your space to write directly and fulfill the assignments given for the Learning
Journal each week.

Submission status

Attempt number This is attempt 1.

Submission status No attempt
Grading status Not graded
Due date Friday, 8 February 2019, 7:55 AM
Time remaining 6 days 20 hours
Last modified -
Submission comments
Comments (0)
Syllabus

ENGL 0101: English Composition 1

Syllabus

Prerequisites: None.

Course Description: The purpose of this course is to further develop students’ English
language, reading, and writing skills as a foundation for their academic studies at UoPeople. The
units focus on a range of texts and genres designed to improve students’ knowledge and
understanding of academic discourse. Each unit also focuses on the progressive development of
reading, grammar, writing and test taking skills. This course is required for all students that have
not demonstrated English proficiency and have been considered for provisional admission as a
non-degree student. Students must earn a 73% or higher in the course to meet the English
language proficiency requirement at UoPeople.

*An important note on the importance of this course and the final exam: Because English
language proficiency is such an essential skill for succeeding at University of the People,
students must earn a score of at least 50 on the final examination. A normalized score of less
than 50 on the final examination will be an automatic failure for the course. Therefore, if you
achieve a normalized score less than a 50 on your final exam, your final grade reverts to a
0. Students who fail the exam and thus the course are also entitled to take the course a second
time.

Students who earn a normalized score of 50 or higher on the final examination will have
that score added to the rest of the grades they have earned in the course, and a final grade
for the course will be computed. If your final grade for the course is less than a 73, your
application to be a degree seeking student cannot be reactivated because you are not yet
able to demonstrate English language proficiency.
In addition to the above, please note the Final Exam will be a general English exam and not
necessarily the items covered in class.

Required Textbook and Materials: UoPeople courses use open educational resources (OER)
and other materials specifically donated to the University with free permissions for educational
use. Therefore, students are not required to purchase any textbooks or sign up for any websites
that have a cost associated with them. The main required textbooks for this course are listed
below, and can be readily accessed using the provided links. There may be additional
required/recommended readings, supplemental materials, or other resources and websites
necessary for lessons; these will be provided for you in the course's General Information and
Forums area, and throughout the term via the weekly course Unit areas and the Learning Guides.

 UoPeople Library and Information Research Network (LIRN):

https://my.uopeople.edu/mod/book/view.php?id=144740&chapterid=152716
 Gutenberg: http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Short_Stories_(Bookshelf)
 Online Literature: http://www.online-literature.com
 Owl Purdue: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/02/

Software Requirements/Installation: You must be able to play audio for the listening part of
the final exam and headphones will not be allowed, only speakers. One of the following internet
browsers must be used for the course and final exam:

Running
Supported browsers
on
Internet Explorer 9,10 and 11
Windows
(Later versions and Microsoft Edge were not
tested)
Firefox Windows
Chrome Windows
Safari 7,8,9 (Later versions were not tested) Mac OS

Please consult the Student Handbook regarding University of the People for additional standards
of computing and networking resources.

In addition to the above, you will need a pdf viewer; however, there are bonus materials that
utilizes PowerPoint and YouTube style video.
Learning Objectives and Outcomes:

By the end of this course students will be able to:

1. Compose a 5 paragraph essay and analyze its structural components.

2. Assess source material and identify the key concepts with their given strengths.
3. Discuss given readings and procedures while applying techniques learned for synthesis.
4. Strengthen critical reading skills through the building and practice of assessment
strategies.
5. Apply class techniques for improvement in their over-all academic and life enhancement.

Course Schedule and Topics: This course will cover the following topics in eight learning
sessions, with one Unit per week. The Final Exam will take place during Week/Unit 9 (UoPeople
time).

Week 1: Unit 1 - Notes and Sentences

Week 2: Unit 2 - Pre-Writing and Paragraphs

Week 3: Unit 3 - The Thesis and APA Citations

Week 4: Unit 4 - The 5 Paragraph Essay and the Library

Week 5: Unit 5 - Reading Critically

Week 6: Unit 6 -Researching and the Sprinkles

Week 7: Unit 7 -Putting it All Together

Week 8: Unit 8 -Dubliners and Finishing Strong

Week 9: Unit 9 -Course Review and Final Exam

Learning Guide: The following is an outline of how this course will be conducted, with
suggested best practices for students.

