Foire - Pisarro

FAQ (Foire aux questions)
for
French Online Courses at CCSF

[French 1A and French 1B]
  1. This course is online. Does that mean I don't have to come to campus? Yes! Although, if you possibly can, please attend the orientation. If you have any questions at all about the technology used in the course, attending will save you much time. In addition, we will speak French! Please see the orientation page for details.

  2. This course is online. Does that mean it's easier? No! This course is equally as challenging as any section of French 1A at CCSF, if not more challenging. You must be an independent learner and be able to have the self-discipline to go through the content modules, complete the assignments, and meet the deadlines. I will send out periodic reminders, but you CANNOT depend on me to make sure that you complete the work. It is UP TO YOU to make sure you complete the work. Remember to PLAN AHEAD! There is always something that can go wrong with the technology if you leave things up to the last minute.

  3. Does being online mean this course is self-paced? No. This course is not self-paced. There is a lot of material to cover and it is not possible to learn everything at the last minute. Follow the course schedule (updated version coming soon) to complete the material on time. After the deadlines, quizzes and tests will not be available. It is important for successful communication that you keep up with your classmates. If you will be out of town, or otherwise unable to complete work as assigned, please let me know in advance to make arrangements.

  4. How many hours should I plan on spending working on this class? This is a 3 unit course. Time spent will of course vary for each student, but plan on spending the 3 hours per week that you would spend in class in a face-to-face course, plus 3-5 additional hours per week spent studying, using lab materials (audio, CD-ROM, online quizzes, etc.), completing assignments. The time you will save will be the time you would have spent traveling to CCSF and trying to park! French1A Online offers the added convenience of providing students the opportunity to do the work when it is convenient for them, within limits. See the syllabus .

  5. I just discovered that I don't really have time for the course. Will you drop me automatically if I stop participating? NO!!!! I will not drop you, but I will give you a grade. If you stop participating in the class, you must drop the course yourself. I will be obligated to give you a grade, which may be "F". Please keep track of the deadlines for dropping the course. But, if you do not log in to WebCT on a regular basis and complete assignments, you may be dropped as a "no show".

  6. I don't need a grade for this course. What do I do? You may take the course P/NP (pass/not pass), BUT YOU MUST CONTACT ADMISSIONS AT THE START OF THE SEMESTER. You must fill out a form during the first few weeks of class in order to benefit from the P/NP option.

  7. I just received my user name and initial password. How do I log in to Insight (powered by Moodle)? A few days before the first day of class, you will receive an automatically generated email with instructions on how to log in. Please see the detailed instructions on the Insight home page: http://insight.ccsf.edu . In the upper left hand corner of the screen, start with the Student Quick Start Guide.

  8. How many times can I take a quiz in this course? You may take each quiz 3 times. You have one hour to complete the quiz and must wait at least 30 minutes between attempts. The highest grade that you receive will be the grade recorded.

  9. May I take the chapter test more than once? No. The chapter tests can only be taken once. You have 3 hours to complete a chapter test. This should be enough time to accommodate the interruptions that may occur at home. Make sure to study for the tests before you begin. Even though they are "open book", the tests are challenging!

  10. How should I turn in my written assigments? Most assignments can be entered directly into Insight(powered by Moodle). If you need to send me an attachment, I appreciate documents in the .rtf format.

  11. What about oral assignments? We will do all oral activities and assessments using the Wimba Voice Tools. These easy-to-use tools were developed in France. We will use the Voice Discussion Board and Pronto. Check the Wimba page for instructions and for assistance if you need help. http://www.wimba.com

  12. How can I get extra help? The Learning Assistance Center offers peer tutoring during the semester. Check with the LAC for times. This is a great opportunity to meet native speakers of French who are also students at CCSF. As soon as their schedule is distributed (usually a few weeks after the start of the semester), I will post it in the course.

  13. This is an online class. How am I graded? Good question! The grading schema is on the syllabus.[French 1A syllabus] [French 1B syllabus] It is important for each student to keep track of his/her assignments. Much of the grade depends on participation; that is posting messages to the discussion boards, posting voice files, participating in chat, and lab activities. Remember, you are responsible for working through the content modules, and making sure you have completed all the assignments.
Any more questions about French online? Send me an email at creitan@ccsf.edu. Be sure to put : French1A or French 1B in the subject line.

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