Unit 1: Notes and Sentences

 Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments

 Participate in the Discussion Assignment (post, comment, and rate in the Discussion
Forum)
 Complete and submit the Written Assignment
  Make entries to the Learning Journal
 Take the Self-Quiz

Unit 2: Pre-Writing and Paragraphs

 Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments

 Participate in the Discussion Assignment (post, comment, and rate in the Discussion
Forum)
 Complete and submit the Written Assignment
 Make entries to the Learning Journal
 Take the Self-Quiz

Unit 3: The Thesis and APA Citations

 Peer assess Unit 2 Written Assignment

 Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
 Participate in the Discussion Assignment (post, comment, and rate in the Discussion
Forum)
 Make entries to the Learning Journal
 Take the Self-Quiz
 Take the Graded Quiz

Unit 4: The 5 Paragraph Essay and the Library

 Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments

 Participate in the Discussion Assignment (post, comment, and rate in the Discussion
Forum)
 Complete and submit the Written Assignment
 Make entries to the Learning Journal
 Take the Self-Quiz

Unit 5: Reading Critically

 Peer assess Unit 4 Written Assignment

 Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
 Participate in the Discussion Assignment (post, comment, and rate in the Discussion
Forum)
 Complete and submit the Written Assignment
 Make entries to the Learning Journal
 Take the Self-Quiz

Unit 6: Researching and the Sprinkles

 Peer assess Unit 5 Written Assignment

 Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
  Participate in the Discussion Assignment (post, comment, and rate in the Discussion
Forum)
 Make entries to the Learning Journal
 Take the Self-Quiz
 Take the Graded Quiz

Unit 7: Putting it All Together

 Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments

 Participate in the Discussion Assignment (post, comment, and rate in the Discussion
Forum)
 Complete and submit the Written Assignment
 Make entries to the Learning Journal
 Take the Self-Quiz

Unit 8: Dubliners and Finishing Strong

 Peer assess Unit 7 Written Assignment

 Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
 Participate in the Discussion Assignment (post, comment, and rate in the Discussion
Forum)
 Make entries to the Learning Journal
 Read the Unit 9 Learning Guide carefully for instructions on the Final Exam
 Complete and submit the anonymous Course Evaluation

Unit 9: Course Review and Final Exam

 Read the Learning Guide

 Prepare for, take, and submit the Final Exam
 The Final Exam will take place during the Thursday and Sunday of Week/Unit 9
(UoPeople time); exact dates, times, and other details will be provided accordingly by
your instructor

Course Requirements:

Written Assignments & Assessment Forms

Some units in this course require that you complete a Written Assignment. You are required to
submit your assignments by the indicated deadlines and, in addition, to give meaningful peer
assessments of three (3) of your classmates’ assignments according to the instructions found in
the Assessment Form, which is provided to you during the following week. During this peer
assessment period, you are expected to provide details in the feedback section of the Assessment
Form, indicating why you awarded the grade that you did to your peer. Please note that each
assignment grade is comprised of a combination of your submission (90%) and your peer
assessments (10%). Failure to submit Written Assignments and/or Assessment Forms may result
in failure of the course.

Discussion Assignments & Response Posts/Ratings

Some units in this course require that you complete a Discussion Assignment. You are required
to develop and post a substantive response to the Discussion Assignment in the Discussion
Forum. A substantive response is one that fully answers the question that has been posed by the
instructor. In addition, you must extend the discussion by giving meaningful responses to at least
three (3) of your peers’ postings in the Discussion Forum and by rating their posts. Instructions
for proper posting and rating are provided inside the Discussion Forum for each week.
Discussion Forums are only active for each current and relevant learning week, so it is not
possible to contribute to the forum once the learning week has come to an end. Failure to
participate in the Discussion Assignment by posting in the Discussion Forum and responding to
peers as required may result in failure of the course.

Learning Journals
Your instructor may choose to assign specific topics and/or relevant questions as a weekly
Learning Journal entry for you to complete, but you are still encouraged to also use it to
document your activities, record questions/problems you may have encountered, reflect on the
learning process, and draft answers for other course assignments. The Learning Journal must be
updated on a weekly basis, because its entries will be assessed by your instructor directly as a
part of your final grade. The Learning Journal will only be seen by your instructor.

Quizzes
This course will contain three types of quizzes – the Self-Quiz, the Graded Quiz, and the Review
Quiz. These quizzes may contain multiple choice, true/false, or short answer questions. The
results of the Self-Quiz will not count towards your final grade. However, it is highly
recommended that you complete the Self-Quiz to ensure that you have adequately understood the
course materials. Along with the Reading Assignments, the results of the Self-Quiz should be
used as part of an iterative learning process, to thoroughly cover and test your understanding of
course material. You should use the results of your Self-Quiz as a guide to go back and review
relevant sections of the Reading Assignments. Likewise, the Review Quiz will not count towards
your final grade, but should also be used to assist you in a comprehensive review and full
understanding of all course material, in preparation for your Final Exam. Lastly, the results of the
Graded Quiz will count towards your final grade. Specific instructions on the format and content
of the Graded Quiz will be provided by your instructor.

All Self-Quizzes in this course will remain open until the end of the term and allow unlimited
attempts.

Final Exam
The Final Exam will take place during the Thursday and Sunday of Week/Unit 9, following the
completion of eight units of work. The format of the Final Exam is similar to that of the quizzes,
and may contain a combination of different question types. You will have one attempt to take the
exam, and it will be graded electronically. Specific instructions on how to prepare for and take
the Final Exam will be provided during Week 8 (located inside the Unit 9 Learning Guide). Final
Exams must be taken without the use of course learning materials (both those inside and outside
the course). If particular materials are allowed for use during the exam, these will be noted in the
exam’s instructions.

The Final Exam for this course must be done under the supervision of a proctor. Since you
already secured your proctor before registering for this course, this is a reminder that you should
coordinate with him/her before you take the exam. Please note, you will not be permitted to
change proctors during the course. As a reminder, students are required to successfully complete
proctored exams spaced throughout their program of study at UoPeople, in order to verify the
student’s identity in confirming a degree and diploma upon graduation.

Course Forum
The Course Forum is the place to raise issues and questions relating to the course. It is regularly
monitored by the instructors, and is a good place to meet fellow students taking the same course.
While it is not required to participate in the Course Forum, it is highly recommended.

Course Policies:

Grading Components and Weights

Each graded component of the course will contribute some percentage to the final grading scale,
as indicated here:

Discussion Assignments 10%

Written Assignments 15%
Learning Journals 20%
Two Graded Quizzes 30%
Final Exam 25%
TOTAL 100%

*Please note: Students are required to obtain an overall grade of at least 73% (C) or higher to
pass this course.

Grading Scale
This course will follow the standard 100-point grading scale defined by the University of the
People, as indicated here:

Letter Grade Grade Scale Grade Points

A+ 98-100 4.00
A 93-97 4.00
A- 90-92 3.67
B+ 88-89 3.33
B 83-87 3.00
B- 80-82 2.67
C+ 78-79 2.33
C 73-77 2.00
C- 70-72 1.67
D+ 68-69 1.33
D 63-67 1.00
D- 60-62 0.67
F Under 60 0.00

Grade Appeal
If you believe that the final grade you received for a course is erroneous, unjust, or unfair, please
contact your course instructor. This must be done within seven days of the posted final grade.
For more information on this topic, please review the Grade Appeal Procedure in the University
Catalog.

Participation
Non-participation is characterized by lack of any assignment submissions, inadequate
contributions to the Discussion Forums, and/or lack of peer feedback to Discussion/Written
Assignments. Also, please note the following important points about course participation:

 Assignments must be submitted on or before the specified deadline. A course timeline is

provided in the course schedule, and the instructor will specify deadlines for each
assignment.
 Any student showing non-participation for two weeks (consecutive or non-consecutive) is
likely to automatically fail the course.
 Occasionally there may be a legitimate reason for submitting an assignment late. Most of
the time, late assignments will not be accepted and there will be no make-up assignments.
 All students are obligated to inform their instructor in advance of any known absences
which may result in their non-participation.

Academic Honesty and Integrity

When you submit any work that requires research and writing, it is essential to cite and reference
all source material. Failure to properly acknowledge your sources is known as “plagiarism” –
which is effectively passing off an individual’s words or ideas as your own. University of the
People adheres to a strict policy of academic honesty and integrity. Failure to comply with these
guidelines may result in sanctions by the University, including dismissal from the University or
course failure. For more information on this topic, please review the Academic Integrity Policy
in the University Catalog.

Unless otherwise stated, any materials cited in this course should be referenced using the style
guidelines established by the American Psychological Association (APA). The APA format is
widely used in colleges and universities across the world and is one of several style and citation
formats required for publication in professional and academic journals. Purdue University’s
Online Writing LAB (OWL) is a free website that provides excellent information and resources
for understanding and using the APA format and style. The OWL website can be accessed
here: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/purdue_owl.html

Code of Conduct
University of the People expects that students conduct themselves in a respectful, collaborative,
and honest manner at all times. Harassment, threatening behavior, or deliberate embarrassment
of others will not be permitted. Any conduct that interferes with the quality of the educational
experience is not allowed and may result in disciplinary action, such as course failure, probation,
suspension, or dismissal. For more information on this topic, please review the Code of Conduct
Policy in the University Catalog.

Announcements
Welcome

 Tips for Success

Welcome
by Diana Bowman (Instructor) - Wednesday, 30 January 2019, 6:51 PM

Hello Students! I’d like to welcome each of you to ENGL 0101. I am your instructor, and I will
be managing the course online learning platform and addressing lessons, emails, and questions
along the way. I want to be as responsive to your needs as possible, so please feel free to post
comments and questions in the Course Forum, in your Learning Journals, or in an email to me
at [email protected]. (I actually prefer that you email me at this address rather than
using the messaging system on the course website.)

It is important for you review the great resources available to you through the Virtual Campus as
well as review The University of the People's academic policies and syllabus/course
information.

The Learning Guide for each week or unit of the course will provide you with the assignments
that you must complete that week. I will also post instructions and resources in the
Announcements that will help you complete your assignments.

Many students find that English 0101 is unlike any English course they have ever taken. The
emphasis is on improving your usage of English at it applies to academic thinking and writing.
The assignments require much thought and effort. Many students discover that they need to
devote additional time, beyond what is required for the assignments, to improve their English
usage, listening, and writing skills. Nevertheless, the students who persist in the course generally
feel that their time has been well spent.
I encourage you to spend the time needed on the assignments, enjoy getting to know your
colleagues, and commit to taking this important step toward getting your degree from the
University of the People.

Tips for Success

 Unit 1 Announcements
 Welcome

Tips for Success

by Diana Bowman (Instructor) - Wednesday, 30 January 2019, 6:48 PM

Here are a few tips to help you be successful in this course:

1. It is critical to read the Learning Guide carefully each week to understand what your
assignments are. Be sure to review the checklist at the end of each Learning Guide at the end of
the week to make sure you’ve completed all assignments.

2. Make sure you submit all assignments for each unit on time. You should submit them early, in
case something comes up at the last minute or you have a technology problem. Please don’t wait
until the last minute. Transmittal times may vary, and those who submit five minutes before the
deadline may find themselves locked out of the system. Remember, UoPeople does not allow the
submission of late assignments.

3. Spend the time you need on your assignments. Most students report that they spend
approximately 15-18 hours a week on this course. Make sure you allow sufficient time to learn
the information provided in the instructional materials and do all the required assignments. What
you get out of the course depends on what you put into it.

4. Complete the optional conversations and spend as much time as you can listening to spoken
English. In order to pass the course, you will need to develop your proficiency in English
reading, writing, and listening.

5. A very important part of your course work is to provide helpful comments to your peers on
their assignments. Make sure that you include the information requested in your review
comments and provide something that your peers can use to improve their work. If you do not
respond to the required number of peer submissions in the Discussion Assignments or Written
Assignments or if your comments are not reflective of a careful review of your peers’ work, you
will lose points from your overall score. Also, you should read your peers’ comments on your
assignments carefully and consider what you can learn from them. If you disagree with a peer
assessment, you may discuss this with me by email.
6. The best way to improve your English reading and writing skills is to read and write a lot. You
will notice that most writing assignments provide a minimum length or number of sentences. If
you choose to write more than the minimum required, this is allowable in my class. Please do not
rate your peers lower because they have exceeded the minimum length. You should concentrate
on the quality of the ideas and writing in your assessments.

7. Using outside sources in your writing is a great way to expand your ideas. You need to make
sure, however, that you always cite your sources. Using the ideas or writing of others without
including the sources (where these ideas come from) is considered plagiarism and may result in
your dismissal from the university. In this course, you will learn how to cite outside sources
using APA (American Psychological Association) style.

8. Ask questions. Let me know what you find challenging in the course, and I will do my best to
help you.

Unit 1 Announcements

 Improving Your English

 Tips for Success

Unit 1 Announcements
by Diana Bowman (Instructor) - Wednesday, 30 January 2019, 6:46 PM

For this week, read the Learning Guide for Unit 1. You will see that there is information on
taking notes and creating effective sentences. The resources on effective sentences will be ones
that you will need to review throughout the term in order to improve your ability to write correct
sentences in English.

You are required to participate in the Discussion Forum and respond to at least three of your
peers. This will be a great way to get to know your classmates. You will also complete a Written
Assignment, Learning Journal, and a Self-Quiz. Don’t forget to review the checklist at the end of
the Learning Guide to make sure you have completed all tasks for Unit 1.

I’m loImproving Your English

 Unit 1 Announcements

Improving Your English

by Diana Bowman (Instructor) - Wednesday, 30 January 2019, 6:45 PM
The goal of this course is to enable you to improve your proficiency in English reading, writing,
and listening. Most of the assignments are designed to help you build your skills in academic
reading and writing in English. However, many students need to work on their basic English
skills, and will need to improve their listening and comprehension skills to pass the course.

If you know that you need to improve your English skills significantly, you should spend extra
time every day on the listening activities provided in the course. Each week in the Learning
Guide, you will find stories to listen to, as well as read, and optional conversations. You should
use these resources.

In addition, you should review the links for English resources provided below to practice your
English listening and comprehension skills. There are a variety of websites geared to many levels
of English proficiency. Explore these links and select those that you find most helpful. I would
recommend in particular those websites that provide a listening activity followed by a quiz to test
your comprehension.

The following two links provide short passages for you to listen to and test your comprehension
by responding to questions. For many of you, this should be a daily activity.

http://www.esolcourses.com/content/topicsmenu/listening.html

http://www.esl-lab.com

365 ESL Short Stories - http://eslyes.com/eslread

Audio files of short stories with read-along text to follow along for beginner and intermediate
level English learners; includes activities to test your comprehension.

Voice of America Let’s Learn English - http://learningenglish.voanews.com/z/4729.html

Audio files and videos with read-along text of everyday situations, quizzes to test your
comprehension, and activities to practice your pronunciation; for beginner and intermediate
level; other English learning resources as well.

Voice of America Learning English - http://learningenglish.voanews.com

Audio files and video of news stories read slowly; transcripts provided for read along; videos and
other resources as well.

National Public Radio - http://www.npr.org(Click on Shows and Podcasts)

Podcasts on current news stories as well as programs on featured topics, all in English.

Story Corps - https://storycorps.org

Audio files with read-along transcripts, all in English. The transcripts capture informal
conversations and do not illustrate formal writing. Story Corps is a project that records
individuals who wish to share a story from their lives; the stories cover a wide range of human
interest topics.

TED Talks - https://www.ted.com

Short videos of powerful talks in English that address a wide range of topics; for intermediate
and nearly proficient English learners.

A former student recommended listening to reputable news radio stations, like Chicago Public
Radio (or other locations like New York, Boston, Los Angeles), or watching TV stations like the
BBC and Al Jazeera. These stations tend to be more careful with the quality of the language
used, so listening to them constantly will greatly improve your professional vocabulary and
grammar. She noted that movies did not help so much because a lot of them use slang.

oking forward to beginning this journey with you and seeing your work.